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New Jersey Babies
Need a New OB/Midwife/Hospital in Northern Jersey
Hi! I'm 22 weeks along and am not comfortable with delivering at St. Barnabas - My doctors seem OK, but the since I live in Jersey City the hospital is very far. In addition, every time I've been there for diagnostic tests I've felt like I was in a subway station! I interviewed two doctors that are affiliated with Hackensack Hospital - 1) Dr. Keanchong - did not really connect with her 2) Dr. Schwartz who practices with Dr. Gerardis and Kopp. I heard good things about the practice, but when I had my appt. with Dr. Schwartz he laughed at me when I told him that I wanted to have try to give birth without an epidural "You'll change you're mind" and when I said I was thinking of hiring a doula "waste of money" was all he said.
I would really like to have a doctor that supports my goal of an epidural free calm birth in a hospital. I would also love to meet some midwives that are affiliated with hospitals.
I visited Lenox Hill in NYC and it was also very difficult to get to, and Overlook Hospital in Summit where the rooms seemed depressing. I do not want to be pushed into a C-section - does anyone have any recommendations for a natural birth friendly OB out of Hackensack? That seems to be a hospital I can live with.
Thanks!!
I would really like to have a doctor that supports my goal of an epidural free calm birth in a hospital. I would also love to meet some midwives that are affiliated with hospitals.
I visited Lenox Hill in NYC and it was also very difficult to get to, and Overlook Hospital in Summit where the rooms seemed depressing. I do not want to be pushed into a C-section - does anyone have any recommendations for a natural birth friendly OB out of Hackensack? That seems to be a hospital I can live with.
Thanks!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Need a New OB/Midwife/Hospital in Northern Jersey
Not sure if this is too far for you but I'm delivering at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. They have a really nice holistic birth program run by a midwife. This is important to me as I too am going for a drug free/intervention free birth. My Bradley teacher has delivered there twice naturally and intervention free. You can read about the program here: https://www.valleyhealth.com/ChildBirth.aspx?id=2222.
My OB is The Valley Center for Women's Health. Also located in Ridgewood. I spoke with my doctors about having a natural birth and they were all very open to the idea. They never would have treated me like you were treated at the other DR's office. I can't believe he talked to you like that. Their website is www.vcwh.com.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
I delivered my son through a drug-free vaginal birth at Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains. When I arrived the nurses told me they had already read my birth plan and knew that I wanted as few interventions as possible. It was a great experience, but I had an OB who was respectful of my wishes as well as a fantastic doula.
I did use a doula who actually works at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. She was one of their original doulas when the program began there a few years ago. She had another doula from that program come to my son's birth as well for a few hours. They were both absolutely phenomenal, and I don't think I would have been able to succeed with my birth plan without them. So, I highly recommend either Valley or Chilton. If you go with Valley, definitely check out their doula program!
I have not heard good things about Hackensack in terms of being natural-birth friendly. However, if you really liked the hospital, then just be sure you ask lots of questions about natural childbirth while you are there and you will get a sense of how they react.
I delivered at Hackensack, and it was WONDERFUL! They are very pro-breastfeeding. Not sure about natural bc I was a scheduled c/section due to a blood clotting disorder. The staff at HUMC is fabulous, and the rooms are all private too. Food is like room service, I highly recommend HUMC as a place to give birth.
My ob is Dr. Michael Seidner--he is a single practitioner, and I love him. He is a calming presence and not one to get too medically intrusive unless necessary. You can reach him at 201-488-1700. Good luck Mommy!
I work at HUMC and decided to give birth at Valley for a variety of reasons.
HUMC is very good at CS, their NICU is awsome, and they are very pro-breast feeding. All of their rooms are also private and some have a bed for dad to sleep on. On the other hand HUMC does not allow midwives or doula's and I have heard of mom's complain that their baby has been given a bottle in the middle of the night when all they wanted was to strictly breast feed their baby.
As for Valley, they allow for doula's, have a Natural Birthing program, and my midwife (Cristina Giambalvo, CNM, MSN) practices there via The Center for Women's Health (https://www.tcwh.medem.com) in Westwood. Most of Valley's rooms are private, but there are a few that are semi private. The facility is not as new as HUMC, but the care is more holistic. We are going for our tour on Friday and I can't wait!
Good luck!
Hi! I just found a great doctor who works out of Hoboken University Medical Center. His name is Raul Aguilar and his office is on Washington Avenue (129 Wash. I think). He is an awesome doctor. Takes time with his patients, goes over all exams and is very caring. I am extremely picky, and I really like this guy alot!
Good luck!
I'm glad that you have a doctor that you like and have had luck with because that is hard to find but Dr Prakash is not very well liked by other doctors in Bayonne. In fact, at my job, we're not allowed to refer patients to her office at all. My MIL had two bad encounters with that doctor (one of them being; when she didn't tell my MIL about an abnormal pap which ended in cervical cancer!) before I refused to let her go back there.
Everyone has their own opinion but when DOCTORS start to doubt their colleagues, it says a lot about that doctor. I also have my doubts about Meadowlands Hosp...they're not very good either. If you're stuck on Meadowlands Hosp you might want to try Dr Woroch (father or son). They're pretty good.
Either way, good luck!