To go Privately or Not ?

[PigsinSpace]

Hello

I am doing research into the hospitals and whether to go privately or use the NHS. What are your experiences? Can you go semi private? I would appreciate your comments. Thanks

[McDreamy]

If it were me 5 would choose a private work in an NHS hospital having worked agency shifts in private hospitals and 10 years in NHS hospitals.

[McDreamy]

A private WARD I mean!!!

[BecauseImWoeufIt]

NHS both times and had two incredibly positive experiences. Also felt much safer knowing that they had all the resourcesto hand - IMO much more important than luxurious bedrooms.

[TheBlonde]

If I had the money I'd go private in an NHS hospital - that way you get a MW

[fingerwoman]

have a homebirth, that way you get 2 midwives! lol

[spottedandstriped]

I am going private at John & Lizzies - midwifery led. Very positive experience!

[Alexa808]

I'm going private & at St. Mary's where I'll get the individual private care and a top surgeon but have NHS emergency facilities at hand should I be in need of them.

[slinkiemalinki]

Similar to Alexa - private at C&W for me. I am very reassured by knowing the full emergency backup for me and baby are just across the corridor. This is my second baby on the same basis. That said I know a number of ladies very happy with the Portland.

[PigsinSpace]

Hi

If you go the NHS, do you have random midwives or something. Just wondering what the main difference is between the midwife -led and this....

THanks

[beforesunrise]

went nhs for my first. birth was ok, postnatal was appalling. this time around i said either home birth or private, in the end dh and i decided we had enough money for private so am going to john and lizzie. antenatal care is good as you would expect, let's see about the birth...

[TheBlonde]

NHS means you get whatever MW is working that day
Also means in London your MW could be looking after up to 8 women at the same time

No experience of private but you seem much more likely to get a MW with you rather than labouring for long periods without one

[slinkiemalinki]

If you go MW led privately this is not the same as an independent MW whom you know and who is with you throughout antenatal and the birth. You will still get whoever is on shift - you may well have met her before during antenatal appointments but it is not generally one to one care. However the surroundings are nicer and most significantly they are not overstretched in providing your care - my last birth was private MW led at C&W and I had two MWs pretty much throughout. I had met one of them a couple of times before. Different hospitals may vary however - but most private MW schemes I looked at for my first birth (2006) were run along similar lines. This may well be changing though (but still the same at Chelsea). However, if you want proper continuity of care you will want a consultant and that costs correspondingly more.

[Louandben]

I went NHS midwife led at Queen Charlottes birth centre and the care and facilities during the birth were amazing, cannot imagine better if I had gone private. The rooms are large and have en suite bathrooms and trolley beds for new dads to stay the night. Ante-natal care not so great however.

This time I am going for a home birth as QC too busy so I have been sent to UCH and the birthing centre there is nowhere near as appealing an environment (tho a new one is opening later this year). I have had great ante natal care so far from a midwife I am very happy with and who is very enthusiastic about HB so feel no need to go private at all.

If you are just talking about private ward and are going to have the baby in normal maternity dept then if you can afford it then I would say go for it - sharing a ward with other new mums and their babies is not exactly a recipe for a good nights sleep to recover from birth!