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OHSU or St. V's
We are trying to decide between OHSU or St. V's for L&D. any suggestions? We do live rather close to St V's, but I think I like OHSU better. Does anyone have any recommendations on either hospital for L&D?
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Re: OHSU or St. V's
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I had DDat St. V's and had a really great experience. I wasn't planning on having her there, but my water broke at 34 weeks and I showed up at Providence Portland (where my doctor was) and I was already dialated to 5 cm and 100 effaced. They had to transport me out to St. V's for their NICU. The entire experience was wonderful. The doctors and nurses were very good and quite helpful.
I had DS at OHSU. While I think that I would absolutely go back to OHSU for any other procedure... not for another L&D. Too many people checking in. I know that you get checked a lot, but because it's a teaching facility it was overkill. That and the fact that a resident did my epi, that failed, and was never fixed... left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. (Trouble with epi's is not uncommon when hospotals have residents doing them)
Overall I loved OHSU, all my prenatal care was done there as well. I just think that I would rather have had a lower key recovery period than I recieved there.
That being said I have heard St Vincents can feel rushed, they do deliver more babies there than any other hospital. So with that comes the good and the bad. Sounds like most ladies here have loved St V's.
Oh and parking and directions to OHSU are a nightmare, so visitors had lots of issues!
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St V's was nice in that I only got "checked" if I asked to be.. and then in post partum, I had my stomach palpated by the nurse at vitals (every 4 hours) but it only took a few minutes and never bothered me.. My OB checked me 2 days PP and then I went home.. Oh and I had THE BEST Epi ever.. I never felt rushed either.. I was actually begging them to go faster .. It was great care all around
One thing on the plus side for OHSU is that I believe is still the only hospital in the PDX area that you can have a water birth at if you are at all interested in natural birth...
I had my baby at Good Sam though so I can't speak from personal experience..... Good Luck!
I'm surprised at all the good expirences of St. V's NICU. DD was transfered from Providence Newberg an hour after birth and was there for 5 days. Worst 5 days of my life. The drs. were terrible, the nurses were not nice, they wanted to put my daughter on morphine without tests to prove it was necessary. They knew we were travelling 45 minutes each way every day and never offered to let us stay in a spare birthing room (and there were plenty of open rooms) I would go all day without eatting and they never so much as offered anything from the cafeteria (which I hear Emanuel does). I'm not one to do this often, but I wrote a very stern letter to the medical director after things settled down at home and actually got a call from his receptionist! If, God forbid, I have another and they require the NICU, I will demand anywhere but St. V's.
On a happier note, my sister in law had my nephew 40 days to the day before my daughter at OHSU and loved it. She was mildly annoyed by the students that constantly checked on her, but when it got down to it, she could care less. I'm glad everyone else has good experiences, and sad I didn't!
Wow, that is awful
I'm so sorry you went through that!
DD was never in the NICU, but we spent a couple of days in Pediatric care down the hall from post partum when she was 5 weeks old w/ RSV and had GREAT care. I got to order food for myself off of the same menu that I did while in PP care and they took excellent care of DD. It was a great experience.. I even got to spend the night on a fairly comfortable window seat/bed..
I have to admit, I am surprised by all the rave reviews for St V's too. I delivered at St V's and was pretty disappointed. The delivery room was okay. Not very nice, but okay. The recovery room where I spent 2 days though? Awful. Temp couldn't be controlled, the "pull out cot" DH slept on was the noisiest and most uncomfortable "furniture" I have every seen, my shower had half a shower curtain (as in R side was open for viewing, but L was covered top to bottom. Wtf?!), the walls in our room were made of cement and so we couldn't get reception for phones or internet. The rant could go on for a while.
I liked the staff, and I felt comforted by the fact that I had the NICU right there (that was why I chose St V's, and really is most important) but they seriously need to work on the rooms. They are anything but comfortable. I felt like I was staying in a bad horror movie hotel room. No joke.
I delivered at OHSU and had a great experience. The on-call OB was awesome, as was my labor nurse. I didn't have any issues with being checked too often. I think I was only checked a couple of times, and they always asked first. (ANYwhere you go, you can request they only check after asking, and you can refuse). My nurses in the mom & baby ward were amazing - even the cleaning staff was totally sweet to us. I don't have any complaints.
I have heard positive and negative about both OHSU and St V's (and really, every hospital). It's just the nature of the game. Go with your gut.
St. V's, I had a hell of a time at OHSU. Loved my doc but that was it. I had a horrible birth experience.
Plus they DON'T HAVE A NURSERY so baby rooms with you 24/7 so if you want to sleep at all, it's not going to happen.
This is true. Every room is equipped to have a water birth. I had a jet tub plus a flat screen tv w/ a DVD player.