Change of Mind ~ Public to Private ???

hey ladies !! I'm 16 weeks pregnant ~ and just been for my first scan in the Limerick maternity ~~ All the staff over there very nice But am thinking now i really think i prefer the thought of going private rather than public !! Do ye think i've left this too late as I hear the consultants get booked up preety fast ?? Also any reccomendations?? Shivvy

Hi Shivvy, I'm in the UK so cannot make any direct recommendations re: the Irish system but I would think that going private at 16 weeks should be no problem at all. I changed hospitals at around 22 weeks over here and apart from a bit of paperwork it was fine. If you run a search for private hospitals/care or just scan through the forum for a while you will see a lot about the private vs. public debate. Personally I am going to book a private single room for my postnatal care, and eventhough my husband would be happy to pay the money for a private birth, seeing as I have a straightforward pregnancy I am not going to worry about private care itself. You may not even end up giving birth with the consultant you have been seeing throughout your pregnancy as they may be on holiday if you are rather early or late, or they may have just gone off shift or what have you. As far as that debate over here in the UK, private healthcare is not really seen as any safer than a normal birth with midwives but it all depends on your personal motives so I hope you are happy with whatever decision you make!

Hi shivvy, you should be able to change no problem. Mr. Hickey & Mr. Slevin have been recommended - I'm under Mr. Hickey myself. You're GP should be able to set this up for you though.... Good luck

You could ring your doctor and get a list of gynaecologists. I think you would be a bit late, but no harm to ring anyway. I went to doctor earlier this week, (I am 7 wks gone) and she said I had left it a little late to go private. Luckily I got a gynae. Also, why do you want to go private ? Most people say privateV public is no different. Even my doctor said that going private is very expensive about 3K even if you are in the VHI. I am going private as it is my first and I am nearly 36. Even though I concieved naturally I am still a bit concerned as I am classed as an older mother. If I was a few years younger I don't know if I would bother going private.