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Original poster

How to get a private room after giving birth

114 replies

DancingHat · 14/06/2015 17:27

I'm having a planned c-section tomorrow and after last time I'd really like a side room/private room. I only know one person who got one and her DH kicked up a fuss to get it. My DH isn't the type so just wondered how they got allocated and how I go about requesting and getting one?

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callamia · 14/06/2015 18:25

You just ask. If there's any spare, I'm sure you'll be considered.

I was put in one because my son was taken straight to nicu, and they didn't think it was fair that I was in a ward with no baby. I also hadn't had surgery and was free to come and go to nicu, so I was pretty low maintenance for them.

Biscuitsneeded · 14/06/2015 18:38

Umm.... I walked alone into the delivery unit, having got a taxi to hospital, and promptly had a baby within minutes of arriving. When I was taken down to a single room on the postnatal ward I said, oh, this is nice, what have I done to deserve this, and they laughed and said since I had been no trouble upstairs I deserved a break downstairs! Actually I think it was just good luck...

Twodogsandahooch · 14/06/2015 18:45

You can ask- but remember that priority will be given to those who have a medical need for the room or have had a particularly traumatic delivery (child in NICU etc). I would not recommend the 'kicking up a fuss ' approach - it may well be counter productive.

Having said this I fully empathise with the desire to have a private room. I have had 2 C sections - the second was in an NHS hospital that only has single rooms. Much better post natal experience all round.

BikeRunSki · 14/06/2015 18:50

Crash c section and massive haemorrhage helped in my case.

andadietcoke · 14/06/2015 18:55

I had twins in SCBU, but as others have said, was on a ward for the first night for observation. Sitting and watching balloons and cards and visitors arriving for new babies when I didn't have mine with me was really tough.

FluffyJawsOfDoom · 14/06/2015 18:58

£150 per stay (not per night) at ours

JugglingLife · 14/06/2015 18:58

I was in a private room for 10 days with DC1, he was a 33 weeker premie though and when I first arrived they were trying to stop labour. It was just given to us. Looking back the thought of being on a ward full of mums and babies when I hadn't even had mine initially would have been horrid. Best saved for those that need them most I think.

londonlivvy · 14/06/2015 19:00

we paid for a private room with dd1 and frankly it wasn't worth it. The walls were so thin I heard all the babies either side anyway plus the room overlooked the bins for the hospital so very noisy all night.

With dd2 I went in a shared room with one other mum and it was fine. The hospital had loads of work going on with pneumatic drills etc so i asked to leave asap. I was only there about six hours in the end.

londonlivvy · 14/06/2015 19:01

It was approx £120 iirc

KingTut · 14/06/2015 19:01

I got one after being in hospital weeks prior to giving birth and myself and baby not doing so well.

lunar1 · 14/06/2015 19:04

Tell them you're a nurse, you get shoved as faraway as possible and nobody checks you!

JuniDD · 14/06/2015 19:06

Mine was free as dd and I were on postnatal for a week for treatment. the ward became antenatal/induction so baby and I got tucked away.

HennaFlare · 14/06/2015 19:07

If they injure you with the catheter they'll want to keep you away from anyone else. It scares them...

m0therofdragons · 14/06/2015 19:08

I've not read the thread but here's my experience. Private rooms are prioritised for mums and babies who are poorly. After recovery from csection I had my own room for about 8 hours but then a mum came in who was having a late miscarriage - of course she got the room and I moved to a ward of 4 beds. My twins were in scbu as were the other 3 babies if the mums in my bay. One of the babies came out of scbu but needed 24 hours out until he could go home. That mum got a private room for that period as the mw didn't want to upset the three mums including me sleeping on the ward with no babies as they were still in scbu. I was in for 8 days. The mum who got the private room ended up staying longer than 24 hours due to baby being ill and she really struggled in the room alone. She since blamed that isolation for adding to her pnd. I just wanted to say private rooms aren't all that and wards can be extremely supportive. If you need a wee you can leave baby and know other mums would get help if needed etc. In a side room you worry nobody would hear baby cry but would you want to bother a mw. I would say, just go with the flow.

Lunastarfish · 14/06/2015 19:08

My understanding with my local hospital is that patients (stillborn/mums with babies in nicu) have priority for private rooms. There after it is first come first served at £100 a night

SignoraStronza · 14/06/2015 19:27

I had a private room for both UK elective c sections. The first because it was reasonably quiet and the second, they'd held one free for me on the busiest weekend of the year because I'd had a big pph. I went in there after a night on hd (also a private room). It is a very new maternity wing though and built with plenty of rooms and four bay max non private ones. They're seemed to be no shortage of staff on both occasions, and I didn't have to pay anything either. I was opposite the nurses station though - same room both times.
A friend had a private room too, but she was in for 4 weeks before her elcs and then the (prem) babies were in scbu.

SignoraStronza · 14/06/2015 19:28

I realise how lucky I've been though. Incidentally, not in a rich area or anything either - north Notts.

CPtart · 14/06/2015 19:30

I got one both times, simply because I was a nurse and I was cheeky enough to ask. It cost me nothing. It was fab.

MadameJulienBaptiste · 14/06/2015 19:39

'Kick up a fuss?'

Our hospital stopped doing private rooms on request. You get one if the think you need one.

Like the lady who got one when I was having ds1. She was given a private room because one of her twins died in the delivery room.

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 14/06/2015 19:41

Depends on the hospital. At my local one I know they have them but you pay, and I'm assuming that if there's someone with a greater need than you then they would get it.

The kicking up a fuss thing was what I used to do when I was a long term hospital patient as a stroppy teenager.

BeaufortBelle · 14/06/2015 19:56

when I had DS I laboured on a public ward for about 8 hours and was back in a public place when he was sent to SCBU. The lady next to me had endless visitors and takeaways delivered. The lady opposite complained and moaned endlessly.

When I had dd I went to a different hospital where the labour rooms were like bedrooms and you stayed there after the birth for the next day. Brilliant private build up to the birth and wonderful respectful care. Had to stay in for two more nights because of underlying medical condition and previous high risk factors. Transferred to private room on the high dependency ward where everyone had a private room.

This was an NHS unit. Was absolutely bloody marvellous and a cut above the famous and well known London teaching hospital where my first and second were born.

Thank you Kingston - albeit 17 years ago. Had the right idea about empowerment, respect and privacy. You know like treating women as individuals with feelings.

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 14/06/2015 20:30

Beau- if you're talking about UCLH... I had such a horrendous experience there (nothing traumatic/life threatening) that I vowed to have my next one at home, and that's just what I did!

*that is just a reflection of my experience as a standard labour, delivery and 'care' at UCLH birthing part of the hospital. sadly I was a long term patient on T12N (if you know the hospital from 8 years back you'll know what that means) in 2007 and I couldn't have asked for better or more professional care.

Only1scoop · 14/06/2015 20:35

We requested and were told it would be almost 400 per night. When we went in they said not available until next day.

Nursing staff said prefer Elcs to not be in private room and isolated following surgery incase of complications.

I was put in a large side bay of only 3 beds so it was ok.

Ludways · 14/06/2015 20:41

I was in for two weeks having ds, a week before as i a certain condition then a week after due to infection in my wound. I broke down and sobbed my heart out one day about crying babies and them not even being mine and I got a private room, result!!

TwoLittleBlooms · 14/06/2015 20:51

I got a private room as I suffer from anxiety and depression (have for a lot of years) and the thought of being in hospital was making me very anxious. Both my midwives (i had community and a specialist) and my consultant agreed (private room offered without asking by midwife at early appointment) and put it in my notes that if for whatever reason I couldn't be discharged straight from labour ward then I was to have a private room. I was really lucky that my HCP's were very understanding this time. First time I was on a ward with others which I found really difficult as it was for a few days.