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@Ree723: I wish I could just go straight home ASAP!
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They only had private rooms at the hospital I delivered at but I think if I were in your shoes I would absolutely choose private because the extra 100+ bucks won't mean much long term but the memories of your birth will last a lifetime.
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@sunny: In our hospital, there was no nursery for healthy babies (only Special Care and NICU) and it was absolutely not an issue sharing a room with another woman and her baby. I slept just fine in the hospital both nights as I think I pretty quickly was able to tune out the cry of the baby that wasn't mine. I think the idea of sharing sounds terrible until you do it and realise it is no big deal.
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In our hospital we only had private rooms. It was nice. I was there 2 full days before giving birth due to pre-term labor and DH was able to stay with me (on an uncomfortable cot) the whole time. You could pay extra to use the family suite (two rooms, bigger bathroom) but we didn't feel like that was necessary.
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I thought all hospitals at least on the labor and delivery wards had private rooms. Shows you what I know. The hospital that I delivered in had private rooms only. If I had the option, I would have spent the money to get a private room for baby #1. If it were baby #2, might choose semi private.
In my opinion, I'd like to have my first experiences as a new Mom with just me, DH, and my child.
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I didn't pay anything to give birth in NZ. I gave birth in a private birthing suite, and usually people can stay longer but the night I had my DS there were so many babies born I had to have a shower and leave the birthing suite within a few hours of him being born.
The first night I was in a shared room & it was terrible! I moved to it around 8 in the morning and had the worst room mate ever. Every time a visitor came for her which was heaps she said "Oh yay, watch bubs im going out for a smoke". I was really annoyed as well as I went for a walk and there were heaps of spare rooms on the other side of the hospital but that was offically the c-section side and because I gave birth naturally I was on the other side.
DH complained for me but they said sorry they need those rooms incase emergency C-sections came in. I had a really nice midwife that night and I told her I wanted to go home and she asked me to talk to her in the hallway and asked if it was because of my room mate and I said yes. She said she really wanted me to stay another night as she wanted to be sure I had breastfeeding under control so she asked if she got me my own room would I stay, I said yes!
That night was so good being in my own room! It was also so much better for visitors etc the next day. If there was an option of paying for my own room next time I would take it!
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We paid $800/night out of pocket for two nights ($1600 total) and don't regret it, so for $200 I wouldn't think twice. The only alternative was semiprivate like yours, which insurance would have covered. It seems like a crazy huge amount of money, but I had a cesarean and couldn't safely leave the hospital early, so it was the only way DH could spend the first nights with his son. It was also nice we could have unlimited visitors when we wanted them. And room-service quality meals and a few other little bonuses, but we would have done it anyway without those.
If we have the money again next time, I'd do the same.
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We paid for the private room and loved it. Worth it, for sure.
My sister didn't get a private and had a semi- and hated it. The couple she shared with were very loud and had a bunch of family coming in and out all day that had to pass my sister when they entered and exited. -
Yes; both of the major hospitals in our area have competing maternity suites and 100% private rooms. Big too; full size showers, huge bathrooms, bed for dad, etc.
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At my hospital, you stay in the same room through labor, delivery, and postpartum. All the rooms are private and the nursery is only for special care so in all normal circumstances the baby rooms in with the parents. There's a couch-bed for the partner, too. I loved this setup for baby #1 because it was great for recovering and bonding as a new family (DH stayed the whole time). I think I could share a room with one other person for baby #2 if necessary, provided she wasn't horrible to be around, because DH would likely go home to be with our older child at some point...but I'm glad I won't likely have to make that choice.
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Eep I think it would suck to have to share a room but I guess it depends on the hospital. I had a private room (most hospitals around here do) and actually I was only one of 2 moms who was at the hospital so it was very quiet and the nurses got to spend extra time with me, which was nice. I was at the hospital a total of 3 days (only 2 were post-baby after the c-section, the first was induction day). I feel like it may be worth it if it doesn't hurt the budget, but depending on how the hospital does things it may not be so bad. I'm not sure if I would fork over 550 for such a short time but I haven't heard anyone say they enjoyed sharing a room lol. My room was nice but there was no bed for my husband, just a couch, poor guy!
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I paid a huuuuge extra cost to get a private room ($900/night!!) and it was so worth it. There wasn't one available for the first half day after lo was born so I was sharing w another woman and even though she wasn't loud or obnoxious I felt so uncomfortable. The semi private rooms were so tiny (like, I couldn't get out of bed on one side bc her baby's bassinet was pushed into the curtain separating us and I didn't want to bump into the baby) and when either of us had any visitors it was seriously cramped.
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pay it! totally worth it IMO
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@pui: so we don't have wards here at all, but it sounds like the semi private room isn't worth it. Id go for all or nothing
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We only had private rooms at my hospital but after my experience I would do anything to ensure my husband was there and that we could have private time. I know it's a cost but if you can afford it I would do it!
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With DD1 I was in a shared room by myself because it was slow and moved to the nice private suite for the second night. With DD2, I had to share a room and it is the smallest most unprivate room ever. My roommate had so many visitors and her baby cried nonstop the entire time. I felt so bad for her and the baby but I got no rest at all. They also took a lot of the chairs and space so anyone who came to visit me had to cramp on my bed. I blasted our hospital on my survey.
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I changed hospitals partway through my pregnancy to a hospital that only has private rooms that are fully covered by my insurance. There were other reasons as well, but that was a major factor in my decision. I am really glad that I made that decision because (a) it allowed my husband to room in (b) postpartum recovery is a bitch, so I was glad to have privacy and (c) I had privacy for my visitors and more importantly did not have the imposition of a ton of strangers in my room visiting my roommate.
It would have cost almost $1,000 per night for a private room at my original hospital, and they are also only available on a first come, first served basis. So, it would have cost $2,000 for a vaginal delivery, or $4,000 for a c-section, out of pocket. No thank you.
But for $550 I would consider it if I couldn't just change hospitals.
OT: My original doctor was also extremely b*tchy to me when I expressed my concern about this and a few other issues with her hospital. She tried to scare me into staying at her hospital in NYC by telling me a one-off horror story about a double episiotomy at a hospital in NJ. So that clinched my decision to switch.
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Yes that's all they offer.
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I didn't request one but i got one. It was as big as my labor/delivery room and i was incredibly grateful for it because of my circumstances - i had my baby sent to the NICU as you know, and sharing a room with someone whose baby was in the room would have made things 100 times harder for me. Also, i appreciated the solo bathroom since going to the bathroom after birth is... a journey and an adventure each and every time.
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With Charlie we had a huge private room and it was totally worth it because I had a c-section and it had an extra bed for Mr. Bee. With Olive I had a shared room but most of the time the room was empty so it was mostly private... the only downside was that no one is allowed to sleep over. But it was fine since I was a second time mom. First time mom I am glad I got a private room, c-section or not!
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All three times and three different hospitals I had a private room. I wouldn't have been happy if it were different. I would def say pay for the privacy.
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I can't imagine not having a private room! Honestly, I would have switched hospitals (and OB) if they didn't have all private rooms. Sharing a bathroom in the midst of all that would probably be the least appealing thing about it.
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Yes, there are only private rooms. After triage, once you're in a room it's your labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum room all in one. The only thing that doesn't happen in there are c sections.
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My hospital only has private rooms. Like others, I can't imagine another way! I was in a recovery ward for an hour after giving birth and I couldn't wait to get the heck out of there. It's awkward enough getting up to go to the bathroom (and bleeding all over the floor as you go) -- I can't imagine having an audience.
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Thanks everyone for your input! I think what we're going to do is aim for a private room the first night and then stay in the ward for any additional time... Unless something comes up that changes things.
If there is no private room available I'll probably just stay in the ward the whole time.
DH really doesn't want to spend $$$ on my hospital stay.
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I think that's a smart plan to spring for the private room the first night. I lost my private room when the birth ended in a c-sec and was put in semi-private. DH couldn't stay, I couldn't sleep most of the night. It was awful. I got myself discharged 12 hours early to escape.
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I wanted a private room but there weren't any available (my hospital was craaazy busy the day DS was born and the day after!). So I had a semi-private room. It was fine, the worst part was that DH couldn't stay, but it was kind of interesting to vaguely hear what the roommate on the other side of the curtain was up to. DS kept me company the second night when the nurses kept bringing him in constantly for feedings!
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If I were in your shoes and could afford it? Private for sure. You will be listening to your own baby's cries, which is enough...and that's a really important time for you to start learning the sounds of their cries. It might be tough to listen to another baby crying. Also? Oh dear God, you need your own bathroom. Things will happen in that bathroom that do not need to be shared...ever. With anyone.
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Private for both of my babies. I think as a first time mom it is nice to have the privacy to get to know your baby and deal with MOTN wake ups without worrying about bothering or being bothered by someone else. It's also nice to have the privacy for all the check ups.
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Mine was free but I think it is worth it to pay. Although I would have been ok either way.
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At our hospital, all rooms were private, and unless you had a C-section, you delivered and recovered in the same room. The baby stayed with you the entire time as well.
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We had to pay extra for a private room, and we did. I wasn't sure if it was worth it until I had to have an overnight stay in the hospital when lo was a month old and we had to share. I didn't get any sleep because the baby next door was crying a lot and the nurses come in and out at different times. So I appreciated having a private room more after that experience.
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We only had private rooms
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I am super jealous of you ladies where a private room was the only option! As others have said, it seems there are no hospitals in NYC that offer that- always extra, no guarantees. I makes me so wish we could move home to Texas before this baby comes! Oh well, I try to be grateful that even in the worst case scenario I know baby and I will get great care. Sounds like I should save up to spring for the private room, if it turns out to be an option!
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I chose a hospital 40 minutes away rather than 5 because it had a nicer setup, including private rooms. I can't even imagine having a roommate, much less a whole ward of other people. Ugh. I had a rough birthing experience and got to my recovery room at around 12:30am. I can't imagine having to say goodbye to DH at that point after DS was only 2 hours old. Or on the flip side, having some new roommate come at 12:30 and wake me up.
Our hospital stay was on the longer side because I had a c-section, and it turned into a really special time for the three of us as a family. I don't think it would have been nearly the same if we hadn't been able to just close the door for a few hours, just the three of us.
And as others mentioned, post partum logistics just suck. People are coming to visit, you're only sleeping in 2 hour increments because the baby's crying, it's hard to shower or use the bathroom so you end up spend 3x as long in there. Also, we had an issue one night where DS got fed up with my milk not being in and screamed on and off until 4am because he was hungry. We finally fed him some formula and he was better. But trying to deal with that and being on my own after a c-section, or having a roommate in the room and feeling bad for waking her up would just be awful. And the entire day following the nurses left us alone because they knew we had a rough night. With another family in the room we couldn't have gotten the peace and rest we needed.
So anyways, I vote private room and/or new hospital.
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@pui: We were in a double room, but lucked out and didn't have anyone else in the room. Our insurance covered a semi-private room (OHIP covers the ward rooms, right?).
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My only option was a private room. I have no idea what it would be like to not have had one, but I enjoyed the privacy and quiet bonding time with my husband and each baby.
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I too am on OHIP, but I had a private room each time. With DH's insurance we only had to pay a very small amount out of the total. It was $200 for 3 nights with my first (traumatic c-section) and $90 for 2 nights for my second.
I would totally spring for a private again.
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@Mrs. Oatmeal: Yes that's all OHIP covers...
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Yep, it was the only option! It had a little pull out bed for DH, too.. I'd spring for a private room - but I'm pretty private anyway and loved the time we had to bond alone.
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