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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Private Hospitals - London

92 replies

kaboju · 14/05/2008 12:13

Hi. I am new to mumsnet. I am 10 weeks pregnant with my first child and hope some one can share their experience of private hospitals in London. I am considering the Portland Hospital but after having a tour this week, I have heard that they have a bad reputation. Do anyone have any experience. Any other recommendations are very welcome. Really confused after hearing about the bad reputation. Any advise very much appreciate. Thanks in advance.

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thebecster · 14/05/2008 12:16

I went to St John & St Elizabeth. Very happy experience. I think it depends what you want. J&L was fantastic for the natural birth I wanted - I had no drugs, water birth using self-hypnosis and homeopathy. Of course for some people that would be their idea of a birth from hell!

Original poster

kaboju · 14/05/2008 12:24

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. I have heard that J&L is good but I am in SE London and think that J&L might be a bit far away.

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slinkiemalinki · 14/05/2008 12:27

Have you thought about private ward at NHS hospital? Lansdell suite at St Thomas's might be best placed for you - Know a couple of people been very happy there with Mr Kelleher - one for two births. You get the care and private facilities but with NHS backup. Think they also do a midwifery led scheme if you prefer that. Usually a bit cheaper.

thebecster · 14/05/2008 12:28

Yes, it probably is. I had a ridiculously quick labour (under 3 hrs), so was glad J&L is just 15 minutes away! Good luck, hope you find somewhere that's right for you.

slinkiemalinki · 14/05/2008 12:28

PS I know what you mean about Portland (it put me off) but I also know a couple of people who've been happy there and returned for #2 - don't know anyone who didn't go back.

Original poster

kaboju · 14/05/2008 12:55

THanks for your comments. Yes I have looked at Lansdell Suite BUT I have a friend that have now had 2 bad experiences at St. Thomas but not on the private ward. Went to visit her both times and found it filthy and dirty. It might be different on the private ward.

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deb1972 · 14/05/2008 13:05

Hello, and congratulations!

I am 6 months pregnant and using the Portland (midwife-led, not consultant-led care)- and I feel that I have had excellent care so far eg appointments when they suit me and with flexibility, as much time as I need to ask silly questions (first pregnancy!), lots of tests and scans (apparently more than the NHS give but I have not checked the difference) etc, lengthy scans and full explanations of things, good medical advice etc. Not that I am saying that you dont get that in the NHS too, but as this is my first baby I have nothing to compare it to, so I'm just saying it how I see it! I was happy with the tour, what I saw etc and I feel "safe" enough there. I know there were the semi-recent deaths (Laura Touche and another woman?)and someone on here once posted about knowing a couple who had lost a baby there, as well as them not having emergency facilities on site for mothers who may encounter serious problems with the birth, but I am still happier there than opting for the care I would get at our local nearest hospital (Northwick Park).

Good luck with wherever you choose!

TheBlonde · 14/05/2008 13:16

other option is the lindo at st marys

slinkiemalinki · 14/05/2008 13:33

It will be different on the private ward. My friend is American and very fussy. She didn't want to leave! People pay around £10k for consultant-led care in these places, so they wouldn't do so if it were filthy. But if you want 100% private facility it is not for you, although correspondingly you lack the backup.

Anagram · 14/05/2008 13:40

Are you too far from Queen Charlotte? Their private ward is quite good and my consultant was wonderful. Plus you'd have back-up if needed, their neo-natal facilities are first rate.

Original poster

kaboju · 14/05/2008 14:22

Again thank you everyone for sharing your experince and knowledge.

Slinkiemalinki, you are absolutely right. If you are paying that sort of money you would expect it to be good. As you might have guessed, I am very fussy as well

Deb1972, Thanks for your comments. I am pleased to hear that you have had a positive and happy experience so far. I had a positive tour and felt comfortable with Portland but then heard about the bad reputation.

TheBlonde and Anagram. I have had a quick look at the webpages for St Mary and Queen Charlotte and they look like a good option. I think I will go for tour. Queen Charlotte might be a bit too far away. Have to think about getting there when it all happens.

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Sal22 · 14/05/2008 14:54

I had my baby at the Portland and was very happy. Both my care and that of my baby was excellent (e.g. he had minor trouble with his breathing at first - not enough for intensive care or oxygen, but still not perfect - and a pedeatrician monitored him for 3 hours until completely settled, checking on him every half an hour herself and having midwives update her in the meantime). Also, they do have an intensive care for babies now (but if mom serious problems you'll still need to be transferred to NHS). Midwives were available all the time - at first they checked extremely regularly (and was monitored anyway), but later they asked if I wanted to be left alone with my husband and baby, in which case they only came with medication or for checks (or immediately when called). I've got nothing to compare this against as he was my fist, but for what it's worth, I was very happy. And it was lovely that my husband could sleep over.

Tallis · 14/05/2008 14:54

i went to lindo and didn't want to leave! still feel nostalgic for it swven months later. but they don't have birthing pools so no good if you after water birth...

without wanting to scaremonger, a friend who had baby a month before me was discharged from portland without them trealising she was anaemic and more seriously had bit of placenta left inside. awful infection resulted. also felt extremely weak. she not impressed azt all by that!

sprry awful one handed typing as bfing.

deb1972 · 14/05/2008 15:07

It can get confusing, can't it!

I have had extra blood tests for iron deficiency at the Portland as they were checking for anaemia with me after my general blood test results came back, and apparently I have an extra "lobe" of placenta in my womb which needs to come out after the 'main' placenta comes out, which they picked up at my last scan and noted in my records etc, so I will be making sure that the extra bit comes out (yuk) etc before I am sent home!

Yes, I am VERY happy too that my husband can sleep in my room and stay with me the whole time!

bundle · 14/05/2008 15:09

it would have to be the lindo, because of access to the facilities at a big teaching hospital like st mary's

Tallis · 14/05/2008 15:51

oh, and husband with me all time at lindo. lovely midwives, nurses. brilliant b reastfeeding help which prob why still doing it at 7 mthswhen really didn't fancy it much when preg and thought would do bare 3mth minimum...

Original poster

kaboju · 14/05/2008 16:08

Sal22, Thanks for sharing your very positive experience from Portland and I am pleased to hear that they now have an intensive care for babies which have been one of my concerns.

Tallis, Thanks for recommending Lindo. It seems they get a lot of good recommendations. I will definitely go and check it. Also thanks for your "scary" story from your friend. One of my friends experienced the same but it was a NHS hospital outside of London. Not a good experience.

Deb1972, Yes very confusing. There are both positive and negative stories but is seems that they got you under very good control, just make sure you get that extra placenta out when times come. Tell your husband to keep control of it, just in case.

Bundle, thanks for your recommendation. again, I have only heard positive experiences from Lindo.

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Sal22 · 14/05/2008 16:26

Pleasure - good luck with your search, kaboju. I'm sure everywhere's got their good and bad points. For example, the best scan I had was at our NHS hospital (before I found out I had to have cs, at which point I went private - because I'm a whimp and wanted the extra help ;-) ). The technician was just brilliant, he spent a lot of time explaining all the bits and pieces to us, was a lovely experience. Had some private ones after that, but all in all he stood out. So you never know. Have a look at a couple, then go with what feels right for you.

Original poster

kaboju · 14/05/2008 17:12

Thanks Sal22. It has been very helpful with all the comments. I think it very often comes down to the individual person that takes care of you. I have plenty of time so I think I will look at a few before making a decision.

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Tallis · 14/05/2008 22:04

Hello again Kaboju - now able to type a bit more efficiently as dd asleep!

You mention that you have "plenty of time" - well, not as much as you might think. To get into the Lindo, at least, (I don't know if the Portland is the same) you have to get onto a consultant's books. Because they have to offer such a high level of care to each of their mums-to-be, they only take on a limited number and get full up fast. I think I secured my lovely consultant when I was 12weeks and then only then by pleading. Just to let you know...

1dilemma · 14/05/2008 22:13

Forgive me for asking why private? If you don't want to say don't but would you be hapy with private room in NHS? Lewisham has some nice private rooms and very cheap compared to others.
Someone will be along to tell you if Kings does private care have you looked it up at all, I'd be surprised if it doesn't.If you do choose NHS in the end and you are out of area buth Kings and Tommies could well turn you down if you wait much longer.
They are all running out of space to accommodate the people they have to never mind out of area ones.

TheBlonde · 14/05/2008 23:14

Tallis is right - you may not have as much time as you think, friends have booked their private care at 6 weeks!

deb1972 · 15/05/2008 14:53

Just to add that we were told at the Portland that they only take 18 women per month, and of those 18, only 9 can be first time mums, so as you are already 10 weeks time might be ticking - wherever you choose! I think I booked in at about 10 weeks - that was in January, and they were already full for May and June at that time.

We had a look at Watford General before we plumped for the Portland, and asked about getting a private room there, but were told it was pretty unlikely in any guaranteed sense, because mothers on a private helath scheme, caesarian mothers and mothers of twins all had priority before we could be given one - so it would be a case of crossing fingers and hoping that none of these occurred on whichever day we went in. They said they could also ask us to move out of a private room if we were given one and then someone with a more pressing need for it arrived - which I dont have a major problem with, but I preferred the guarantee of KNOWING that I would have a room for myself if I went private.

Choices, choices! Good luck wherever you decide to go!

LadyThompson · 15/05/2008 15:01

Tallis, who did you have at the Lindo? I am nearly twelve weeks and have just managed to get Ms Lakasing, but it was very tough. What about the nurses and midwives, are they all nice there? What are the rooms like? (I know these are very minor queries, I'm just interested).

Original poster

kaboju · 15/05/2008 15:10

Oh my god thanks for your advise. I better get on the case then. Portland didn't mention this to me. It sounded more like it was not a problem. Meant to book Portland this week but then heard about the bad reputation.

1dilemma, Why private. My experience with NHS has not been too good and therefore private. Hopefully you get what you pay for. I am more concerned about the quality of the hospital/service than money.

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