St. Joseph's or Sinai- hospital birth in Baltimore?

[HappyLamb]

I am in first trimester, and used kathy slone at mercy for my last child. It was "okay" all around-- nothing spectacular:  my birth experience was okay, my postpartum experience was awful (at Mercy), etc....   I am not crazy about going back to that practice and Mercy, I 'm not sure why, I just can't put my finger on it.....  Meanwhile, the office is terribly inconvient for me to get to, which is part of the issue.

I am considering two other midwife practices- the one at Sinai, and the one at St. Joseph's in Towson.  For starters, for the duration of the pregnancy, these practices are much more convienent: Sinai is very close to my house, and St. Joseph's is about a block away from my office, which will make prenatal appointments much easier. (I am trying to save my leave for postpartum, not use it all up on prenatal appointments!).   I know that people don't love Sandy at Sinai-- probably the same way I don't love Kathy Slone! :)  But does anyone know anything else about these 2 places? 

I will probably make "consultations" to chat with one of the midwives at these places. Does anyone have a list of questions that I should be asking? looking for on the tour, etc...

I know that people really like special beginings and upper chesapeake, but these are way too far for me...not necessarily for the actual birth, but I can't take off that kind of time from work for appointments.

[MegBoz]

I know someone who had a VBAC at St Joes & was happy. Her SIL is an LD nurse. I don't know tons of details though about what is STANDARD protocol.

Have you considered HB? I believe Anni Rodriguez lives in Cockeysville & I think comes to your house for prenatals!

When interviewing HCPs, I think it's always best to ask what they NORMALLY do. i.e.,

"Under what circumstances do you cut an episiotomy?"

"Under what circumstances do you recommend pit, AROM?"

"How frequently do you do VEs in labor?"

"When do you normally cut & clamp the cord?" etc. 

Not, "Is it OK if I have minimal VEs?"

You dont' want to be "fighting up stream" & bucking trends in labor - while a HCP may claim to "permit" certain things, you dont' want to have to be on top of them reminding them not to clamp the cord immediately because it's 'force of habit." Likewise, I'd hate to have to second guess my HCP if they recommended something liek Pit - I'd want to be able to trust them & know they only recommend it for good reason, not impatience & habit.

Also - I believe in most hospital births, the HCP doesn't show up until later in labor or not even until 2nd stage, so the nurses monitor - and those are people youv'e never met! You don't want to be having debates [arguments] with them about "allowing" minimal VEs and only intermittent EFM, etc. So again, that's why I say it's important to ask about what is STANDARD PROTOCOL at the hospital.