I’m currently pregnant and trying to understand how the postnatal stay works there. I heard the standard wards can be shared with several mums - is it possible to book a private room instead? If yes, how does the process work and when do you usually arrange it?
Would really appreciate hearing your experiences 🤍
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I had my pregnancy checks with my first there last year & also gave birth in CWH. I am pregnant with my second, due in August and I am treated there again. I did everything through the NHS but 2 weeks before giving birth I booked myself in with the Kensington Wing, their private birth wing. I must say: best decision ever. The normal birth centre is a ward, so you will be in a postnatal room with up to 5 or 6 other mums and their babies (worst case). There is only a chair for your partner to sit on and he can't stay overnight. When I had the breastfeeding class, I saw the new mums with their babies in that same room (before the class started), waiting to be released.
The Kensington Wing: one or two assigned midwives during birth, who stayed with me until the end, I also had my doctor. After birth, we were brought to our private room, there was a bed for my partner, too. He stayed with us 24/7. We had to stay 6 days cause our LO needed antibiotics. They were amazing, the midwives, the support worker, etc

They took their time to help & support us, show us how to do things right (most of all my partner cause he was very insecure/ afraid of "breaking/hurting the baby"). We, also my partner, were served 3 meals a day a la carte, as well as tea. Just had to ask for things & they brought everything (water, coffee, tea, etc). Very attentive staff. We stayed in the room until we were ready to go. Full privacy. They had a "night nursery" and offered to take care of the baby, so we could get some rest during the nights after birth. I must say, all in all a very good and satisfying experience, 100% recommended. Sure, you can give birth on the NHS wing and book you a private room postnatal but this is done on the day of you giving birth and depends on availability (partner has to go to Kensington Wing and ask if a room is available). If no room is available, bad luck. Private patients giving birth in the Kensington Wing have priority for a room. I didn't want to risk it, so I decided to give birth in the Kensington Wing

I had a water birth in the birthing centre there and the staff and care were amazing for that portion of the stay, but really did not enjoy the postnatal ward experience. I found the night staff to be quite unfriendly and unhelpful, there wasn’t much space around the beds which were divided by little curtains and it was noisy so not much sleep was had. My partner ended up going home that night to sleep ready to help the next night but I very much regretted doing that, as didn’t feel comfortable/overly well cared for when I was there, especially as it all felt quite daunting and new!
All the staff that came round during the day were friendly, but discharge was very slow and didn’t end up leaving until 6pm next day.
Sorry it’s a bit of a negative review but wanted to be honest! Everything else about my care there I loved, just not postnatal.