Help! 38 weeks, I suddenly have to have a C-section - is it too late to think about going private?

[SSMulligan]

I'm 38 week's pregnant with my first baby, and had a natural birthing-pool birth planned in my local NHS birthing centre (at UCLH) Unfortunately, there are some problems, and I've just had a scheduled c-section confirmed - for next week!
I have a great relationship with my midwife, and think the birthing centre is wonderful - but my experiences with the rest of the hospital haven't been great (long delays, lost notes, lost blood tests etc). I don't doubt their medical expertise and that the attention I get during the surgery will be exceptional - it's the after-care which I'm concerned about. I've heard some real horror stories, particularly about care post-caesareans, and one of my good friends, a year on, still gets upset when she talks about her experiences there.
I'm lucky that I have insurance which enables me to consider going private - but I'm really up against time limits.
have any of you gone through this and can give me some advice? is it too late to start calling private consultants on monday morning and see if any can take me on board? (and if not, can anyone recommend any?)
I know this may seem like a trivial concern - after all, my main concern should be (and is) that my baby and I are both healthy and safe. but I react terribly to drugs and surgery and really need the recovery days immediately after the surgery to be as comfortable as possible.
or am I just overreacting to my experiences - and those of my friends?
any advice at all is welcome. thank you, Sal

You can go private in a private ward at a london NHS hospital - just had a lovely (albeit shorter) stay at C&W myself.
My med insurance would have covered a section too.
Sorry but £30k sounds like nonsense/ripoff - know loads of people who've gone private and £8-13k is generally the range in central London. if I'd had a section the doctor's fee would have been the same, just a few extra nights at £950 a pop(!). My VB cost £9k in all (included full antenatal care and scans so a later booking would presumably be less).
The ward is brand new and the midwives lovely - obviously the care is fantastic.
Highly recommend it if it is not too much of a stretch though have heard decent things about el-cs on NHS too so I wouldn't go hungry for it!

Of course there are maternal deaths in NHS hospitals, it's just that the OP was being advised to go to the Portland as the care there is great, and I think it's better to be informed. It may be that they have sorted all their procedures and the same could not happen again (I hope so). It is also true that if you have complications they will transfer you to an NHS hosp better equipped.

If i was going for an elective anyway i would prefer to be near the resources i may need.

I would like to add that Queen Charlotte is fab. I had DD (crash section) at Epsom General. We then moved. I was in the catchment for St. Peters, where stroppily typical American like refused to ever even think about setting foot. So DS was born by elective section at Queen Charlotte. The after care isn't anything to brag about, but the team in theatre were everything I could have hoped for. If I were to have another (which I'm not) I would definitely want to go back to QC. I would go NHS and spend my money on some private aftercare, like an au pair and a maternity nurse at home for say the 4 weeks following the birth. That money would buy me so much more comfort than a private hospital.

I would recommend the Portland. THey fitted me in at short notice (was due at Thomas's).

I couldn't fault the Portland, THey were super, from start to finish.

And, unlkike some on this thread. I HAVE BEEN THERE AND GIVEN BIRTH.

Sorry, but it really pisses me off when people have a pop at the Portland. THey are great. I as there, had a fab time and everyone else I know who has ever been there has had a great time too.

Unlike some of the horror stories you hear elsewhere!!

Maggie Blott was my consultant when she was in Newcastle. She is a superb obstetrician, very nice bedside manner as well.

Hi All - thanks again for all your advice on my original query. just an update as to how it panned out. I chose Maggie Blott at the Portland (she runs the labour ward at UCH so I reckoned she had the best experience at c-sections) and despite the circumstances of having to have a c-section, it was really a very positive experience.

The Portland is brilliant. I can't recommend it highly enough. I was shocked at just how awful I felt the day after the operation, and all the staff were just amazing - patient, kind, caring - and available within a minute of being called. I don't know anyone who's had a bad experience there - and of course I'm aware of the tragedies from a few years back, but I experienced nothing but complete professionalism and dedication to my wellbeing. Being able to sleep and know that my baby (a big long son) was in good hands was an enormous relief and just essential to my recovery.

Ms Blott was also incredible, and again, I'd recommend her to anyone.

so two things: firstly, if any of you need a c-section and are fortunate enough to either be able to afford private care or have insurance in place, then I would definitely look into the Portland / Ms Blott as an option.

Secondly - if you haven't been to the Portland, it's really not appropriate to be scathing about it without firsthand experience. They are wonderful there (and unlike NHS, never lost my bloods or my notes, discharged me when they said they would, gave me pain relief when I needed it, didn't botch iv lines etc etc) and really committed to their work.

Hi there,

Like others have mentioned - Portland Hospital! I went there for my section with dd (thank god for BUPA) and have nothing but praise. My consultant Mr Paul Armstrong was fabulous and all was arranged at short notice.

HIGHLY recommend!

Good luck x

woops, didn't read to the top when posted - Congrats xxx

Congrats

I have just read this thread and am thinking about remortgaging my house or getting out a loan, simply so I can give birth at The Portland! I had a horrendous birth in an NHS hospital (infact the word horrendous doesnt cover it, but cant think of a better description) and am so scared about giving birth in my local hospital again its giving me constant nightmares.

Think I'll start saving now....!

Glad to hear you had such a positive experience at the Portland, SSM and that your son is doing well. It is such a shame that the aftercare one receives in the private sector isn't available. It is that experience that has led me to have one private birth (albeit midwife led) at St John and Elizabeths, with another one booked for December. I just feel sad for the people (not all) who find the NHS sadly lacking post-birth, espcially following a c-section when extra help is needed.

meant to say "not avialable on the NHS".

ps; theautomatic - don't know where you are based but ime, the nearest thing to private care is available in NHS birthing units (eg Edgeware Birth Unit, North London etc). Does require a low risk pg and a committment to go without an epidural, but you get a lot of one to one aftercare, private room, bit of R n R etc...

Thanks turniphead, unfortunately I am now classed as high risk because of all the problems I had giving birth last time, and the damage that was done to my bits. Have been told I cannot have homebirth either because of possible complications etc. Then again, no-one can stop me....

Sorry to hear that theautomatic. But I really hope you have a much easier birth experience next time round. I know my second was so much easier than my traumatic first.

Maybe looking into having a doula at your birth and afterwards (to look after you well at home) might be a halfway house to having a better birth without shelling out for the full private care?

Thanks turniphead a doula is a good idea. Its the postnatal care that worries me the most, dont think I could bare to me in as much pain as I was last time, while trying to look after newborn and toddler while barely being able to walk! I have heard about maternity nurses who help out with night feeds etc in the first week or so after giving birth so might explore this.

theautomatic

If it's a choice between a private birth and a maternity nurse, get the maternity nurse. A good one will help so much with your recovery. But book her asap as the best ones go early.

Or if you can afford it go private AND have a maternity nurse!!

If only both options had been available to me ... . Good luck, I'm sure you'll have a better time second time round.

If you had a traumatic delivery last time I can't recommend fully private enough - I have had both mine at the Kensington Wing C+W and it is fabulous - brand new and lovely midwives everywhere during your stay. I only ever saw my consultant for all scans and appointments throughout and he did my 6 wk check too. Any worries, quibbles or problems throughout, they call you immediately. It really is an unrivalled standard of care and expertise and it's a shame that everyone can't have it on the nhs.
Personally I did not want a maternity nurse - though am blessed with a fab hands-on mum who came for the first week. Think long and hard if you want a stranger hanging round all day and/or night, a number of my friends got fed up with them even if they were a useful source of advice and help! And help with feeds is very limited use when you're breastfeeding.

twinkle- I am going to start investigating night nannies, thanks for the advice. With my first dd I had a third degree tear and the midwife managed to tear a ligament in my pelvis because she forced my legs apart so badly (she told the student midwife to close the door so no-one could see her bend my legs over my shoulder, saying as she did it "we really shouldnt be doing this but..." (those words still haunt me). I couldnt walk properly for months and to be honest, getting up for night feeds with my newborn was absolute agony, it took me 10 minutes to physically get myself out of bed (DH needless to say, not very good at getting up with newborn). I'm hoping, obviously, I wouldnt be in such a bruised and battered state next time round but the idea of having someone who can help out with night feeds while my body recovers gives me so much comfort.
Picklesmama- will definitely check out Kensington wing, thanks!

twinkle- was in a really bad state after the birth, emotionally as well as physically and didnt have the strength to complain. I keep saying I will write to hospital and head of midwifery but when it comes down to it I cant bear the thought of going through it all again. I suppose what I want is a really nice birth experience with very good aftercare so that I can do all the things with my baby that I wasnt able to do last time like actually enjoy the baby rather than being crippled up in pain and unable to bend down and pick her up.
To say I was shocked by the poor aftercare I got in my NHS hospital is an understatment. One incident which sticks in my mind was when I asked the midwife if she could sort out my cather (the bag was full of urine and needed emptying) and she told me to go and do it myself! I wouldnt have known where to start. Anyway enough of me moaning!