St. Vincent v. Sunnyside

krismt

If you have had a birth at either hospital,  could you tell me what you thought of each.  They are the two options we have based on insurance, and I am curious as to what others  thought.  St. Vincent is a lot closer to us.

The_Jen626

Do you really live in Coos Bay?  I would not deliver at either hospital, unless you are planning to live in Portland for the last month of your pregnancy.

There's no way in hell I would plan on going into labor and then driving 5+ hours to the hospital.  Isn't there a closer hospital to you?

FWIW, I delivered at Sunnyside and had a wonderful experience.

PDX

I delivered at St Vs almost 3 years ago and it sucked. A friend of mine delivered there a year ago and while her experience wasn't as bad, it seemed like the same things that bugged me were still around. Meaning the nurses were too busy, we had too many people involved in the process and everyone had a different set of rules. They didn't tell me basic things, like that I could control the amount of medicine I was getting (I should have been a better advocate for myself but I wasn't). They couldn't find a portable monitor that worked. We couldn't be moved into a post-delivery room until 4 hours after the birth because they couldn't find an open room, which meant we were moved at 4am and were very tired by that point. When we finally got a post-delivery room, it had extra chairs in it because they had been using it to store them, and they wouldn't move them, so my husband had to move the crib to get from his chair to the bathroom.

krismt

The_Jen626:

Do you really live in Coos Bay?  I would not deliver at either hospital, unless you are planning to live in Portland for the last month of your pregnancy.

There's no way in hell I would plan on going into labor and then driving 5+ hours to the hospital.  Isn't there a closer hospital to you?

FWIW, I delivered at Sunnyside and had a wonderful experience.

No, I have had this log on since I got engaged...same log on I used for the knot.com (actually before official engagement, but who is counting??)  Then I lived in Coos Bay, now I live in Beaverton, I have changed it everywhere I can see to change it...yet is still comes up wrong!

Don't worry I am not planning on driving 5 hours once labor starts!

 

Angelcake

I delivered st St. V 2 years ago and though I didn't love the rooms or the fact that you can't stay in your labor room but thought the staff were phenomenal! There was a nurse who wasn't super peachy and I didn't love the pediatrician they gave us but everyone else was amazing. Unfortunately, nurses have lots to do and can't always stay and chat.

The_Jen626

krismt:

The_Jen626:

Do you really live in Coos Bay?  I would not deliver at either hospital, unless you are planning to live in Portland for the last month of your pregnancy.

There's no way in hell I would plan on going into labor and then driving 5+ hours to the hospital.  Isn't there a closer hospital to you?

FWIW, I delivered at Sunnyside and had a wonderful experience.

No, I have had this log on since I got engaged...same log on I used for the knot.com (actually before official engagement, but who is counting??)  Then I lived in Coos Bay, now I live in Beaverton, I have changed it everywhere I can see to change it...yet is still comes up wrong!

Don't worry I am not planning on driving 5 hours once labor starts!

 

Ok, phew!  I have family in Port Orford and that is a looooong drive, there's no way I'd do that while in labor, lol!!

Can you schedule tours of both hospitals?

Like I said, I had a really great experience at Sunnyside.  The nurses and doctors were all great, communication was awesome, they handled an emergency quickly and correctly, I didn't feel pressured to do anything that I wasn't ok with, etc.  Recovery room was awesome, food was good, they took great care of me and DD.

Sarahcakes29

I can't compare the two but am due at the end of November and have received excellent prenatal care so far at Kaiser (Mt. Talbert office).  I was admitted to L&D once for fetal monitoring and had a great experience with the nurse and doctor that took care of me at the Sunnyside hospital.  They were conservative (e.g., brought me in no questions asked) and made me feel like they were totally willing to spend as much time as needed to make sure my baby was fine.  I was really impressed with my nurse as she was very personable, wasn't annoyed with my many questions, etc.  I'm looking forward to delivering there.

JWilde

I'm in your same situation -- we can go to either place, but live much closer to St. V's.  I checked with Kaiser, and we can pre-register at both.  So, if I'm feeling pretty good, and there isn't crazy traffic to get out to Sunnyside, we'll go out there.  If I'm not, then we'll just go 5 minutes up the road to St. V's.  The awesome thing is that both places have fantastic care.  St. V's has a top rated NICU, which is very comforting in a worst case scenario situation (actually Sunnyside babies who require the NICU are sent to St. V's).  Sunnyside is just plain delux...so if time and comfort allow, I'm hoping to just go there.  Either way, we'll get fantastic care...just don't feel like you have to make a decision today.  ; )

krismt

Thanks, and I have toured both, the unfortunate part is that St. V's "tour" is more or less still photographs of the rooms you will be in,  and an explanation of where you will go when you come in labor, rather then actually giving you access to the ward.... which I suppose is best for their current patients.  For whatever reason you can see all the rooms and such at Sunnyside.  All together I thought they were both pretty similar, and besides the number of beds is less at Sunnyside, I did not think any thing was that different.  Also, I like that if you need them, higher level trauma doctors are available at St. V's. 

 

Gavin&Mahleasmama

I delivered my son (Now 18 mths old) at Kaiser sunnyside, partly because 1. I was born there, 2. My mother works in the labor and delivery department (everyone who has had her has told me they loved her) and 3. I had insurance through them. They are amazing! I know that since my mother works there it seems like I would HAVE to say that or feel that way but it's not true, whether she worked there or not they are lovely. The nurses are always kind, and professional. The awesome part of it being YOUR birth plan you can let the doctor or another nurse know if the nurse you have is just not clicking with you. That happens anywhere but I have never had any complaints for Sunnyside.

Arimenthe

I have only gone on tours so far, but the tour of Sunnyside was far more comforting to me than the one for St. V's.

Additionally, Sunnyside has big (2) water tubs that you can go in, plus bathtubs in the labor rooms (and water helps with labor) whereas St. V's has two tubs, one of which has been broken since before I was pregnant (I'm due in 60 days!) and getting a tub is more difficult there.

I was comforted by all the efforts sunnyside has made for moms in labor (squat bars, ergo balls, etc) , and they told us point blank that 'labor takes time' and that there is no 'rush' for it. 

One more thing to consider.  Sunnyside has the lowest C-section rates in the state.  Its like 23%, which is terrific really.

If I have any choice in the matter (I live in beaverton) I will be heading to Sunnyside.

 

 

 

caralck

St. Vs is a baby factory.  I would go there if I was high risk but otherwise would stay away.  My pref is for a small hospital where you labor, deliver, and recover all in the same place (unless a csection then obviously you go to the OR).  The rooms are much bigger and nicer!  St. v post partum rooms suck.  They're like little closets.

melissamcvey

I just delivered at St. V's on 11/19/2011 and had a great experience.  The post delivery rooms are a bit small but the amazing staff more than makes up for that.  And if you get a nurse that you aren't comfortable with you can ask to speak to the charge nurse and they will swap you nurses and not say a word about it.  No matter which hospital you choose I recommend taking your own bathrobe and slipper socks.  Those 2 things made the whole process much more comfy.

Technicolor

I've never seen the L&D unit in the Sunnyside hospital, but I work at St. V and work up in the L&D and NICU unit quite often. It is a very busy unit, mostly because people come from all over due to our NICU. The rooms are a good size (38 in all including 3 ORs and 6 Triages), but a lot of patients complain about how small the postpartum rooms are in comparison (which they are doing some construction on currently). They have completely remodeled both of the jacuzzi rooms and they aren't used terribly often, so they are generally easy to reserve. I personally won't be delivering at St. V because I think it would be terribly awkward since I know most of the nurses. I plan to go to Milwaukie, even though they only have 8 rooms. However, you stay in the same room from birth till discharge.