Birth at EJ

LTF525

Did anyone give birth at EJ? If so how did you like it? Also, did any of you have a natural birth at EJ? If so I'd love to hear about that too!

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Most of our family and friends have delivered at EJGH.  And I've heard both good and bad.  I delivered at Touro, so no firsthand experience at EJGH.  The only person I've personally known that delivered med-free at EJGH was my ex-boss and she seemed happy with the experience.  But I think it really depends on your doctor - she knew she wanted to go med-free if she could and she planned for it, spoke with her doctor about it, etc. 

 

When I first became pregnant with Gabby, I was seeing a doctor who delivers at EJGH.  He was not interested in anything re: med-free/natural/doula or midwife related when I brought it up and since I really disliked his attitude, I switched to a  more "natural friendly" doctor who would deliver at a "natural friendly" hospital.  I also heard from family (specifically a nurse in L&D who worked at EJGH at the time) some not so nice things about my doctor at the time and how many of the EJGH docs are uninterested in natural birth.  Please take that with a grain of salt!!!   Just explaining my experience and what I was told.  I really really think it all comes down to your decisions, your planning and your communication with your doctor.   

 

Good luck!!  And if you decide to try to go med-free feel free to ask me anything.  I did it and I plan to do it again this time around. 

ccantrell87

I will be delivering at EJ. But I will most likely be having a c-section because at 38 weeks my little guy is still breach. I'm having another ultrasound on Monday to confirm and then a scheduled c-section on Tuesday. My orginal birth plan was to go as long as I could without any medication. My doctor, Dr. Alison Stewart, is totally supportive of my decision and if (crosses fingers) he has flipped around that's the route we will be taking. She informed me of all of my options in regards to pain management with and without drugs. The labor and delivery staff at EJ has treated us wonderfully so far. We've attended the prenatal classes that EJ offers in which we met with some of the staff and toured their L&D floor. I was overly impressed with how friendly, patient, understanding, and informative they were.  My future sister in law and numerous of my friends have delivered at EJ and have had nothing but positive experiences.

purrpleheather

Like pp, I haven't delivered at EJ but at Touro.  I also didn't care for my doctor's attitude at EJ so I switched mid-pregnancy with DD2.  I'm having a scheduled c-section, but I have also heard that Touro is very open-minded about alternative ways to birthing.  I find their staff is outstanding and very attentive.  It might be an older hospital, but I wouldn't deliver anywhere else.

I have had 2 friends deliver at EJ.  One had both her kids there and had no complaints.  The other ended up delivering during the middle of a blackout on the maternity floor b/c they were trying to fix the generators.  The lights and tv didn't work so she just layed there bored.  Then it took her 6 hours to get into a private room, and they wouldn't let her see her newborn until then.  I would say the generator situation is just a fluke thing though.

flowerchild77

I had a natural birth at EJ.

I had Dr Goodridge (if you have her SWITCH NOW!). She evaded many of my questions and never would give me a straight answer to anything I asked. So 41 weeks rolls around. "your placentas breakin down your babys gonna DIE!" "Well cant we do a NST?" "We dont do those here" So there I was, pregnant with my first chlid, patiently awaiting labor and shes telling me my babys going to DIE. So i agreed to an induction. I went in at 9 to start. My night nurse blew a vein in my right hand and had to do my left. I was being rather pissy about it, (it was SWOLLEN and sore!) and she made this comment "If you complain about a blown vein how are you ever going to go natural???" What a ***! So anyway, my morning nurse was MUCH better. She was a Lamaze instructor and was very supportive. She brought me a heated rice sock to help me out and all. (Shes actually my doula this time around...) Well at 1 I was told I was 3 cm dilated and would dialte a cm a hour. SO 15 minutes later I have to go to the bathroom. SO I unplug my monitors and walk my happy butt to the bathroom. Im on the toilet for about 20 minutes getting sufficiently pissed off because I thought I was constipated. ("Just my luck!") My nurse comes in to check me, Im still on the toilet, Runs to the bed and starts clicking the button like CRAZY. Comes back over. I start FREAKING OUT. "Whats wrong??????" She gives me this wierd look adn tells me "YOur babys heads right there, youre about to deliver." WTF?!?!??!?! She kicked EVERYONE except me and my hubby out the room. Comes over to me and says "The heads right there if you want to feel." ... OKAY! 8D It was incredible. She even got my hubby a glove so he could reach in and feel. HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE!

Well my dr comes in. They move me back to the bed. SO Im pushing. I come up to push and see my dr holding SCISSORS?!?!?! "DONT *** CUT ME!!!!!" Did she listen??? NO!!!! I shouldve sued. I told her before "I dont want an episiotomy, I would rather TEAR." I only pushed for about 15 minutes on the bed, hearttones stayed great the whole time. Nothing was wrong. She was just in a rush. I only got 2 stitches I think but STILL. Thats my vagina youre cutting. ***.

Anywayssssss, this time around I have a midwife and Im homebirthing. My daughters birth was wonderful in so many ways but there was much about it I didint like. LIke constant monitoring. The water temp in the tubs would never even get warm to where I could relax. The scared induction. The refused NST.

Point blank. I would get to know your OB VERRRRRY well before you make any commitments. GL!

kaekee

I delivered at EJ a year ago and have nothing but good things to say about the experience.  That being said, I did not go natural and never planned on it- I knew I wanted an epi from the beginning.  I was induced right before 40 weeks- I checked in at 4 AM, my pitocin was started at 445 AM, and I delivered at 1245 PM.  I don't have a single complaint about my entire time there and will definitely deliver there again if we are still in NO for the next baby.  I did my OB rotation at EJ and my instructor was a L&D nurse.... one thing I can tell you about delivering at EJ, especially if you plan on going natural, is that April is an amazing nurse.  I know you can't request your nurse, but definitely look out for her if you decide to deliver there.  Good luck!

May524

I delivered at EJ.  My OB was Dr. Bone and I only have great things to say about her, I just loved her.  EJ was great and I plan on delivering there in the future when I get pregnant. 

This may be petty but my sister always delivered at Touro and I just didn't like the parking situation and I never felt safe when I went to visit her (she had 3 children there).  I liked the close proximity to EJ from my home.

flowerchild77

kaekee:

I delivered at EJ a year ago and have nothing but good things to say about the experience.  That being said, I did not go natural and never planned on it- I knew I wanted an epi from the beginning.  I was induced right before 40 weeks- I checked in at 4 AM, my pitocin was started at 445 AM, and I delivered at 1245 PM.  I don't have a single complaint about my entire time there and will definitely deliver there again if we are still in NO for the next baby.  I did my OB rotation at EJ and my instructor was a L&D nurse.... one thing I can tell you about delivering at EJ, especially if you plan on going natural, is that April is an amazing nurse.  I know you can't request your nurse, but definitely look out for her if you decide to deliver there.  Good luck!

I had April!!! She was amazing! Shes actually my doula this time around.

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May524:

This may be petty but my sister always delivered at Touro and I just didn't like the parking situation and I never felt safe when I went to visit her (she had 3 children there).  I liked the close proximity to EJ from my home.

 

I guess that is something to consider, but we had no problems.  We parked in the garage and we felt safe doing so.  We also parked on the street for our birthing classes (which were from 7 - 9pm) and never had a problem.  However, we had fewer visitors while we were there simply because Touro is "out of the way" for most of our family (most of whom live in Metairie or Kenner).  *rolls eyes*  (not at you, May, our family.  lol)

star173

From everything I've heard, EJ is not bad, but it's not the first choice for people who want to go med free. If that's your goal, and you don't have a doc that you 100% love, I would suggest looking into touro or Ochsner. Good luck!!