Stony Brook vs St. Charles Hospital???

LOVINLIFE14

Any insights on which hospital to choose?  Then after that is chosen... any recommendations for Obgyns??

des927

I have heard nothing but good things about Stony Brook & their maternity unit. Not super helpful I know. But Good Luck!

kate&bri09

I gave birth at St Charles, my sister in law- Stonybrook. (5 months apart) I love the feel of St Charles, but a major turn off was a wanted a private room. There are 2 private rooms that are first come, first serve and you have to pay for it! Stonybrook felt like a hotel. Brand new, ALL private rooms. But I felt as if it didn't have that "personal" feeling that St Charles had... As for OB/GYN's- I go to Suffolk OB/GYN and I HATE it there! (too many Dr's- always rushing you in & out) so I'm actually looking for a new one myself. lol. Good luck with your decision. Hope this helps = )

keribjohnson

My friend had her twins @ St. Charles and really the only problem was the not having private rooms, Her roommate actually begged to be moved, they didnt have any private rooms left but there were rooms that werent being used so they let her go there until it was needed...so she ended up having a private room, but it was very inconvienent. I myself have had 3 births at Stonybrook and loved it there, but I do believe alot of that was due to the fact that I had midwives. I can't say enough about them! They are more personable than doctors, more natural, and use the least amount of interventions as per your preferences if possible. Plus they are all women, they understand us better, and what we go through.  I strongly suggest you watch the video The Business of Being Born. Good Luck! 

KGF625

I didn't deliver at Stony Brook so I cannot really tell you from personal experience how I feel about it, but I know plenty of people that have. I will start with the little I know about them. Obviously a positive is that you know you have a private room that you won't be paying extra for, that being said, I have heard that there is a much less personal feeling about the place, and that since their are also med students on board, sometimes your baby will be checked numerous times for the same thing because of the students learning. One of the people I know who delivered there actually got fed up at some point because they kept waking the baby for their own purposes of just learning something the doctor already checked, and it was getting annoying.

 I loved Saint Charles. I think the labor and delivery rooms are really nice. It is a negative that you need to share a room, but the way I saw it is that I wouldn't be there that long anyway, and they did let me request a window if one was available. On top of that, I wound up having a private room anyway because they didn't need to put someone with me! The nurses tell you if you tour there and once you get there that they fill all the rooms with one person first before giving anyone a roommate to try and maximize your chances of staying by yourself, so that is good to know. This is such a stupid thing, but I love that they have the little button you get to press that announces the birth of your baby with a lullaby played throughout the hospital. While you are waiting for your little one it is adorable to hear how many babies are born that day, and when it is your time, it is really exciting to announce it to family and all of Saint Charles with the touch of a button on the wall!

The nurses were SO friendly and they really got to know me in my short stay, and I could see it was that way with everyone. They really enjoyed talking to you and finding out your story. They were so encouraging with me getting up and around (I had a section). The one nurse even let me showered the morning after even though she wasn't supposed to because she could tell I just needed it to get me going. I loved all of them there!

 Oh, they also set up a really nice buffet style breakfast every morning. They encourage you to go down and get yourself breakfast and even have tables set up at the end of the hall. If you husband is there, they allow them to eat with you as well. It was nice.

 Visiting hours are okay. You have a two hour window in the middle of the day for family when the baby is in the room, and then an hour window at night where the baby is in the nursery, and anyone is allowed up. They won't open the doors for the night visiting hours until every baby is in the nursery, and they will not give the babies back until the floor has been checked for any straggling friends and family. You husband can get there as early as he wants, and is supposed to leave by 10, but they werent too strict about that, especiallly the night my son was born and didn't get to my room until about 11.

 

Hope this helps!

KGF625

And after that long rant, Ha ha! I forgot to tel you my rec for an Obgyn. I also had tried Suffolk OBGYN before getting pregnant and HATED it! I felt like it was a factory run operation! That being said, when I did get pregnant, I wanted to start new, and was looking for a doctor who did deliver at St. Charles. I found a Dr. who delivers at both, and I LOVE HIM! His name is Dr.Erhart. His practice only consists of him, one other OBGYN, who is a woman, and a nurse practitioner. They are all the sweetest most personal doctors. He is so funny and easy going. He was even singing during my c-section. I really loved the whole experience with him. He is also all about you deciding how you want your baby to come. He doesn't really push you one way or another if you really want a c-section. Great great doctor. Never a long wait at the office, and the sonograms are done right in the office as well.

mara005

I recently went to visit a friend at st. charles and was very disappointed that they lock the babies in the nursery when ever there are visitors. I know it is for safety but I don't think it's fair that even the babies sibling had to look at her through glass.

KGF625

mara005:

I recently went to visit a friend at st. charles and was very disappointed that they lock the babies in the nursery when ever there are visitors. I know it is for safety but I don't think it's fair that even the babies sibling had to look at her through glass.

 

Hmm... I know what you are saying, I definitely didnt love that during the night visiting hours that my baby was locked in the nursery, but I must say during the afternoon hours, even though it says only siblings and grandparents are allowed up, they were not strict at all about it, and the baby is in the room for those two hours. I had family and friends around.

MamaMeg83

They "lock" the babies behind the glass during General visiting hours...when extended family and friends can come. The hours for the husband are 10am-10pm (not strict on that) and siblings and grandparents can come 2-4pm.

I delivered at both SB and St Charles...being pregnant with my 3rd I am without a doubt delivering at St Charles.

Yes, SB spent $ to make it look pretty but the nurses were much more caring at St Charles. Also, I gave birth to my daughter after 23 hrs of labor at SB. She was born at 11:53. I hadn't eaten anything  for over 24hrs and was STARVING. They didn't have any food for me...they sent my husband down to see the cafeteria was open, it wasn't. My husband then went around to other wards asking to see if there was food...he hunted some down at the heart ward. 

St Charles has a very nice hotel like breakfast buffet in the morning. The nurses also let me sleep and I was able to have my son room in SB kept waking me up, I had a uncomplicated vaginal birth and got NO SLEEP since they kept waking me for dumb things like at 3am asking me who the pediatrician was.

 St Charles was also MUCH cleaner. I know the rooms and bathrooms at SB are private now but the bathroom was atrocious. the person I was sharing the bathroom with was a slob and she got blood over everything. The blood didn't get cleaned either. It was disgusting.

MamaMeg83

I've heard good things about Erhart. I have a  friend using him

I use Jerry Ninia. He is the only dr in his practice and he has a NP Cecilia who is excellent.  Dr Ninia is a VERY caring doctor, so is everyone else at his practice.

 

rmhernandez430

I will deliver at SB any day now.  My husband and I took a tour there a few weeks ago and the facility is really nice.  The maternity unit is new and feels like a hotel, you have your own private room, dads can stay overnight, the visiting hours are from 2-8pm, and the babies are encouraged to "room in."  When we were there touring there was only one baby in the nursery and that's because a nurse was giving him a bath.  I can't attest to the personality of the nursing staff but I feel comfortable and happy to have my baby there.  There is also the security of knowing that if God forbid anything goes wrong SB has the most advanced NICU on the island, they saved my little sister there 17 years ago when she was born with spinal meningitis.  

As far as OBs go I recommend Three Village Women's Health Care, they have offices in East Patchogue and East Setauket.  

JNettie73

I know this is an old board but I use Three Village Women's Health and will be delivering at Stony Brook in February 2015. Any additional information anyone can give on SB is appreciated. 

dianashamdai

Hey! I love Stony Brook Hospital but I am delivering at Good Sam because it is much closer to me. My sister-in-law delivered at Stony Brook and it was wonderful! The OBGYN I go to is right near Good Sam on Montauk Hwy (South Bay OBGYN) and they are wonderful - went there before I got pregnant and I love all the doctors there (except one...). They are affiliated with Good Sam AND Stony Brook if you choose to go there