From £2k birthing suites to ‘babynups’ – what Meghan can expect from the LA birthing scene

By Hollywood standards, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Valentine’s Day announcement that they are expecting their second child was positively low-key, comprised of a few lines from their spokesman and a single photograph, presumably taken in their Santa Barbara garden, in which Meghan is captured resting her head on her barefoot husband’s thigh, a hand cradling her blossoming bump.

By contrast, fellow Californian, model Emily Ratajowski revealed her pregnancy in October by posing in a satin slip on the cover of American Vogue while Beverly Hills resident Katy Perry, announced she was carrying Orlando Bloom’s child via the medium of an elaborate music video last March.

Still, the Sussexes’ artfully staged black and white snap is a far cry from the royal family’s traditionally exiguous pregnancy announcements and a sign that, when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, this time the privacy-obsessed couple will be doing things their own way. Which, if their approach to post-royal life is any indication, means it’s going to be more befitting of La La Land than England.

Documenting the pregnancy

With its bucolic setting and relaxed ‘we only have eyes for each other’ body language, the photograph released on Sunday looked an awful lot like a pregnancy photoshoot, now considered a rite of passage for most expectant Californian mums (Knapp’s Castle, a dilapidated mountaintop mansion offering panoramic views of Santa Barbara is a particularly trendy location). Of course, most Californian mums haven’t just won a High Court privacy battle against a British tabloid, or had the image shot remotely from London using an iPad, in the Sussex’s case by long-time friend and photographer Misan Harriman. And most would fully intend to plaster the shoot all over Instagram, whereas Harry and Meghan signed off their Sussex Royal social media channels last year, suggesting this style of artfully controlled peek-a-boo press release could be a sign of things to come.

Baby shower

Palace courtiers were reportedly “spitting out their morning tea” when they found out Meghan had hitched a ride across the Atlantic on pal Amal Clooney’s private jet to enjoy a lavish baby shower while pregnant with Archie in 2019. Guests who attended the do at a plush Manhattan hotel included Serena Williams, designer Misha Nonoo and TV host Gayle King.

Back in Blighty, Meghan was widely criticised for the extravagance of the trip, so she’ll be relieved that when it comes to celebrating an impending arrival in California, more is more – Khloe Kardashian’s 2018 baby shower at the Bel-Air hotel involved a floor carpeted in pink balloons and life-size floral animal sculptures.

Also de rigeur among the Hollywood It crowd are gender reveal parties, in which the expectant couple ostentatiously announce the sex of their foetus. Kate Hudson popped balloons filled with pink confetti when pregnant with her daughter in 2018 and fellow LA native, model Gigi Hadid and One Direction singer Zayn Malik revealed they were having a girl by cutting into a two-tiered cake filled with pink sponge last year.

If the ongoing pandemic prevents the Sussexes from enjoying festivities before the birth, however, they can always host a postpartum “sip and see” afterwards instead, as suggested by LA-based celebrity party planner Mindy Weiss. Growing increasingly popular, sip and sees enable guests to mingle and meet the new arrival at the same time – and bring presents, of course. Music mogul David Foster and his pregnant wife Katherine McPhee were recently spotted browsing for babywear in local Montecito boutique Nurture Cottage.

Hospital or home?

Meghan reportedly had hoped for a home birth while pregnant with Archie, although she eventually delivered at The Portland private maternity hospital in London. Home birthing remains the first choice for many mums in Santa Barbara, where the Sussexes recently relocated, especially during the pandemic. Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, who gave birth in a Los Angeles hospital last July, revealed she had to wear a face mask throughout her labour while other women have had to deliver without partners by their sides, making a home birth all the more appealing.

If Meghan does end up in a hospital, however, she couldn’t do better than Cedars-Sinai in West Hollywood, which has been nicknamed the “Ritz of recovery” for postnatal care. Catering to celebrity mums such as Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Britney Spears, top suites cost in the region of £2,000 a night and include deluxe meals, “salon services” and up to three rooms (to accommodate both your partner and agent). Prospective mothers need to be quick though. “It’s almost as though the woman looks to see if the pregnancy test is positive, then picks up the phone to dial us,” a hospital employee told the LA Times.

Breastfeeding

With California’s emphasis on all things organic, it’s no surprise breast milk is highly prized. Some mums breastfeed, some pump and others use human milk banks. For those determined to do it themselves, Goop-approved lactation consultant Milk Made LA can offer advice for $250 per visit. Santa Barbara mothers also recommend lactation cookies to encourage milk production.

The pressure to breastfeed can be brutal in California, however, with lactating mums plastering ‘brelfies’ (breastfeeding selfies) over social media and even commemorating their achievement with breastmilk jewellery, which is made out of well, their breastmilk. “In Los Angeles, if you tell people you give your baby formula they look at you like you just said you force-feed her Sprite through a beer bong,” comedian Mindy Kaling has quipped.

Placenta

On the subject of bodily produce... yes, some California mums really do eat their placenta. Chrissy Teigen admitted she ate hers after the birth of her second child, Miles, in 2018, to combat postnatal depression. “I’m in LA; it’s very normal,” she reassured a talkshow host. “They grill it here. You can try some of mine after.”

Teigen was (hopefully) joking about grilling, since placenta is usually ingested in capsule form. Meghan may be interested to know that fellow Santa Barbara mums highly recommend midwife Jenna Wilson, who’s been nicknamed the “placenta fairy”, and doula Kim Summer, who charges $300 for placenta encapsulation plus a further $20 for “chocolate placenta truffles”.

For those who find the thought of ingesting their organs stomach-churning, there’s always the option to have your placenta – and even the umbilical cord – turned into a necklace instead.

Don’t forget Dad

Harry’s probably had plenty of hands-on experience with Archie over the last 20 months but should those sleepless newborn nights already be fading into memory, he might enjoy the military-inspired Boot Camp for New Dads, previously run across California and now online. For $110 (which includes a cigar box), ‘veterans’, as first-time fathers are called, are instructed in concepts such as Becoming a Dad, Forming a New Family and Caring for New Moms.

Alternatively, the Sussexes might want to draw up a “baby contract” to ensure postnatal harmony. “Babynups”, as they’ve been nicknamed, have become increasingly popular in California, covering the division of childcare, domestic chores and even nappy changes.

But above all, Harry mustn’t forget to buy a “push present” for his expectant wife, traditionally a piece of expensive jewellery following childbirth. Some celebrities don’t even have to do any pushing to get one: Nicole Kidman reportedly received a $120,000 emerald and diamond cross from husband Keith Urban after their second daughter was born – via a surrogate.

The Portland v Cedars-Sinai: spot the difference

Location

Cedars-Sinai: Located in the heart of Los Angeles, conveniently nestled between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Although a 1.5-hour drive away from the Sussexes’ home in Montecito, Meghan won’t have anything to worry about if she needs some extra supplies during her stay: the upmarket Beverly Center shopping mall next door boasts Balenciaga, Burberry and Gucci.

The Portland: In London, just an hour’s drive from Windsor and a 20-minute walk away from bustling Oxford Street. Also nearby is the Regent’s Park, perfect for a scenic stroll with baby.

Price

Cedars-Sinai: Believed to be around $4,000 per night (£3,000) for a top suite but that doesn’t include consultant or other fees. Depending on the type of birth and length of stay, the final bill varies between $40,000 and $90,000 (£30,000-£65,000)

The Portland: In the region of £2,000 per night, but again, that doesn’t include consultant fees, anaesthetists or epidurals. Depending on the type of birth and length of stay, the final bill can come in anywhere from £16,000 to £30,000.

Amenities

Cedars-Sinai: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom suite complete with hotel-like amenities including a robe, hairdryer, fridge, parking space and a personal doula at your beck and call. The hospital also reportedly offers salon services including manicures, pedicures and hairstyling.

The Portland: With fine dining and champagne on tap, The Portland’s on-site chefs can whip up a meal to rival London’s chicest restaurants for hungry new mums. They also offer a separate bed for partners as well as in-house photographers to capture the first precious moments with baby.

Alumni

Cedars-Sinai: Kate Hudson, Victoria Beckham, Jessica Simpson, Kim Kardashian

The Portland: Victoria Beckham, Princess Eugenie, The Duchess of York, Geri Halliwell and, of course, Meghan herself