Natural birth in a Boston hospital - any recommendations?

LVNM

Hi mams, 

I'm currently 8 weeks along, and super confused! 

I'm hoping that circumstances will allow for a natural birth (in case I'm not so lucky I'm all set with an awesome OB with Brigham), but I'd like to feel safe in a good hospital.  However, all the reviews and recommendations for the best hospitals in the area (Brigham, MGH, NWH, BI - don't want to take my chances with Mount Auburn) don't mention anything about how accommodating they are for a natural birth (especially equipment/ambiance -wise). Yes, they all have great midwifes on staff, but which ones actually have all the other things you want to have during natural birth OR allow you to bring those in (laboring tub, mat (so you don't have to crawl up the bed) ball, bar...) Are the midwifes on shift when you arrive going to be able to accommodate you with a "homelike" experience?  Is it at all possible to have a real natural birth in one of those hospitals or is it always going to be a compromise? 

I want to choose a midwife in addition to the OB as soon as possible, but I want to choose the one that will be able to deliver me in a specific hospital, so i'm trying to figure that out first. 

So, did anyone manage to labor and give birth in peace and quiet without bright lights/interns/pushy doctors in any of the hospitals in the Boston area? Lowel General is an option too, since I'm going to be living in Nashua by that time.

Thanks!

luvboston

The only place your going to get that is mt auburn, south shore hospital is also a little friendlier.

ykristos

Why don't you want to go to Mt. Auburn? 

PeggyOlsonFTW

What about Beverly Hospital? I just delivered my son there in August. The staff there is amazing and while I didn't choose to use it, they have the Family Birthing Center (I think that's what it's called) where they do home-like natural births.

PeggyOlsonFTW

Just adding from my last post:

https://www.beverlyhospital.org/locations--services/health-services/maternity,-obstetrics/north-shore-birth-center

I used Essex County OBGYN. Tons of great midwives and doctors there. I believe they allow you to deliver at the Family Birthing Center if you so choose.

binny10

I had a natural, med free birth at Mgh. Had all my prenatal care with the midwives there and didn't see a OB at all during my hospital experience. They were not intervention pushy at all.

LVNM

Thanks mamas!

I will definitely look into Beverly Hospital and MGH.

I'm not totally sure about mount auburn for two reasons: 

(1) they have only 8 delivery suites, and it does happen that you arrive and they send you away due to lack of space, and I really don't want to find myself in that situation. 

(2) In case something goes wrong they are not totally equipped, so their solution is to transfer you to Beth Israel. I don't want to be transferred in case of emergency - I want to be taken care of right where I am. And it better be a good place.That is why I chose an OB from Brigham (of course that before I got pregnant, and was sure that natural birth is for hippies, LOL! It's amazing how fast things change).

I am going there for meet the midwifes night on Monday just in case. I will ask if it's possible to request to be transferred to Brigham. If so I might consider it. 

karich

I also had a med-free/intervention-free birth at MGH. I, too, also only saw the midwives. I found them very supportive and accommodating.

delp19

Lowell General was very accommodating for my natural birth. I had a great experience there. 

LVNM

Thanks guys for all the answers!

Meanwhile I took the maternity ward tour at Brigham and Mount Auburn. 

I was very happy to learn that Brigham is really trying to step up their game, and now has two brand new birthing suits with huge tubs for laboring which they keep free only for use of women who insist going natural, and come prepared for that (their midwife or OB know that this is the plan). As the natural way is not the popular way for most women arriving to Brigham, I expect that I will have a room available (from the 6 couples taking the tour we were the only ones who were interested in that. The only other mama to be that showed a slight interest when she sew the tub was a nurse by profession, and that was just curiosity).

Mount Auburn's staff was very impressive! BUT, the facilities are not at all what I expected. The rooms we saw were much smaller and older, and the ones that had a tub, had an actual regular  tub in the bathroom - just like the one we have at home - small. Also, their NICU is not as equipped, so if a serious problem emerges the baby is moved, and you too as soon as possible, usually to BI/Children's/Brigham.

So, my plan is to check out MGH, but after seeing Brigham I feel much better about it. I am definitely going to talk to my OB about the option of natural first chance I get, and assuming she is supportive I'll just find myself a midwife with Brigham as well.

Again, many thanks for all the replies!

LVNM

And thank you Delp19 for the info about Lowell general - that is my emergency option, in case I feel I can't make it to Boston!

karich

FYI: there are no longer midwives at Lowell. Harvard vanguard basically fired all 8 of the midwives they had on staff. There are no other practices that have midwives that deliver there.
I was going to deliver there, and changed my practice to AFA in Concord at 26 weeks (delivering at Emerson) because I feel so strongly about wanting a natural delivery and really believe in the midwifery model of care.
Good luck!

AnimalCookies

I delivered at Cambridge Birth Center, which is right by Cambridge Hospital. It may be a little far off for you, but I had a wonderful home-like birth in the care of my midwife. She was the midwife on call that evening. It was nice because they have the tubs you can use and low lighting...very homey. That's a bit too far for you, but I also toured the Beverly Hospital Birth Center, and I was also impressed, but I'm in Boston, so Cambridge was the more obvious choice for me. A previous poster also mentioned Beverly, and I've heard good things about them and their midwives. Good luck with all these decisions! It's an exciting time

tlcierny

Hi! I just did the "meet-the-midwives" Q&A/tour at Cambridge Birth Center and IT'S AMAZING!

My husband and I won't be TTC until this summer, but there were some women there, currently 34 weeks, and looking to transfer to Cambridge Birth Center.  The  midwives really care for you, and they keep you to your natural birth plan.  They also do water births. The CBC and the Cambridge Hospital have THE LOWEST episiotomy rates of the entire Boston area, according to a recent study done, and if the midwives think you need to be transferred to the hospital, you just walk 1 minute to the hospital and your midwife stays with you the entire time.

LVNM

Thanks! 

But I really want to stick to a good hospital, that is just as important as having the natural birth. 

I don't want to find myself in a place that is unequipped for something and needs to move me. Although I hope not to need that, I want to feel safe and confident that I'm in the best place possible.

To all still debating -

Keep in mind that the reason that places like CBC have the lowest rates of interventions is because those are not done there mostly - they move you to a hospital. The nearest hospital there is. Not the best there is. They also don't take on cases that are not 100% healthy and well to begin with.

Of course, BWH and MGH have a very high rate of interventions, because every complicated case in Mass (and I was told even from southern HN) is sent there. So it doesn't necessarily mean that they are looking forward to cutting you, it just means that they are the better places to handle all the complicated cases. Statistics makes sense.

My husband told me about a week or two ago, that there was a classification of the hospitals made. In the Boston area we have only 3 (I was super surprised at the low number) class A hospitals: BWH, MGH and Children's.

In my opinion, if my insurance covers those, there is no reason to go anywhere else  for such a big day. Not being a snob or anything - I used plenty of specialists from BI and I am very happy with all of them. I will definately continue seeing them. But when choosing a place safest for newborn and ready for whatever surprise the birth might bring, I want to be confident.

Also, I saw it mentioned a few times around the forums (and I really got that feeling from the tour at BWH) that even such hospitals as MGH and BWH are really trying to get beind the trend of natural birth and be supportive and accommodating, and that natural births do happen there. I really think (and hope) that it all depends on the patient's commitment to the natural process. 

I will give it a try. Hopefully it will go as planed. 

amt0312

I had a natural med free birth at Emerson and they were incredibly accommodating to that! Most of the nurses who took care of me also had med free births and were very supportive of my decision. At one point I was crying for morphine and they just talked me through the pain. It was incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. 

My OB practice was with Kramer OBGYN but I hear AFA OBGYN has awesome midwives and docs that are very pro-"natural" birth. 

karich

amt0312 said:

I had a natural med free birth at Emerson and they were incredibly accommodating to that! Most of the nurses who took care of me also had med free births and were very supportive of my decision. At one point I was crying for morphine and they just talked me through the pain. It was incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. 

My OB practice was with Kramer OBGYN but I hear AFA OBGYN has awesome midwives and docs that are very pro-"natural" birth. 

I just delivered med-free at Emerson with AFA. I too, cannot say enough about the staff at Emerson. They were all so great, I've never experienced healthcare like that (and I'm an RN). Highly recommend.

amt0312

Same here! I'm an RN and was very impressed with Emerson and the staff there. 

LoveIsAll25

I go to the North Shore Birth Center but will be delivering at Beverly Hospital (I am attempting a VBAC so I can't give birth at the birth center). However, I have heard great things from women who have given birth at the birth center.

https://www.beverlyhospital.org/locations--services/health-services/maternity,-obstetrics/north-shore-birth-center

LVNM

Good luck str31! Maybe i'll see you there

sdblack33

To OP LVNM I am looking to use BW and was wondering who your OB was? You mentioned that you really liked them. I am new and overwhelmed but had a little visit to the ER at BW on Sat. They were soo nice and supportive and caring (not to mention a 5 min walk from my house)! I would love the name of your provider. I'm due in Feb and am 6 wks now.

traeliz

I'm new as well, a little over 8 weeks, and am I'm also considering BW for a hopefully natural birth and would love recommendations on a good OB (high risk if anyone knows) and midwife there. My current OB no longer does deliveries

I would also consider recommendations from MGH and Beth Israel too but BW is the front runner at the moment.

Serenla

LoveIsAll25 said:

I go to the North Shore Birth Center but will be delivering at Beverly Hospital (I am attempting a VBAC so I can't give birth at the birth center). However, I have heard great things from women who have given birth at the birth center.

https://www.beverlyhospital.org/locations--services/health-services/maternity,-obstetrics/north-shore-birth-center

I delivered my son at the NS birth center with the midwives. I would highly recommend it, they were great!