Level III NICU

AlishaMay

So how important would you say it would be to deliver at a hospital with a level III NICU when having twins?

I'm sort of upset because I love my OB office and chose them because they delivered at a hospital with a level III NICU near our home.  At the time I didn't know I was expecting twins, but thought it would be a nice thing to have.  Now I get a letter from my office saying that with a new hospital nearby they are going to start delivering there instead of the one with the NICU.  I'll be able to talk with my doc more about it at my appt. next week, but I'm upset that I may not be able to deliver somewhere with a NICU.

I know that should my babies need it they will be taken by ambulance to a level III NICU, but I'm not necessarily comfortable with them being at a different hospital than I will.  Am I over reacting? 

kelliwill

My babies aren't here yet, but I think it's pretty important.  I know a woman who had her triplets at a hospital that didn't have one and her babies got moved away from her (very hard).  I know that Dr. Luke recommends it in her book and so we made sure ours was.  We got lucky and it's close to our house.  I switched OB's at 12 weeks when we found out it was twins.  I know it kinda sucks, but I am much happier with my current OB and their practice due to their experience with twins.  GL!

MoMandA

It is extremely important. I would ask your OB for a referral and switch. Your OB should expect this to happen.

Temp159135562506975

for me = very important. I wouldn't have wanted to be in a different hospital from my babies- no way.  I'd find a new OB.

mrscalkins

Same as pp, I think it's pretty important to deliver at the hospital with the NICU.

jalaiaa

I agree with pps that you should deliver at a hospital with a level 3 NICU. However, ask your OB if they still have privileges at the old hospital, if so they may be willing to deliver there. My OB switched practices several months ago and moved to a new hospital, but she has kept her privileges at the one with the level 3 NICU and says I can deliver at either one. 

Kittycat196

I asked this same question a few weeks ago. My hospital doesnt have an NICU so I am changing docs and hospitals even though its a lot further away. Sucks but I don't want my babies moved an hour away from me which would be the case for me if that happened.

kimarino13

MoMandA:

It is extremely important. I would ask your OB for a referral and switch. Your OB should expect this to happen.

This.

I wasn't even allowed to consider delivering anywhere else. 

Hilarigh

Super important. Maybe your OB will still deliver you at the hosp w/ the level III NICU bc it is so important but if not then maybe he can give you a referral to another physician.

Nikki1007

Level III is very important. I would first ask if your Dr. can still deliver there. I bet he/she probably can. If not then I would ask for a referral to another Dr. that can deliver there.  You don't want your babies moved. My friend had this happen and it was the worst experience if her life. She didnt get to see her baby for a week since she was stuck in the hospital with complications herself.

abbzy85

I'm in the hospital now and can't imagine my babies possibly being in a different hospital. There's no reason to risk it. There are numerous OBs but you only get these babies. I'd rather give up my Dr. for my kids.

Danse

A level 3 NICU was my most important criteria when choosing a hospital, so that's what I did. I was very fortunate to not need it, but many twins do.

One big factor is that if you deliver at a hospital that doesn't have one and the babies need it - they'll be transferred (which can cost precious time and be detrimental to their health) and you'll remain at the hospital you deliver at due to insurance - so then you'd be away from your babies. I didn't want that.

heathb21

We had a long conversation with my OB about this.  They deliver at 2 hospitals one that is a Level III which is about an hour from us and one that is a Level II that is 12 mins from us.  The Level II also had a direct link to Children's Memorial hospital, which is the premier children's hospital in our area.  My dr said that as long as I delivered after 32 wks, it was not necessary to be at a Level III.  So our plan was, if I went into labor before 32 wks I would go to the Level III, but after I would go to the Level II.  I ended up delivering at 37 wks at the hospital with the Level II.  My babies never had to go to the NICU. 

carissasmom

I have a different opinion, so I thought I would share.  My OBs only deliver at a hospital w/ a Level 2 NICU - after much research and thought I stayed w/ them the entire time.  They will only allow you to deliver at the hospital if you come in, in full blown labor prior to 36 weeks or after 36 weeks.  I had a PTL scare at 32 weeks - they immediately shipped me to a hospital w/ a Level 3 NICU - that was an hour and a half away from home.  I ended up not delivering until just after 36 weeks and got to deliver w/ my doctors and my hospital.  I preferred this b/c I had my OB from my DD and I have an awesome friend that is an l&d nurse at my hospital.  I figured I would rather have them if at all possible.  If I went into labor too early I would have gone to the larger hospital and yes an OB I didn't know would have delivered me, but I decided to take my chances.   

suzymarie

I didn't have twins so take this with a grain of salt. 

Around here, if your baby is critical, they are going to be transferred to Childrens immediately, so it doesn't matter much.  They will release you ASAP if that happens, and you will go over to Childrens from that point forward.  Thus, it was more important to me to deliver at a hospital that I felt like I could acheive the kind of birth I wanted, then to deliver at one with a low level NICU.

blairsgirl

It was very important for me.  Ava spent time in the NICU.  I would talk to your ob about it and like a pp said, ask for a referral to an ob that delivers in a level 3 hospital.

Mrs. Destructo

It is very important. Life or death important. If your doctor won't deliver you at the hospital with the level 3 nicu before a certain point in your pregnancy, you must switch.

This isn't something to screw around with. According to the March of Dimes, more than half of twins are born premature. You want your kids to be born in the hospital with the best NICU possible.

jooliagoolia2

I delivered healthy full term babies, but that would be a deal breaker for me.  I wanted all the security I could get.

shellshavintwins

When I chose my OB.... (while TTC) I chose one who delivered at a level III. I lost a friend in January to an Amniotic Fluid Embolism, her daughter was born at 25 weeks and was flown to a level III and survived. After that I wanted the best hospital in my area taking care of me and mine!