Another Women's Hospital Question

CurtsWife · August 2010

I went on the tour last weekend and was SHOCKED that they are planning to let me have a short visit with my baby before whisking her off for FOUR hours, without me or my husband, to "watch" her. I understand that she'll need a treatment in her eyes and a Vitamin K shot, but I do not want them feeding her (something they said they would do if she got hungry) and I want to be present for all vaccinations. If my husband and I are not allowed to be with her, we cannot be sure what is given/done to her. I mentioned my concern to my doctor who was like, "Oh yeah, they do that for every baby" as if it is a good thing. This is the only time my doctor has ever blown me off...usually I love him.

My sister had a baby in May and I was holding her baby before my sister was out of recovery. My niece had her treatments and tests with her daddy in the room and was done in less than half an hour, so I really do not understand the need for a four hour period.

This really concerns me. Especially in light of some reviews that I have read online that Women's in particular does not have regard for the parent's wishes regarding not feeding/vaccinating. I would switch hospitals except that I really like my doctor (except this one incident).

Have any of you that have delivered at Women's been successful in getting around this? What can they do if we refuse to let them take our daughter from us?

nicgillette · August 2010

You can absolutely tell them that you want all the procedures done in the room with you. They will try to tell you that they HAVE to take her/him but that is not the case. You just have to be very persistent. The 4 hour thing is standard procedure for them but if everything goes well with your baby they don't have to do it. Just tell them when you get there that you want all the procedures done in your room!!

jen5-03 · August 2010

this is why i had ds elsewhere. I would not go back there for anything. And it was 5hr before i got to see her for more than 5min. No other hospital in town does this...maybe 1-2hr tops for pedi check and hearing test. The vaccs being done in front of you would be your pedi 's call i think.

NELCORP · August 2010

My family watched as they did all that stuff to DS. I had an un-scheduled c-section so I was in recovery during this time. Also, I told them not to feed DS, that he is to only be nursed. So if he got hungry they HAD to bring him to me. They followed my instructions and brought him to me. It also, only took a little less than 2 hours that he was away from me.

thumpofmyheart · August 2010

I planned to have my baby with me but honestly you're so exhausted after everything I didn't even realize she was gone for four hours. It felt like she was gone 4 minutes! At first I was not going to give her formula but again I could hardly stay awake so I did let them. They made me sign like 20 million papers that it was OK. I'm sure if you don't want them to feed her they won't.

horn_jm@hotmail.com · August 2010

I declined the Hep B vaccine at the hospital with DS2 after discussing with my pedi and OB - got it at the 2 month check up. The first hour with you is counted in the 4 hours, and I was able to nurse (or attempt to) both of my boys before they were taken to be checked out. Honestly, I thought I had issue with it, but after a long labor and drug free delivery and that first hour of bonding, I just wanted to use the restroom, eat, and rest some. I did call the nursery with both of mine towards the end of the window, and I think they both were in with me after about 3-3.5 hours (so maybe 2-2.5 hours since I had last seen them). I made sure they knew I was EBF, and they asked with DS1 if he could have a bottle, since his blood sugar was low, and he was born at 36w2d. I had no issues with DS2, but he was born after 37w.

I did have a problem the second day with DS1 getting a bottle without my permission. They have a policy about how long a baby can go between feedings, and DS had just started a nursing session when the pedi came to see him. Rookie mistake - I thought it would be quick, and I let them take him - so the feeding didn't count, and he was gone awhile. I called down at some point, and they had given him a bottle and he was on the warmer. He was a little premature, so I know that added to things - but they are very strict with their policies. I called in the patient advocate, and the nurse apologized to me... so, I was very careful about making sure the baby nurses were aware of all of DS2's feedings and fed him very often. My supply came in super quick the second time around, and I'm sure all of those feedings helped!

Anyway, I was very glad to be at Woman's the second time around, as I had been on bed rest and knew they could handle a preemie well there. They are strict with their policies, and it can be frustrating, but if you advocate for yourself, you should be fine. I will most likely deliver there again if we decide to have another.

jen5-03 · August 2010

I have to add this...

If you already know that you are going to have problems with their policies, deliver at another hospital. Even if it means switching OBs. There are plenty of good OBs around and none are worth delivering at a hospital where you don't like the policies.

Yes, you could argue with them. But who wants to be arguing immediately after giving birth? Most likely they will still take the baby for observation.

With DD, they did not feed her a bottle... but at 2:30am, 5 hours after her birth, a horrible nurse brought her to me and told me that "this poor child" hasn't been fed and it's their policy that no baby go this long without food and if I didn't feed her within 15 minutes she would be feeding her a bottle. And then she stood there and watched silently as I tried to BF. Lucky for me DD latched on and I swear the nurse even looked pissed then.

With DS I had him at MHMC and I kept him for an hour in L&D. They took him for tests, got me cleaned up and moved rooms. I was just getting into bed asking DH how I get my baby back when they brought him to me - less than an hour had passed. And, even though I had been in labor for 29 hours, I wasn't so tired that I didn't want to hold my baby.

kreeper611 · August 2010

If you are uncomfortable with the policy, change hospitals. Talk to your OB about this policy and tell them you're not happy with it. See what they say and if you still get the feeling that it isn't as optional as you'd like, change.

I knew about it ahead of time and was ok with it. The 4 hours wasn't quite 4 hours, my family watched the whole time, and I slept in recovery so much that I felt like 30 min. But you have to be ok going into it or you'll just leave with a horrible experience.

MrsMGR · August 2010

kreeper611:

If you are uncomfortable with the policy, change hospitals. Talk to your OB about this policy and tell them you're not happy with it. See what they say and if you still get the feeling that it isn't as optional as you'd like, change.

I knew about it ahead of time and was ok with it. The 4 hours wasn't quite 4 hours, my family watched the whole time, and I slept in recovery so much that I felt like 30 min. But you have to be ok going into it or you'll just leave with a horrible experience.

Ditto this. I was fine with it. About one of the hours, Joe was in the room with me right after delivery. Then I was brought to my recovery room and he was taken to the nursery. During that time, I showered, ate breakfast and made some calls, looked at the delivery pics my sister had taken, and before I knew it, Joe was back in my room all cleaned and bundled up and smelling like a fresh little baby

But if it is really that big a deal for you, then def switch hospitals.

ilovelukas · August 2010

Does your doc deliver at St. Lukes? It is SLEH policy to keep the baby with you 100%. I was not separated from my son except when he got the circumcision and even then he was not gone more than an hour. His bath was in my room as was his pedi visit and everything else. I loved it and would hate to be separated for so long in the very beginning. Good luck!

weemodin · August 2010

I also have to add this in...

One of the idiot nursery nurses got pissed off at me that I'd changed DD into a different outfit -- I took her out of the hospital SHORT SLEEVED tee-shirt and put her in a little LONG SLEEVED Kissy Kissy outfit that covered her legs, was footed, etc. She was also in a hat, and fully swaddled.

The nurse was mad because she said DD was going to get cold since she didn't have the hospital tee-shirt on. HUH??? The outfit I had her in was way, way, way warmer?? I tried and tried to explain simple laws of, oh, physics and temperature to this woman, but she just didn't get it. I was absolutely amazed by her stupidity.

She finally shrugged and left my room, but not after telling me that if DD got too cold without the tee-shirt on, they'd have to take her back to the nursery. Flabbergasting.

aly&jj · August 2010

I am actually still in the hospital and my experience here has been wonderful. I had the same concerns and talked to my Dr. about rooming in. They had absolutely no problem with it. They set everything up in my room so baby would not have to go to the nursery. Well after 22 hours of labor we decided that it would be best to have them take her because we were too exhausted. They had no problem with that either. The nurses are great and have been so helpful with everything.

We are also breastfeeding and they have not brought up giving her a bottle at all. I'm sure if your baby wasn't getting enough or had trouble latching it would be an issue, but you would want what's best for them anyway. After I experience here I wouldn't deliver anywhere else. I have been so well taken care of.

kreeper611 · August 2010

aly&jj:
I am actually still in the hospital and my experience here has been wonderful. I had the same concerns and talked to my Dr. about rooming in. They had absolutely no problem with it. They set everything up in my room so baby would not have to go to the nursery. Well after 22 hours of labor we decided that it would be best to have them take her because we were too exhausted. They had no problem with that either. The nurses are great and have been so helpful with everything.
We are also breastfeeding and they have not brought up giving her a bottle at all. I'm sure if your baby wasn't getting enough or had trouble latching it would be an issue, but you would want what's best for them anyway. After I experience here I wouldn't deliver anywhere else. I have been so well taken care of.

Congrats! I felt the same way - I won't have a baby anywhere else. We had a great experience.

CurtsWife · August 2010

Thanks for the feedback everyone! It sounds like there are a wide variety of experiences at that hospital. I really cannot switch doctors at this point. My new doctor took me in at 23 weeks and he is absolutely wonderful and has gone out of his way to accommodate me. I'm now 33 weeks and am talking with the on-call doctor this weekend because of some pre-eclampsia symptoms. Hoping to make it several more weeks!

I'm hoping that aly&jj's experience, since it is the most recent experience of anyone's here, is more along the lines of what I can expect. I did express my dissatisfaction with the hospital's policy to our tour guide last weekend and was told that they are taking steps to try to change...we'll keep our fingers crossed and hope they don't do anything to our baby that we don't want done! Even if they do, at this point I'm just hoping to get her here safely and alive.

Thanks again for all the responses!

aly&jj · August 2010

Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

jen5-03 · August 2010

aly&jj:
Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

PAGAS · August 2010

jen5/03:

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That is insane.

I am happy to hear that they are considering changing their ridiculous policies. Women's was ruled out immeadiately for me when I was looking to switch OBs, the policies are not in line with what I thought was best for me and my baby.

MrsMGR · August 2010

jen5/03:

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That is insane! I delivered there and Joe slept in our room while I slept and no one ever said anything. Sometimes I think people make up ridic policies about Womens, though for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.

Violet_McPurpleson · August 2010

I just delivered there last week and so my experience is pretty fresh. The baby was only in the nursery after delivery for about 3 hours and he was not given formula. Everyone was very supportive of my choice to breastfeed. That was the only time he was in the nursery, except to be in the bili lights for jaundice and even then they brought him to me every 3 hours to feed and did not limit the feeding times.

Also, I was told that I could opt out of having him go to the nursery after delivery. They said that they would put me in a post-partum room closest to the nursery so that he could still be easily observed, but that I didn't have to have him go at all.

No one gave us a hard time about rooming in, expect for the first nurse after delivery, but after I told her the baby wasn't going anywhere she never said anything more about it.

MH and I were both asleep with the baby in the room so that policy must have changed.

Nanner · August 2010

MrsMGR:
PAGAS:
jen5/03:

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That is insane! I delivered there and Joe slept in our room while I slept and no one ever said anything. Sometimes I think people make up ridic policies about Womens, though for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.

Ridiculous. I gave birth there 5 and 3 years ago, and it wasn't the case then either. Both DH and I slept with him in the room. If that is their "policy," no one abides by it.

Nanner · August 2010

jen5/03:

aly&jj:
Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That was rather condescending.

MrsMGR · August 2010

Nanner:
jen5/03:

aly&jj:
Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That was rather condescending.

I agree 100%. Not to mention, I know with my episiotomy, it is very difficult to get up out of my bed, let alone walk to my baby's bassinet. After a couple of days, I was alot more mobile....so I think comparing immediately postpartum to the first few days of being at home with the baby is silly. Labor is HARD on your body whether you push them out naturally, have an epidural, or c-section....it is perfectly okay to accept help when it is available to you. Especially while in the hospital. You do NOT have to be supermom right away. Let yourself heal!!!

Cajun_gal · August 2010

MrsMGR:
Nanner:
jen5/03:

aly&jj:
Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That was rather condescending.

I agree 100%. Not to mention, I know with my episiotomy, it is very difficult to get up out of my bed, let alone walk to my baby's bassinet. After a couple of days, I was alot more mobile....so I think comparing immediately postpartum to the first few days of being at home with the baby is silly. Labor is HARD on your body whether you push them out naturally, have an epidural, or c-section....it is perfectly okay to accept help when it is available to you. Especially while in the hospital. You do NOT have to be supermom right away. Let yourself heal!!!

Agreed! I tore and had a hard time getting in and out of bed for a few days. I was still in a good bit of pain at home but it was definitely easier after having a couple of days in the hospital.

PAGAS · August 2010

MrsMGR:
Nanner:
jen5/03:

aly&jj:
Good luck to you and keep us posted. I'm sure you will be fine, especially since you have a good doctor. Everyone I came in contact with really honored my wishes. My doctor also told me that they are trying to change their observation policy. If you let them know what you want I'm sure they will work with you. Talk to your doctor about rooming in with baby, and honestly, depending on your experience, you may be relieved that there is a safe place for them to be because you will more than likely be completely exhausted after delivery.

I'm glad you had good experience, but I had to laugh when you said this... because in a couple days you'll be home and still exhausted. So how is having a baby in a bassinet next to your hospital bed any less safe than baby will be in another day or so? As I recall, Women's policy also says that if both parents are asleep, baby has to go back to nursery, but other hospitals don't do this. But it's been 3 years so maybe they don't do that anymore.

That was rather condescending.

I agree 100%. Not to mention, I know with my episiotomy, it is very difficult to get up out of my bed, let alone walk to my baby's bassinet. After a couple of days, I was alot more mobile....so I think comparing immediately postpartum to the first few days of being at home with the baby is silly. Labor is HARD on your body whether you push them out naturally, have an epidural, or c-section....it is perfectly okay to accept help when it is available to you. Especially while in the hospital. You do NOT have to be supermom right away. Let yourself heal!!!

No one is saying you have to be supermom, but there is no way in hell I would have let F go anywhere after I had her unless it was medically necessary. Women's policies are antiquated at best and I am happy to see that they are taking steps in the right direction.

That being said, after L&D, I was in no mood to argue with nurses about BFing or where my baby was going. I would have flipped out if F was taken away for four hours for "observation".

aly&jj · August 2010

The reason I love Woman's is because they were so accommodating to what I wanted. At first I thought I didn't want her taken away for observation and they never gave me any reason to think that was a problem. When we changed our minds (because I was exhausted, and in lots of pain) they did put us in a room right by the nursery. They were all about making me feel comfortable.

Before I delivered I had a lot of anxiety because of all the horror stories I had heard about Woman's. I think there are a handful of people who have had bad experiences, but you will get that anywhere you deliver. It's the good stories that you rarely hear about. I think this was a great thread, I wish I would have heard more positive stories before I delivered. I'm so glad I ended up delivering there.

G+J=BabyK · August 2010

NELCORP:
My family watched as they did all that stuff to DS. I had an un-scheduled c-section so I was in recovery during this time. Also, I told them not to feed DS, that he is to only be nursed. So if he got hungry they HAD to bring him to me. They followed my instructions and brought him to me. It also, only took a little less than 2 hours that he was away from me.

Ditto. DD was only away for 1 hour and my parents were with her the whole time.

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