Boston area moms

jayangel

What hospital or birth center did you deliver at? How was your experience there? I'm trying to decide where I want to deliver, the ob that I currently see delivers at a hospital that has some not so great reviews. I may switch ob clinics in order to deliver elsewhere. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

leapgirl8

My friend Kate gave birth at the Bain Birthing Center in Cambridge, and she was very happy with the experience. She's a freelance writer, so you can read her birth story at Fit Pregnancy.

https://www.mountauburnhospital.org/body.cfm?id=82

https://www.fitpregnancy.com/motherhood/real-moms/my-birth-story

ssg73

I delivered at The Brigham.  We were very happy with the care we were given.  I think it would be strange to say we had a good experience, but I am not dead so I guess yes it was good.  Anyway we were transferred there by ambulance from Newton Wellesley were my ob delivered.  We were really looking forward to delivering there and were very happy with the facilities that we saw on the tour.  The Brigham is a bit of a factory but when you need the top obs, mfms and nicu it is the place to be.  If/When we have another baby we think we will try to have the baby at NWH again but I do really like having the level 3 nicu available at The Brigham (not that I plan on using it again!) so we will decide as the time gets closer.

tdmklm

We delivered at Beth Israel, and I was really happy with the whole experience - except for the anesthesiologist who woke me up at 2 a.m. to sign a consent I wasn't even sure I'd need. NOT COOL when I was set to be induced in the morning (because of cholestasis of pregnancy, which had reached dangerous levels for both me and J) if labor didn't start on its own before then. I made sure my displeasure was known. Other than that, everything was GREAT. The food is fantastic, the nurses were awesome, and they had a freezer full of ice-cream moms could access anytime. Anytime. Ice-cream. Seriously.

ball.and.chain

Leapgirl, thanks for posting this.  I did my first four insems with the midwives that deliver at Mt. Auburn, presumably at Bain, and we're planning to head back there for pre-natal care and to deliver with them -- assuming I ever get pregnant, and I don't have a high-risk pregnancy.

jeannkerricotober09

I delivered at South Shore and it was fantastic.  They are part of Children's Hospital so the NICU is made up of all Children's Hospital Doctors, arguably the best in the world.  My wife is from the south shore, she really wanted me to deliver there and I was like 'helllll no'.  This is Boston!  I will deliver at the Brigham!  It is the best!  And then I toured it and realized it wasn't for me.  It is an excellent hospital in a crisis but normal birth is not.  The we toured the South Shore and ohmygoodness...

Love.

Right when you walk in the door, there is an old man, in a suit, waiting to walk you to where ever you need to go.  The little old lady who gives the tour is a firecracker and she didn't bat an eye when I told her Kerri was my wife (the lady at Brigham *completely* ignored Kerri)  The unit is brand now and is more like a hotel than a hospital.  It is quiet and the nurses are absolutely wonderful.  They also have 3 rooms they allow you to stay in for free (!!) should your baby need to stay longer than you.  Show me another hospital that does that?

My experience overall was amazing.  If you are looking for a natural birth with access to level 3 care, should you require it, it can't be beat.  They deliver the second most babies in Boston (second to Brigham) but you wouldn't know it.  And the birthing tub (there is only one) is a gigantic jacuzzi.  I was picturing a little tub or a blow up something or other, but it has a freaking door.  It is huge, plenty of room for 2 people and in the middle of the biggest birthing suit imaginable.  They also have huge showers, like gym showers, with multiple shower heads; low and high and one for your partner.  I lived in the shower.  My midwife even hung Christmas lights

The postpartum rooms are pretty big, with huge showers.  Kerri stayed with me the whole time and she was very comfortable on the pull out chair/couch thing.  And the food... lord.  The food is fantastic.  You have this huge menu to choose from and can order as much as you want.  

And now it is time for my birth story... 

jeannkerricotober09

I just wanted to add that you will find poor reviews at any hospital.  I think you have to choose the place you are most comfortable in.  Personally, I wanted a level 3 hospital (Brigham, SS, Tufts, & Mass General, I think) in the ever so slight off-chance that N would need it.  He wouldn't have to be transferred.  I also wanted to use a birthing tub, wanted to be in a place that had great security and was ok with my wife, also in the event of there being an emergency.  

South Shore covered all of those for me, but it wasn't without a lot of talking it over that I came to this decision.  I posted here too  The security at SS was astounding.  The mom and baby get personalized music bracelets so every time you hold your baby, the bracelet sings.  If the bracelet doesn't sing.. well.. you have the wrong kid  and the bracelet also locks down the ward.  If the baby gets within 10 feet of any exit, the entire floor locks down and the elevators stop running and stay open on the  post-partum floor.  Every baby has to be accounted for before the doors unlock and the elevators are started back up.  It is crazy!  I had beef with every hospital.  It took a few weeks to come to my decision.  I toured Mt. Auburn,  Newton Wellesley, Brigham, & SS.  

Also, my post seemed a bit fluffy - talking about food, etc.  But you didn't ask about providers, you just asked about the location.  I think a lot of your actual birth experience relies heavily on who delivers you, which I can't speak for (obviously) but the delivery nurses at SS and I was in labor for 3 nurse changes are wonderful.  I loved them all and the post-partum nurses are equally as wonderful.  I would love to hear which hospitals you are considering and which has the reviews that concerned you.  I know SS had come questionable stats but I met with a counselor and had my mind put to ease.  The woman has worked in almost every big Boston hospital and was a great resource, if you are considering SS, I would highly recommend talking to her.

I know how hard this decision is, with so many excellent hospitals, it is so hard to figure out which is right for you.  I have been wanting to write N's birth story but it is still a little too hard.  In sum, after 32 of natural labor I had to have en emergency c-section.  Both N and I almost died.  I am so happy we were at SS.

jayangel

dup post

jayangel

Thanks for everyone's replies. This is such a hard decision. I had my iuis done with AICGB and I really loved the midwives there. I would like to have a natural birth and if possible a water birth. I know they offer water births at the Cambridge birthing center and Mount Auburn but those locations are a bit far since we live on the Southshore. I'm currently seeing a mfm specialist at South Shore Hospital and they've been great but the reviews I've read online put me off a bit. Thanks Jeann for sharing your experience, maybe now I can disregard some of the reviews. I know they have a labor tub at South Shore but I was told they don't allow water births, which is a bit disappointing. I'm still so undecided, it's a good thing I have until July to figure this out. We're planning to do a few hospital tours soon so hopefully that will help narrow down my choices.

jeannkerricotober09

jayangel:

know they have a labor tub at South Shore but I was told they don't allow water births, which is a bit disappointing.

Again, it depends on your provider.  My midwife was all about my birthing in the tub.  She said 'just don't get out'.      Who are you seeing at SS for mfm?  Dr Achilles or Dr... lord, what is her name?  I saw the woman during my pregnancy - loved her but Dr. Achilles ended up delivering me.  Since you are going to mfm, maybe you met with the woman I was referring to, who I spoke with  when I was having trouble deciding.  Her name is Emily, she is a genetic counselor with the MFM.  If you are still undecided, next time you go, she might be able to talk to you?  I went to her in tears... she is awesome

Good luck!  It is such a personal decision, I am sure you will make the right choice. 

jeannkerricotober09

one.more.thing.

sorry you asked?

I cried for over a week when trying to decide on a hospital.  I had my heart set on SS and then I looked up their section rate and was a mess.  (I posted about this.) it wasn't until I did a bit more digging and a lot more talking that I realized it is due to the fact that they are in with Boston IVF and deliver more multiples than anyone in MA.  Multiples = section, usually.  It was then that I put that one aspect aside and realized that the likelihood that I would have an unnecessary c-section had nothing to do with the hospital.  It is the person delivering, making that call.. not the institution.  So I set out to find the least likely provider, in order to be *sure* I would have a vaginal birth.  So I chose a midwife group and ended up having such a crisis I had a c-section without being fully anesthetized.  How funny is that?

As much as you might not believe me, I am not puling for South Shore  I just sympathize.  I had such a hard time deciding.  I just want to pass on what I learned during my own search.  Everyone I spoke to was like 'it's Boston!  Where ever you go will be great! '  But I knew in my heart what type of birth I wanted to have (and whoa - didn't) but I wanted the best shot.  And I got what I wanted.  But it was following my heart.  (not some online girl blathering on...  I think it is a very important decision.  Giving birth is a miracle.  H*ll, I still can't talk about my experience.. and that was 4 months ago.  You have to be 100% comfortable in order to make peace later, if it doesn't go down that way you hoped.

If you want a hospital with excellent reviews (from what I have read) and a birthing tub, have you considered Toby?  It is close to the Cape and is supposed to be as close to a birthing center as a hospital can get.   Mrs. F delivered at the Cambridge birthing center and loved it - they have tubs, as does Mt Auburn.  I think those are the only 3 places in Boston area you can deliver in a tub.  I really liked Mt. Auburn! But unfortunately (for them) my tour was scheduled during Harvard graduation and it took us 5 hours to get to the hospital!  Not that you would have that problem in July!  

mrl02

I delivered at Brigham and loved it!  Though I worried about the "big factory" feel - I didn't sense it at all when I was there.  The rooms were comfortable, the nurses were amazing, the food was wonderful etc. etc.  I literally didn't want to leave when we did.  I ended up with a csection, but for very good reasons and they didn't jump to that conclusion too quickly. 

Mrs._F

Late to the party! Been dealing with sick toddler

 I delivered at the Cambridge Birth Center and I live farther away from it than you. Granted, it did not work out in my favor because - go figure - I went into labor on a Monday morning and ended up laboring in the car, during rush hour gridlock. Not fun! BUT if I had gone into labor any time other than morning rush hour, it wouldn't have been that big of a deal, and we are actually considering returning there for baby #2 when the time comes, because we loved it there so much.

The midwives at the birth center are simply wonderful. They are all very different. When you deliver, you get whoever is on call. I got a midwife I hadn't met yet (and she actually doesn't work there anymore), and she was lovely. She actually greeted me with a big hug and kiss on the cheek when I waddled in laboring. She and the nurse who assisted made C and I feel so comfortable and cared for.

They also have doulas on staff, available to all patients. I did not take advantage of this, but many patients do.

You can labor and deliver in a tub there  - they have three rooms with private baths, only one tub is cleared for actually delivering in (there are some crazy MA state laws about the specifics of tubs that can be used for actually birthing in). It is luck of the draw if you get the room with the tub that you can deliver in. It is rarely a "full house" there as they only deliver about 300 babies a year there.

That is another thing - they only take the lowest of the low risk mamas there. It is mainly for self-preservation. If their "success" numbers don't stay high, they'll get shut down because hippie dippie birth centers are unpopular and the govt would just loooove to shut them down.

Another thing to note is that there are no narcotic drugs on the premesis. If you want an epidural, you gotta go across the way to the hospital. I really liked knowing that there weren't going to be any nurses popping in again and again asking if was ready for my drugs yet. But speaking of the hospital... 

One of the things I really loved about the birth center is that it is seamlessly affialiated with Cambridge Hospital. So the midwives that work in the hospital are the same midwives that work in the birth center.  This means that if something should happen that requires a transfer to the hospital, your midwife goes with you across the driveway into the hospital and works alongside the OB during your birth. The OBs and midwives are well aquainted and used to working together. I did not have to go to the hospital, but I did have some very bad tearing. They were able to call a Dr from the hospital and he just walked over and helped with my repairs. This was awesome because it meant that I, my minutes old baby and badly injured lady parts did not have to get wheeled across the street.

It is really a great environment to deliver in. I definitely recommend checking it and doing a tour. It's very homey (because it is a house!). The rooms have regular beds instead of hospital beds, and you are free to (and encouraged to!) move around as you please while in labor. There are birth stools, balls, and an endless supply of pillows to help prob you up and keep you comfy wherever you choose to be. I labored all over that damn room in the short time I labored there (when we arrived I was already  9 cm), and the midwife and nurses just went with the flow.  My midwife was even crawling around on the floor to check me out when I was laboring on the birth stool - it doesn't get much more patient-friendly than that!

Good luck with your decision! Take your time and go with your gut!

Mrs._F

Holy moly! I did not mean to write a novel!!

BabyLouWho

Hey hey,

 I delivered my first little guy at South Shore Hospital and had a very positive experience.  Everyone was very nice, knoweldgeable and thorough.  I used South Shore Midwifery but they have since switched their affiliation to Jordan Hospital.  I am pregnant again and going to Atlantic Womens Health (there is one in Braintree and another in Plymouth) and delivering at South Shore Hospital again.  I loved the hospital so much I switched docs for it, haha.

Good luck on your search

pbl2011

Hello,

We used Brigham, and I have no desire to step foot in that hospital again, and would not recommend it. The first night we were admitted i did not stay as we did not have any of our things having been told to go to Brigham from an appointment in quincy. Upon my arrival he next day, I waited for 15 mins to get upstairs - the security team were very friendly and were 100 times more upset than I after having to tell the receptionist upstairs that my partners' wife was waiting to be let up. Downhill from there - none of our requests to keep specific individuals from visiting were honored, the staff kept acting as if there was nothing they could do (yet i barely made it upstairs lol). The nurses were very friendly and attentive, as were some of the dr's, an we especially loved the anesthesiologist as he was very caring and compassionate through the c-section. Problems arose when waiting on the dr's, as once a determination was made or the dr had to be consulted, they were nowhere to be found for hours.

 

I guess our biggest gripe was that before birth everyone goes on and on about how you can do as you please, approaching labor and delivery in our own special way, but once it came down to it, we couldn't walk around or really do much else, most of our time was spent waiting on dr's for those few days.

 

The 3 day stay was slightly more bearable, but i swear if all three of us could have ran out of there after day one, we would have. I suggest you explore your option, as we shall with our next attempt

 

Good luck!