xposted in California tribe-California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles?

[lolar2]

I have just been informed that I risk out of homebirth. California Hospital Medical Center, off of Grand, has midwives (I don't risk out of midwife care, just out-of-hospital birth) and is covered by my insurance. Does anyone know anything about that hospital WRT maternity care? How clean is it? Do they have rooming-in for the babies? What do they try to make you do as far as CEFM and that sort of thing? I will have an IV for the same reason that I risk out, but would like to avoid as many interventions as possible.

[lolar2]

bumping

[miriam]

Depends on why you risked out.

[lolar2]

Oh right, sorry. I risked out because after doing more research on my thrombophilia condition and the blood thinners I'm taking, my homebirth midwives said that my chance of bleeding out quickly-- even without anyone doing anything rough-- is too high. It is best for me to be in a hospital because that is the fastest place to get blood right away for an emergency transfusion, and it's best for me to have midwife care because they will be used to dealing with non-epidural patients (you can't have an epidural while on Lovenox). So they referred me to the midwives who work at that hospital and I will interview them before switching.

Anyway, the main things I want to know about the hospital are: are there NCB-friendly nurses? how clean is it? and are the midwives reasonably NCB-friendly? and did I mention, how clean is it???

[miriam]

YOu will definitely need an IV. I recommend a good doula, a good friend, and bring your own clothes, and see if you can have a midwife. DRink lots of water during labor if you can.

I advise you to keep your iron count up; take your iron supplement with orange juice (vitamin C). See if you can take vitamin K supplements without counteracting the action of your medication.

As for cleanliness, do a tour if you can and see for yourself. You know what you are looking for. I think all hospitals are gross, but that is me.

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by miriam

YOu will definitely need an IV. I recommend a good doula, a good friend, and bring your own clothes, and see if you can have a midwife. DRink lots of water during labor if you can.

I advise you to keep your iron count up; take your iron supplement with orange juice (vitamin C). See if you can take vitamin K supplements without counteracting the action of your medication.

As for cleanliness, do a tour if you can and see for yourself. You know what you are looking for. I think all hospitals are gross, but that is me.

I agree that all hospitals are gross but that's why I was asking-- I am afraid to go in one even for a tour. I once had a nasty hospital-acquired infection just from eating lunch in a hospital cafeteria and using the lobby restrooms (after a routine doctor's appointment). And a tour won't tell me how diligent the housekeeping staff is about not re-using rags and stuff, it will only give me appearances. That's the whole reason I am posting on an internet board; I was hoping someone here could might have more detailed knowledge than I could get on a tour.

I am already doing all the things you suggest (except I am not to take vitamin K supplements); I wanted to know about this particular hospital. And beyond the cleanliness, I would like to know if the nurses are going to yell at me for no reason as they did at the last hospital where I went for my miscarriage. That's not something I can find out on a tour.