Birth climate in Lexington

[momtoT&L]

Hi,

My DH has been offered a job in Lexington, KY and I'm 24 weeks pregnant. Currently we live in NH and I was planning to birth naturally with midwives at a local hospital that has a birth center feel. I'm going to look at a birth center this week because I'm considering a water birth but I'm not opposed to a home birth either. I'm also a labor doula so thinking of going somewhere that I'm not familiar with the birthing community is a bit scary.

Any input that anyone could give me regarding care providers (especially midwives), hospitals, and doulas would be extremely helpful.

Thanks!

[*Karen*]

The hospital environment here is not great. There are a few home birth midwives, and a great natural birth resource center called Baby Moon. There is a section with all the local midwifes on there. We used Candace Robinson and loved her.

[momtoT&L]

Thanks Karen. I'll definitely keep that site bookmarked. I feel so lucky to have several options here in NH. It's even required that insurance pay for birth center and home births here. The company is being flexible about when we move so we it's looking like we'll try to wait until after the birth of this baby.

Anyone else with any experiences in Lexington?

[goodheartedmama]

I had 2 hospital births, neither was a good experience (2 different hospitals). I'm having a home birth this time. Make sure you let us know when you move!

[cicada]

i had a mediocre homebirth experience with a local midwife, but at the time she was really my only option and now i think there are more homebirth midwives available.

there's no birth center around, katie isaacs is a great CNM in a hospital in Frankfort, and Dr. Miller is a pretty good family practice MD in Stanford (about an hour away) that does births (his hospital's OB unit is now called "The Birthing Spa" with jacuzzis, massage chairs, a courtyard, etc, but no waterbirth option). other than that the options are slim. St Jo's in lex is the best i've heard of as far as regular hospitals.

[MsHiss]

I just had a fantastic water / homebirth with a local midwife. Feel free to PM me if you want more info.

[mama2elisabeth]

I had a wonderful homebirth experience here, too. My midwife was Donna Galati, and Karen Brown (also a midwife) assisted her. They are both fabulous! Donna is no longer in KY, but I'll be using Karen next time around. Good luck, and do let us know when you get here!

[Mommy StormRaven]

I'm high risk so dont' hav ethe option of home birth thistime. I'm seeing Dr. Berry Campbell and he's at St. Joe's East in Lexington. I got that recommendation from at least 6 different doula's in Lex. I think that the atmosphere depends more on your caregiver than the hospital in many cases. Dr. Campbell has actually done backup previously for Candace Robinson if that tells you anything about how he runs his practice. He's agreed to several things with me - most importantly he's willing to give me exactly what I want, even if it goes against hospital policy - including allowing me to leave the clock behind in the case of prolonged ROM based on medical condition - fever and fetal distress will be cause for eval but not an automatic c/s or pit usage. His policy also is to delay clamping until the placenta is beign delivered or the parents preference, doesnt' have and issue with keeping the placenta, also doesnt' fight circing in the case of boys nor does he fight on vaxing before discharge. Every doula I spoke with spoke very highly of him. Everyone else I've talked to say that if you must do a hospital birth in Lex then do it at St Joe. They are actually building a freestanding maternity care center now St Joseph Maternity and Women's services click the video link - Dr. Campbell is featured in it.

I had a home waterbirth with YDD and as much as Ihate doctors I LOVE Dr. Campbell. And have been fairly impressed with St. Joes thus far.

[Pepper44]

We had a terrible experience at St. Jo east with our first baby. The birth was ok, but after they insisted on taking our daughter away over and over for hours at a time, and they gave her formula and pacifiers and sugar water against our direct wishes. She was perfectly healthy but spent most of her first two days in the nursery without us because they said it was "policy". (This was two years ago.) They also were extremely rude to us over our choices--no vaxing especially. If you have your baby there, just be prepared to fight them when they try to take the babe to the nursery every few hours!

I'm seeing Candace for my midwife care right now and planning a homebirth. I'm going to see Katie in Frankfort for backup care.

I've also met Karen (she helped us with breastfeeding after we escaped the hospital) and she's very nice--she was my next in line if Candace didn't work out.

[Mommy StormRaven]

Originally Posted by Pepper44

We had a terrible experience at St. Jo east with our first baby. The birth was ok, but after they insisted on taking our daughter away over and over for hours at a time, and they gave her formula and pacifiers and sugar water against our direct wishes. She was perfectly healthy but spent most of her first two days in the nursery without us because they said it was "policy". (This was two years ago.) They also were extremely rude to us over our choices--no vaxing especially. If you have your baby there, just be prepared to fight them when they try to take the babe to the nursery every few hours!

Ok - I just had my youngest daughter at SJE less than 48 hours ago and I have to say we encountered NOTHING even near this (I'm actually posting this from my PP room on their Maternity floor now).

Our experience has been nothign but pleasant, Our birth plan was not only read but honored to the highest point without any questions asked. I birthed how I wanted to birth, our daughter was never removed from our care - despite me being a gestational diabetic with insulin controlled glucose numbers in the 48 hours preceding her birth and her being SEVERELY hypoglycemic as a result of that and being born at 36w4d - unless we asked for them to take her. Newborn assessment ws done in our room, they did not bathe her until DH was ready to take her down himself and do it, they brought in the vax/vit K/Eye ointment waivers promptly and said nothing aat all about us requesting them at all. My care and Maia's was top of the line the entire time I was there nothign that we didnt' ask for was even thought about unless it was absolutely necessary (such as my insulin - previously not needed - and her glucose monitoring).

[Pepper44]

Originally Posted by Mommy StormRaven

Ok - I just had my youngest daughter at SJE less than 48 hours ago and I have to say we encountered NOTHING even near this (I'm actually posting this from my PP room on their Maternity floor now).

Our experience has been nothign but pleasant, Our birth plan was not only read but honored to the highest point without any questions asked. I birthed how I wanted to birth, our daughter was never removed from our care - despite me being a gestational diabetic with insulin controlled glucose numbers in the 48 hours preceding her birth and her being SEVERELY hypoglycemic as a result of that and being born at 36w4d - unless we asked for them to take her. Newborn assessment ws done in our room, they did not bathe her until DH was ready to take her down himself and do it, they brought in the vax/vit K/Eye ointment waivers promptly and said nothing aat all about us requesting them at all. My care and Maia's was top of the line the entire time I was there nothign that we didnt' ask for was even thought about unless it was absolutely necessary (such as my insulin - previously not needed - and her glucose monitoring).

That's wonderful!!! They must have really changed their policies in the last few years? When I was there they refused to do any assessment in our room, the ped wouldn't even come to our room, they wouldn't let my DH bathe her...

Knowing that they don't do that anymore makes me feel a lot better in case I need to go there again in an emergency.

I'm so glad you're having a great PP experience!

[Mommy StormRaven]

Originally Posted by Pepper44

That's wonderful!!! They must have really changed their policies in the last few years? When I was there they refused to do any assessment in our room, the ped wouldn't even come to our room, they wouldn't let my DH bathe her...

Knowing that they don't do that anymore makes me feel a lot better in case I need to go there again in an emergency.

I'm so glad you're having a great PP experience!

I've got no idea really having not been here before but I did want to report this so that it would potentially avoid unnecessary anxiety about not having a good place to birth hospital wise if needed.

I was surprised they did the assessment in the room given her glucose issues really and that we had a neonatal hospital ped - I was prepared to fight on it if I had to but no one said squat about it at all just asked when it might be ok to bather her and that DH or I could do it ourselves in the nursery when we wanted to.

So long as we signed the waivers of treatments all was fine. They actually READ the birth plan (which honestly surprised me) and didnt' question anythgn at all about it.

Have to give special kudos to my first labor nurse Sam - I was induced for various reasons (and had my best labor experience) but when I first started feeling like I might WANT pain meds she looked at me and asked "Where are your rose and lavender oils?" I was floored! This nurse GOT IT! And even though she was off shift at 7 and I had Maia at almost 10 she was the first nurse in my PP room the next morning checkign on both Maia and myself. It was really incredible.

I think that part of what has happened is that when they made the final decision to build the Maternity care center they gathered enough input both from patients and caregivers that they may hav ejust learned something about what we want and what detials can be compromised on and so havee become a bit more flexible.

I did initially have one gripe about "hospital policy" but I totally understand the reason for it. Policy is that they will not do an elective induction prior to 39 weeks without an amnio. Part fo the initial reason for my induction was elective but medical issues DID become an issue as well. I was vehemently opposed to the amnio (I was 36w2d when admitted) BUT I understand that the amnio is for the benefit of knowing lung maturity which is absolutly an issue with preterm babies. The amnio turned out not to be a big (or even little) deal at all and my induction followed teh next day and went off without a single hitch.

So - the moral of this story is that St. Joseph East hospital is really NOT a bad place overall to have your baby. They are breastfeedign supportive (TOTALLY!) and they (in my case anyhow) are happy to accomodate parental wishes even if they dont' agree with them provided you make it clear (in writing preferably) and will sign the applicable waivers. And really - the waivers cover EVERYONE's in any case - both the hospital AND us parents.

[care for you]

has anyone ever been to dr. elizabeth elkinson? she delivers @ st. joe's east

[Calee]

Glad to hear about the positive experience at St. Joes. Do you think your doctor would have attended a VBAC??

[Mommy StormRaven]

Originally Posted by Calee

Glad to hear about the positive experience at St. Joes. Do you think your doctor would have attended a VBAC??

I really have no idea as it wasn't applicable for me but it couldnt' hurt to ask. His practice is Central KY High Risk Obstetrics - he does only take high risk patients but I'm not sure how he defines that for me it was the overweight, AMA and initial multiple PG that got me into the practice but I'm sure you could call to check 263-0141.

[Mommy StormRaven]

Also should add that SJE does NOT prohibit laboring in the water (if you get one of the rooms with the jacuzzi in it) with either ruptured membranes AND/OR Pitocin. My membranes WERE ruptured by my doc and I was on pit and was still allowed to labor in the tub for as long as I wanted to provided I was not on pain meds (which makes sense IMO).

I knwo that the ability to labor in the water is a HUGE factor for many moms and for me it has always been and I was concerned that the hospital would not allow it as this has been my experience previously.

And another thing to note. No internal monitoring was done without my consent and not until I was both on pitocin AND requesting pain meds. Again - this was not my previous hospital experience so it was a pleasant surprise for me.