We went private, and I would go private again.

The experience of giving birth is a private one, and like some of the comments above, the thought of sharing the first few hours and days with another patient and their relatives wasn't appealing in the slightest.

I went to North West Private Hospital in Brisbane, and they were superb. The care couldn't be faulted and the privacy was incredible. DH wasn't allowed to sleep at the hospital (We didn't have a room with a dbl bed - otherwise he could have) but as long as he was awake he could stay as long as he liked. Not much different really.

My sister had her baby in a public hospital and shared the experience with 8 other women, their babies and families and friends. What an eye openner that was! Private all the way for us.