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columbia children's hospital

idesofmarch2013idesofmarch2013
in New York Babies

Hi all - 

 

I am having twins and am due late February/early March. My doctor is a hi-risk doctor and practices at Columbia at the Morgan Stanley Children's hospital. Does anyone have experience giving birth there? Was it positive?

I read online that most women are in semi-private rooms after they give birth, with one other patient in the room. Supposedly, it's very hard to get a private room, and, I would imagine very expensive. The site said that visitors are kicked out at 10pm, including the fathers. Is this true and enforced? This is my first pregnancy so I don't know what to expect but I keep on thinking that I wouldn't want to be left alone that first night after giving birth. And, if my husband can't stay, I'd at least want my mom with me. I had surgery when I was younger and my mom always stayed with me overnight. Knowing that she or my hubby could stay with me, calms with down...but I'd rather not pay an exorbitant fee for the privacy.

Please share your experiences at Columbia. Or, with the overnight situations elsewhere. Thanks!

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Re: columbia children's hospital

  • maiatenemaiatene member

    I am scheduled to deliver there next month but everything I learned on my multiple visits I love. Columbia Pres is considered a regional hospital ( i think thats the proper term), meaning that if something happens to a mom or baby anywhere in NY, NY, CT they will be sent there for care. There is a NICU next to the birthing rooms so God forbid something happens baby doesn't have to travel far for assistance.

    Regarding the rooms - your birthing room is private mini suite, overlooks a park and your hubby/birth coach can stay with you as long as you're there. Semi-private rooms I believe cannot have overnight guests bc they are shared but if you ask for a private room hubby can stay. Private rooms are as expensive as any other hospital in the city but most insurance doesnt cover the cost so you will pay for that out of pocket. Because of this there is a limited number so I would imagine that is where the difficulty comes from, but if its a situation where there are no semi rooms available they will put you in a private room at no extra cost to you. This is my first child as well and as much as I love my SO I would imagine by 10pm all I would want to do is sleep so him being in the room isnt that much of an issue for me. The nurses I met with are competent and caring and while they arent your hubby they can prob be a nice substitute for those overnight hours. Once I deliver I will post abt my experience but like I said up until now I have been very happy with my level of care and attention so hopefully the birth experience wont deviate from that.

    If you can I would visit the hospital as soon as possible. They have tours all the time and are willing to answer any question you may have. If you arent comfortable you can always deliver somewhere else, but I would imagine that since you are considered high risk you would want to be with your doctor.

    Good Luck =)

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  • idesofmarch2013idesofmarch2013

    Maiatene, thanks for your response!

    I'm not going to deliver somewhere else...I chose my doctor partially because of the hospital. It has a great reputation and having twins I can appreciate that it has a great NICU (which we hopefully won't need!!). Just curious about the whole being alone at night thing.

    Did you take a tour of the hospital? Did it help you? I have this fear of touring the maternity area and hearing women screaming, which would terrify me.  

    Thanks and good luck to you! It must be exciting with the end being near. I'm still in week 21.

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  • JennyfabreJennyfabre
    Is this the hospital located on 165 and broadway. If so I gave birth there to my daughter four years ago. I love it. I wish I can give birth there again next year. I think that hospital is best hospital out there.The doctors and nurses were great. I think you will be very happy.
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  • idesofmarch2013idesofmarch2013

    yup, that's the one!

    glad to hear you had a good experience there. hope your next experience is just as good! 

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  • DancerppfDancerppf member
    I delivered there in June 2012 and I wish I could say I had a good experience but i didn't. My Doctor was great that was about it. When I arrived the intake guy was watching playoff basketball and had me waiting 15 minutes for him to see me. When the nurse too me to triage she checked me at 2cm (but my water had broke). My contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and I told her I needed an epidural. She told me they didn't have any birthing rooms available and that I was a first time mom and I'd be there for awhile. She wouldn't listen, 2 hours later when my husband begged someone to check me again I was 7CM so they rushed me to a birthing room stating they didn't expect me to move along so quickly. Anyways, I requested a private room even though it was $400 extra per day. They told me they would have to place me in a shared room until a private room became available later in the day. Of course no one ever came to move me. I shared a room with a women that had 10 visitors all of which keep walking back and forth to use the bathroom or sanitize their hands. She also had a four year old daughter that was loud and kept startling my newborn. My breastfeeding attempts were disturbed by the walking back and forth of her guest. No one came to fill out my daughter's birth certificate info. I only found out about it because the woman I shared a room with had a typo on hers so they came for a correction. She gave birth 2 hours before me so I should've been notified. My treatment and stay were very poor and I was highly disappointed. So while the facilities by way of the NICU is great, I really expected better rooms and treatment from the staff.
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  • maiatenemaiatene member

    I took a tour on a Saturday when I was abt 10ish weeks with my doctor and I was told 4 women were in labor at the moment but I heard not a peep from anyone. Some women do scream but the screams I believe you are thinking of only happens in movies or on a Baby Story =)

    The tour is what confirmed in my mind that I made the right choice of dr/hospital. I would definitely recommend you tour the hospital so you can see for yourself.

    This is a link from the hospitals website that has a lot of helpful information

    https://nyp.org/pdf/sloane_during_maternity_web.pdf

    I'll be back in a few weeks with my final review ;-)

     

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  • agytayagytay member

    I gave birth there almost 2 years ago, and will be back next year.

    Honestly, the trick in getting a private room is lots of goodies and treats for the staff. We brought them donuts, cookies, cupcakes, you name it. And hours later, poof -- a private room appeared. Every shift, we made sure that there was some food for the new nurses. Needless to say we were well taken care of. I plan to do the same again this round because sharing a room (and more importantly bathroom!) with a stranger after birth is disgusting. It could cost $800/night and I would pay it.

    Oh, and I did have a semi-private room for a few hours and it was a mess. The mother had maybe 2 or 3 kids in there with her early in the morning so there was absolutely no rest for me (she was constantly yelling at her kids, or talking at the phone at crazy hours of the night). I walked in the bathroom, saw the bloodbath that wasn't mine and almost lost it. Seriously, a private room is a must. And no your DH will not be able to stay. There is barely room enough alone for the two mothers (and newborns) let alone, someone else.

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