Cost of having a baby

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kiwijbob

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I've recently found out that we're expecting twins, great
news :D but now I've been quoted €3,500 for the
consultant's fees. I'm trying to find some way of knowing
is this good/bad or compariable to others? we were given
no options by anybody so if anyone can offer some guidance
we'd be very grateful. Should we request a semi-private
fee? as i assume the fee above is for fully private care,
what is fully private care anyhow as we're on Plan B + options...
...very confused :confused:
 
It depends on what hospital, and what consultant you are attending. Semi-P is available only in the Dublin hospitals, and not in Mount Carmel, AFAIK, Semi-p is about €500. Your best bet is to ring the hospitals and ask, they are used to this and very helpful.

The price you quote seems about right.

Edited to add, CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 
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Last year a private consultant in the Coombe was €2500. But two years before a private consultant in Portlaoise was €1700.

Do they charge extra for twins? You'd think you'd get a bulk discount :p

Don't forget to claim it back on your Med1 next year.

Congratulations by the way.
 
Just to inform you that your antenatal and delivery care would really be no different public versus private. Just different waiting rooms.
As for you delivery nowadays most twins are delivered by caesarean and for twins a consultant would almost certainly be present.
The main difference public vs private is your postnatal care, i.e. number of people to a ward. Private you have your own room, semi roughly four to a room and public about six, I think.
So care wise it's roughly the same, but convienience post delivery private is much nicer.
It depends on how much that is worth to you.
 
Squire said:
Do they charge extra for twins? You'd think you'd get a bulk discount :p
Click to expand...

:D We did - our gynecologist charged the same fee for our single and multiple (twins ) births - mind you we didn't get a discount for the fact that he never arrived in time for our single births - maybe next time :D.
 
Just to inform you that your antenatal and delivery care would really be no different public versus private. Just different waiting rooms.
Click to expand...

In terms of urgent medical care, I would agree (just about); but outside that, would have to disagree.

If you can afford it/have insurance cover, private care is the way to go.

My own choice (for what it's worth) would be Mt Carmel or home birth (not always an option with twins it has to be said - many independent midwives will not do a home delivery with twins).
 
kiwijbob said:
I've recently found out that we're expecting twins, great
news :D but now I've been quoted €3,500 for the
consultant's fees. I'm trying to find some way of knowing
is this good/bad or compariable to others? we were given
no options by anybody so if anyone can offer some guidance
we'd be very grateful. Should we request a semi-private
fee? as i assume the fee above is for fully private care,
what is fully private care anyhow as we're on Plan B + options...
...very confused :confused:
Click to expand...


Why not go public as you will receive exactly the same care, and still have your 3.5k which will come in handy for your twins future i.e education etc.
My friend had twins, went public and received great care, was always going for check ups ie every couple of weeks as this is the norm for expecting twins.
Congrats by the way.:)
 
From Experience Go to Mt Carmel

Think of your mental health you need the best care at this big moment in your life. It can be traumatic had my first in public hospital and was very poorly cared for. Mt Carmel were 100 time better and worth every penny.

We spend more on cars
Look after No 1.

Good Luck and Congratulations
 
thanks to all for the congrats,

we feel really compelled to go towards the private option,
you hear so many scare stories about maternity hospitals
recently that to be honest I'd be worried about going public,
we do have the 3.5k (very luckily!) but we're not by any
means 'well off' so i'd rather spend the money on the new
car we'll need along with all the additional costs that go
along with twins not even counting childcare :eek:.

but am I correct in thinking the only differences are:
privatecare @ €3.5k = private room on your own
semi -privatecare @ €500 = semi private room with 4 beds
public @?? = public ward

assuming same level of care and attention from staff for all the above?
 
Hi kiwijbob,

I'm confused. In your first post that the consultant's fees would be €3500. In your last post you seem to be of the opinion that the €3500 covers all your private care.
I would have thought that the consultant's fees would only be a part of the overall cost.
I would advise you to ask your consultant what his/her fee covers exactly, and also what other fees you might be liable for for pre-natal care, birth, post natal care etc.
Then ask your health insurer what they will cover (based on your insurance plan).

Best of luck.

teddyk
 
kiwijbob said:
thanks to all for the congrats,

we feel really compelled to go towards the private option,
you hear so many scare stories about maternity hospitals
recently that to be honest I'd be worried about going public,
we do have the 3.5k (very luckily!) but we're not by any
means 'well off' so i'd rather spend the money on the new
car we'll need along with all the additional costs that go
along with twins not even counting childcare :eek:.

but am I correct in thinking the only differences are:
privatecare @ €3.5k = private room on your own
semi -privatecare @ €500 = semi private room with 4 beds
public @?? = public ward

assuming same level of care and attention from staff for all the above?
Click to expand...


MY friend ended up in a room on her own as they the public ward was not insured to have twins at one bed.
 
Hit the nail on the head there kiwijbob, there is no difference in care or labour wards when you deliver, just a difference in appointments and how many you share the ward with afterwards I was semi private last year, there was so many semi private arriving at the same time that we all ended up in public, but I could not fault the care given.
 
It's worth bearing in mind that there may be downsides to private too. I know of someone who was left pretty much on her own, in spite of the fact that she had two babies and a c-section. I've had two babies on semi-p, the first time I ended up on a semi-p ward which I found very noisy. The second time I ended up on a public ward as they were busy, but it was much better, and because there were more women, there were more nurses available, and they used to take the babies at night for a few hours, and feed them to give the mothers a break. This never happened on semi-p.
 
Seems to me the experience in a hospital is pretty random regardless of payment plan. It can be good or bad. Just depends who working at the time, how busy they are etc. If you are in somewhere like Mt Carmel and theres a problem you'll be transferred to one of the larger hospitals regardless.
 
Think you might have to pay extra for going private in a private hospital too. You can ring the hospital and ask them. You can claim back tax relief on all fees ( VHI or whatever health care provider may pay a certain amount towards your fees too).

Other differences that I recall:

-depending on your consultant and his set up it is more likely that you will have to wait for a shorter period to see him in private care rather than public.
-It is more likely that your consultant will attend to you during the birth if private- if public they may pop head in but it is often likely to be a registrar that will attend to you or indeed the midwives them selves. I have no problem with the midwives myself- actually think they are better in ways- however to be very blunt there are certain things I would prefer to be attended to by my consultant rather than a registrar. Anyone who has given birth might have an idea what I am talking about!

It might very well be that because you are having twins that you would get special treatment as a public patient? Ie that the consultant would be more likely to be present for your giving birth? If you know anyone on the ward they should be able to advise.

By the way- congratulations! I hope the whole experience will be as joyful for you as both of my pregnancies and children have been for me.
 
What health region are you in kiwijob?

I don't understand you fully, if you are in the VHI then you should get a semi private or private room, however if its busy it can be tough luck, this is the case regardless of whether you pay a private consultant or not.

My relation in Donegal found the hospital excellent for private care, different menus and vastly superior service from the nurses but in Limerick we found that the hospital treated everybody moew or less the same except that if we are lucky we might get a semi private or private room

On the other hand the relation in Donegal found the private consultant she used to be useless but in Limerick we found ours excellent.

I think unless we know what region and hospital you are likely to attend we will be giving you a lot of useless information.
 
aircobra19 said:
Seems to me the experience in a hospital is pretty random regardless of payment plan. It can be good or bad. Just depends who working at the time, how busy they are etc. If you are in somewhere like Mt Carmel and theres a problem you'll be transferred to one of the larger hospitals regardless.
Click to expand...


Slightly wrong there if there is a problem with the baby, the baby will be transfered to Holles St. but you will not.... and also from experience We used Mt Carmel first and then Holles St (because of the treatment etc.. there were several reasons) and found Holles St. FAR better that Mt Carrmel.
 
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