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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

How much is an nhs private room?

62 replies

pumpkinsweetie · 17/11/2013 09:18

Due to have baby no5 in less than 2 months and thinking of asking for a private room if one is available.

Never considered it with my other dc, but with dd4 my curtains were constantly being opened by mws whilst i was trying to breastfeed making me feel very uncomfortable as there were visitors there for other mums & it was my first time breastfeeding so wasn't at all confident in doing so around men especially
Luckily a couple come and closed them for me as they could see me blushing one time but i was very angry the mws devalued my privacy!

I was also on a ward with 4 c-section mums, complaining of pain & getting painkillers whilst i was left with nothing through my excruicating after pains that i had with having had my 4th baby & the ladies babies were all night cryers, poor mums had to buzz for help as they were still bed bound.

How much money roughly do these cost ? Not exactly rich so a good idea would be helpful, tia

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Original poster

pumpkinsweetie · 17/11/2013 12:54

I can only afford £100ish & even that is a push, but for my privacy it will be worth it

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Inglori0us · 17/11/2013 12:58

I'd definitely do it again (even though they never billed me last time). Having a private shower & loo is a great help, and it was very quiet at night.

TheDoctrineOfWho · 17/11/2013 13:06

It does vary, as do facilities ,eg own bathroom or shared between two etc) so ring your hospital and ask.

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 17/11/2013 13:16

I went to an nhs birth centre - private ensuite rooms with a bed for husband/partner as well. Free! I stayed nearly a week and loved it! Is there a birth centre near you?

Original poster

pumpkinsweetie · 17/11/2013 13:25

Hi jellycake we do have a midwife led attached unit which apparently has ensuite but i'm unsure as yet whether i'll be allowed to birth there as bmi above 35 is frowned on & is a no, no. Midwife is unwilling to discuss birth options as of yet, i'm 33 weeks, she says she may weigh me right at the very end to see if i'm elegible. Moved docs surgeries this week & will be having a new mw so hopefully will get an answer as to whether birthing at the mlu is an option. My previous births were natural with no problems but i weigh 7lb more than when i had dd4 putting my bmi at 37.

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CatchesTheNightTrain · 17/11/2013 13:29

£85 a night at my trust. You can't prebook however and one can only be offered if available and the needs if the other patients/women are suitable for bays.

For example women who have babies on the NNU are often given private rooms in my trust free of charge.

Ask your midwife who can best advise on your local hospital.

CatchesTheNightTrain · 17/11/2013 13:34

Our MLU is for women with a BMI of under 35 at booking. End BMI is irrelevant as you're effectively measuring the BMI of 2 individuals.
We do reweigh our women as excess weight gain (above. 20kgs) would also mean unsuitability for the MLU regardless of their booking BMI.

However you have the right to request a consultation with the consultant midwife to discuss your wishes. She/he would go through the relevant risks etc and if you still wish to go ahead would give you the green light , so long as you take responsibility for any events that occur as a result of the risks as discussed - if that makes sense?

That is at my trust and I would assume your own trust could offer the same consideration.

I recently looked after a women on the MLU with a booking BMI of more than 39, she gained less than 10kgs in her pregnancy and went via the consultant midwife to have access to the MLU .

Hope that helps? Good luck with everything!

Original poster

pumpkinsweetie · 17/11/2013 13:39

Thankyou CatchesThe that explains it much better than my midwife was doing, thankyou for the wellwishes

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LittleRedDinosaur · 17/11/2013 13:40

We paid £80 and it is the best £80 I have ever spent, ever. My own shower and loo so I didn't have to carry my jug of wee back from the ward toilet (wasn't allowed home til I'd done 400ml of wee) and my own shower. No one else's visitors watching me trying to breast feed. Bliss. I think I'd have paid £800 if they'd asked me to!

CatchesTheNightTrain · 17/11/2013 13:48

You're very welcome. I'm a pregnant mum of 3 as well as a midwife so completely understand, oh and I also have a raised BMI (36) :-)

I'll be speaking to our consultant midwife to go to the MLU as I've had 3 nice normal uncomplicated births so far, the last in the MLU. Damn that 4lb weight gain since my last pregnancy taking my BMI over 35!!!

givemeaclue · 17/11/2013 13:52

Had own en suite room for 4. Weeks due to complications WWas free but he paying think was 35.

Nursee007 · 17/11/2013 14:00

In my local hosp they are £60 a night, tiny, hugely overheated, but QUIET, which is brilliant. I was in for 3 days so it was a godsend.

HOWEVER, if you have had a c section, or need to be kept an eye on, they may well not let you have one, as they are often a way away from the nurses station.

rallytog1 · 17/11/2013 16:48

£40 a night in my hospital, although like others they couldn't be pre-booked. I insisted on having one, as I'd had a botched emcs and dd needed transitional care from the nicu. I wasn't going to take no four am answer, and I don't think anyone was going to argue with me after the mess the surgeon made of me!

However we've never been billed for it. Although I'll happily pay if they want me to as it was so so worth it.

Moral of the story: don't be backwards in coming forwards. If you think you'd benefit from a private room, don't be afraid to ask, and keep on asking until they say yes!

BlackholesAndRevelations · 17/11/2013 18:09

I had one for dc2, £80 and well worth it. I had much the same experience as you, pumpkin, with the screaming babies of c-section mums. Plus a poor woman who was constantly hooked up to the double breast pump (noisy!!) plus a husband who came to visit at the crack of Dawn before going to work. When my dd cried I was terrified she'd wake up the others as they'd finally stopped crying. Was bloody awful. I hope I get a private room this time. Or a six hour discharge.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 17/11/2013 18:11

Oh and the other mums getting their pain relief every four hours 24 hours of the day woke me up and all the other random noises.... So wish I could persuade dp to have a home birth

Coveredinweetabix · 17/11/2013 18:29

I had one after DC2 and it was the best £160 I've ever spent. Like others, it couldn't be pre-booked and you were only allowed to use it if you'd had a straightforward birth & your DC was fine. It was so worth it. Being able to walk to the ensuite without worrying about whether I was dripping blood, being able to sit in bed with my boobs hanging out etc. There were cheaper rooms without a bathroom but that seemed to defeat the point! I wasn't allowed in until they'd taken my credit card details. It was the only thing they were at all efficient about!

valiumredhead · 17/11/2013 18:30

12 years ago it was 30 quid a night,I expect it's approx 100 now but I'd happily pay it, wards are awful!

Christelle2207 · 17/11/2013 18:43

We paid £75. Couldn't be prebooked. The room was small but ensuite and definitely worth the money. Was same ward as everyone else and same care, just a side room.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 17/11/2013 18:48

Oh mine wasn't ensuite but still worth it!

BartBaby · 17/11/2013 21:06

I dont even think my hospital has private rooms?! Definately worth asking my midwife!

starfishmummy · 17/11/2013 21:51

Other way round when I had ds - the side rooms were used for people who had had c sections so I got one flr free! Still had to share bathrooms and have the same crap food though.

dimdommilpot · 17/11/2013 22:57

When i had DD in 2010 i think they said it was £40 a night but if a special case came in i would have to leave (and still pay) I asked after she was born but there were non available. I will be asking again this time.

Littlebean13 · 17/11/2013 23:12

Wow thanks for posting this thread. I'm due in feb with dc1 and I never knew that you could do this! Reading all the positive comments I'm 100% going to enquire about private rooms at my hospital!

Stevie77 · 19/11/2013 10:03

I feel I have to stick up to c-sectioned mums here!

I was put in a room of four after my v traumatic emcs, with another c-sectioned mum. She was lovely, v quiet and respectful. Cared for her baby, who did not scream or cry, as was mine.

When she left they brought in 3 regular birth ladies who were the noisiest, loudest, most inconsiderate bunch who's babies cried and cried at all ours. I couldn't wait to escape even though I was unwell and should've stayed. Couldn't bear it, it was hell on earth.

I totally forgot about the private room option by that point but fully intend to ask for it this time if I can.

Original poster

pumpkinsweetie · 19/11/2013 10:59

Sorry stevie didn't mean to make my post sound so much against c-section mum's. I think my experiences were caused by the lack of care, ie babies being left to cry whilst mum's are still numb and hooked up and mws ignoring my pleas for pain relief. I don't blame the mum's at all x

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