Travelling for private maternity

[Mushroo]

I’m thinking about childbirth options and one option is private. I’m looking into this because having never used the NHS for anything, as an onlooker it just seems like I can’t trust them to have capacity at the minute. I hate not being listened to, feeling like I’m on a conveyor belt and the thought of a post natal ward really fills me with dread.

So for these reasons I’m looking at the Lindo wing. On the website the prices seem to be under £10k, is that about right in practice?

The other big issue is that I’m based in Manchester, and obviously, I won’t know when I’ll go into labour so travelling down would be hard (and then travelling back with a newborn).

Has anyone done this? Am I being ridiculous entertaining the idea? We don’t know anyone in London we could stay with so would be reliant on hotels / air bnb.

i think you would be better looking for something in the manchester area

I think local should be a priority. Both before and after, so unpredictable.

@chipsandpeas its doesn’t exist sadly. All private maternity is in the South East :(

Have you watched Adam Kay's TV show 'this is going to hurt'. I know this is just one Drs experience but after watching that I would be terrified at the thought of anyone going private for childbirth. Please research thoroughly before you make your decision as it has really stuck with me.

Not true, @Mushroo , you can get private maternity care all over the UK. I know someone who had this in Sheffield, so it must be available where you live.
£10k seems a bit low for the Lindo wing, but there are different packages.

@DisneyGirl2329 i have and this is very early in exploring my options and something I’m considering as that also scared me! I would however only pick a private ward attached to an NHS hospital, so it’s down a corridor rather than an ambulance ride.

I’d go with NHS rather than travel. I also don’t believe you can get private maternity all over the UK - there is no private provision in Scotland.

I've just googled - you've got lots of options in the Manchester and Cheshire area.
Try to look for personal recommendations.
Consultant led will be more expensive.

@Maireas really? All my googling just suggests London.

I know I can get a private midwife anywhere but I’d like a private delivery / ward ideally. Do you have details of the Sheffield one?

There is absolutely no way you'll be able to travel from Manchester to London in labour, none. There will also definitely be private hospitals in Manchester.

Tbh, the vast majority of people choosing private for delivery have an ELCS because there aren't any real advantages of having a vaginal birth privately. If you want to have a vaginal birth, you could look into private midwives - they are now sadly rare due to insurance issues, but they do exist, and they can accompany you into hospital and/or oversee your care at home. If anything goes badly wrong, you will want and need the NHS in any case. There aren't any private NICUs.

You could do that, probably more convenient.
There are options for private ante natal care in your area.

Pay for private antenatal care and have an elective section on the NHS would be my suggestion. Then spend the money you save on a mothers help/night nanny/lactation advisor.

I wouldn’t. You’re paying for frills, if anything goes seriously wrong they’ll cart you off to an NHS hospital anyhow.

Thanks all - I do get I’m paying for frills and a nicer environment, but it’s likely the biggest thing I’ll ever do, and for the price of a couple of holidays the avoiding the horror of a gross hot shared ward when I’m vulnerable seems worth it.

My ideal I think would be NHS with guaranteed private room but it just doesn’t seem to exist :(.

The private offering in the North West seems to be about scans and blood tests rather than delivery.

It just all seems so overwhelming and I’m not reassured by the fact I can’t even get a routine Drs appointment at the moment.

Sadly though it seems as though travel to London (and the travel back) might not be feasible.

I had an elective section in Chester on the NHS and we only had 4 in a room. I have been reliably informed Arrow Parke has private rooms on the nhs and they’re all en-suite so maybe ask there?

bear in mind that the pricelists are (often) for bed & consultant only.

tests, medications and materials are invoiced separately and can be very expensive.

@MrsT36 thank you! I’ll take a look

I've had private rooms for both my NHS births.

I'm intrigued about the notion of someone who has NEVER used the NHS! Not criticising or being goady but just can't see how this is possible. Obviously you know that if your baby (or you) needs any kind of emergency care at any time, that'll be NHS, private hospitals don't do emergency care.

I did this 8 years ago. Queen Charlotte Hospital (Hammersmith London) have an option for a private delivery within the NHS ward and also private post natal rooms. I was on NHS for antenatal but went private for delivery and post natal. It felt very safe as it was within the NHS premises so emergencies were well covered. My obgyn was DR ZHANG and I would thoroughly recommend her.

In your situation getting to the premises in time/advance is the trickiest bit. I live an hour away and was summoned to the hospital at the first twinge of labour. Worked out smoothly.

Having also never used the NHS, I gave birth in a London teaching hospital and had a good experience. It wasn’t gross, it wasn’t dirty but I was very focussed on getting out of there ASAP as I figured I could buy in the help with feeding etc more effectively in comfort at home.

I’d highly recommend an antenatal and postnatal doula to help you with & after the birth and getting in touch with a local IBCLC qualified lactation consultant before you give birth.

No private births in Cheshire?
I'll DM you the Sheffield details, I've asked the friend to pass them on

It was around 11K at that time so will be a bit more now I guess.

Can you go home from labour ward? I didn't want to go on postnatal ward so I went home from labour ward. They let me stay 8 hours rather than kick me out after the usual 6.

I've had 2 inductions with vaginal delivery and always found the care on labour ward to be excellent, it's postnatal care that's shocking.

@Whatafielddayfortheheat ive never used it beyond being about age 6 (and that was the 90s so it hadn’t been run into the ground by the Tories).

Ive just never been ill which I appreciate means I’m very fortunate. I’ve paid privately for contraceptives etc. and I now have private insurance through work.

Although actually, small white lie, I did have my smear test on the NHS and that was not a good experience. The nurse didn’t turn up twice despite me taking time off work to attend…

I've sent you a message and will give you more details when I get them.