More comfort, more privacy and the most modern technology. Birthing partners can use facilities and mothers-to-be can lower the lighting and bring in their own music. The drawback is that private clinics working on tight rotas lack the large staff of a public institution, giving rise to complaints of a ‘speeded-up’ labour. However, some private clinics, (the Clinica Instituto Dexeus for example) do offer natural birth. Gas and air is not offered in all private clinics, with epidurals remaining the norm. Prenatal and postnatal fees depend on the type of pregnancy and the needs of the mother. Labour, delivery and recovery alone is estimated at around €4,000 (pain relief included), so it’s not surprising most people rely on private health insurance. Maternity care (from pre to postnatal, and through labour) is usually only offered on comprehensive plans. Some firms only give maternity coverage if the policy is more than ten months old. It’s vital to check the small print on caesareans: they are not covered on some comprehensive plans, which given the high c-section rate in Barcelona clinics, is a significant exclusion.