HH vs. Crestwood?

MadeOfAwesome

I know this has been discussed before at some point, but I'm too lazy to look for it and we need SOMETHING going on on this board, so I'm asking again.  Give me the pros and cons for why you chose Huntsville Hospital or Crestwood.  We'll do a tour of each, but I kinda wanted to get some real opinions on it.

stressfreeBride2be

I would be interested in hearing this too!  My doctor is pushing for HH because she's within walking distance, and she says if something should happen it would be quicker and easier for her to get there.  But I would like to know if there's any big 'pros' with Crestwood.

chelseabhughes

I had a chance to visit both hospitals, and asked this same question to many mothers that have had the experience of delivering at either hospital. 90% of the moms said that they felt more comfortable at HH, that the staff was very friendly, that they have everything just in case if anything were to go wrong with the baby there at the hospital. Unlike Crestewood a woman was telling me that she wanted her baby in the room with her whil she was there and they don't allow that. Crestwood hospital would have to rush the baby to HH if anything were to go wrong with the baby they do not specialize and the NICU. After you take your tour you will make a good decision. I chose HH bc I am a high risk and just want to make sure everything goes ok.

ElleC22

I delivered my little man at HH, I was in labor for 28 hours and had to be rushed into an emergency c-section. I chose HH over Crestwood and would gladly do it again. The staff was great, any time I wanted LO with me they would bring him to me, they encouraged me to breastfeed, they made sure all my needs were met.

Crestwood wasn't so nice either, they were strict about who could be in the room when I delivered, and wouldn't let LO stay with me if I had asked them. (This is what I asked hypothetically)

HH was by far the best, they have a state of the art NICU and the DR's on call are some of the best in my opinion!

Just my thoughts, do what is right for you! 

mirandagc91

We chose HH primarily because if something was to go wrong and we were at Crestwood we would be sent to HH anyways. Additionally if something was wrong after the birth then baby would be sent to HH and you would have to stay at Crestwood until the doctor discharged you, there would have been nobody to come between my child and I and we were chancing anyone trying to step in the way. We liked the fact that there was a NICU and Pediatric ICU within the same building as I delivered in and DH wouldn't have to travel from one hospital to another to see LO and I if something were to go wrong.

I also liked that I wasn't in the same room for recovery as I delivered in. A friend of mine delivered at Crestwood and I felt like I was in an L&D room not a recovery roomm which at HH they made you feel as much at home as possible.  Also the recovery rooms at HH are much bigger and the delivery rooms are HUGE.  If you plan to have pictures or video done during the birth I would suggest Crestwood allows that, HH didn't care it was more so up to the doctor.  The staff at HH was great!  From our L&D nurse to the pediatric nurses to the recovery nurses.  I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

EmilyXLC

Well, I'm going to stand out from the crowd...

 

I took my birthing & breastfeeding classes at Crestwood.  While we were there, we took a tour of Crestwood L&D.  I fell in love.  Private birthing suites?  Yes, please.  They are like HOTEL rooms & your birth & recover in the same room.  No pesky room changes!

 When I tried to schedule a tour for Huntsville Hospital, they blew me off not once, not twice, but three times.  If you can't make proper time for me just to walk me around on one floor, you definitely won't have time to cater to me when I'm pushing a bowling ball out of my hoohah.

True, HH has a state-of-the-art NICU, but Crestwood HAS an NICU as well.  VERY seldom does a baby have to be rushed to HH.  My doctor, who I see at HH, gave me the option of delivering at HH or Crestwood.  He said since I had an overall healthy, normal pregnancy, that delivering at Crestwood would be great for me.  I did, & I am SO glad I did.

The nurses are AMAZING.  If you get into one of the birthing suites, you pretty much have your own nurse at your beck & call.  Everyone there, even the custodians, just love their jobs... you can tell.  & it makes a difference.  I received the most WONDERFUL care in my life...  They are all extremely knowledgeable, kind & so helpful.  I literally WEPT when I had to come home because I missed my nurses so much.  I ended up writing them a thank you card & mailing it out.

 

In other words... if you have had a healthy pregnancy, I urge you to choose Crestwood.  It's easy to access, off the busiest road, unlike HH.  It is nice & quiet without that stupid construction that's been going on forever in front of HH...  They have free valet parking during business hours for you & your spouse & the food is rockstar.  I don't know what else to say; I loved my stay there & I'll be back for LO #2 whenever it is time.

 

& to whoever said that they don't let the baby stay in the room with you, I don't know what you're talking about.  I do know that at 2:00 a.m., they need the babies in the nursery for about an hour or two for some routine checkups & whatnot, but they bring the baby right back to you when they're done. 

JenniBrooks

Another vote for Crestwood. When I had my first, everyone was so attentive and someone checked in on me once an hour 'Just to ask if I had any questions or needed anything." Loved it! Pretty much had my own private nurse with me for 90% of my labor. Very calm, not overloaded with patients.

 

I know it's an atypical experience, but my SIL delivered at HH- and because the nurse, anesthesiologist, and doctor all saw so little of her- nobody noticed she was still having pain during each contraction after her epidural (it only took on one side), nobody noticed her pelvis was too small for the baby.... it came time to push, baby got stuck, they had to put her completely to sleep for the C-section because she had the maximum of the epi med. I personally feel like she could've at least got to have been awake for the C-section if everyone had been paying better attention. 

But, plenty of women have had great experiences at HH, and women that didn't like Crestwood, so YMMV.