Birth at Flagstaff Medical Center???

[MUM5555]

Anyone care to share their experience of labor/delivery at flag med? I'm hoping for a natural birth...no interventions...compassionate staff. Thanks!!

[daisyem]

I had both my births at FMC. I have since moved and am planning my first homebirth, but as far as hospitals go, I have little complaints. The staff was great and while I did have to refuse most of what they wanted to do, i was still treated well. The drs (I had a different one each time) were big on inducing between 40-41 weeks using the gel and I ended up allowing it at 41 weeks both times because I didn't know better and they said something about the placenta starts to die after 40 weeks at the higher elevations and I was endangering my children's life, but I think they would have been ok if I'd refused too, I just didn't, unfortunantly. So, I had one gel treatment both times (I was 3 cm to begin) and they did break my water at 8-9 cm. I had 6-8 hour labors from start to finish. Otherwise, I had no other interventions, and refused the hep lock for IV and they were fine with that too. It is a nice hospital (from what I've seen of hospitals) and they have private rooms, jaccuzi tubs that they allow you to labor in until your water breaks, birth balls, a large mirror (by request) when I was pushing... They did make me get on the bed to push but again, I didn't think much of that at the time. OH and they have no baby nursery (except for the NICU) so you don't have to worry about them taking your baby out. Baby rooms in no matter what. They did take baby out a couple times for weight ect, but DH just went with them and hounded every move they made LOL. They do have the baby has to be 24 hour old before dismissal rule but we insisted on leaving early and they couldn't make us stay, so we left. Not sure what else you'd like to know. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions. My kids were born 4 and 6 years ago (they had just remodeled when dd was born 6 years ago), but I have friends still giving brith there within the last year and I don't think things have changed much...

HTH And welcome!

[MUM5555]

I was hoping to hear that if I refused certain interventions, it wouldn't be a big deal. They seem to be a bit more open than some of the other hospitals in AZ. Thank you for sharing!!

[Fairy4tmama]

I've had three births at fmc, Over all I had 3 good experiences with progressivly less intervention. The last was compleatly natural not even an IV port . I do think alot has to do with what doc you have. I had 3 different docs.
HTH

[Mama Lisa M]

Have a very detailed birth plan. The Bradley Method workbook has great info on what to include in the birth plan (nothing's forgotten). Hopefully, you won't even need to glance at the birth plan, but if you have it and the hospital has a copy and your doc too, of course, people will know your expectations and respect that. There are amazing people working in labor and delivery at FMC who are very supportive of natural birth.

My midwife found meconium while I was laboring at home, so we transferred to the hospital where my son was born about 20 minutes later. They did a few things I didn't appreciate, but for the most part it was great. Stay with your baby at all times. We had a travelling nurse give our son the PKU prick without one of us present and she did it wrong and it sent him into having abnormal heart rate due to severe crying. I'm sure it would not have escalated into that if one of us had been with him. Our mistake though.

My daughter was born at home which was a much much much more peaceful experience. I'm thankful to FMC because without their expertise, my son could have been sick for months or worse, but instead he was healthy and we were all home in three days.

Good for you on a natural birth. You can do it. Your body knows and you are one with all the women who have done it before you.

:

[joy2grow]

Hello Mamas, I realize this thread is a couple of months old - not sure if I'll get a response this way, but figured I'd give it a shot. It is likely that I will give birth at FMC due to insurance not covering home birth (and living too far from the hospital for midwives comfort level). My first birth was at home and I'm very disappointed not to have this option here I've yet to interview any OBs or midwives at FMC so if any one has any name recommendations of individuals you were happy with that would be much appreciated.

I am glad to hear they were open about refusing a lot of standard proceedures. My biggest concern is that I will be allowed to push my baby out in the position of my chosing. Daisyem, you said they made you get on the table to push - do you think you could have refused? Mama Lisa M, you suggest having a very detailed birth plan - could my desire to be able to chose positions be outlined (and respected) via the plan?

[stik]

I think Tisha Cazel recently started doing births again. She's a CNM in Flagstaff. I really like her (both as a care provider and a personal friend, so I won't check the thread again in case someone else has terrible things to say about her.)

I had my first dd at FMC in 2001. Obviously, that was a while back. Tisha checked us into the hospital, and dd was born with another midwife attending after the shift change. They didn't mess with me. I ate when I was hungry. I chose the position I birthed in. I did choose to birth on the bed, because that was where I was comfortable. They do rooming-in for healthy babies - they have an NICU, but no nursery. We declined eye goop and shots with no problems.

I had planned to print out my birth plan the morning I would up giving birth, so it wasn't with me when I went to the hospital. I was able to inform the staff of what I wanted during labor, and Tisha or her partner were almost always with me to help with that.

We have moved since then. When I got pregnant for the second time, my dh and I talked about fleeing north to have the baby with Tisha as our perfect birth plan. We were only kind of joking about it.

[joy2grow]

Thanks for your reply stik I could not find Tisha's name in my directory, but then I don't think they name any midwives only OBs I will ask about her when I finally go in.

Here are the names of the PPO doctors from my plan - does any one recognize any of them? Also, only some of them are board certified - would that be a reason to choose them over the others iyo? TIA for any feedback.

Andersen, Cherrie A MD
Balducci, James MD
Blumrick, Richard J MD
Chambliss, Linda R MD
Dickens-Williams,Kendreia W MD
Giannina, Gregg MD
Lin, Perry Y MD
Lindstrom, Brian S MD
Nassif, Linda L MD
Perrin, Laurie S MD
Thrall, Melissa M MD
Vigil, Holly MD

[maeby]

Perrin, Laurie S MD
our bradley teacher used dr. perrin so she has to be pretty good about natural birth and different positions but i think she still had a tough time about some things (delayed cord clamping). you should see if perhaps you could go to North Country, the midwives work well with the ob's and cnm's there and i saw dr deasy (both the husband and the wife) for ultrasounds. me moms gyn is beth claxton and dr. claxton had a VBAC and i think she is a good ob for natural birth, but i have friend who she wanted to induce because the baby was likely to be big, he was only 9lbs.

have you only talked to womencare midwifery? try talking to maryn leister. she is a midwife in cottonwood and would probably be able to help.

do you have blue cross blue shield? i do and my homebirth was reimbursed at 60%. the midwives at womancare were great about payment plans. also, you can rent a room at their office (5 min from the hospital) and get a discount. and i think the radison in flag will rent a room for a birth but i am not positive about that. good luck!

[maeby]

p.s. tisha delivers for north country 928-213-6100 she is very sweet and knowledgeable!