Chelsea & Westminster private Post Labour rooms

[Cerml]

Hi! I'm currently 27 weeks, registered at C&W (on NHS, not private) and have had an uncomplicated pregnancy (low risk) so far. My hope is to have a natural birth in their birth centre (I say "hope" because I know a million things are out of my control) but I've been informed that, because I take a certain medication, regardless of how well my birth goes, I'll still need to stay in hospital for at least 2 nights for the observation of the baby (to make sure she doesn't experience withdrawal). I HATE hospitals and the idea of the shared rooms gives me an immense amount of anxiety and I'd heard I could book a private room for an extra fee that are on the NHS. The private Kensington Wing is £1200/night (no thanks!) but I'm trying to find info and the rate for the "other" NHS private rooms. Anyone know what I'm talking about and the rate?

In our hospital you can pay for a guaranteed private room which is just a guaranteed NHS side room - I think at our hospital it’s a bout £150 a night HOWEVER you can’t pre plan it, just ask on the day and if it’s not available then tough.

It’s £300 per night but they’re not very many of them. I know people that have managed to get the more expensive Kensington Rooms after a NHS delivery but I’ve never heard of anyone managing to get the other ones. If you do go over to the KW then you’re paying for more than just the room- there’s a much higher staff ratio, night nursery for baby, restaurant style menu, hotel style amenities, they even provide the nappies.

Details here of the NHS post natal:
www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity/pregnancy-birth/after-your-baby-is-born/postnatal-ward

I believe that most hospitals have ringfenced those rooms for covid. You can’t fake a positive test but could always say you’ve had symptoms or exposure. Seems to be the only way these days of getting the nhs to prioritise anyone.

It was a while ago but when I had my DCs at C&W the private NHS rooms were first come first served for those who needed a bit of extra privacy one way or another. Twins, premature births etc. DS was born about 6 weeks early and I remember the midwife racing off to ‘reserve’ me the last private room available. I had it for a few days and then had to vacate it for someone in greater need and then was back in a couple of days later!

I gave birth at Chelsea and Westminster. I was keen to get a private room but was so wiped out I couldn't care less where I was so stayed on ward. I was only there one night and it really wasn't too bad but if you are in for a few it might be a good idea. I think (4 years ago) they have rooms at a range of prices. I think most were £100-£200 at the time. They are on first come first serve basis so don't get your hopes up too much. Your midwife should be able to tell you. Back in the day I went on a hospital tour and they explained options. I'm sure they wouldn't do it now unfortunately

I had DC at the Kensington Wing in 2018 and I can't rate it highly enough. It's worth every penny and I wish I could've stayed for a month!

I live close enough to the hospital that 95% of my mum mates have had their babies there and I don't know anyone who got a private NHS room

In normal times, they prioritise mums with twins, complications or babies in ICU, and as PP said, they are now used to isolate covid cases

The Kensington wing rooms are fantastic, but obviously expensive
BUT, the Kensington wing has been running at full capacity for a while so there is very little chance of you getting a room there if you aren't booked to deliver on the wing.

The postnatal wing is pretty awful, I feel for you. It's one of the reasons I was home 24hours after my c-section when DS was born, and it's most of the reason I insisted on the Kensington wing for DC2

I gave birth there in January. From what I can remember in my morphine haze the private rooms were £400- £500 a night.

Ya I've been told how brutal they can be. How did you manage to get out so quick after your c section? You requested to leave early I guess? I didn't even know we could do that until recently (makes sense in retrospect). Ya I mean, financially the Kensington Wing is out of reach for us so I'm going to have to brave the NHS side of things but good to know if I'm going nuts in the room (and baby is well) that I can just leave (I hope). One plus side of covid is that visitors are restricted on the wards so at the very least you don't have extra ppl in and out all the time.

@@SW1ampSW1amp Ya I've been told how brutal they can be. How did you manage to get out so quick after your c section? You requested to leave early I guess? I didn't even know we could do that until recently (makes sense in retrospect). Ya I mean, financially the Kensington Wing is out of reach for us so I'm going to have to brave the NHS side of things but good to know if I'm going nuts in the room (and baby is well) that I can just leave (I hope). One plus side of covid is that visitors are restricted on the wards so at the very least you don't have extra ppl in and out all the time.

When I went for my pre-admisison meeting, they asked if I wanted to be fast tracked for discharge after my section - I said yes!

If you were a normal BMI at your booking appointment, and haven't got any risk factors such as blood pressure issues, they will offer you a fast track discharge, where they will send a women's physio to you to aim to get you up and on your feet as soon as possible, make sure you are happy with feeding and then get you home as soon as possible

To be honest, I would have gone insane if I had spent another night on the post natal ward.
The woman opposite me was playing shitty music through her phone all night, and the woman next to me snored like a train, and when she wasn't asleep, she was singing to her baby

I still get flashbacks if I hear 'you are my sunshine, my only sunshine'

I gave birth at St. George's and you could ask for a private room on the postnatal ward but there was no guarantee. It was £100 per night with no en-suite, £150 with an en-suite. This was 2017 though!

Ante Natal wards are the pits. Too many people are allowed to do what on earth they like, have partner in, have various relatives at any time of day and night, have kids running around and making a nuisance of themselves and generally other people being utterly selfish and inconsiderate.

I booked a private room at £500 although I gave birth under the NHS. It was worth every single penny.

I would love to see the NHS bringing back matrons who ruled the wards like iron. A friend of mine gave birth admittely a few years ago and said there were men using the showers, shouting on their phones and kept getting into her space even though there was a curtain. The last straw for her was when a large family turned up with a stinky curry and she discharged herself.

There was an option for me (I know 20 odd years ago) to get an NHS room for £150 (you couldnt book it)but the nurse showing us around told me afterwards there was no real chance of getting one. They were constantly full and with Covid its probably even worse now to get one.

@Franklin12 ya those rooms aren't available anymore during covid unfortunately except in certain cases. The only ones are the Kensington Wing at £1200/night... If I could get the £500 ones I'd be all over it