Private room in NHS hospital?

[littlemisseatsherfeelings]

Is it possible to request (and I assume there would be a charge) your own room in an NHS hospital after giving birth?

I got 'lucky' the first time and had my own room for 4 days after my C-Section. I say 'lucky' because it was actually due to my little one being taken down to NICU for several hours with my DH and the lovely nurses took pity on me having to sit in my ward and watch/listen to all the other mums with their newborns so they popped me in a private room for a while which ended up being the rest of my stay.

So I'm wondering, is this something you can actually request if I wanted to have my own room again? Is there anyone who works in a hospital/maternity unit who knows the answer or does it vary from location to location.

As I said initially, I assume you'd have to pay?

Do you mean a side room on a ward rather than a private birthing suite within an NHS hospital? If you mean a side room, then they are allocated on clinical need (most usually infection), it's not that they're kept free for a patient to rent out if you will.

At North Mids they offer a private room for £100, wish I'd done it!

You can but priority is given to those in need. I had my own en suite rooms in NHS mat ward for two weeks as I needed it.
There weren't enough private rooms for all considered in need at my hospital.

It varies by hospital. I paid £120 per night for a private room with en suite and couch for my husband to sleep on. Of course they can't guarantee availability and if there's someone with a clinical need you might get kicked out of it.

Depends on the hospital and availability on the day.

Check with your mat unit? It's certainly stated somewhere on our hospital website (and DH will be allowed to stay anyway)

I was induced at 10 days late. On the induction ward they put me in my own room. Delivery ward obviously it's your own room and on the ward I got my own room. Think I just struck lucky though. I don't know how they determine who gets the rooms and who doesn't. I don't think you can pay for your own room from the NHS. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you are just lucky or you arnt

In the three hospitals I've delivered in, patients with high needs
were given priority for side rooms. However, I got lucky and there was one available each time for me, after the first night near the nurses station.

There was a £50 charge per night for the requested side rooms, though I don't think we were fully charged.

Bringmetea

It's quite common to be able to pay for an 'amenity' room on NHS actually

I didn't realise! Definitely worth remembering lol

Yes you can request an 'amenity room', usually a charge for them and can be very steep in some trusts. Usually only go on the waiting list for one once you have actually delivered, cannot bagsie them in advance, and if anyone else needs them for medical reasons etc then that trumps the waiting list. Usually get one though, or at least only have one night in a big bay then can escape to side room and peace...!

Depends on the hospital

When I had DS one I was lucky enough to have a four bed ward to myself as I was kept on the delivery suite due to the time of the evening he was born
With DS I've had an emergency C section and we asked for a private room manage to get the last one was available I chose to stay in for three days to establish breastfeeding it should've been £160 for the entire stay as it was £160 per stay rather than per night. We didn't have to pay in the end but if we had it would've been worth every penny

I had one 16 years ago

Same as PP, at ours you can't pre-book them but if there are any available after delivery you can have one for £250. Chances are though all being well you'll ve home a few hours after birth so wouldn't be worth the money.

Both times I gave birth, I requested a private room on my birth plan. I was happy to pay. Both times I was put in a side room - I have no idea if that was because I had a medical need or if I just got lucky. I fully expect that if there had been someone who needed one more, I would have quite reasonably been turfed out.

They offer them at our hospital £75-200 depending on ensuite facilities etc. But priority given to those that need it.

Think you have to ask. I asked and asked. My baby was in NICu for 11 days. 5 of those days I was on a normal ward with other women and their healthy babies. I then got let out and we got moved to a transitional ward for women with babies on their way out from nICu I was there for a week before we got let out.

Thanks everyone, has been really useful to read that it's worth asking, I wasn't sure if the hospital would think it a crazy question!
I had a CS last time and have another planned so I know I will be in 3-4 days, both my husband and I would be willing to dip into savings if it's was a couple of hundred pounds, just didn't know I could ask (and yes I would assume it's prioritised for higher needs if there are not enough rooms).

So, who should I be asking? Midwife, at the maternity unit? Not sure where to start...

Also yes I meant a side room, for after, not a private birthing suite. Sorry for any confusion.
I'm not even fussed about ensuite, I didn't have one last time :)

I had one, as PP said, only if no one needs it more. It was great being on our own, but I did find some downsides (realise you are not a first time parent so these may not apply) - 1. The meds trolley did not come to my room the first two days 2. Some of the midwives I think did not agree with the private room thing and this may have affected their attitude to me 3. Didn't pick up tips from other women on the ward, and took longer to establish feeding (dd wouldn't latch and I didn't realise how much of a problem it was quickly enough - I should have been waking her more to feed).

You might find that, following a CS, they prefer to have you somewhere visible to the MWs rather than on your own behind a closed door. Definitely worth asking though.

I had one after my first CS for free because DS developed group B strep. With my second I asked for one but the hospital was so busy I had to stay in recovery for ages because they didn't even have space on the ward let alone a side room. There were only 3 other women on the ward and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be because it was all a dazed blur anyway.

Why 3 or 4 days OP? My hospital will discharge in 24 hours post CS providing no complications?

I had my own room 2nd time, not sure if it was because I was induced that time. Was great being in a room myself with my own bathroom but it was on the labour ward and that was a nuisance trying to get to sleep!

JustMum I've never read or heard any different actually. It seems to be that if you have CS here all the literature tells you to expect 3-4 day stay. For my first I was in for 3 nights, 4 full days.

Ring up the ward and ask, my local hospital do, under the proviso that you can be moved back to the ward if the room is needed.