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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

NHS Elective C section VS Private C section

7 replies

Cfletch · 01/03/2021 15:51

Hello - I just wondered if there is anyone on here that has had experience with both or just private c sec delivery? (Currently 20 weeks pregnant)
I’m Thinking of going privately within an NHS Kingston Hospital to just have the private c-section delivery. They offer this private service
In Kingston.... but wondered if anyone has received good after care via NHS c section?
My main worry is the healing process of a serious procedure and how the care and management is after delivery?
I had a hideous first natural birth experience at a different hospital in Surrey (not Kingston). The labour/ delivery management and after care was awful and it took 12 months of recovery plus a private operation down below to repair my episiotomy and tear/ scar tissue damage as GP wouldn’t believe there was any issues. So I’m wary / nervous of trusting NHS after the miss management of my aftercare. It has left me with anxiety about the birth. Any advice/ shared experiences would be appreciated.... 🙏❤️

OP posts:
ShyTown · 02/03/2021 12:15

I had my first privately at Kingston. The private bit is a separate ward so the section is done in the NHS maternity department and after a few hours of observations and new baby check by the paediatrician you get the ok to be transferred. The private care was excellent but the bit I spent on the NHS side was awful so I didn’t go back there for my second and chose a different private hospital instead.

inchplant · 04/03/2021 23:22

in terms of the operation, they’ll be identical. Doctors often work in both the NHS and private practice

stevalnamechanger · 04/03/2021 23:26

Oooh will you see Dr Nick Anim ? That's who I want to see !

Original poster
Cfletch · 06/03/2021 19:47

@stevalnamechanger

Oooh will you see Dr Nick Anim ? That's who I want to see !
Thank you all - Yes through my fist enquiry it seems like the only private Dr available for c Dec is Dr Anim.... do you know anyone who's been seen under his consultancy? I'm yet to have a consultation.
OP posts:
hogsy · 06/06/2023 20:12

ShyTown · 02/03/2021 12:15

I had my first privately at Kingston. The private bit is a separate ward so the section is done in the NHS maternity department and after a few hours of observations and new baby check by the paediatrician you get the ok to be transferred. The private care was excellent but the bit I spent on the NHS side was awful so I didn’t go back there for my second and chose a different private hospital instead.

Hey! Why was your NHS part awful? Thinking to get my c section done at Kingston and then get transferred to the private wing

Surroundedbyfools · 29/06/2023 14:59

The procedure will be exactly the same. Ur care n comfort may be nicer privately but in a dire emergency you would be transferred to nhs as private hospitals are not equipped to deal with it !

ShyTown · 29/06/2023 17:21

Sorry just seen this.

On Kingston:

I had to wait on at NHS maternity to go to theatre, because the private wing is for all private patients not just maternity and is quite far away. However, they had no beds or waiting room or whatever so I got put in a supply cupboard, then they wheeled another women into the cupboard and it was a really long wait as got bumped for an emergency, that part is fair enough obviously, but not the shared cupboard when you’re paying the best part of £20k for the privilege. The op was all fine. But then had to go on to the NHS HDU ward to have 4 hours of obs before they’d let me transfer. That was an understaffed inferno with no privacy. Staff were quite dismissive, bordering on rude, maybe just stressed. Then I had to transfer myself onto a different style of bed because the private bed used different ones when I barely had the feeling back in my legs and the woman responsible for taking me up there was some sort of manager not clinical staff and there was no one else around. Once there it was 1:1 midwife cover but there was only 2 patients, and 1 night it was just me. So it was buzz, the random HCA came, said she would have to find the midwife, 5 minutes go by, buzz again, repeat, eventually they find her. The positives I’d say were that you were guaranteed the consultant would be doing the surgery and the private rooms were lovely and spacious.

Second one I had at C&W, so again private still with NHS back up and couldn’t have been more different. All maternity is on the same floor so you get allocated your private room on arrival, you wait there until you go to theatre then it’s straight back to your room. Also got a post natal physio appointment included. Buzzer was always quickly responded too with staff that were lovely and could help.

That said my Kingston experience was 2017 and I understand it’s changed company since then so could be very different now.

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