Private vs nhs maternity care

[APSR]

Currently 7w after fet. Struggled a lot to get here. Which one would be better going ahead privateers nhs for maternity care and delivery? (discharged from the fertility clinic)
recommendations for private obstetricians/ clinics please?

Yea Ul often find nhs doctors will pick up extra work as private 🙈

I had mine at the Kensington Wing of C&W. Would definitely recommend. My consultant was Keith Duncan but I think he’s now moved onto The Portland. A few friends have had Nick Wales and rate him highly.

I had NHS antenatal care up until about 30 weeks, when I switched to private at Queen Charlotte under Bryony Jones. She was brilliant. I really liked the mix of NHS and private care. Private room on the private ward before and after, but had the baby on the NHS ward with a 1-1 midwife and Bryony overseeing everything. When I had a bleed after the birth they called the NHS crash team who rushed in to save the day, with no charge. And I knew we were in one of the safest places to give birth, with top notch neonatal care if needed. Seemed the ideal solution if you can spare at least £15k to do it. Good luck making your decision!

I was under Dr Zhang at QC and she was brilliant! This was 10 years ago though and I found her via Mumsnet recommendation! My requirement was to avoid CSection (any surgery) and have a vaginal birth unless it was life threatening to me/baby. Dr Zhang was great - she was with me through the labour (11pm to 5am), administering the epidural at just the right moment so as to not hold up dilation (and no sooner despite me begging). Neat episiotomy and quick recovery. She taught me to push well before labour so when the time came, I didn't need much pushing at all. Totally worth the £10k I spent! Not sure if she's still with QC though.

I had a private midwife, and an NHS consultant for both my last two kids.

Perfect choice - got so much support. One home birth, one hospital birth, such great support!

Watch this is going to hurt on I-player. NHS all the way, wouldn't touch the Portland with a 10 ft barge pole, if people want to spend 10-15K which could fund the second 6 months maternity leave on a private room @ C&W or Queen Charlotte's well that is up to them

There are private maternity wings in NHS hospitals. I started off with the NHS but received poor treatment then switched to private at St Thomas'. It is expensive I'll give you that, we're lucky we were able to afford it. It's nothing like This Is Going to Hurt, a TH show. Having seen both sides I would recommend private for anyone who can comfortably afford it. It's so worth it.

I have done both. If you can easily and straightforwardly afford it (what a privilege, so sad that that’s the most important question, but there we are…) then private every time. In a NHS hospital with a wing - like Lindo or Kensington. NHS is great if it’s great (and what you want if truly life threatening) but when it’s bad it can get pretty horrendous and I saw it be outright neglectful and bordering on cruel. Agree you want emergency stuff NHS on site.

It's such a lottery, but I had the best experience on the NHS, no complaints whatsoever. Everyone was great and I didn't want to be discharged after 😂

I’m sure private would be a lot “nicer” more comfortable etc however if during birth, natural or c section the shit hits the fan and there’s a serious emergency ie major Pph or problem with baby you will be sent to nhs. Private sector isny equipped to deal with these situations.

That’s really not an issue if you’re in the private wing of an nhs hospital, which is where the vast majority of private maternity care is.

I have work in St Mary's Paddington and C&W and seen the patients transfereed from the private hospitals on the Cromwell Road. Not for me or anyone I love. Yes if money is no object pay for the private wing of an NHS site.

@Neurodiversitydoctor Also if you're not getting the best care on the NHS as it was in my case. The midwives were condescending and dismissive of me. I didn't feel safe.

Reading this thread with interest as I looked into getting a private c section but the cost seem to be £25k+, probably £30k. My main concern is the postnatal ward. How do you find out if an NHS hospital has a private option for the birth and for postnatal? Mine has "amenity rooms" that can be paid for but only if not needed by other patients for health reasons. I want to ensure I have a private room. Is there a way to do this? I can switch hospital if necessary.

I had the same problems but as someone who isn’t white my NHS care was horrific until I hired a private midwife. I would always recommend Private maternity for women of colour in the UK - you just won’t be taken seriously otherwise (until you or your baby die and then ‘lessons will be learned’)

@Ozanj Yes 100%. I was brushed off when I asked about epidural when I was on NHS. I was told S.Asian women are really good at giving birth so wouldn't need it. This is just one incident, amongst others. Doesn't help that I have a funny foreign accent. Anyway, I chose private maternity because I could not put up with it as I felt unsafe.

Yes, post natal wards aren't great, but it's a short time for most mothers. Spend the money on a nanny or night nanny when the baby arrives
I had private births, spent 3 nights in hospital and baby was looked after at night by the midwives (they gave a bottle but would have bought back in for feeds if I’d preferred) so that was a great jump start on recovery and I went home feeling really well rested. Would much prefer that over a night nanny! Each to their own though.

And OP do your research properly. Do not listen to anyone that’s clearly just watched one episode of ‘It’s Going to Hurt’ because that’s just one junior doctor, trying to flog a book then dramatised for TV so god knows how realistic it is and besides most private maternity is within NHS hospitals so it’s not even representative. I would have legitimate concerns about the Portland and would be faced with a dilemma if I had a 3rd whether to go there to stick with my amazing OB or have the back up NHS emergency services, but I definitely wouldn’t be making any decisions based on a TV show 🤣😂

Ah I see. I’m in Scotland and there’s no such thing here.

I had an elective c-section on the NHS at Queen Charlotte’s earlier this year. My first consultant appointment to discuss this was with Bryony Jones, who was lovely. My op was by Claudia Raperport, who was superb. Not sure how private could have been any better. I considered paying for a private postnatal room but might have been kept in for 5 days and couldn’t really afford it for that long - left after 2 in the event. Not massively comfortable but tolerable.

Sometimes they are contracted to.

I worked for the NHS and then a private hospital, I worked in cardiology but we had 24 hour cover on a contract from an NHS hospital.

As the hospital had maternity services the cover Dr was a registrar Obstetrician.

OP

I'd also vote for a private wing at an NHS hospital.

If it is just a private room you want then you can ask for an 'amenity room'. These are side rooms and all you pay for is the room. Some hospitals offer a few extras like bottled water and costs vary from about £100 up to £500 for 24 hours.

Last time I got my own room. My first child was on a postnatal ward. It wasn't great but not hell.

Postnatal care can be a bit disappointing on the NHS but the care during the births have always been good. Managed to have all scans and midwife appointments on time too.

Lindo Wing. Exquisite care from midwives who also work in the NHS. It has direct access to intensive care in St Mary’s for you and the baby if needs arise. Portland is not connected so means you need an ambulance in an emergency. Lindo is less ‘plush’ than the Portland but the care is off the scale wonderful.

Choose your private obstetrician (they publish a list) and go from there.

Also, food is wonderful, rooms are lovely, clean, private and there is no pressure on you to leave.

You're right - I am white, but I'm aware of the stats on the treatment of women of colour during pregnancy/childbirth. I was only thinking about it from the position of a white woman and that was wrong. Thank you for sharing