http://www.privatebirthcentre.co.uk/what-we-offer/midwifery-packages.html

£850; birth only package


We would like to offer a special “Birth only” package to women who would like to take advantage of the Private Birth Centre facilities but are otherwise happy with their NHS midwifery care. This package will be available to women expecting their second or subsequent child following a vaginal birth.
* Whilst we strongly support first time mothers and VBAC we recognise that this package is not extensive enough for their needs*

We will meet you for a 'Booking In' appointment around 35 weeks of pregnancy, including a Risk Assessment and birth preparation which costs £100.
When you go into labour you will be asked to call one of our midwives and confirm that the Private Birth Centre is available and we are able to support you through labour and birth. Once confirmed you will come to the centre and have your baby and you can stay at the Private Birth Centre for up to 8 hours after the birth and we will arrange all follow up visits by your NHS Midwife. This Birth Package costs £750, payable on admission.
**Note: in case of transfer to hospital we will hand over your care to the NHSYou may like to book postnatal care with a Private Birth Centre Midwife at an additional cost of £300 for 2 weeks or the New Family Package - which includes postnatal support for 6 weeks which costs £650 (see below for what this includes).

I am so tempted but don't exactly have £850 lying about - a waste of money you think?! Saves a half hour trip to the hospital though - it's in the town where I live!! Almost wish I hadn't seen it

I think it's down to you really, did you have bad experience with Bean then?

Personally I wouldn't and couldn't justify spending that amount of money but I am happy with the care I received when I had Libby

xx

I've chosen a different hospital for that reason Susan. In the grand scheme of things and when you hear some horror stories, my birth experience wasn't dreadful - but it was horrific enough for me to not trust them again.

I'm still in the denial stages to be honest - giving birth again seems a ridiculous idea!

The proximity is very appealing though - I could almost (almost!) walk there!! Which means not leaving bean too long... £850 is cheap by private birth standards but still - we'd have to not eat or have heating & elec for a few months

Haha you do know she's got to come out somehow don't you??

If it means that much to you and you can offord it (in all seriousness) then why not? xx

I would say that if you have already changed hospitals then I would give them a go, rather than spending that amount of money.

We were let down at our hospital with Aimee's heart checks when she was born, but I am still going back there this time and going to have things done my way and I wont take no for an answer.

£850 is soooooo much money to pay out when in all honesty, we pay NI and you should be getting this sort of care already x

The denial can't last much longer... I can't believe I've got three more months - I feel ready to pop already. I was in bean's room listening to a lulabye bear (with pip kicking about like a good 'un to it) and had a brief rosy glow of 'awww, we're having another tiny baby' then quickly 'oh crap...' as the reality of that decended. Where are my rose-tinted glasses from first time?!!

I know, I think that too Laura but unfortunately it doesn't seem to work that way with NHS

I'll look in to whether this hospital does a tour (although they seem out of the norm these days?!) - I also want to meet with a MW from there - to discuss options for birth inc. using pool, moving around etc. (all I see is atm is the local MWs who work out of the first hospital). And see how we feel from there?! xx

I am just like you... terrified of giving birth again. The reality is starting to set in again as I am having period type pains during the nights and I just try so hard to get back to sleep in the hope that it isnt happening.

I am really dreading it x

Make that 3 of us dreading giving birth again!!!

I would speak to the hospital that you have chosen to go to and ask for a hospital tour and then go from there as to whether you feel comfortable with them!

xxx

I spoke to hubby on his lunch - and he pointed out that, for the same reason as we're not having a home birth, it's not ideal.

That is - if for any reason we have to go to a hospital - it will be the nearest one; which is where I gave birth the first time and am doing everything to avoid!
(I was really keen on a homebirth but that put me off straight away.)
So to have that chance, and be £850 out of pocket (don't get it back if you end up transferred to hospital I believe) isn't going to work I don't think.

They have private doula packages but from about £1500+

The thing I am also dreading though - very weirdly - is that things could (hopefully) all go so much better; but then it will bring back everything from first time round and make me upset that I didn't have that with bean. (Literally have about 30secs of memory of happiness - the rest is blinding horror and he was away from me for the first hour or so - with hubby, but still. )

Not sure if that makes any sense. For now I'm staying in my happy bubble of enjoying bumps and kicks and getting increasingly more huge
If it helps Laura & Kinky I'm very optomistic and positive for you both - it's myself that I see it all going tit$ up for xx

I would phone up the hospital and ask for a tour of the labour ward, surely the can't say no.

I have mine booked for the end of Nov and in all honesty I am really looking forward to it (I'm sure I may feel different when the time comes).

Before you commit to spending £850 wait and see if you can get a tour and see if you can speak to a MW from the hospital and if you are not happy then I would say spend the money at least you have explored all of your options.

xxx

Laura wrote:

I would say that if you have already changed hospitals then I would give them a go, rather than spending that amount of money.

We were let down at our hospital with Aimee's heart checks when she was born, but I am still going back there this time and going to have things done my way and I wont take no for an answer.

£850 is soooooo much money to pay out when in all honesty, we pay NI and you should be getting this sort of care already x

Hiya Hun,

Just out of interest are you going to the Barret Maternity Home? If so, I know you had a tough time with Aimee's heart checks but how was the experience before you had all that upheaveal, if you don't mind me asking. I'm planning on having my baby there in Feb.

Naomi xx

Hey hun, yes, I am going back to the Barratt. They were really good in the labour ward and I have no complaints there. I had a lady called Frankie and she was great.

I will be honest and say that the aftercare in the Robert Watson ward was awful, but I guess that the worst snow in 18 years was heading our way and they were short of staff.

On the whole, the hospital did save Aimee's life when it came to the crunch and managed to keep her alive until she could be transferred to Oxford.

Grace - im sure that all of our labours will go just great, so many people tell me that no two labours are the same, so I am holding out all of my hopes on that. I know what you mean about not being happy. I didnt have one happy moment in the first month that Aimee was born and the thought of having another baby fills me with pure dread. But, it cant get any worse than it was, so that is keeping me going xx