Chelsea Westminster Hospital - private wing

[heron22]

Hi,
has anyone given birth at Chelsea Westminster hospital and stayed at their private wing?
Just wondering how the service was? were you happy with the postnatal care? how about the food? etc?

Many thanks

[SlinkieM]

Hi vanillaD - actually it wasn't me struggling with the decision, I was trying to help mermaid who was!
I think it's standard to see a MW and have booking in/first scan around 12w under the NHS system and it was the same when I had private midwifery care at Chelsea. I had my second baby under a consultant OB and he saw me at 8 weeks for booking and a scan, which just confirmed a normal viable pregnancy, although it was a great relief to see bean in his sac! He then saw me again at 12w for nuchal.
You get fantastic one-to-one care and the hospital is lovely and peaceful when you come to deliver, own room, spotlessly clean, quiet, good food, lovely Mws and superb care with full emergency backup. But it isn't cheap. Ask away any more questions - but it's all just my opinion.

[vanillaD]

Hi SlinkieM,
was wondering how it went and whether you made a decision. I am only 6 weeks and havent even gone to see a midwife yet. have same worries/concerns and want to make a decision in the coming weeks.

All, am finding your comments super useful. Got a bit stressed out today after going to my first appointment with GP.

2nd question: when is it right to have a first scan/ultra-sound? does one have to wait until 12th week?

THanks!!

[SlinkieM]

HI mermaid - I am going to give birth at the C&W private wing for the second time, any day, so I will try to answer some of your questions.
The C&W package covers you for one night after the birth - I think the NHS policy is similar. Yes you get some babycare/breastfeeding help but it is not really a reason to go private.
Midwifery care is standard for low risk/normal pregnancies/deliveries in the UK - they involve obstetricians as necessary where complications arise, and MWs are also highly trained, just at slightly different things. So I don't think your worries are really justified (but everyone has them!)
The benefit of private care are the facilities and standard of service and you can have an obstetrician looking after you throughout so you will still see the same person if complications arise in your pregnancy or delivery. But it costs about £10K for a normal delivery all in all, and more if you have a c/s requiring a longer stay.
On the NHS I think that people are generally happy with antenatal care, delivery experience varies depending on how busy the labour ward is at the time, and postnatally I think there are a lot of complaints. But I've had a couple of friends really happy with their NHS experience recently.
It depends on the price you are willing to pay for that level of comfort and reassurance really - but if you want to go private at C&W I would get a move on as 12 weeks is fairly late to book in.
Hope this helps.

[mermaid37]

hello girls - I am 12 weeks pregnant and due for my first scan at C&W (NHS) next week. I live in South Ken.

This is my first pregnancy and I am really wondering if I should trust the NHS or go private - I feel you hear everything and the contrary on the topic.

How long do you stay at the hospital after birth when you go to the private unit at C&W? I have heard that when you go NHS, you go home a few hours after the birth. This is really scary to me, what if something happens to the newborn baby?? Any experience you may share with me?

Do they give you tips at the private unit of C&W about how to care for the baby after the birth?

Also, I am not sure to understand the interaction between the MW and the doctor. If you can have a doctor follow you, why would you choose to have MW follow you? A doctor is more qualified, no?

I am just afraid that if I go NHS, the midwives may not recognize if something goes wrong with the pregnancy/ the baby. I am a little paranoid, but again, it is my first pregnancy, and so far, I have not told anybody about my pregnancy, I am waiting to have the scan, to make sure everything is OK...

[slinkiemalinki]

It's £850 a night, or £950 if you have had a section - but you can only move if there aren't private patients in there, or who need the space, as far as I know!

[terf]

Hi Crackerqueen - in a similar situation to you - how did you get on after your scan? How much is it to move to the private wing post natally? thanks

[crackerqueen]

Thanks for your help everyone!

I'll speak to staff at the K wing when I go in for my scan. The idea of moving there after delivery is very appealing, as I'm just not sure that in the current climate, we'll be able to get the £10k approx together for a full private birth. I have private health care but it doesn't cover elective c-section.

Thanks again for all your advice!

Take care!

[heron22]

also, have you considered portland hospital? i was very happy with the care i got when i had DS and with my 2nd, i am going there again, with the same consultant.

[heron22]

hi cracker, i did ask my GP about staying with NHS for all ante natal care and tests and then having a private room and she thought that that was not a problem.

Might be worthwhile to ring up K wing and ask them directly.

About having the same consultant look after you if you want to combine, it is prob not possible.

My suggestion would be to go with NHS for your ante natal care and if along the way, you are not happy, i would think you can always then go under private consultant care.

Good luck with your 12 week scan

[slinkiemalinki]

Hello cracker - no you can't really count on combining private and NHS, or everyone would I think! There may be an option to move postnatally to the Kensington wing subject to availability at the time - but you should check this out with the unit, they are very good at answering questions. If there was a room available for you to move to after delivery, they would only charge the nightly rate £850 or £950 depending on kind of delivery I think (more for c/s). But this won't get you any private antenatal or labour care, and by the time you have had your baby you may just think it's not worth spending the extra!
Part of the benefit of private care is that you do build a relationship with your OB - I have never seen anyone else throughout my pregnancy, he has done all my scans and appointments and will deliver the baby (early labour is with the MWs on duty though).
I can't comment about elective caesarians - I would have thought it would definitely be easier to get one privately if you are really set on it, but have no experience there I'm afraid.
I will just say that the K wing books up very quickly, particularly if you want to choose a particular doctor although it may be easier to get in now it's bigger.
For what it's worth I have a number of friends who've been pretty happy with C&W NHS recently, if you are undecided - although these weren't c/s.

[crackerqueen]

Hi Everyone!

Am considering the Kensington Wing. I'm in my first trimester with my first child and for various reasons really want a C-section. I haven't had an antenatal appointment yet and my 12 week scan is soon, so I don't know if there are any medical complications or anything yet.

Please could somebody tell me if it's possible to combine NHS maternity care with private maternity care? So I'm currently booked in with the Chelsea and Westminster standard unit and will have my scans and appointments there, but can I deliver and stay at the Kensington Wing? Or, do I need to commit to the Kensington from now?

I know this probably sounds very thick, but do I build a relationship with a particular obstetrician, who then delivers the baby? Will there be much opposition to wanting a C-section in either sector?

You all sound like you know what you're talking about! Please help the new girl!

[heron22]

hi, that is slinkie, being happy and having confidence in the consultant is really important.

good luck to you all with your babies

[slinkiemalinki]

I personally think being happy with your consultant is far more important too... but eandz is right - the K wing has been totally redone and expanded from 6 beds to 16 - so bears no resemblance to the old place.

[eandz]

** just for reference sake the kensington wing has just been re done and does have a nursery for newborns.

[bellabelly]

Another QCG bod here...

I was "under" Mr Al-Rafaee and have to say I didn't take to him at all BUT I was there as an NHS patient so maybe it is a very different experience if you go private? I was actually relieved when I found out it wouldn't be him doing the actual delivery (c-sect).

[MrsTiddles]

my pleasure. I hope it goes extremely well.

[heron22]

hi mrstiddles, thank you for posting! your comments has helped me come to a decision.
i will stay with portland. i had my DS there with a lovely consultant. i will go with her again. i was very happy with the portland nursery and also the rooms, food etc.

[MrsTiddles]

I had DS at Portland, DD at C&W private wing (7 mths ago).

Was MUCH happier with consultant care at C&W as used midwives at Portland and ended up with the one I felt least confident about (mainly due to her own lack of confidence, sadly).

But in terms of aftercare and nurses, the ones at Portland were more scrupulous about cleanliness and feeding the babies and there is actually a propery "nursery".

at the C&W the babies are kept with the night staff behind reception, its not officially a nursery.

6 of one half a dozen of another in my experience

but of course the C&W is better equipped in terms of any emergencies as its a fully functioning hospital.

Good luck!

[whampsteadgirl]

Hi Slinkie - thanks for your answers to my questions! That's great to hear that you weren't pushed to have a C-section just to fit into schedules. I'd been warned that it can happen, but so far everything I've heard about C&W and the assoicated consultants is really great. Definitely better than the Royal Free, which is my closest hospital.

[quickerthistimeplease]

Thanks!

[eandz]

i met keith duncan the other day, he was covering hazem... he's really nice and very meticulous.

[slinkiemalinki]

PS really hope it goes well.

[slinkiemalinki]

Hi quicker - I have been really pleased, he is very approachable which is part of the reason why I booked him - he is younger than many and not a stern grey hair who sits behind a desk in Harley Street! I must admit I am quite straightforward (so far... famous last words!) so have never bombarded him with too much at once but any questions I have had he has been very helpful.

[quickerthistimeplease]

slinkimalinki- I'm going to C&W with this pregnancy but on the NHS. I have to see Keith Duncan in a couple of weeks as DD1 was a bit early. Is he nice when you ask him lots of questions etc. He is the lead consultant for the NHS side but I never had to see him last time. Just wondering what he was like?
Thanks