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Abbott Northwestern Questions

LaciferLacifer
in Minnesota Babies

Hello- I'm hoping some of you can help me with making a decision about where to have my delivery. I'm having my prenatal care with HealthPartners and am curious whether Abbott Northwestern will be a good place for me.

The reviews I've seen on the Bump indicate that Abbott's the best place to deliver if you're high risk, have multiples or an early delivery.  However in my case, as long as I remain normal/low risk thoughout pregnancy I am planning for a natural birth.

My questions:

*Has anyone delivered at Abbott without medical intervention (no induction/pain med)?  

*Was your choice for a natural childbirth respected by the medical staff?

*Did you use a Midwife or Doula? If so, do you have recommendations?

Thank you for any responses, much appreciated!

 

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Re: Abbott Northwestern Questions

  • roxaneroxane

    I delivered my son at Abbott, and I had the same questions about being low risk. I was very happy with my experience. Everyone was so calm the whole time. I plan to deliver our next baby there. I can't say anything about their respect for no medical interventions, because my labor was super short. I did decide to have an epi at the last minute, but that was 100% my decision.  (Unlike my experience at Methodist where the Nurse pushed it like she was on commission)

    I had a Health Partners midwife for my prenatal, and I didn't like her very much. I'm trying a new one this time around.  But I LOVED the MW who delivered. You just get whichever MW is there when you deliver. I'm praying it isn't the one I don't like.

    Mom to little frog 8/07, Lucky Duck 5/10, & Little Lion 4/12
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  • LaciferLacifer
    This is very helpful, thank you!
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  • ilovebijouilovebijou member
    My friend delivered at Abbott in July. They had an Ob and she had an epidural but they also used Jessie Weber as a doula for their birth. They liked their doula. They were happy with their experience (it was their first) but after visiting her I guess I probably wouldn't have wanted to deliver there. The rooms are very small and you deliver in one room and then are moved to another room after delivery. She had gestational diabetes so her son had low blood sugar when he was born. He had to be in the special care nursery which is on a different floor than where she delivered. The elevator was broken so she had to walk up the stairs to go and see him/breast feed!! It didn't seem like she got much support with breastfeeding. They also didn't show her how to bath her son and told her they could give her a video to watch. Her son was in the special care nursery right up until he was discharged because he was getting his blood sugar regulated and they had her discharged at 9pm at night. I think they were full and that's why they couldn't stay another night. I delivered at St. Johns and compared to my experience there it just seemed like a very medical, sterile not cozy environment. They definitely are the best if you are high risk but if I didn't have any issues I'd probably choose to deliver somewhere else. Good luck!

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  • ilovebijouilovebijou member

    imageilovebijou:
    My friend delivered at Abbott in July. They had an Ob and she had an epidural but they also used Jessie Weber as a doula for their birth. They liked their doula. They were happy with their experience (it was their first) but after visiting her I guess I probably wouldn't have wanted to deliver there. The rooms are very small and you deliver in one room and then are moved to another room after delivery. She had gestational diabetes so her son had low blood sugar when he was born. He had to be in the special care nursery which is on a different floor than where she delivered. The elevator was broken so she had to walk up the stairs to go and see him/breast feed!! It didn't seem like she got much support with breastfeeding. They also didn't show her how to bath her son and told her they could give her a video to watch. Her son was in the special care nursery right up until he was discharged because he was getting his blood sugar regulated and they had her discharged at 9pm at night. I think they were full and that's why they couldn't stay another night. I delivered at St. Johns and compared to my experience there it just seemed like a very medical, sterile not cozy environment. They definitely are the best if you are high risk but if I didn't have any issues I'd probably choose to deliver somewhere else. Good luck!

    ETA: I'm using the Generations Womens Health midwives in Shoreview for my second pregnancy. I used them for my 1st child too and they were awesome. They are very open to non-medical intervention and only 25% of their patients have an epidural and they have one of the lowest c-section rates. They are also open to you using a doula in additon to the midwife. I delivered at St. Johns but they also deliver at St. Joes.


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  • howa0155howa0155 member

    I delivered at Abbot for both kids.  With my first I was young and dumb so didn't really know the difference - but I do now.

    First, it is a fine hospital for delivery.  The nurses are great and the facilities are fine.  Everyone was very respectful of what you want and even asked if I had a birth plan. 

    Now, after the baby is where I was not as happy. 

    The nurses say they will do this and that, but never get around to it unless you push them.  They say they support bfing, but did not get me a lc until I was ready to be discharged. 

    I was hooked up to a fricking cathedar and nearly needed a transfusion for all my blood loss and got bitched out (yes, actually bitched out) for not getting up enough.  My doc set her straight. 

    So I would go elsewhere simply due to the care after L&D.

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  • katejane66katejane66 member
    Just wanted to say that I have had one child at Abbott. I felt like the nurses were all excellent and when they found out I had a history that might make  BF difficult they got on it right away and I had a LC within hours.
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  • LizmoengenLizmoengen

    I delivered my son at Abbott with out intervention or pain medication. I chose to have a birth with out pain medications. I was open to my plan changing based on the health of my baby.

    I delivered with Women?s Health Consultant which I would highly recommend. It is very important to go to an Ob or midwife that you trust because you are intrusting them to make the best decision for you and your baby.

    The nurses are wonderful, but I would recommend letting who ever is with you know your birth plan. The nurses are great but that doesn?t mean they are not going to ask you if you want pain medication because that is there job.

     

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  • absent*mindedabsent*minded


    I was high-risk.

    *Has anyone delivered at Abbott without medical intervention (no induction/pain med)?  I did end up having one dose of Fentanyl but that was my choice (asked for it). I did not have an epidural and delivered many hours after I had the Fentanyl. I did receive Pitocin to move my labor along after I had stalled for a number of hours at 6cm and was not progressing at all. This was considered an augmentation, not an induction as labor was already in full force.

    *Was your choice for a natural childbirth respected by the medical staff? Yes, it was, completely. I was surprised by this! I loved all of my nurses.

    *Did you use a Midwife or Doula? Yes, I used a doula. I didn't use a midwife as I was high-risk and had to transfer to a perinatology practice.


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