Am I being overly cautious re the Portland?

[Mistytreees]

I am 40 and due to give birth in December 25. Natural conception and everything seems to be going well.

My previous birth had to be done via planned c-section because of a low lying placenta, and I gave birth at the Fitzrovia at UCLH. Straight forward, no issues.

This time I want to give birth vaginally but have been advised because of my preivous c-section, and my age, that I should not go past term.

I therefore will have to book a c-section as close to my due date as possible to give me the greatest chance of spontaneous labor. I do not think I want to be induced. The issue is that slots for private elective c-sections at the Fitzrovia are limited and not close to my due date.

My obstetrician does however work out of the Portland which has better availability.

Without much in depth research I have traditionally been hesitant about the Portland because it does not have "all of the emergency" equipment/personnel that an NHS hospital does and therefore I have presumed that both the baby and myself would not be as safe.

Having looked into it a bit more however I can see that the Portland has a category II NICU (which is more than a lot of NHS hospitals) and a higher safety rating than the majority of NHS maternity wards. My understand also is that category III NICU (which is what is at UCLH) is used when a baby is born pre 27 weeks (and as I am post 30 weeks now, I do not have that risk).

Is someone able to help me make a decision based on their experience or research?

Many many thanks!

A family member of mine had a baby at the Portland earlier this year she was induced and ended up with an emergency C-section and has only positive things to say about her experience

I had my third baby by C section this year at Chelsea and Westminster NHS at 38 weeks. He ended up spending two days in NICU with Transient Tachypnea - breathing issues that are temporary but not uncommon in newborns. I was hugely grateful that he was in an extremely good NICU (category III and very good safety ratings) just down the corridor from me. I can’t tell you what a difference it made.
Although he made a very quick and good recovery, he was close to being ventilated in the first few hours. As far as I’m aware this couldn’t have been done in a category II NICU (although I could be wrong- you might want to double check that). So what I’m trying to say is that there are also other differences between level IIs and IIIs, other than the gestation age of babies they are able to take.

Why does it need to be a private elective? Can’t you book an elective section in the NHS and hope to go into labour naturally beforehand?

Though, as someone who had a full natural birth planned for my first, which ended in EMCS, and subsequently had 2 very peaceful easy recovery ELCS, I’d just book the ELCS and go with that. There’s a reason why obstetricians and their wives usually go for ELCS and it isn’t that vaginal birth is so wonderful.

Thanks everyone for your replies. @EarlGreywithLemon, I am so sorry to hear your experience but glad that it all worked out!

I've since spoken to two consultants who have been able to reassure me re safety at the Portland (one is a consultant at UCLH and the other at St Thomas').

@Elektra1 - I completely understand your sentiment! And it is more than likely that I will not go into spontaneous labor before the planned c-section; but it is just something I have always wanted to do and I will be going in with my eyes wide open. Thanks so much for your thoughts, though. Much appreciated.