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Any thoughts on United Hospital?
My doctor is at the Allina Medical Clinic in Woodbury and says that they do all deliveries at the United Hospital in St. Paul, but I haven't heard much about the birthing center there... Just looking for some feedback! Thank you 
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Re: Any thoughts on United Hospital?
It would give me a lot of comfort to deliver there because they have top of the line physicians and pediatricians if anything were to go wrong. I know that they would be able to take care of just about anything.
I don't know any specifics about the birth center but I bet if you looked at the hospital website it would tell you what the hospital does and does not offer in terms of birthing options. HTH
I have never been in the birth center at United, but I was hospitalized there once for kidney pain and my nurses were absolutely awful. Not just rude but incompetent. I don't know how the maternity nurses are. I just know that the ones I dealt with almost killed me because they forgot to put an oxygen monitor on me when I was getting morphine. So that was my only experience with United.
My husband is a physician who works at United, St. John's, St. Joseph's, and Woodwinds. He says that St. Joseph's is the best place to have a baby in St. Paul and that they have the best nurses.
I absolutely loved United Hospital! My over all experience was exceptional. I was in labor for 24hrs and all the nurses I had were great. They also have wonderful lactation consultants onsite who are very helpful! My last night at the hospital my nurse ordered me a complementary massage! I can not say enough about United!
Another thing to remember is United is connected to Children?s which really put my mind at ease.
Nancie213
I understand where you are coming from because I actually had always had my mind set on using a midwife. My friend used a midwife for her kids and actualy was lucky enough to have the same midwife deliver all 3 of her kids. She went to a fairly small practice with several midwives. It's called Generations Womens Helathcare they deliver at St. John's & St. Joe's (St. Joseph). I think it is pretty true that you do get more indivualized attention
But based on my age, and expeeince having worked for Children's Hosptials in Minneapolis for the last 5 years (including Special Care Nursery) I have decided to forgo a midwife to deliver at United or Abbott (both use Children's NICU's). A big part of it for me is the NICU's in case they are needed and because I'd hate to be someplace further away and have my baby have to be transfered to a level 3 NICU (like CHildren's) and not be able to be near my newborn baby. Like if you have a c-section & doctors won't release you yet for your health & your abby is 30-60 minutes away. They have cameras to help in those situations but since it's an option I'ds ratehr avoid that senario is possible.
I'm actually leaning towards United because their NICU has all private rooms, you can stay there, there is one unit from 1st arrival in NICU to discharge and the maternity ward is basically across the hall from the NICU. In Minneapolis (at Abbott Northwestern AKA ANW) the NICU is quite a ways from the maternity ward & even the level 2 nursery (Special Care) is on another floor. BUT ANW and the nurseries there & at Children's in Minneapolis are excellent. They do lots of high risk deliveries including multiples. I think United does too but not sure if they do as "high risk" stuff as in Minneapolis. That might be a good question to ask if you were considering it.
St. John's, St. Joe's, Fairview and HCMC (& North Memorial too I think) also use midwives. It's a bummer that United & Abbott (ANW) don't have midwives do deliveries but I guess that part of my ideal pregancy & delivery is something I am willing to miss out on. I'm strongly considering a doula to have that close personal attention and still be able to have my baby at the facility I feel most comfortable with. They also are usually very helpful with newborn issue such as breastfeeding. I've found some good books with info at the library. Though I think that coverage for their costs isn't usually coveraeg by insurance. But I think it is an extra cost I'm willing to pay.
FYI I know that my decision is totally biased based on working for Chidlren's in the environment I do. I've seen all sorts of crazy things during my nursing career & have become quite "skittish" and more aware of possible complications than the avaerage mom-to-be.
This is not the most important thing to consider when choosing where to deliver, but I took a tour of United's birth center two nights ago and was not impressed with the physical environment. Everything seemed grungy and most of the rooms were small. There are 7 birthing rooms that are separate from the rest of the unit that seemed slightly bigger but there is no guarantee you would get one of those, unless they give priority to people who actually have insurance or something. There are no bathtubs or showers in the individual rooms. So if you have a long labor and want to relax in the water you get to go to a shower room behind the nurses' station.
I will be touring the other area hospitals soon and am curious to see how they measure up.
But again, I think the quality of the staff is much more important and am not sure about that since I haven't delivered there.