Weekly Randoms w/o Dec 4

doxiemoxie212

Oh, also, another weird part of our tour was when they were talking about the hospital's NICU rating. It's a level 2, and they said if baby needs to be at a higher level NICU they'd transfer baby to a hospital uptown. So I asked (since NYC is only 3 miles x 12 miles, like it's not that big) if you go into really early pre-term labor, should you just go directly to that other hospital. And their response was, "Well you shouldn't even be on this tour if you're not 32 weeks, so I'm not sure why you're asking that."  BTW, no way was I the only one under 32 weeks on that tour. 

mytinc

@kmurdock925 - We couldn't see into the stadium and I think the game started about an hour after he was born.  OSU has a level 3 NICU as well, which is one of the reasons it was chosen.  We knew about his heart defect from the 20 week anatomy scan, so we knew the plan was to transfer him to Nationwide right after he was stabilized (It has to be a ridiculously extreme case for someone to actually deliver at Nationwide).  He was transported in an incubator in just a diaper, so no cute OSU onesie or swaddle, which I would have loved to have.

Our care at Nationwide was fantastic.  We still go there for all his cardiology appointments and anything other than a regular pediatrician check up.  I have to go back to OSU (the Martha Moorehouse building) for a fetal echo in February to see if this baby has any heart defects as well.

Miz_Liz

@doxiemoxie212 honestly, I would tour the other hospitals and pay attention to how long/difficult it is to get to them.  You don’t have to commit to changing but it will probably help you either feel better about staying with your current plans or finding a new provider (although I know you would miss the front desk lady ).  FWIW my hospital is a 40-45 minute drive without traffic and I felt like I was able to labor at home/go out to eat etc with my first.  My 2nd came quicker so I am a bit nervous this time.

krash_

@doxiemoxie212 ummm excuse me, bish! Why would you wait unitl 32 weeks to go on a hospital tour? If you don't like the hospital, don't you need some time to find another one, a new dr and make a plan? 

This hospital sounds awful, I'm so sorry 

doxiemoxie212

@Miz_Liz the thing is, the other providers at the other hospitals have - I'm not joking here - two hour waits, typically, when you go in for an appointment. Add on a 30 min journey to get to them, and the appointment itself, and that just seems like such a pain. And they all still have shared rooms - likely not much bigger for the hospitals I'd actually consider (really probably just NYU) - except the private rooms cost $800-1000/night instead of $380/night. :-\

Miz_Liz

@doxiemoxie212 yikes!!  Tell DH to start looking for a job in CA now

doxiemoxie212

@krashke since most OB's in NY (all that I've seen) only practice at one hospital, and there are so many humans, and so many security risks, they seem to really frown on anyone doing hospital tours as research instead of as "this is what I'll do in a few weeks." Does not jive with my Type A personality. I might call the birth center thing and see where I am on the waitlist, though they never tell me when I call. They just tell me someone will call me..........at some point. Sigh.

momlyfe29

I’m so baffled by this shared room thing. Is that only a NY thing @doxiemoxie212 ? I can’t believe they make you pay for your own room like a hotel.  (I read through the thread so apologies if I missed the answer!) 

doxiemoxie212

@boymama29 I don't know if it's only an NYC thing, but it's certainly a throughout NYC thing (NYC being Manhattan - no idea if it's different in Queens or Staten Island or whatever). From what I understand, maternity wings actually lose hospitals a lot of money, and NYC hospitals have to deal with a lot more emergent care in general (which also loses hospitals money, generally), so I think they've all tried to reduce the space maternity takes up. So, IDK. Madness.

amys614

@doxiemoxie212 what an a-hole response they gave you on your tour. Do they really think people want to change their provider after 32 weeks...ummyeahnotsomuch. 

I get the lots of people, lots of risk thing, but certainly there must be another option. If they have access to an electronic chart, it can't be that hard to verify that all their tour takers are pregnant.

Ugh props to you for staying composed through what sounds like a hospital nightmare. 

doxiemoxie212

@amys614 admittedly I did consciously ignore the part on the website that said "don't take this tour unless you're within 1-2 months of your due date" but lol

amys614

@doxiemoxie212 ruuuuules schmuuuules lol especially when it's a stupid rule 

katelynrae86

@bkrahn I'm in the US and the on call Dr did give me permission to eat (I was there for 30+ hours before I delivered). On one hand, it was good as I needed some energy. On the other, when it came back up as I was laboring in the tub at 3am...I'm not so sure  .

@doxiemoxie212 Echoing everyone else...that situation with the shared recovery room really stinks. I'm sorry you have to deal with that! I think you mentioned before that you can pay for a private room? (I might have made that up...? ha) Is the charge just too insane to consider or is it not guaranteed? Fingers crossed something opens up at the birth center!

I'm one of those weirdos who brought treats to the nursing staff. Totally unnecessary, I know, but I figured it was a nice gesture even if they didn't get eaten.  I made banana bread and cookie dough in advance and kept them in the freezer. I knew I wanted to labor at home as long as possible so I figured I'd bake the cookies if I had time (I wanted a distraction in early labor and if things were to move too fast, oh well). I gave them to our first nurse to bring to the nurses station/break room. I had a few nurses stop by to tell me thanks...again, they were homemade  (sans breast milk  ) so they might not have actually eaten them, but I hope they were appreciated. 

Funny thing is, by the time I delivered, we were on our third set of nurses...so the one who helped me deliver probably didn't even know they were there. She was amazing, though, and I was so grateful to her that I did bring her a small gift later. I was working for a cosmetic company at the time and she asked for a mascara recommendation so I bought her one, along with a bunch of samples. I know she was just doing her job, but to me, she was such an important part of the birth (my OB was there for like 10 minutes...) I wanted her to know I appreciated her. 

doxiemoxie212

@katelynrae86 it's $380/night, but nearly everyone in Manhattan for the most part is able/willing to pay that, so it's not like it really shortens the list. Other hospitals in the area charge $800-$1000/night for the basic private rooms (some of the hospitals uptown are where celebrities deliver so they have much fancier private rooms that cost upwards of $5k/night for giant rooms overlooking Central Park, etc., but I think even those can often have a waiting list, TBH). We'd happily pay the fee, it just isn't guaranteed at all. They won't put you on the list until baby is born, so that's fun... I'm hopeful that maybe I'll deliver in the morning? Because no matter what they let you stay in the L&D private room for two hours with baby after delivery, and then there'd be wayyy more time for a private room to free up before nighttime, and I think I'd be okay in the shared room during the day since DH would be able to stay with me (he's not allowed after 10:30pm, I think). 

kmurdock925

@mytinc - awe, I would like to say that I would have asked for them to just give me the onesie/swaddle even if he couldn't wear it during transport but during the chaos remembering that (or having it as a priority) is waaaaaaay down on the priority list.  

I didn't realize OSU had the same nicu rating.  That is good to know.  NW is great.  We went there for a pedi visit when S was first born and it is beautiful.  I work at NW (insurance, not the hospital) so I see stuff about it all the time.  Wonderful.

LaceyBee522

@doxiemoxie212 Come to the UES!!!

However, my hospital is the $850/night for private room an $1000/night for private suite. MH and I are maxing out our FSAs to pay for the private room. We figure with two babies we'll need it. However, it is still only "if available," so no guarantees. FX twins can give me some leverage.

katelynrae86

@doxiemoxie212 That makes sense, I would be willing to pay that fee for privacy too! Its just bananas that they expect a new mom to be with/take care of her BRAND new baby the first night without her partner (I understand there's not a lot of room...but gah, that just sucks!)

doxiemoxie212

@LaceyBee522 it just depends so hard on how crowded the hospital is when you deliver. No way am I trekking all the way up to the UES, lol. I'm down in Fidi, you crazy. I'd maaaybe consider NYU, but even then, all I read about online with any of the hospitals in NYC is that at certain times they're just way too crowded. Yesterday at our tour, they actually had a bunch of rooms empty, and like zero babies in the nursery, so it was just super slow. FX it's slow in June....? People like to give birth in the Hamptons in the summer as much as they like to go there for vacation.... right right?? lol

LaceyBee522

@doxiemoxie212 Oh, yes! I hope the Hamptons exodus applies to hospitals!!

jsl82

@doxiemoxie212 I just LOL'd at the summer exodus birth plan.  A friend of mine lives in Brooklyn, but grew up here (Philly suburbs) as did her husband.  They decided to have the baby here in PA and she spend a month pp living with her mom while healing/ adjusting.  I know you are hoping for a permanent exodus from NYC would you consider staying with you mom in CA while waiting for the baby to arrive?   I don't know what your maternity leave plans are- and if they would allow you to leave a few weeks prior to your EDD, but it might be an option.   

doxiemoxie212

@jsl82 we talked about it, but since it's a 5-6 hour flight, I would have to go at least a month before birth, but probably I'd feel more comfortable going two months before, and then I'd like to avoid LO getting on a plane until she has her shots if possible, so then that's a long time.... and DH's job is in NYC still, no guarantees he ever gets a job in CA, or if he does that it's near my mom's (could be socal). My mom's house comes with it's own struggles (she was pregnant with me there, so obv manageable, but...) -- she lives on a hill, so it's like 2-3 flights of stairs outside to get up to the cars/the road, she's 30 min without traffic from the ONLY hospital in the county (admittedly it's fantastic, has everything I want, and is partnered with UCSF, arguably one of the best hospitals in the country, so... fine), and her street is narrow enough that I don't actually think an ambulance (if that was ever necessary) could turn around to get back down... I think it would have to back down the hill. I guess they deal with that semi-regularly, though? The county is filled with roads like my mom's... The biggest issue would just be DH's work. He'd have to stay in NYC, and I think it would drive him absolutely bonkers. (I'm trying to build up my freelance business, so I currently don't work except making stuff for my website, etc., so I'm fine with me leaving for a few months, lol.) Sorry that was a long ramble response.

BurlapandLace

Anybody in southern CA/being effected by the fires? I know we have a few ladies from CA on here, but I can’t remember where exactly. Hope everyone is staying safe! 

izza2

@doxiemoxie212 - Yeah, I definitely wasn't suggesting you should transfer to St. Luke's -- the St. Luke's I do clinical at is actually Faxton St. Luke's out of Utica, so it's definitely not worth the drive.

doxiemoxie212

@izza2 LOL oh man, I thought you meant the St Luke's in NYC. I thought maybe you'd done a semester down here or something. 

izza2

@doxiemoxie212 - You can bet your bottom that if I was driving to NYC for my clinical, or doing a semester there, I would've been PMing you for a meet-up.

LaceyBee522

I've written and deleted a response to that stupid Izla name thread like three times. I'm super irritable right now, so nothing I write is kind. But, because I'm an awful person, that's not what has me deleting my response, I just don't want to bump the stupid thread back to the top. Argh!

catlady1215

I'm trying to talk myself out (or in to?) buying a doppler. DH first said no... then said if I promise not to freak myself out with it.

Then I looked on Amazon and got overwhelmed by choices.

trying to tell myself I should feel some movements in a couple wks. And a dr apt in 2 weeks. So calm the eff down. But I wanna hear him!!

doxiemoxie212

@catlady1215 I talked myself out of it by reading a few articles talking about that it's not great for the baby - the heat from the doppler isn't ideal, and although dopplers are FDA approved, the approval was many many years ago, and they've gotten a lot "stronger" since then. Also, it'll put your mind at ease that you hear the heartbeat, but you probably aren't trained enough to know if there is something wrong with the heartbeat, so you might give yourself a false sense of security in the off chance something is wrong. And as a STM, unless your placenta is anterior, you are gonna feel movement so so soon!

BurlapandLace

@LaceyBee522 ~ It looks like it got shut down by admin anyways. At least the most recent thread did. 

catlady1215

@doxiemoxie212 thank you! All of that is exactly what I needed to hear. I recorded his HB at the last apt. Thought that'd be enough. But surprisingly i know it's a recording lol.

catlady1215

When you all hear the name 'tate'.... what are your thoughts. Honest first thoughts.

or should I make my own post? 

bkrahn

@catlady1215   in all honestly, I do really think that name is cute. Promise! but my immediate thought? Tater tot! 

catlady1215

@bkrahn that's actually an ok thought to me! I'm worried about something else lol. But want to see if people's minds go that way.

Miz_Liz

@catlady1215 my mind went to something MUCH different than tater tots...

bkrahn

@catlady1215 omg, haha! I honestly didn’t even think of that   

doxiemoxie212

@catlady1215 Tate's cookies! Which are delicious. 

dinodna3

@catlady1215 It makes me think of Golden Tate, who is a football player. But we also always call him Golden Taint, sooo....

catlady1215

Taint. Exactly. Thanks girls lol. We both love the name but I keep saying I feel like we'd be setting him up for years of jokes in school. We shall see lol.

krash_

@catlady1215 one of MH’s best friends from 1st grade is named Tate. So I just think of him. I will ask him if they ever called him inappropriate names lol

catlady1215

@krashke yes! Please let me know what he says lol

we always think of the actor Evan peters. Cause it was it character name in the 1st American horror story.