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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

has anyone gone for private room option post an NHS birth?

44 replies

lalababy · 01/09/2011 14:29

Hi - I am due to have my first baby at Queen Charlotte & Chelsea hospital in December. However, the closer that I get to the date the more worried I get regarding all the horror stories.

I was wondering if anyone did the private room option rather than a ward, and how do you go about getting one, and is it better?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
WhiffOfBath · 01/09/2011 21:22

I had one post elcs, and it was miles better than being on the ward post vb - esp. having own loo and shower.

The after-care was still unspeakably, shockingly crapulous, though. And I think it was worse because I was elcs rather than emcs, and was in a private room. That obviously meant I didn't need feeding or watering or any help with establishing bf. Hmm

bringinghomethebacon · 01/09/2011 21:26

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

libbyssister · 01/09/2011 21:35

I got a free ensuite private room after DS1 (don't know why) and had the MLU to myself after DS2 (only 2 beds). Then for DS3 I was on a busy 4- bed ward and hated it. No sleep, stupid conversations, other people's visitors, bloody Bounty woman in and out god knows HOW many times a day, people being discharged over and over while I had to stay put. After Day 2 a midwife found me crying quietly (prob the hormones too!) with all my curtains drawn and I was in my own room within half an hour. I had to stay in for a week and it was SO much better once I had my own space. I actually started to enjoy myself Smile

lalababy · 02/09/2011 08:56

So how long does everyone usually end up staying in the hospital if everything goes to plan? I heard that people leave within 6 hours of having the baby... although overnight if you have an epidural. So I guess one night would be okay... but I think longer than that I would really prefer to have some privacy. Will definately ask as soon as I make it to the hospital!

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figgygal · 02/09/2011 12:56

My SIL had her baby at 7am and was out by 1pm the same day, she the only person i know that has been so easy though all my other friends and SIL had CS and had to stay longer.

upahill · 02/09/2011 13:00

I paid for a room in a Lancashire hospital.
It's going back 15 years since I had DS1 and I did the same for DS2.
It was worth every penny!!!

I loved being by myself and having my own loo.
I had my own tv, the papers got delivered and I could eat my meals in peace.

Loved it and would certainly recommend it.

lalababy · 02/09/2011 13:45

Wow some of the after care sounds... well... SCARY!!!!

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onlylivinggirl · 02/09/2011 17:08

I know women who have been out within a day- most people stay one night i think (on first baby).
Do you get a tour of the hospital before hand- ask then how you go about getting a room - i think it varies

SpeedyGonzalez · 02/09/2011 20:00

I was out within hours of DC2's birth. Took one look at what passed for a meal and practically shinnied down the drainpipes with newborn on my back! Grin

acatcalledfelix · 02/09/2011 20:26

With DS i was in labour on Monday night, had ds by emcs on wed afternoon, and kept in till sat night. I was on the ward and it was HELL! I don't think I had a wink of sleep from my waters breaking to coming home. We spent all our time waiting after the birth for a private room to become free and apparantly none did.
I'm 33 weeks now and am having a planned CS. We can't request a room till the morning we go in but I'll be gutted if I don;t get one. Those 5 days in hospital were probably some of the worst of my life!

aethelfleda · 03/09/2011 21:11

I did after DD1- and it was great - you just ask for one when you get to the postnatal ward, say you are OK to pay (it was about £40 a night I think) and so worth every penny for the few days I had to be in there.
With DD2 I got home after a single night in a standard 6 bedded bay and oh man, the noise!!! If you have the cash then go for it, it's worth it for the soundproofing alone.

MarathonMama · 04/09/2011 21:31

I did, I spent one night on the 16 bed, full-to-capacity, post natal ward and that was enough for me. The private room was a bit isolating, I kept having to ask for food and to find out what was happening about being discharged, but at least it was quiet and I got some sleep.

TheSecondComing · 04/09/2011 21:40

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LilBB · 05/09/2011 09:30

I didn't know you could ask for a private room. I bet the people on the ward when I had DD wish I had been in one as she screamed all night. With her I was in 36 hours. The hospital like first timers to stay in at least one night even if no problems. This time if all straight forward I should be discharged after 6 hours straight from delivery and not go on to the ward. I have known first time mothers at other hospitals do this too.

Deliaskis · 05/09/2011 09:40

I had a private room after having DD, for two nights. I'm gad I did as the post-natal ward was pretty full. I appreciated the privacy and peace. Every time I popped out to the loo, I could hear TVs etc. and visitors in the ward, and I would have been going round the bend I think. Plus they seemed happier to bend the rules re visiting hours for the private rooms - DH stayed until 11pm and was in at 7am. They also let him bring me takeaway pizza when I missed tea on one of the nights.

I errmmm...don't handle my emotions very well some of the time and if I want to sob for five minutes to deal with everything, then private is better for me!

Dx

upahill · 05/09/2011 11:11

lilBB Didn't they tell you about the possibity of booking rooms when you went for your ante natal stuff?
That's how I found out about them with DS1.
I never gave it a thought until I got admitted over a weekend about 3 months before I was due and the noise drove me mad.
I was also pissed off at the fact that you were supposed to have two visitors to a bed and some people had 12.
As soon as I was discharged I got a booking form!!

LilBB · 05/09/2011 13:53

Not that I recall although our ante natal classes where like something from the past. Watched a dodgy video where people where sterilising bottles in a pan, had a discussion on breastfeeding with knitted breasts and the list for what we needed to take included change for the (non existent) pay phone and a Walkman/cassettes. This was 3 years ago.

dizzy77 · 05/09/2011 14:23

I has a private room, I put it on birthing plan (at the top!) and said we were willing to pay, and vacate if necessary, and mentioned it when going through things with the midwife early doors between contractions, and again afterwards during all the, ahem, tidying up. DS was delivered just after midnight and we were in for a further 2 nights. It was about £60/night in my area. As was, we had lots of trouble establishing feeding and I was pleased that mine and DS's crying wasn't disturbing others on the ward too much.

BUT, it wasn't that quiet, we were by the midwife/nurses station as well as hearing everyone else's calls, my buzzer kept setting itself off every time I used the (blessedly private) bathroom. Contrary to many of these posts, I was very much included on the meal & tea runs and regularly checked in/handed over between midwife shifts, visits from cleaners etc meant I don't think I was alone for an hour during the day and I found it hard to rest. I also only once had a bad experience ringing buzzer when DS was going mental and I was trying latch him, when a nurse like a fridge was obviously upset to have been disturbed from her seat, blazed in, knocked everything out of the way of my bed (table, buzzer, book, phone etc), jammed him on my boob and marched out, leaving the door open. Otherwise, all the staff were lovely.

Interestingly, I was told they send an invoice after the event and DS is now 14wks old... one still hasn't arrived.

allhailtheaubergine · 05/09/2011 14:27

I desperately wanted one but was told there wasn't one available.

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