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

I got one but that was because another mum on the ward was phobic about blood and I needed a transfusion. The other mum was kicking up a massive fuss.

Midwife said they’d had cheeky fuckers pull stunts to get private rooms that they automatically moved patients like me into them. The mum may or may not have been a CF.

my local birthing centre doesn't have a ward anymore. all private rooms. I asked about it at my antenatal appointments and had it confirmed from the midwives that work in the centre. this is nhs too. xxx

@vixey

my local birthing centre doesn't have a ward anymore. all private rooms. I asked about it at my antenatal appointments and had it confirmed from the midwives that work in the centre. this is nhs too. xxx

It’s the postnatal wards that do so if not midwife led or need to stay in

Yes I did with DS2, after my experience on the ward with DS1. This was pre-covid.

My DH requested one in the theatre recovery room when I was still being monitored after a traumatic delivery. Our hospital only had 2 private rooms, the midwife arranged it for us. It wasn't that great to be honest; very dated, the room was overlooked by offices opposite so lacked privacy, it wasn't en-suite, the heating couldn't be adjusted so the room was baking hot (it was November). The benefit was obviously having a door I could close and not having to listen to 4-5 other mums/babies and their associated visitors. We were meant to pay for the room but were never charged, which we were pleased about as we didn't think it was really worth what they were charging! I didn't have any visitors, was only in an extra day/night after his arrival for extra monitoring.

Yes, I did. Twice. The first time I got one as I asked for it as soon as I went in (didn't have to pay). The second time I booked and in advance and paid for it after I had the baby. You don't get to have people with you outside of visiting hours

The hospital was quite happy for me to stay on a ward even with my baby being in NICU
First night post section was fair enough but we had to make a big fuss to get me in a single room for night 2. We were happy to pay but it seemed to be a closely guarded resource. Nobody was using it, they just didn't want to use it.

Women who need to stay in at a town near me can get transfered 12 hours after giving birth to a post natal cottage hospital with private rooms which have a double bed, en suite, kitchenette with a fridge & microwave, £200 a night, my friend's daughter had 4 nights after giving birth, she said it was lovely with patio windows & a little area to sit outside. It's a pity more centres like this aren't available, she said the care was amazing, a breastfeeding consultant available if you need it, physiotherapist sessions to help you with pelvic floor exercises. She said it was almost like a hotel.

Our local hospital has every patient in their own room ..south east.

I was put in a private side room after scheduled c-section for twins for two nights at no cost. Then someone needed it so I moved out onto the ward for a night before being able to go home

It’s a bit of a chaotic system due to the constant changing situation and the (very understandable!) need to give them to mums who have suffered a loss etc.

I booked one with my first but didn’t use it as both he and I nearly died and we were then separated for a week and both being treated so couldn’t use it. I have very little memory of those first few days- it may well have been another mum needed it more, or perhaps I was just too unwell.

With second DC, I also had to stay in hospital for a few days and ironically that time I was randomly given a private room despite not requesting one ... 🤷🏻‍♀️Just luck of the draw really ...

I had a private room for my second kid. My first birth was horrendous and I was determined to do everything I could not to be so ill again.
I benefitted from the solitude and a more peaceful recovery, I was in for 2 nights.
I was in for 6 days the first time and if I'd known a private room was an option, I'd have jumped at the chance.
Visiting hours and rules were the same.

It was very easy to be ignored/hard to get the attention required even though you have a buzzer. Wasn’t worth it IMO!

This. Wards are so short staffed buzzers were ignored and I felt I would be lost in a private room.

At least on a ward people come and go and it’s easier to grab someone as they pass if you need something, or you are more likely to be noticed if something is wrong.

A couple of weeks before mine there was a story about a new mum dying in a side room as no one had done her obs, which put me off.

Plus at least you can people watch, some right Jerry springer stuff going on when I was in!

Yes for both my births, no complications with either, second was during covid. The first room was actually a double, but no one else turned up. Both ensuite. I didn't have to pay. I couldn't book, and c section women had priority. It was wonderful, still noisy, but no where near as bad as being on a ward. Very private, easy to get up and go to loo etc - no waiting.

Also got a private room as baby was in nicu

@PlanterGents

ivf You can at Chelsea and Westminster. Regardless of anyone else who needs it more, if you book it, it’s yours. I was told this by various health professionals, and their website says the same

Not sure when you gave birth but this was not the case when I had my DC there in 2018 and 2019. No one was allowed to prebook the rooms- they were allocated on a first come, first served basis.

I'd highly recommend a private room @cantthinkofaname2021- the noise from other people is really unsettling. Especially as the drugs from the surgery wear off and you have people coming in and out of the room. The babies also tend to start each other off with their crying. And, let's not forget the people who decide to FaceTime their relatives in a different time zone to share every bloody gory detail about their birth at 3am in the morning. Do it.

Yes but not in an NHS hospital and not in this country. Would have cost an absolute fortune but I was under contract to the hospital and that was part of the package.

All mothers have their own room at our local hospital, it's standard. I've never heard of being able to pay.

Gosh our local NHS hospital is all private rooms in maternity. I can't imagine having to be on a ward after giving birth or in labour. Your first experience sounds awful OP! I hope you get your room this time.

@minnimiss

Gosh our local NHS hospital is all private rooms in maternity. I can't imagine having to be on a ward after giving birth or in labour. Your first experience sounds awful OP! I hope you get your room this time.

Nobody gives birth on a ward

I had DC1 in 2008, and we were put into a private room still in the labour suite after I had her - I think just cos it was available. It had been a very straightforward labour, and we were discharged straight from there a few hours later. Never saw another mum and baby

And DC2 was born at home.

Sorry, delivery suite, I meant.

I got one for free as baby was in nicu and I was struggling on a ward with other mums who had their babies with them. I don't think they can guarantee a private room for anyone even if you're paying tbh and assuming all is well with you and baby, it'd actually quite nice to be on a ward with other women for company. You don't get any extra midwife support in a private room

After I ended up massively panicking with DD1 in the postnatal ward and calling my mum to come and stay with me, I was really worried about having to stay in after DD2. I begged to be allowed to leave but I couldn’t because of suspected bladder trauma.

It was absolutely fine. There was me and one other mum and we both just quietly got on with it. Neither of us made any noise other than baby noise overnight and, in the morning whilst waiting for visitors to be allowed, we both just made regular noise and neither one of us were bothered by it. This was September last year.

I did at Bath Rhu after ds2 was born by c section
It was late and they had one free
Was amazing I was there Friday to Monday
At the end of a corridor so quiet
Had an en-suite

With ds 1 I had a four bed ward to myself the night he was born as was too late to move me to ward so I stayed on delivery, it was next to theatre so doors banged all night. Still preferable. Spent the next day on a ward until was let home and that was enough for me

When went back in on day 5 due to weight loss was in a four bed room with one other woman who then vomited and they suspected norovirus so again ended up on a ward to self as we were quarantined separately. Wouldn’t recommend that one