Boo! L&D tour not what I was expecting :(

buffalo_buckeye · April 2010

Tonight I went on the tour of l&d. This is my 2nd pregnancy so I kinda already had "expectations". First, no tub in the birthing rooms (no biggie but was hoping). Second, although they give you the first hour with your baby, they then take the baby for 3-4 hrs to the nursery for monitoring, bath etc...With my first he was with me the whole time and got his first bath with me in the room. I'm so sad she will be gone from me for so long so fast. Last, the recovery rooms you have to share with another mom or request a private room (50$/night). Craziness! There is no reason in this era that I should have to share a bathroom and all the bloody, stinky, fluidy mess that comes with recovery with another woman. This hospital just renovated l&d and all the rooms (21) but 4 are single rooms...but I just can't risk it on a busy night. And you have to preregister for a private room. I think it's just a scam for the hospital. I have only heard positive things about this hospital but I can't help but wonder if my friends just don't have something to compare it to. Hopefully i'm just overanalyzing and it will be a great experience.

Ruthgers · April 2010

Yikes! I'd be looking for elsewhere to deliver ASAP. Hopefully it all works out for you though.

CaitlinJ22 · April 2010

boo, I would hate that. all of it. I hope you have a good experience there.

....but is there any other hosp you can go to?

DS was taken when I asked and he was gone for maybe an hr and DH was with him. I needed time to eat and relax, but also was mad I missed his first bath.

Sharing a room would not be an option for me either...yuck. GL

DeeandBrad · April 2010

You can refuse to let the nurses take the baby to the nursery. There is nothing there they can't do in the room with you. You can also give them the option of taking the baby at night for a couple of hours to complete anything they need to do with the baby. My hospital takes the baby after you BF at night and bring them back withing 2-3 hours for the next feeding but during that time they give the bath and do anything else.

melissawillr · April 2010

I really hope that somehow the person who was doing the tour is confused and that you can have your baby stay in your room with you. I also hope that you get to have a private room. I must be really spoiled here in Oregon, we have amazing maternity care and I just feel like everyone should be entitled. Good luck!!

rorygirl218 · April 2010

as pp said you can always refuse to let dc go to the nursery. i had a c-section wth dd and had some complications afterwards and the only time that she went to the nursery was 10 minutes before they brought me from recovery to the regular room (different floors). otherwise she was with me.

also i agree that Yuck! about sharing a room. good luck!

Court0026 · April 2010

I guess my hospital really sucks then! No private rooms which is why DH can't spend the night. I lucked out last time and had no roommate. EW gross sharing a bathroom, but there is nothing I can do about it. Also, after a c/s you don't get to do much with the baby, so I am out of luck there too. Awesome that you had such a good experience last time, but that does make it harder.

justinlovesme · April 2010

melissawillr:
I really hope that somehow the person who was doing the tour is confused and that you can have your baby stay in your room with you. I also hope that you get to have a private room. I must be really spoiled here in Oregon, we have amazing maternity care and I just feel like everyone should be entitled. Good luck!!

All of this! At my hospital, the rooms are giant birthing suites. They could fit six people in there at least. We will get it all to ourselves, plus we will labor, deliver, and recover in the same room. Awesome!

BethPSU · April 2010

As I read your post I looked to see where you were from because it sounded like where I delivered DS. Are you delivering at Suburban? If so, that is where I delivered DS. I was super concerned about the same things that you are. I think the $50 per day for a private room is definitely a scam, but with us if we "checked out" a little before the 48 hours (like before 11 am on checkout day) they waived the fee. It is just a money maker and I don't think people generally end up with roommates. They did take him away for a little bit after I nursed him and spent some time with him. I then took a shower (all of the labor rooms have private bathrooms) and waited to be transferred to our room. I remember sitting in the room with DH and saying how weird it was that we had a baby, but it didn't really feel like it because there we were just sitting in the room together (just the two of us) as if nothing had just happened. Overall, I didn't have a bad experience there, but it wasn't great. It was really busy the day I delivered (not that that should be an excuse), but noone came in to check me for over an hour after we got there and then I didn't have time for an epidural (which I had planned).

This time I am delivering at Women and Children's. I was surprised when I went for the tour that everything seemed so different than at Suburban. For instance, they want you to keep the baby with you at all times and they do all of the evaluation right in your room. One of the delivery rooms has a tub. The only bad thing is that even though it is all private rooms there are like 3 or 4 private shower rooms on the floor (I really wish they were in the bathroom..seems strange).

funnibaby · April 2010

Yikes, separation from baby for 3-4 hours is not acceptable. Do you have other hospital options? If not, you do NOT have to let them take your child. It is your child, they have no right to take the baby away without your consent.

I work at hospital that has Baby Friendly designation and we never for any reason have to separate a healthy baby from its mother for 3-4 hours. All basic assessments can be done in the room with you and separating baby from you is for their convenience.

Arg! This makes me angry!

CashewsMommy · April 2010

There's no private rooms in the hospital i'm delivering at either. But what they'll do is place one person in every room and if they all get filled the person leaving first will get the roommate. I'm not worried though. I went on my L&D tour tonight too and she said yesterday was a very busy birthing day and we still went into a totally empty room.

MichelleJean · April 2010

HA! The private rooms at our hospital is $200 a night! You can't reserve them in advance. You request and pay that day. Insurance of course will not cover. And they actually get all filled quickly. Geez, Gotta love NY!

TexasLadyBug · April 2010

Not to be rude but all the information you just found out you could have found out when you decided on this hospital, not when you are in your 3rd tri.

As for the rooms not being private that is just crazy. In my hospital all L&D rooms are private with two large suites that you have to pay extra for. After having DS, dealing with the pain, BF, around the clock incoming nursing staff, bleeding etc....(You know what I am talking about you have been there) I would HATE to share a room.