Baby on Way - Public or Private?

I've had 3 babies in Holles Street, going private and getting a private room (Merrion Wing) each time and would definitely choose the same in the unlikely event of having another! Even at the delivery stage, I think there is a difference between public and private - on number 2, I needed an epidural at 3 in the morning and when the nurses phoned the anaesthetist, I heard them say 'she is a private patient of Dr X' and the student midwife who was with me said that the anaesthetist would arrive much quicker for a private patient than a public patient (I think they get paid more). I was happy having the continuity of care for my 3 pregnancies and births particularly when we had a minor scare at number 3's delivery - we had absolute confidence in the doc at that stage. That said, number 2 arrived really easily (after the epidural!) with just the midwife there and we were fine with the doc not making it - he arrived for the all important stitching. And seriously, don't want to put anyone off their dinner but don't underestimate the importance of skilful stitching - I wouldn't let anyone other than a consultant near me to do that but going public you'll sometimes get a junior doctor doing it (how do you think they learn? - they certainly don't get to practise on private patients who are guaranteed a consultant even if their own is unavailable).
 
Hi Dave - I'm currently attending Holles Street public. I had our first child (back in 1993 !! there) and am extremely happy with service to date. I was at risk of ectopic and had ultrasounds at 8 and then 12 weeks as well as the 'regular' one at around 20 weeks. I have been very satisfied with care but as with any hospital appt it's important to keep re-iterating any fears, questions or anything that is concerning. I have found all the staff terrific this time and when I requested another blood test to check on iron count it was done without issue. On our first child I had some issues post-birth and the care and attention I got was excellent. I didn't have epidural on the first and am certainly not planning on that this time around (due to risks of lowering blood pressure and so on) but one point that came up in the antenatal classes I attended was that if you are public as soon as an anaesthesist is available they will be in to give this to you if requested (i.e they are on site), whereas if you are private you may have to wait for them to come in from home - it's not possible just to get some other anaesthesist from the floor to do this. Another website that you could look at is www.rollercoaster.ie and post questions on that in relation to hospitals, pregnancy and so on . I would suppose with private the main benefit would be the consistency of having the same consultant throughout and the possibility of having a private room. The private room didn't bother me and when I asked my GP about the difference between going public and private he just said "around 5 grand" : ) I didn't go the 'shared care' route with GP as I wanted to just attend hospital - you may need to push back on that a little if it's what you want as the staff sortof assume you are going to do it, but I found that it wasn't an issue. Whatever way you and your wife choose to go , best of luck!
 
Hi Dave,

Like Orka above, my wife went to Holles St. Private for the births of our five (this is going back a few years). Excellent service all round, though certainly not cheap. In fact, every post-natal day in the place cost more than a family holiday in a 4-star hotel, flights included. 9/10 of the nurses were great, 1/10 was Nurse Ratchett. You'll get that, no matter what you're paying...

First time out, I'd (hypocritically) say that you should spend whatever it takes. It's The Most Important Event, etc.

However, I'd take issue with ramble's assertion that 'if you decide to go private you are private all the way'. Our expensively-paid private gyno (currently Master at a Maternity Hospital I won't identify) showed his pearly teeth at the first four deliveries, but was heroically absent at the final one — where, for once, he was most needed. Not because he was attending to an emergency elsewhere, but simply 'at a meeting' (of the '19th Hole' Committee, as far as I know. I subsequently wrote to enquire of Him, but got no answer).

At the time, the nurses and midwives uttered all this to us in hushed tones, as though the 'meeting' was of the direct-line-to-God type. Happily, we all survived... but no thanks to our 'private' status. We would probably have been equally well looked after as public patients.

To come back to your original question — I would still say yes, go private, if you can afford it.
 
If you are in Dublin then I would HIGHLY recommend the community midwives scheme in Holles Street.

They are a team of very experienced midwives that also cover home births.

You have the option of seeing them in their satalite clinics (there is one in Ballinteer, not sure where the others are).

They have a very holistic approach and are less into interventions(although all pain relief is available if you want it)
You can avail of an early discharge programme where you leave 8 hours after the birth(might be a bit scary first time round ) otherwise you will be in a public ward or use your insurance for semi private (but not private)

These midwives are really excellent and you usually get to meet most of them during your visits and so will usually know the midwife who delivers your baby.
They have their own delivery room in Holles Street with bean bags, CD player, ensuite shower etc and encourge and active birth.

They really are fantastic, have had both my children with them

Be aware that Holles Street have a policy of active management where if you are not progressing at a certain rate they will interven to move you along. The community midwives do not suscribe to this which is fantastic
Best of luck with your decision
 
A friend of mine is a nurse & says that she wouldnt dream of going to a private hospital - all emergency cases from these are t/f to public hospital.

- Private room might get lonely for a first time mum who doesnt have a clue?

- Went to visit sister in law in Rotunda & thought that the 'Semi Private' room she was in was awful - about 6 people, wall paper peeling off walls etc. But I suppose the most important thing is the care & safe arrival rather than aesthetics
 
Winnie said:
- Private room might get lonely for a first time mum who doesnt have a clue?
Click to expand...
I think this is the hub of the question, if only because the difference between public/private status is most noticeable here, not in the pre-partum stakes.

In our case, the New Mother had armies of family around to visit/minister to her needs. They wouldn't have fit into a public or semi-private ward. But if Dave's wife will want a bit of down-to-earth conversation/company, then yes, I agree...
 
Please stop !
 
Apparently there's a new policy in Holles Street so that there can be only two visitors per patient at any one time - this was due to the fact that people were having lots of guests and kids being around so it seems that this has tightened up immensely. They've also introduced 'quiet time' in the afternoon where there are no visitors so that mum & baby can have some uninterrupted time. So hopefully the public wards will provide some company as there'll be other mothers around but the noise levels will be kept down and they won't be too crowded.
 
The Erinville in Cork as four beds per room in the public wards and adequate space for visitors and a very strict visitors policy.

The one HUGE difference I found between my experince of pubic care in a public hospital and my ssiters experience of care as a private patient in a private hospital was that in my case the baby was with me at all times after I gave birth unless I needed to shower or use the loo etc in which case I had to sign her into the nursery. My sister's baby was in a nursery with the nurses for a lot of the time.....
They fed her, bottle-fed, washed her etc and my sister was allowed to sleep and recover.
Just one big difference whihc stood out in my mind.
Not going to comment on which is the better option just an observation of care of mother and baby.
 
Does Plan B in vhi not cover at least Semi-Private and all your doctors fees? I have plan b for 30 years now and as far as I know I have maternity cover even do it would be a miracle if I need it now at my age. I did point this out to vhi but they were not amused. It seems its a package take it or leave it.
 
 
I have plan B and was covered for semi-p in the Rotunda, I enquired in H St and the Coome and they were covered too. There was an excess of €500 or so to pay, but everything else was covered.

If you go private most of your hospital fees are covered, but not your consultant fees. If you ring the hospital accounts department, they will tell you exactly what's covered.
 
RainyDay said:
Going private does not mean that your consultant appointments will be on time. The excuse of 'he's got delayed at a delivery' was wheeled out more than once - we had delays of 1-2 hours.
Click to expand...
I would suggest that in the vast majority of cases, 'he's got delayed at a delivery' is a reason rather than an excuse, and is perfectly valid.

My view would be to go with a private consultant at a public maternity hospital, in a semi-private room (often private rooms are unavailable anyway, and there are more nurses in and out of the semi-private wards).
 
I think it is the luck of the draw really, and depends on how much money you are willing to spend for those first few days, (and there is a whole lot of spending going to happen afterwards).
Baby 1 2001- I went Public in the Coombe, saw one of the top consultants at every visit, delivery in a private room, but ward was bedlem, no one spoke English, visitors all hours of the day, very few nurses.
Baby 2 2004 - I went semi private, still don't know the name of the consultants I saw, queued for up to 2 hours on every visit, delivery in private room and then into semi private ward, 4 in a room no one spoke to one another and nurses walked around whispering and the day dragged in.
Baby 3 2005 - Semi Private again, same probelm with queueing and consulltants, was in labour ward and then moved into room for delivery, as it was christmas most consultants had their private and semi private patients brought in for induction so the place was jammers, ended up in the public ward for 2 days it was fairly full but everyone was so friendly, they now have quiet times during the day so very peaceful. The place was spotless and the nurses were brill, on day three I was moved to semi private where again no one talked and the nurses were old and cranky, if you could catch their attention.

That was my experience and as you see they were all different, its really depends on yourself and you partner and if they would prefer privacy or company. Also it seems to be the luck of the draw on the day as to how busy they are anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register