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Need Help With Selecting A Hospital for Delivery

2JEL2JEL member
in Los Angeles Babies
Hi All,  just got my BFP a few days ago and could not be more thrilled, but am curious as to how one selects a hospital here in LA.  Geographically, I'm closest to Santa Monica, but my main OB practices out of Cedars, which all my friends have raved about-- I'm just worried about driving that far during an emergency if it happened at rush hour.  I don't know much about St. Johns or Santa Monica's wing of the UCLA hospital or if there are good OB recommendations there.  I'm also open to the main UCLA hospital, where I've had a good experience (for non-maternity issues)-- but I would like a private room and don't know how to find out if that is possible/likely.  If relevant, my mom labored with me for 70 hours before they did an emergency c-section (2 weeks overdue at nearly 10lbs), so I am expecting a bumpy ride and want to be somewhere I'll be comfortable and with access to ICU/NICU if necessary.

Since I'll be due in December I'm worried that many doctors won't want to be on call around the holidays.  I would appreciate any advice/opinions/suggestions as to how to proceed.


"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 
2 Corinthians 12:9

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Re: Need Help With Selecting A Hospital for Delivery

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    slipkaseslipkase member
    I agree with @reverey -- I'd stick with your OB if you really like them. Unless you're really really lucky (and by lucky, I mean a really fast labor and delivery), you'll get to Cedars in plenty of time, no matter how bad traffic is. I have a friend that delivered at Cedars in February and they live in Manhattan Beach. She labored at home for almost 12 hours before even heading to the hospital (in the rain!). I wouldn't worry at all about the commute.
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    Navy_RedheadNavy_Redhead member
    Wouldn't do Cedars myself because of personal issues with them. They had some horrible practices in the past that ended up killing a friend of mine.

    I'm a disabled vet, and during my pregnancy, I ended up having to be hospitalized due to illness at UCLA medical center, after being transferred there by the West LA VA. I was very, very impressed by their maternity staff. They took excellent care of me. I did not have my baby there, but if something had happened because of my illness and my daughter was born premature, I am confident that the doctors and nurses there would have done everything in their power to give us the best care. I can't say the same for Cedars, personally.
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    carissalicarissali member
    Is this your first child?  If so, I would not worry about traffic since it usually takes a while for your first child.  I highly doubt traffic will cause you to not make it to the hospital with your first.

    I think you can take two routes -- 1) if you like your current OB and would prefer to stick with him/her, then I'd go with whichever hospital he/she practices at.  2) if you think the hospital experience itself is more important, I would do some hospital tours and find out which one you like, then choose an OB based on that.
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    2JEL2JEL member
    Thanks all.  It will be my first and my mom was in labor for nearly 3 days with me before they did an emergency-C, so I suspect the 30-60m it takes to get to the hospital will be OK. We ended up visiting a friend in the area yesterday and it took about 45m travelling by side streets, so I think it'll be OK.


    "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 
    2 Corinthians 12:9

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