Advice on private birthing unit please(private)?! C&W Kensington wing, Lindo Wing at St Mary's or Queen Charlotte

[Billy11]

Hi Ladies
I have been here in Richmond for 6 months now. Had my first baby abroad.
Was wondering if anyone could share some experiences on what the best birthing hospital is?
I have to make a choice though I am only 5 weeks pregnant.

I looked in to Portland but its a bit far and them not being prepared for critical situations putt me off.
Lindo Wing sounds fab but a bit far to get to for false alrams nearer the time.
Queen Charlottes?

Advice please ladies..

Also not sure how it all works here.
With baby one i had a scan every 6 weeks and got to choose my dr and had everything at the same hospital.

Thanks ladies

I don't have experience of private maternity care locally, but you might try Kingston hospital. They have a private wing (coombe wing I think) with maternity services. If you haven't had a child here before, you might just check the NHS services before you fork out for private. I've had two babies at Kingston hospital on NHS and had great care (luck or not, I'm not sure!). They did "shared ante-natal care", which might sound messy, but actually it meant my local GP and midwife did the appointments so I had lots of continuity and I didn't have to trek to the hospital just to get my blood pressure measured etc. And they were much more flexible about appointment times to suit me. I only went to hospital for scans, and they generally only do about 2 or 3 at key dates during pregnancy unless there is a medical reason. A compromise some people I know have arranged is to have a private midwife for check-ups and the birth itself, but with NHS for other ante-natal checks and birthing room. On NHS, you don't choose who will be with you at the birth (although I had amazing midwives both times at very different births).

It's a very personal choice, I know. You might like to speak to your local NCT coordinator too (national childbirth trust, see www.nct.org.uk/), as they have lots of local knowledge. All the best!

Thanks for that.
I will look in to it.

I didn't even know Kingston had a private branch

Billy11, hi! I am in your shoes now and in the process of choosing the private hospital. We are in Sutton Surrey and Kingston hospital in on my list. Did you decide finally where to go? Portland is far for me as well..Could you please share your ideas?

Hi, I have two babies in the private section of queen charlottes. One was in 2009 and another this Christmas. I was very happy with the consultant care and I liked that it was within the leading maternity nhs hospital in London so there was full facilities for emergency care. I think the standard of medical care is better than its decorative state or where it is located (next to a prison!) - my sister had her babies at the Portland and I think she felt that was more swish but it wasn't a factor I was worried about. Let me know if you want more details about the consultants.

I wanted to get into Lindo Wing at St Mary's last year but it was fully booked up when I was 9 weeks pregnant as the wing was being renovated back then. I then had my DS at Stanley Clayton of Queen Charlotte's and cannot rate it higher enough. Yes the decoration was probably not the best (particullary not Portland where you can have a panoramic central London view from the birthing suite), but what we want from the private medical care is the medical care, isn't it? The consultant was brilliant (and probably the best) and the midwives were absolutely lovely and helpful. Plus I was the only patient on one night of my stay, so the care that I had ranged from 1 on 1 to 3 (1 to 2 midwives plus 1 health assistant) on 1. Can you belive it?