Hosptial

weatherop39 · July 2011

Has anyone given birth or used Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham or heard anything about this hospital?

starsmaycollide · July 2011

Several ladies here delivered there and had positive experiences

I've heard good things about it. I delivered at St. Vincent's, though.

SeasideBride06 · August 2011

I did not deliver there, but I do know that it is a good hospital. Pretty much everyone I know IRL delivers either at Brookwood or St Vincents Downtown. From what I hear they are working on a new women's center with birthing suits, which is nice. I delivered at St Vincents Downtown and I love that I never had to leave my room!

AUHOLLEY06 · August 2011

I delivered at Brookwood in '09. I don't have any complaints. The nurses were nice and knowledgable. They took care of all the babies needs. Gave me more supplies(post partum care and diapers/wipes) when asked for and the food was pretty good. The room was a decent size for a few people to visit at a time.

tomkat2010 · August 2011

I'm newly pregnant, but planning on delivering at Brookwood. My OB's office is there. Any ideas when the new women's center will be finished?

AWALL041010 · August 2011

My sister delivered both of her girls at Brookwood - the last one in March of this year. Staff is really great and the hospital itself is really nice. She tends to be a little picky sometimes... so if it passed her test, it has to be pretty good.

mrssamuels2b · August 2011

I delivered at Brookwood. I LOVED the nursing staff but hated my OB. She was fine during the office visits but I had complications and her bedside manner was awful. As a result I ended up moving to a OB at St. Vincents. If you have a good OB you should be fine.

weatherop39 · August 2011

I'm due Sept 12th and my OB is there, but don't know much about the hospital itself. OB is great, so Im hoping the hospital is too! Can't wait for baby to be here and want the labor and delivery to be great too! Thanks!

amandabrooke81 · August 2011

I had my 2 babies delivered there! My first in early '09 and the second just this past May. They've even changed a few things about their L&D and Recovery Policies that I like:

*I was able to hold my LO#2 much more quickly after delivery than with LO#1.

*They strongly encourage rooming-in for the babies whereas before it was assumed that the babies would all spend at least the 1st night in the nursery. You still have the options, but the mindset of the staff is different.

*Everyone seemed to be very pro-BFing; although I found the LCs to be equally helpful both times. All of the nurses supported BFing this time. Oh and they don't offer pacifiers anymore; they used to encourage pacifier use from birth, but they don't even give you one to take home now.

Now on the flip side, there are a few things that are maybe not the best:

*They only give your baby a bath once (they used to do it every night). I suppose your baby doesn't get all that dirty though aside from the meconium diapers...yuck!

*St. Vincent's definitely has the better physical facility. It's better updated and has larger birthing & PP suites; however Brookwood is still scheduled to have their new ward opened in 2012 and apparently it'll be the new "it" place. I don't know when in 2012 though...

If I were to have a 3rd LO {we won't...we're stopping at 2}, I'd still choose Brookwood!

MissLMS · August 2011

I didn't deliver in Birmingham but I have heard good things about Brookwood. I read an article in Birmingham magazine that Brookwood even has tubs for laboring in, I believe? Must be nice!

Iove.wins · August 2011

My OB practice is at Brookwood and hopefully I'll be delivering there sooner than later!

I have nothing but happy things to say about it. They're working on baby first certification, so a lot of their L&D practices are up to date with current research re: early bonding, healthy mom/healthy baby, breastfeeding, etc. The nurse/patient ratio in L&D is 1:1, and they have different nurses for L&D and postpartum care. They even have L&D nurses that specialize in different things -- some of them are strictly C/S, others are trained in natural pain management techniques like Bradley and Hypnobabies, and when you go into labor they pair you up with a L&D nurse that most closely fits your birth plan.

If you're interested in laboring naturally, they also have implements available such as birth bars, birth balls, and a water labor tub, and they have a standard procedure for natural moms that includes heplock, being allowed to eat and drink clear liquids, spontaneous pushing and the option of pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions.

They also have LCs on staff and try to establish BFing within the first hour PP.

ETA: TomKat -- It's supposed to open in 2012 but the nurse educator at the hospital tour mentioned that they could be moved in as early as November of this year.

Sunshine05 · August 2011

Iove.wins:
My OB practice is at Brookwood and hopefully I'll be delivering there sooner than later!
I have nothing but happy things to say about it. They're working on baby first certification, so a lot of their L&D practices are up to date with current research re: early bonding, healthy mom/healthy baby, breastfeeding, etc. The nurse/patient ratio in L&D is 1:1, and they have different nurses for L&D and postpartum care. They even have L&D nurses that specialize in different things -- some of them are strictly C/S, others are trained in natural pain management techniques like Bradley and Hypnobabies, and when you go into labor they pair you up with a L&D nurse that most closely fits your birth plan.
If you're interested in laboring naturally, they also have implements available such as birth bars, birth balls, and a water labor tub, and they have a standard procedure for natural moms that includes heplock, being allowed to eat and drink clear liquids, spontaneous pushing and the option of pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions.
They also have LCs on staff and try to establish BFing within the first hour PP.
ETA: TomKat -- It's supposed to open in 2012 but the nurse educator at the hospital tour mentioned that they could be moved in as early as November of this year.

This is great info, thanks!! I haven't done my childbirth class or tour yet, so I had no idea about how everything works here. Of course they will move in in November... I'm due October 28th. lol Maybe they'll get in sooner. I'd love to test out the new facilities.

Lydia mentioned that they offer birthing tubs, which I was so excited about as I love the water and have read countless stories of how much easier a water birth is. If I could avoid an epidural, then great... I'm not against them, but if a water birth let me go natural then awesome. Talked about it with my OB and she said that they don't let first-timers deliver in the water. I could labor in it, but would have to get out to deliver. Not sure it's worth it at that point, since I would want the epidural for delivery and you obviously can't have one when in the water. I was really bummed about that, although I know it makes sense for them legally.

Iove.wins · August 2011

Sunshine05:
Iove.wins:
My OB practice is at Brookwood and hopefully I'll be delivering there sooner than later!
I have nothing but happy things to say about it. They're working on baby first certification, so a lot of their L&D practices are up to date with current research re: early bonding, healthy mom/healthy baby, breastfeeding, etc. The nurse/patient ratio in L&D is 1:1, and they have different nurses for L&D and postpartum care. They even have L&D nurses that specialize in different things -- some of them are strictly C/S, others are trained in natural pain management techniques like Bradley and Hypnobabies, and when you go into labor they pair you up with a L&D nurse that most closely fits your birth plan.
If you're interested in laboring naturally, they also have implements available such as birth bars, birth balls, and a water labor tub, and they have a standard procedure for natural moms that includes heplock, being allowed to eat and drink clear liquids, spontaneous pushing and the option of pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions.
They also have LCs on staff and try to establish BFing within the first hour PP.
ETA: TomKat -- It's supposed to open in 2012 but the nurse educator at the hospital tour mentioned that they could be moved in as early as November of this year.
Lydia mentioned that they offer birthing tubs, which I was so excited about as I love the water and have read countless stories of how much easier a water birth is. If I could avoid an epidural, then great... I'm not against them, but if a water birth let me go natural then awesome. Talked about it with my OB and she said that they don't let first-timers deliver in the water. I could labor in it, but would have to get out to deliver. Not sure it's worth it at that point, since I would want the epidural for delivery and you obviously can't have one when in the water. I was really bummed about that, although I know it makes sense for them legally.

Actually, I was bummed at first about not being able to deliver in the water, but after I thought about it I think I would rather deliver in bed since the OBs are supportive of upright/gravity neutral positions. Plus, when I was going over the consent form with the nurse (there's a form, btw), she mentioned that it's easier for them to protect the perineum in bed than in the water. Since I'm trying to avoid a tear/episiotomy at all costs, that's all I needed to hear :-)

If you do water labor, you CAN get an epi. You just have to get out after you get it! I do remember them telling us at the unmedicated delivery class that you can't get an epi after you reach a certain point because they want you to be able to feel to push, I think when you reach transition. I don't know if that would affect your decision to labor in the tub or not.

(PS- I FREAKIING PPH Dr. Campbell I was so bitter when I didn't go into labor last weekend because she was on call Friday - Sunday!)

Sunshine05 · August 2011

Iove.wins:
Actually, I was bummed at first about not being able to deliver in the water, but after I thought about it I think I would rather deliver in bed since the OBs are supportive of upright/gravity neutral positions. Plus, when I was going over the consent form with the nurse (there's a form, btw), she mentioned that it's easier for them to protect the perineum in bed than in the water. Since I'm trying to avoid a tear/episiotomy at all costs, that's all I needed to hear :-)
If you do water labor, you CAN get an epi. You just have to get out after you get it! I do remember them telling us at the unmedicated delivery class that you can't get an epi after you reach a certain point because they want you to be able to feel to push, I think when you reach transition. I don't know if that would affect your decision to labor in the tub or not.
(PS- I FREAKIING PPH Dr. Campbell I was so bitter when I didn't go into labor last weekend because she was on call Friday - Sunday!)

She did say I could labor in the tub and get out when it was time to get the epidural, but there is a risk of waiting too long and missing your timeframe to get it and also a risk of infection since they just use tap water in the tub. She made it out like it's a big pain to get the tub ready, so I just don't know if I see enough of a reason to use it anymore. I was really hoping it would allow me to go fully unmedicated, but if I have to deliver out of the tub then I definitely want an epi! I hear you on the episiotomy/tearing... it has been my greatest fear for years!! Anything to avoid that. Indifferent I need to call and set up our classes... been so busy it's been on the backburner for weeks now!

Aww, I didn't even see your ticker... overdue, you poor thing! Hope that baby makes their move soon! I PPH Dr. Campbell as well... she's been my main doc, I've seen her 3 or 4 times so far. I haven't seen Adcock or Ross yet, but I've heard good things about them. Radbill was in and out in about 30 seconds, so I didn't get a very good impression of him. McKenzie was amazing, very thorough and talkative! Hopefully you'll get a good doc on call. Good luck! Make sure to update when you get a chance!

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