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Preemies
Choosing a hospital
I checked in on the pregnant with prior preemie thread but I will repost here. DS born at 36 weeks due to severe IUGR. Now pregnant with LO (team green again) facing IUGR again. Also facing heart block due to newly diagnosed Sjogrens. LO will come early if heart block. How early depends on how he/she does. We are praying to make it to term but I'm already contracting so we shall see. I've already been on bed rest for it and in hoping to avoid any more. I was on bed rest from 25-36 weeks with DS.
So I'm planning for the first. With DS I lived in central Phoenix and my doctor delivered at the hospital where I worked which had a level three nursery. I never worried about anything. With thus LO we live in the west valley now and have a new ob. He delivers at a hospital with a 2EQ nursery and one with a level three. The 2EQ doesn't do don't procedures so if LO us born with heart block, he/she will have to be transferred out. The nearby level 3 does "some" procedures. I'd think they could place a pacemaker but who knows.
Obviously I'm planning for the worst. Id like to choose my hospital sooner rather than later-- I'm one of those OCD planners. I am afraid of being in a hospital without my baby-- that hospital is literally five minutes from my house. But I don't know if I'll be any better off at the other. I plan on meeting with one of their news to discuss. Otherwise I will but the bullet and just make the long drive downtown.
WWYD? Am I insane for thinking about this now? I don't want to make a decision and plan and then have to change everything because of disaster. I hate that. I just have a lot of fears, which I'm sure you can relate to.
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Re: Choosing a hospital
All of this. I'd tour both but probably pick the highest level possible unless there was a compelling reason not to.
Our precious girl, born at 27 weeks.
Is the level 3 further away from you? How much further? That certainly plays a role, because in the case where you would have to commute back and forth to visit, certainly closer would be better. These are some other questions I would ask at the level 2 if you get a chance:
1. Who would be at the delivery to care for the baby (is there a pedi or neo in house, or would they come in?)
2. What pedi cardiologist would they consult with and where is that person based? (If the baby has heartblock and there's a cardiologist at the level 3, I would definitely deliver there)
Good luck, hoping none of these precautions are needed!
BFP#2 3/16/11, beta 138; 4/12 Baby/HB DS born 9/10/11 at 29w4d due to partial abruption and PTL
BFP#3 8/19/13 Another boy! 17P, modified bedrest and Nifedipine helped us have a termie! DS2 born 4/19/14 at 38w5d.
Thank you for your replies and not telling me I'm overreacting. If you've gone home from a hospital and had to leave your baby there, no matter how briefly, it changes you.
The hospital my ob delivers at, the level three, is about ten minutes away. No big deal. About twice as far as the 2EQ but not far. Once I find out if they have Peds cards there I'll feel better. Both hospitals have neos on staff 24-7.
The level three where DS was born is about 45 minutes away with no traffic. Not as bad as for some people but far enough. I used to work in the L&D there and know all the ob's and neos. I have some bad blood between myself and one of the ob's there, but unless we went there on a Tuesday we'd never see him. That's when he's on call. It's just less convenient to go there.
I wish I had a crystal ball and knew what was going to happen. That'd make this choice easier. In any case, I'm doing some more research on the level three near my house. My friend had her twins and then VBAC'ed there so she'll have some opinions. Thanks!