Hospital private or shared room?

KatieKim0815

Shared rooms are standard here and free. I was in one a my first and paid extra w my second for private. Will be donif shared this time for budgetary reasons.

penguingrrl

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

LatteLady5

amy052006 said:

I don't doubt it, but I am trying to wrap my head around either how much space or how few babies a hospital has to have these huge ass rooms that you labor, deliver and stay in.

I regularly pass a hospital that delivers 5,000 babies a year or so -- the post the monthly boy/girl updates on a big sign.  And that isn't even the largest or busiest maternity unit.  The Penn system delivers somewhere between 9000-10,000 a year.  There is just no space yo!

I live in a small rural community. I delivered at the hospital in the next town. The hospital in my town is literally within walking distance but just isn't very good so we opted for a different one.

Our hospital only has private rooms. There is a pull out for husband/partner and a bathroom in each suite. It wasn't anything exceptionally fancy but the rooms are nice. Actually the labor and delivery area is a separate wing of the hospital and the rooms are labor, deliver, postpartum/recovery rooms. Unless you have a c section you're in one room the entire time. There are also only 6 rooms I believe.

I had DS on 12.28 and he was the 400th baby of the year. It was record breaking and a HUGE deal. I also had him 30ish minutes after the nurses switched shifts so the day nurses stayed to be there and the night nurses were there too. It was crowded. After he was born and my doctor left the room the nurses sprayed her with silly string. Random members of janitorial, nurses from other departments and cafeteria workers stopped in to say hi and meet baby 400. The head of OB and the head of the hospital came by too and we took pictures for the paper. We were like hospital celebrities.At DS's first doc appointment after we were discharged all the nurses were like "Oh that's him. Baby 400!" LOL

There were a few other babies born after DS so the total for the year was just over 400.

jf198400

penguingrrl said:

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

IMO they should be given priority b/c babies are waking up and crying throughout the night. It is hard enough to get any sleep while in a private room. I think it would be even more difficult to be sharing a room and trying to sleep. I'm guessing that is not as much of a problem with 2 adults sharing a room recovering from surgery or something. Also I believe that the dads should be able to stay overnight to help with the baby. Several moms who had shared rooms mentioned that their DH was not allowed to stay over night. I could not have managed without DH and I had an uncomplicated delivery.

penguingrrl

jf198400 said:

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

IMO they should be given priority b/c babies are waking up and crying throughout the night. It is hard enough to get any sleep while in a private room. I think it would be even more difficult to be sharing a room and trying to sleep. I'm guessing that is not as much of a problem with 2 adults sharing a room recovering from surgery or something. Also I believe that the dads should be able to stay overnight to help with the baby. Several moms who had shared rooms mentioned that their DH was not allowed to stay over night. I could not have managed without DH and I had an uncomplicated delivery.

My husband didn't stay with #3 even though he had the option. We felt it was better for him to get back to the girls. He didn't have the option with #2 because I was in a shared room. I managed. I was in WHO certified units, so I knew they couldn't bottle feed, so I sent the babies to the nursery (even in a private room) and the nurses brought them to me every 2-3 hours to eat.

If my husband had just had a heart attack I wouldn't be comfortable leaving his side. And the nurses when I was in CCU a few years ago were in and out more frequently than a newborn cried. Nobody gets rest in a hospital.

Andrewsgal

amy052006 said:

I don't doubt it, but I am trying to wrap my head around either how much space or how few babies a hospital has to have these huge ass rooms that you labor, deliver and stay in.

I regularly pass a hospital that delivers 5,000 babies a year or so -- the post the monthly boy/girl updates on a big sign.  And that isn't even the largest or busiest maternity unit.  The Penn system delivers somewhere between 9000-10,000 a year.  There is just no space yo!

Honestly the number of hospitals here is astounding. We have 7 in a 30 minute radius of my house. I would say within an hour there are probably close to 20.

Andrewsgal

penguingrrl said:

jf198400 said:

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

IMO they should be given priority b/c babies are waking up and crying throughout the night. It is hard enough to get any sleep while in a private room. I think it would be even more difficult to be sharing a room and trying to sleep. I'm guessing that is not as much of a problem with 2 adults sharing a room recovering from surgery or something. Also I believe that the dads should be able to stay overnight to help with the baby. Several moms who had shared rooms mentioned that their DH was not allowed to stay over night. I could not have managed without DH and I had an uncomplicated delivery.

My husband didn't stay with #3 even though he had the option. We felt it was better for him to get back to the girls. He didn't have the option with #2 because I was in a shared room. I managed. I was in WHO certified units, so I knew they couldn't bottle feed, so I sent the babies to the nursery (even in a private room) and the nurses brought them to me every 2-3 hours to eat.

If my husband had just had a heart attack I wouldn't be comfortable leaving his side. And the nurses when I was in CCU a few years ago were in and out more frequently than a newborn cried. Nobody gets rest in a hospital.

When my dad had a heart attack last year at our house he was taken to our smallest hospital and had a private room. I think that is probably the case for most.

Andrewsgal

For us the special treatment comes from the fact that hospitals are literally recruiting patients to pick their hospital. Everyone is trying to one up the next. It is a competitive business. Our midwives aren't much better we have three birth centers that play the same game.

penguingrrl

Andrewsgal said:

penguingrrl said:

jf198400 said:

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

IMO they should be given priority b/c babies are waking up and crying throughout the night. It is hard enough to get any sleep while in a private room. I think it would be even more difficult to be sharing a room and trying to sleep. I'm guessing that is not as much of a problem with 2 adults sharing a room recovering from surgery or something. Also I believe that the dads should be able to stay overnight to help with the baby. Several moms who had shared rooms mentioned that their DH was not allowed to stay over night. I could not have managed without DH and I had an uncomplicated delivery.

My husband didn't stay with #3 even though he had the option. We felt it was better for him to get back to the girls. He didn't have the option with #2 because I was in a shared room. I managed. I was in WHO certified units, so I knew they couldn't bottle feed, so I sent the babies to the nursery (even in a private room) and the nurses brought them to me every 2-3 hours to eat.

If my husband had just had a heart attack I wouldn't be comfortable leaving his side. And the nurses when I was in CCU a few years ago were in and out more frequently than a newborn cried. Nobody gets rest in a hospital.

When my dad had a heart attack last year at our house he was taken to our smallest hospital and had a private room. I think that is probably the case for most.

I think it's very area dependent. You're in an area where land is cheap and plentiful so hospitals have the luxury to expand and offer those types of luxuries. Where I live it's really not possible. And in NYC (where you have some of the most cutting edge medical research) it's completely impossible. My antepartum shared room at NYU was smaller than my private suite in the suburbs. My CCU roommate was a patient recovering from a heart attack in a double room the size of a closet. But it was Lenox Hill Hospital, which is where you want to be medically speaking.

Andrewsgal

Yes if you read one of my previous posts the number of hospitals around here is seriously crazy.

Andrewsgal

CnAmom said:

It occurs to me that I have no idea what I would have wanted/done after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. I could see not needing H there all the time, but the communal bathroom would still freak me out.

I think this makes a huge difference. My birth with D s could not have been easier, I took a shower when he was 30 minutes ol right after he finished trying to nurse, and was up and walking the majority of the day. I didn't need DH there at all except I was bored.

Andrewsgal

LalaMama81 said:

Oh yea, I get that it's the competition, it's just ridiculous. But more room for me at the birth center as everyone flocks to the fancy baby factories. 

Lol even out birth centers are fancy. I would have killed to deliver at a birth center, but with my history no midwife would touch me. So sad.

rosesandpetals

LalaMama81 said:

Oh yea, I get that it's the competition, it's just ridiculous. But more room for me at the birth center as everyone flocks to the fancy baby factories. 

I started in a birth center and it was amazing, so much nicer than my l&d room. But I guess that depends on what you're looking for, the BC had yoga balls, gigantic tub, tons of room to walk around... if I had wanted an epidural right away none of that would have appealed to me. Except for the queen size bed and co-sleepers. That would have been nice either way.

Honestly, if my only choice were a room with 8 other women, I would have had a home birth. Flame away, but that sounds miserable. Some people don't need or want their H there all night but I did. And anyway, he wanted to be there, DD is his baby too.

rosesandpetals

@penguingrrl FIL has been in the hospital a few times for various surgeries and he has always had a private room. I think that's the norm around here, I've never heard of anyone needing to share.

penguingrrl

roses&65335678 said:

@penguingrrl FIL has been in the hospital a few times for various surgeries and he has always had a private room. I think that's the norm around here, I've never heard of anyone needing to share.

Ah, I've never heard of anything but shared rooms in hospitals. It's just standard here except in fancy maternity wards. Then you only share if they get too full.

rosesandpetals

penguingrrl said:

roses&65335678 said:

@penguingrrl FIL has been in the hospital a few times for various surgeries and he has always had a private room. I think that's the norm around here, I've never heard of anyone needing to share.

Ah, I've never heard of anything but shared rooms in hospitals. It's just standard here except in fancy maternity wards. Then you only share if they get too full.

Yeah, it must just be population density.

JCM

I'm pretty sure most of the hospitals around here have private rooms. Some of the hospitals almost court potential new moms by advertising special things in the room & for their patients such as champagne & steak dinner, large walk in showers & murphy beds for spouses.  The hospital I delivered at all rooms were private with a small sofa for DH (it was so uncomfortable) & they offered 4 "luxury suites" for an additional $200 per night that had real beds for spouses, a living room & a stocked kitchen are with coffee service & food included for 1 other person at each meal.  The were on a first deliver basis & were ALWAYS full.

jnksmom

I had a private room with both kids. With DS L&D was in a separate room and then we were moved for recovery. I gave birth at a teaching hospital and all rooms were private. With DD L&D and recovery were all in the same room. Both had a couch for H to sleep on.

notkateanymore

penguingrrl said:

Honest question. Why is someone who just gave birth more deserving of a private room than someone on the cardiac care unit or someone recovering from major surgery? Because maternity units are the only ones I've seen that often have private rooms anyway. If anything, most of the time you're dealing with an exhausting but happy time where many other patients aren't in a happy place. I understand it for L&D, but for the recovery after it seems odd to prioritize those who are happy over those who are already in pain and scared.

My mom was in the CCU this summer and she has a private room. Just depends on the hospital. 

babywisher

Private rooms at the hospitals here. The room I had was huge. It had a little room before you entered with a sink. That was nice. I was in the same room for the whole labor, delivery, and stay. I was very thankful the nurse hooked us up with the bigbiggest room.

laurakaz13

Private room. Labored and delivered there and then was moved to a new, nice room for recovery. It was awesome!

thechickencoop

I had a private room here too, I can't imagine otherwise.  L&D was in one private room, then recovery was in another private room.  Funny enough, we 'checked in' the night before my scheduled induction, and the L&D floor was EMPTY.  I think there was maybe, one other person there.  We got a huge corner room with a full bathroom, tons of space, lots of windows, pull out couch for DH.  My water broke the next day at 4pm and I got my epidural after that so DH was in and out getting my water, jello, etc.  He said that it was like a madhouse out there by then, they have I think 12 L&D rooms and there were something like 20 women in labor - they were lining the halls!  So we were insanely lucky to get there when we did

And I would have been an awful roommate - I was moaning, whining, crying, calling the nurses/LC, and on and on, for my entire stay.  I was miserable.  And in the bathroom all.the.time.  So yea....glad it was private