Moms Who Used Texas Woman's Hospital

mw*bride · March 2011

What was your experience like at TWH? Are you in a private room? Would you use them again? Thanks ladies!

TexasSmith · March 2011

I was in a private room the whole time. My L&D nurse was a complete idiot who was mis-measuring me the entire time I labored and put both my life and DD's life in danger. However, that was just luck of the draw and most people I know who delivered there had good experiences.

PP was mostly fine, except that it was basically impossible to get a LC to come see me, which is sadly disappointing since it is largely a birthing hospital.

If we still lived in Houston I'd deliver there again just because I loved my OB and she only delivers there, plus I am having a scheduled c/s this time so my bad L&D experiences from last time wouldn't be relived.

tobewed09 · March 2011

L&D nurses were phenominal....I was there for 36 hours, and I believe had 4 nurses. So, I would say yes to L&D. The moment I was wheeled over to Post Pardum everything went downhill. It was awful and it wasn't just one nurse or nurses assistant, it was about 4 or 5. I tore, and bad, so I got stitched up. The initial nurse who took care of me in PP I couldn't even understand her, her English was awful. She never showed me what anything in the bathroom was for. Dermaplast, Tucks, my sitz bath, none of it was explained to me and what it was supposed to be used for. I went thru a couple nurses before one finally asked me why I hadn't used anything in the bathroom for my stitches....it was cause I didn't know! I also think this is why I had a longer time healing as well. Then, no one came and took my food trays. I had FOUR meals of empty trays littered throughout the room. It took the lactation consultant to say something to one of the nurses. The worst though was no one notified my pedi that I had had the baby...and DS also was in the NICU. It was almost 36 hours, and by a fluke chance when the pedi saw DS for the first time. I could hear our pedi from outside our room just laying into the nurses. He was extremely upset. Soon after one of the head nurses had came in and apologized to us and after that we had great nurses...of course. The only good, IMO was the lactation consultant. I LOVED her.

TexasPaige · March 2011

tobewed09:
L&D nurses were phenominal....I was there for 36 hours, and I believe had 4 nurses. So, I would say yes to L&D. The moment I was wheeled over to Post Pardum everything went downhill. It was awful and it wasn't just one nurse or nurses assistant, it was about 4 or 5.

I had a similar experience. My scheduled c-section went well, and I loved the nurses beforehand and in the OR. Once I got out of recovery, I felt like the nursing care went downhill. Every time something went wrong (dressing didn't get changed on time, I didn't get my pain med that I requested, etc.), the nurse pointed the finger at someone else. I don't mind at all if something slips through the cracks, but please for the love...just fix it! I don't care if it was so-and-so's job. She is gone for the day, and you are here. I delivered my second at St. Luke's and loved every bit of it. My husband and I were actually talking about the experience this morning. It's not like everything in post-partum went perfectly, but they did what needed to be done and never once played the blame game.

So many people have good and bad experiences at each hospital. If I had an OB I loved, I would have delivered at Women's again and just known better what to expect and how to be my own vocal advocate. Instead, I ditched my OB and found a new one that I love!

julesintx · March 2011

Had my baby at Womans 3 months ago. I echo the same as tobewed09.... L&D was outstanding! but beware when you get to Postpartum... alot of confusion and miscommunication. I had the same issue with healing of stitches and the nurses expected you to know everything- HELLO- It's my first baby!

Nurses put goals on the board- but didn't tell me..

Lactation and nurses don't communicate so everytime it was a new nurse, it was either me telling them everything or I got different instructions.. very nervewrecking as a new mom.

OB released me to go home but nurses didn't communicate to nursery so I had to be the one to inform nursery- that wasn't fun in the least bit and scary that I could be released and not my baby.. UGH!

Hopefully that is our last OB experience..

G+J=BabyK · March 2011

L&D was great... PP is a little crazy but over all I had a great experience. I will be there for this one also.

mrs.littlejeans · March 2011

I delivered there with both. With my first, I loved my L&D nurse but was not blown away by the post-partum nurses nor the lactation consultants. With my second, I had a wonderful experience all around with L&D, post-partum, and the LCs I worked with. My son was in the NICU for eight days and I was very impressed with the staff in the Level II NICU as well.

jen5-03 · March 2011

I was not really happy with my experience there. The billing and administrative stuff drove my DH crazy because every.single.thing they did was completely wrong and had to be done 3-4x. Billing was not finished with us until after DD's first birthday and I

And while I know it has a lot to do with the doctors who deliver there, they have an insanely high c/s rate, even when you take out the high risk pregnancies. And yes, I did end up with a c/s there.

But beyond that, their rules for a mandatory observation and their desire to take baby to the nursery all the time drove me insane.(I have heard that they are changing that rule, maybe others can confirm. I was there 3.5 years ago) I did not see my baby for 5 hours after birth due to their rules even though we were both perfectly healthy. DH stayed with baby as I had told him to. It was late at night and my friends and family had gone home at midnight. I was in my room alone and crying. Not exactly the birth experience anyone hopes for, especially when everyone is healthy and should be happy! They also had a rule that baby could not stay in the room unless one parent was awake and other hospitals do not have that rule.

I did not go back for my 2nd and I was happy with my experience at Memorial Herman in the med center where my baby was gone to the nursery for about 30min total.

RosesRRed · March 2011

I had a great experience with the L&D nurses and post-partum nurses. After I had him I had a nurse assigned to Kyle and a nurse assigned to me at all times. I thought that was good because Kyle's nurse was able to focus completely on him and I had my own nurse to focus on my needs. All rooms are private now at TWH.

kreeper611 · March 2011

I had a great experience. Planned c/s - arrived the morning of, went to pre-op, had him 2 hours later. I recovered very well, also. I was in a private room the entire time (never went to L&D though) with the exception of the 4 hour recovery.

It helped that I love love loved my doctor!

The only negative was the first baby nurse. She brought C to me, suggested we try nursing, and then stood at the end of the bed. I had no idea what to do and she wasn't very helpful in trying to show me. Later that night his baby nurse brought him in about 3am and showed us exactly what to do. It just clicked for both of us and I'm so thankful for her! She was a great nurse!!

I have heard and will be asking about the changes in the recovery time for my second kid. I've heard that you can now request the baby be with you even if you have a c/s and request to nurse right away. I plan on doing that. C was a great nurser and him being away for 4 hours wasn't a problem at all, but I want the option to try next time.

I also want to have that time alone with the baby before everyone else gets to see him!! :-)

kreeper611 · March 2011

jen5/03:

But beyond that, their rules for a mandatory observation and their desire to take baby to the nursery all the time drove me insane.(I have heard that they are changing that rule, maybe others can confirm. I was there 3.5 years ago) I did not see my baby for 5 hours after birth due to their rules even though we were both perfectly healthy. DH stayed with baby as I had told him to. It was late at night and my friends and family had gone home at midnight. I was in my room alone and crying. Not exactly the birth experience anyone hopes for, especially when everyone is healthy and should be happy! They also had a rule that baby could not stay in the room unless one parent was awake and other hospitals do not have that rule.

This is what I mentioned in my post. I was OK with it at the time because I knew it would happen. But I'm pretty sure I heard that things are different now and you can request to keep the baby with you in recovery.

I never felt like they were forcing me to send C to the nursery. My OB suggested we do it overnight between feedings to get a little sleep, but I'd already planned to do so.

I also have never heard about the rule mentioned saying one parent had to be awake...

horn_jm@hotmail.com · March 2011

I've never heard of the rule about the baby not staying in the room unless someone was awake. With both DS1 (4 years ago), and DS2 (15 months ago), my babies roomed in with me with few issues. I don't love their policies, but everything worked out fine in the end, and my postpartum nurses were good. I might consider switching to a different hospital, if we have another baby, but that is because my OB is no longer delivering babies. I think the most important thing is to be your own advocate and to discuss your desires with your OB prior to the birth, so you have an understanding of what is feasible.

ETA- All rooms are private now. Also, TWH has an excellent NICU, and I might consider sticking with them for that.

rayskit10 · March 2011

jeneric04:
With both DS1 (4 years ago), and DS2 (15 months ago), my babies roomed in with me with few issues. I don't love their policies, but everything worked out fine in the end, and my postpartum nurses were good.
I think the most important thing is to be your own advocate and to discuss your desires with your OB prior to the birth, so you have an understanding of what is feasible.
ETA- All rooms are private now. Also, TWH has an excellent NICU, and I might consider sticking with them for that.

Ditto this. I had 2 children there, both who stayed with me with no issues. In fact, with my 1st I was too paranoid to let him out of my sight and he was in the room and never spent any time in the nursery at all. With #2, I was a little more casual and let him go to the nursery a couple hours a night so we could sleep but other wise, he slept in the room with me while I slept.

I had good experiences with the L&D nurses both times and the PP nurses as well. I did have a huge HUGE issue with a nurses aid after #2, but she was one person, i complained and she never set foot in my room again. A bad apple can work at any hospital- it's not like Women's hired her knowing she sucked, KWIM?

If we have a 3rd, I will deliver there again. Part because my OB only delivers there and I really like her; part b/c if there is an issue I would rather have access to Women's NICU than any other in Houston!

kreeper611 · March 2011

rayskit10:

jeneric04:

With both DS1 (4 years ago), and DS2 (15 months ago), my babies roomed in with me with few issues. I don't love their policies, but everything worked out fine in the end, and my postpartum nurses were good.

I think the most important thing is to be your own advocate and to discuss your desires with your OB prior to the birth, so you have an understanding of what is feasible.

ETA- All rooms are private now. Also, TWH has an excellent NICU, and I might consider sticking with them for that.

Ditto this. I had 2 children there, both who stayed with me with no issues. In fact, with my 1st I was too paranoid to let him out of my sight and he was in the room and never spent any time in the nursery at all. With #2, I was a little more casual and let him go to the nursery a couple hours a night so we could sleep but other wise, he slept in the room with me while I slept.

I had good experiences with the L&D nurses both times and the PP nurses as well. I did have a huge HUGE issue with a nurses aid after #2, but she was one person, i complained and she never set foot in my room again. A bad apple can work at any hospital- it's not like Women's hired her knowing she sucked, KWIM?

If we have a 3rd, I will deliver there again. Part because my OB only delivers there and I really like her; part b/c if there is an issue I would rather have access to Women's NICU than any other in Houston!

ITA with this.

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