gwinnett medical and northside- kaiser insurance

[curious&eager]

This is my second baby.  With my first I had great insurance and had a water birth at North Fulton with ISIS.  Now I have Kaiser and my choices are limited.  I am still planning on a natural birth and the midwives I have at kaiser seem suppportive and so does gwinnett medical.  I do not like the Gwinnett Medical plans on taking the baby away for shortly after birth so my kaiser midwife suggested I go to Northside where I can keep the baby with me.  But, I was planning on hiring a doula and showing up at the hospital at the very last minute and I like that gwinnett medical is much closer to me.  Does anybody have experiences with Gwinnett Medical or Northside?  I'm really sad that I can't go back to Intown but it's not a choice.

[southernfriedkarma]

I have had two friends with low intervention, med-free births at Northside in the last year, and Northside is my backup if my homebirth doesn't happen as planned.  I was present for most of one friend's labor and delivery.  The nurses did offer drugs and other interventions but weren't pushy when she refused, and the other mom reports a similar experience.  Both moms had their babies with them the whole time.  One did have serious pressure to supplement with formula due to jaundice, and her partner gave into the pressure while she was sleeping.  They also allowed delayed cord clamping and refusing vaccines/eye goop.  I think it's possible to have the birth you want at Northside - especially if you have a good advocate like a doula and a supportive OB/Midwife.  If you need an OB at Northside who is supportive of natural birth, I like Dr. Dott.  

I don't know anything about Gwinnett Medical, though.  

[curious&eager]

My midwife at Kaiser said if I say no, I can keep the baby with me.  I was also surprised to see that she supports tandem nursing.  I'll probably stay at Gwinnett Medical so at least I can give birth with people I've met.  I just plan on hanging out at home for until as close to the end as I can.

[Autumn Breeze]

Of course you have a choice Get on the phone with your HR rep through which ever company you have your insurance through and tell them that the birth options for Kaiser are awful and you need to switch insurance plans. And there is always the option of paying out of pocket (not realistic for a hospital birth I know, but you could also pay a homebirth midwife)

And as for keeping your baby with you. That is YOUR BABY. Between you and either your partner, or a family member, you can make sure that unless it's medically necessary for your baby to be in the nursery, that the baby stays with you.

OH, and hiring a doula and staying home as long as possible in labor might be a good idea. My last client to give birth at Northside ended up walking in complete , and was there maybe an hour when she pushed out her baby.