Thinking of having baby in 'Mount Carmel', Dublin. Any experiences?

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As far as I'm aware, Mount Carmel's prevalence of C-sections is higher than the public hospitals, but only by a few percent. Do you have any figures on this, before you panic anyone?

By the way, MC's larger proportion of C-sections is largely due to the age profile of it's patients. Think about it...
 

It's not about those around you, it's about the care you and your baby receive. You could receive rubbish care in mt carmel and be surrounded by snobbery, what use is that if you're left with complications? My brother, my sister and I were all born in the Coombe as was every one of my mother's 10 siblings and all of my cousins etc were also born in the Coombe and we've all grown up good and healthy and nobody in my family and extended family had a bad experience there, regarding the care given nor the other patients.

I also agree with another poster some of the opinions being cast on here (although I understand this is a very old thread) paints Irish maternity hospitals in such a bad light and people should be very careful about what they are saying.
 
MelF said:
Perhaps this has more to do with the fact that mother's routinely elect to have C-sections over natural birth there, nothing to do with over medicalisation.
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I don't wish to be rude, but you obivously have no idea what you're talking about. No expectant mother (in Mt. Carmel or otherwise) in this country can "elect" to have a section. Our obstetrician in Mt. Carmel explained that there has to be compelling medical reason to perform a section.

(The amount of misinformation on maternity hospitals in this country is staggering...)
 
Is too posh to push a compelling medical reason or is it just fear of being sued if anything went wrong?
 
Towger said:
Is too posh to push a compelling medical reason or is it just fear of being sued if anything went wrong?
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"too posh to push"??

Amazing the number of working class heroes that come out of the woodwork whenever childcare is being discussed...
 
Agree with Kramer, I know in the UK you can elect to have a c section but I'd be nearly 100% certain (although i'm open to correction) that expectant mothers don't have that option here, no matter how much money you're paying.

Also +1 on this (The amount of misinformation on maternity hospitals in this country is staggering...)
 

(Just read the whole thread...)

You're almost correct.

Mt. Carmel place just as much focus on the care of the newborn baby. The only difference (as you've pointed out) is that Mt. Carmel place equal importance on the care of the mother following what can be a painful and stressful experience. I happen to think this is worth paying a little extra for, but when my child was born I found myself having to field numerous snide comments on a regular basis, "too posh to push" being the most common. If you can't afford private care, then don't begrudge someone who can...

I'm also guessing that most of the working class heroes who denounce hospitals like Mount Carmel are the same people who regularly lament the deplorable state of our public health service when one their relations has spent 8 hours queuing in A&E. I wouldn't board my dog in some of the public hospital wards I've been in over the years. Why people think I'd want to subject my wife to a 3-night stay in one following childbirth beggars belief...
 

Very valid point.
 

Um, yes I do know what I'm talking about actually as a member of my family did exactly that in Mt Carmel - many of my friends too.
 
To me , a Midwive went to school soley to deliver babies were a gyny didnt . Plus there are more babies delivered by midwives than delivered by consultants . just my opinion . good luck with your new arrival .
 
Just after reading more of the threads and most people can get there hands on 10k nowadays to pay for a birth so leave the stupid comments out about public and private. Care by a midwive which a majority of are women is far more superior than some hot shot consultant at 40 years of age thinking they are a god because there daddy pulled all the right strings to get them through the system that bit quicker could not possibly even imagine what a woman is feeling like after giving birth . Your points are silly .
 
kramer2006 said:
"too posh to push"??

Amazing the number of working class heroes that come out of the woodwork whenever childcare is being discussed...
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What's the first time I have been called working class The Dublin 4 must be wearing off in my old age.
 
Its incredible how this topic turns divisive and nasty whenever it is aired.

Lets summary the situation and get over it.

Some people can afford to got to a private hospital to have their babies. They get more comfort and more personal attention and better food. Medical outcomes are broadly the same, but the rate of medical intervention is higher in Mt Carmel, ( epidural rates in Mt Carmel for first time mothers is 90%) and they don't have the facilities to cope with some rare very serious medical complications.

Most of us can't afford Mt Carmel and get on with our lives, happily using the public maternity hospitals.

Lets all take a deep breath and calm down. Please can one of the moderators call a halt to this, it adds nothing to AAM.
 
kramer2006 said:
I don't wish to be rude, but you obivously have no idea what you're talking about. No expectant mother (in Mt. Carmel or otherwise) in this country can "elect" to have a section.
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Incorrect, my wife did 'elect' in 2008 and it was so! She attended a very good obstetrician in a reasonably well know private clinic and had the baby in Mt Carmel
 
huskerdu said:
Its incredible how this topic turns divisive and nasty whenever it is aired.
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Like most topics around what women should or shouldn't do . . . . drink while pregnant/don't, caesarian/natural, breastfeeding/bottlefeeding, work/don't work, . . .I'm sick of it.
 
huskerdu said:
Its incredible how this topic turns divisive and nasty whenever it is aired.
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Exactly. I was extremely shocked and sore at the overwhelmingly negative reaction I encountered from some colleagues when I was asked where we were having the baby, who are all intelligent and well-educated people.

If you tell people you are "going private", some of them have no qualms about giving you their uncalled for opinions: "well, my children were delivered in Holles Street (e.g.) and I've only good things to say about them. Mount Carmel's a waste of money etc.".

On the other hand, if I, on hearing that someone was going public offered the same kind of "advice" without being asked: "I wouldn't have my child delivered in The Coombe, the place is a bloody shambles", I'd be hung out to dry...

I'm sorry to have offended anyone, but I've seen some truly horrific sights in a couple of the public hospitals over the years and have heard a few horror stories about the public maternity hospitals also. On the other side of the coin, I've NEVER heard anyone give anything but praise to Mount Carmel. Yes, it's expensive, but not that much than going private in say Holles Street or The Coombe.

You hit the nail on the head when you talk about "more comfort and more personal attention and better food". My wife and I happen to think this is money well spent. We wouldn't, for example, spend a huge amount of money on a car that some people would, but we are happy to spend it on a higher standard of healthcare for the new mum. (I have no doubt that Irish babies are given the very best of care regardless of which hospital they were born in. Care of the mother is another matter...).

MelF said:
Um, yes I do know what I'm talking about actually as a member of my family did exactly that in Mt Carmel - many of my friends too.
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mrblues said:
Incorrect, my wife did 'elect' in 2008 and it was so! She attended a very good obstetrician in a reasonably well know private clinic and had the baby in Mt Carmel
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If your friends/relatives "elected" to have C-sections, fair enough. But, my understanding is that obstetricians are not officially allowed to do this, certainly not on a "first" baby. From my own experience, our obstretrician told us the C-section would only be considered with good reason.

It's also a fact that C-sections are more prevalent in Mount Carmel because Mount Carmel (being a private enterprise) will not take any chances in the event of a difficult birth. C-sections cost more money: obstetrician obviously must be present, longer recovery time hence extra nights in hospital. This is why the public hospitals are under orders to avoid C-sections if at all possible.

There also seems to be a view that Mount Carmel is ill-equipped to handle certain medical emergencies. This is correct. But it's also a fact (according to a Mount Carmel midwife) that they send no more than 5 babies a year to the neo-natal unit at Holles Street. That's an extremely small percentage of the babies born in Mount Carmel (one of days I was there, six babies had been born that very day!), so you and your baby would have to be extremely unlucky to suffer this fate.

It's true, this topic seems to divide people more than any other. It just galls me to hear the same people who regularly lambast our hospitals (A&E etc.) deride anyone who dares to have their new baby delivered privately. Unfortunately, the begrudgers are everywhere. I know lots of people who have had positive experiences in the public maternity hospitals, but unfortunately, some people are too ready to criticise my healthcare choices.

That's all I have to say. I wish all of you parents and expectant parents well, whatever your choices.
 
I just want to add one final comment, for the benefit of any prospective Mount Carmel patients. Our beautiful baby girl was born healthy (thankfully) in a very calm, quiet and supportive atmosphere. The care was quite literally first class. Everything was taken care of for us, allowing us to enjoy this fantastic experience. I'd recommend it to anyone and we'll definitely be going there when we decide to have No. 2.

Best of luck.
 


Congradulations on the birth of your beautiful baby girl, I guess at the end of the day it dosen't matter what hospital a baby is born in. Every nurse, midwife and doctor will do their utmost to safegaurd the health of mother and baby
 
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