Has anyone had a private room in an NHS hospital after birth?

[cantthinkofaname2021]

Hello,

I have a c section provisionally booked for June but they might bring it forward slightly, I want to book a private room for until I can go home but can't book just yet until my date is confirmed
For anyone who has paid for a room, what was it like? Especially during covid, can you have people with you there longer than ina ward? After my last birth (vaginal) the experience on the ward after was horrible and I asked to leave early which luckily I could

Private room with ensuite as standard in the NHS hospital in my town, you dont have to pay anything. Even when DS2 was in SCBU for 4 nights I still got to stay in the private room.

I had one but didn’t pay. They moved me from the ward because my baby and I were both sick and we needed to stay for a week.

Yes I did and I didn't pay for it. We stayed 2 nights and my husband stayed the whole
Time but this was July 2019.

I booked the room for after both births with my boys but it was 20 years ago.
I know things change but it was fabulous for me. I'd been in hospital a few months earlier with DS1 and could not rest. The women in the opposite me had at one point 10 relatives around her bed - you were only allowed two or three and wouldn't leave at leaving time. They were so noisy and loud. It was that that made up my mid.

It was brilliant. I had a private toilet but had to leave my room to go to the shower. I had my own to ( that was a novelty because I didn't have one at home!)
I would really recommend it if you are happy with your own company. I know I have heard women say that they liked being around other brand new mums but I wasn't that bothered about that.
The room wasn't guaranteed because someone may need it more, which is how it should be.

When I gave birth to my daughter last year (pre-covid) I was in a big private room with ensuite, pull down bed for dad and a water birthing pool. The building is only a few years old so it's all very modern and was lovely. We stayed in the same room all the way from admission to when we left. We didn't pay though as all the rooms are private I believe. I feel like I was thoroughly spoilt when I hear stories from other mums being on noisy wards for days! Well definitely have #2 here before we move elsewhere! It would be worth paying for!

I had a private room. I didn’t have a CS, but didn’t want to be around others after birth. I’d heard the stories of huge families visiting at our local maternity ward and that it was noisy. I just wanted peace, so after I had dd we requested the private room. I was left to it pretty much with midwives and bf consultants popping in.
In the end we complained about the room as it wasn’t great, so didn’t pay for it in the end, though we were willing to pay something. It turns out they were refurbishing it the week after and had numerous complaints about the rooms.
But, yes, I thought it was worth it to be on my own and dh was there til late.

You can request a private room but its whether theres one available or not. With my first DC I asked if there was one available as I was on a really busy, noisy ward (and the couple in the bat opposite me kept having loud, angry arguments in the early hours) but there wasnt one free. I think the midwife said it was about £150.

I had a scheduled cs which turned into an emcs. My husband had one job and that was to get me a private room whatever it cost. Because I had a emcs i did get a private room but no en-suite and no bloody curtains to cover the windows in the ceiling so was up at 5am. Nevertheless I had privacy and my husband could stay with me, it was wonderful. The thought of being on a ward horrified me. I wish all women could have a private room post birth guaranteed it’s rubbish it’s such a lottery and in some cases you have to pay for the privilege.

I did when I had my child in 2019. I spent one night on the ward and it was hell. I still had to stay in another night so my mum offered to pay for a private room. It was amazing, so much better than being on the ward. My partner was allowed to stay in the room with me. There was an en-suite bathroom aswell so could have shower whilst DP looked after the baby. We did have to leave the next morning as a lady who had a traumatic birth needed the room but we were heading home then anyways. If the room is available and you can afford it I would 100% say do it. It makes the whole experience so much more comfortable.

@ivfbeenbusy same here, I was given a private room with own shower as baby was it the NICU (I would have been so upset being around the other babies and not having mine with me) and I was absolutely exhausted as had been in labour for days.

Although, OP, I was told that they usually put csections on the ward so they can been easily kept an eye on, I had to have a family member with me at all times. This was well before covid.

I had one in 2008.

I asked for it. It was still pretty minging, there were blood streaks on the floor and the regulation green arm chair.

BUT I got away with having the window open (got told off because you know a small bbay can't cope with ventilation in a room hotter than hell!)

There were no private facilities though, although the toilet was next door.

The beat thing was my labour was so long from Sunday morning to late londay night I was exhausted. Also DD had to have antibiotic injections every 12hrs for 4 days, id have gone mad on a ward. It cost 125 a night which I claimed back from BHSF.

When I went back 2 years later the ward had been refurbished, the bathrooms were amazing and I stayed on a ward for 36 hours and was absolutely fine.

I should add I had a private midwife too with DD.

This was a standard NHS hospital. Not Chelsea etc

Yep, DD was early and a C section. Luck of the draw really. Pretty basic, decent wet room (although the loo was really high!!), telly never worked and I felt bad ringing for the nurse instead of being out on the ward which might have been easier.

I've had private rooms 3 times but all because of medical need.
First was for a week with pre eclampsia, premature birth and I needed to be right in front of the nurses desk in case of seizure. Second was due to miscarriage and third was an extended stay of a month due to having a very ill baby who needed surgery

Routine csection without complications, you’ll be sent home next morning.

Postnatal care is pretty weak so you may want to be on the ward so you’re not forgotten about.

I had a private room and my husband was allowed to stay over even though men weren't allowed to stay on the general ward (pre covid). I had one basically because I asked for one and kicked up a bit of a fuss (long story but was in intensive care one night and they messed up my daughters antibiotics). Obviously if someone had needed it more than me (e.g twins) then they would have been given it over me.

Yes I did. It was lovely. Room had an ensuite and dh was able to stay.

I had a private room for 4 nights after the birth of my son, as I was very unwell and requested it. They didn’t charge me as there was a medical need. It had an en-suite with shower and toilet and an extending chair where my partner could sleep also. I also had a C section and they wouldn’t let me into the private room immediately after birth. This was as the midwifes have all of the c sections in one room nearest them in case of any issues. I don’t know if that’s standard procedure or just the hospital I was at!

Like other posters, I had a private room assigned to me because my baby was very unwell and taken to NICU. The staff were fabulous, and because it’s was touch and go initially they arranged for a bed for my husband too. In the end I sent him home to get some decent sleep. I had to wait hours and hours to go up to the ward though so I highly suspect someone else was turfed out.

There were pros and cons really. Yes it was nice to have privacy, but being in a side room meant it was really hard to get any medical attention. Or painkillers. I was very much forgotten.

I totally understand how you feel. The post natal ward I was on was awful, and I was in there for a week with a severely jaundiced baby who was on a phototherapy machine for much of that time. I was pretty delirious I think, I remember lying to the midwife and saying breastfeeding was going well just so we could get out of there. Luckily it did go well once we got home but the lack of privacy, the lack of space, the noise and the constant intrusions made it pretty horrible all in all.

We're thinking of trying for a second and I'm trying pre-emptively to think of coping strategies for that ward and I'm struggling! We did ask to pay for a private room last time but none available. I hope you have a smoother experience this time, I suspect covid restrictions will maybe make them calmer wards? Ours allowed a lot of visitors for hours each day; very off-putting whilst you're strapped to a double breast pump with a baby you can't touch

I paid for a private room at Queen Charlotte's after birth. The private postnatal ward is completely separate from the NHS ward and has its own staff. It had a double bed, an ensuite bathroom and a midwife who took my baby overnight between feeds. Also both of us got to order food from a really nice menu. It was worth every fucking penny.

I got my own room when I had my daughter in 2016. I didn't pay nor ask for it but I had her at 10.22pm then had to be stitched etc so I'm wondering if time meant I got my own room.

Due to give birth at the same hospital soon (37+4) so I wonder if I'll be on a ward or in a room again.

Yes but it was in 2013. Paid about £70 (1 night) which was fine (room was small but en-suite and modern). However there was no way you could book in advance . It depended on it being available at the time- I think there were 3 or 4. When I was back in 2015 for dc2 I was unlucky.

I did and paid £150 per night - I am hoping to get it again this time around.

I did but is was 11 years ago now. Had gone in for induction and was kept waiting most of the day for a bed. Think they either felt a bit guilty or it was literally the only bed left in the end but went to my own room to be induced. They told me before I went to the delivery room that if someone who needed it more (eg because they were very ill or a mum whose baby was in special care) then I'd have to move to the ward post birth which was fair enough. As it happened though the room was still free after DS was born so we got to go back to it even though birth was straight forward. Stayed overnight to get breastfeeding established. Was lovely having our own little space, en suite etc. Never asked for or expected it, just the way it worked out.

Had a homebirth with DS2 so didn't experience the post natal ward at all.

Oh should have said DH was still booted out at the same time as all the other dads though (they even checked that I wasn't hiding him in the bathroom )