Hospitals ?

[ananamoose]

I'm really wanting to have a waterbirth. I actually want to have a homebirth, but my dh is not really on board. So I thought I'd get some opinions on the 3 metro hospitals that will allow a waterbirth: HCMC, Woodwinds, & St. Joseph's. Have any of you delivered at any of them? What did you like/dislike? TIA!

[dnr3301]

I am partial to St. Joe's. My mom is a L&D nurse there and I know a lot of the nurses. I've heard really good things about Woodwinds too. Don't know much about HCMC. Hope that helps.

[jessikate]

DD was born at St. Joe's. It was pretty nice, but I have a few quibbles with them (or with the HealthEast hospital system in general). They have one lactation consultant between the 3 hospitals (not even sure she's IBCLC), and she's not on call for weekends. They claim to have nurses trained to help with nursing, but they sent a woman who'd never breastfed when I asked for help! But there were a couple great nurses there. One who gave me the kick I needed to bring Gracie into my bed (I was avoiding going to sleep because I didn't want to set her down). The other who helped us finally get her latched on right was really sweet. I had a great L&D nurse, I think her name was Phoebe? So sweet.

The two midwives who were with me during labor and delivery were good, but I wish DD had been born one day later so Phyllis Reames could have been there. I :love Phyllis! I can't remember the names of the midwives I had now, though. Let me investigate... Let's see. Julia Oulman was there when G was born. She was okay but really pushed the pitocin and wouldn't let me ditch the pit and monitors and get back in the tub. Also didn't give me the option of changing position during the 2 hours I had pushing contractions but couldn't push due to a cervical lip. (Can ya tell I'm still a bit annoyed by this?). I think the midwife on duty when we went in was Nancy Eastman, but I'm not 100% sure of that. She was okay, if a little rough during exams.

I ended up not having a waterbirth (long story... go here (http://sunshine.mikk.net/birth.html) to read it) but being in the tub for a while was nice.

St. Joe's in general was nice, and the food was really good. The heating in our room was kinda wonky, but maybe it's fixed by now.

[TrishLynne]

Does St. John's have tubs yet? There were supposed to sometime last winter. If they DO, I'd recommend the MW's Mary Hayes and Rebeca Barroso, at The Kendall Center for Women, they work out of St. John's. It's just the two of them in the practice, so no "russian roulette" of MW's. 3% c-section rate, great VBAC rate, Rebeca was a homebirth MW for over 20 years blah blah blah. :)

AND..if you WANT a homebirth, interview some midwives. BRING YOUR HUSBAND ALONG. :) Maybe he can work out his concerns.

Just my .02

[browneyedsol]

I birthed my second at HCMC in the the midwife unit. I did have a waterbirth, but I often call it my wading birth. The staff did not get the tub filled in time. I got in when I was ready to push. I had hoped to labor in it...but I stuck to a birth ball and my doulas lap. I was on all fours when I made it into the water and my nose was just above the water level.

There were a lot of people coming and going in and out of my room during labor and for the birth...guess some just hopped on in to see the water (wading) birth...I dunno who or why. I guess I was distracted. :rolleyes:

My son's father was there for the birth. We never married and did not have a healthy relationship and I anticipated he would not be in the "picture" for long. I was right. I had not decided a last name for our son before the birth. Well, almost *Immediately* after I birthed and held my child for the first time, someone barked the question of what the babes last name would be in a very pressing tone. That still irritates me. I wasn't ready to answer but I did to get her out of my face.

I had a night nurse who told me, "We do not support co-sleeping" and actually came in to police us...so I demanded a bigger bed or a co-sleeper for greater safety (er, comfort of staff). They actually had a co-sleeper that had never been out of the box...guess ya have to be demanding to use it!

Birthing at HCMC was far better than my first birthing experience in 1996 at Riverside. The midwives I had there were no different than OB's to me...did not get my usual midwife due to the roulette Trish describes...won't go into it but would not birth there again...uh uh. I went through hell to change my insurance just to avoid it.

I feel I owe the better parts of my birth experience to my doula, not HCMC, but I did feel less bothered and more respected at HCMC. That may have been the birth plan more carefully adhered to, my doula, the midwives...the facility...hard to say.

I hope to do a birth center or home birth next time. I have heard great things about St. Joes, though...

Good luck!