Would/will you give birth in a hospital w/ no NICU?

Sahara6971 · September 2014

I had my first two babies via c-section at one of the two hospitals my doctor delivers at. It is a beautiful birthing center and is 5 minutes from my house. I never thought twice about it back then. I now have a friend who is a labor and delivery nurse. She said there is NO WAY she would consider giving birth at a hospital with no NICU. What would/will you mamas do (assuming you and baby are not considered high risk in any way)?

smg2302 · September 2014

I have birth to DD at a hospital with no NiCu. It was the regional sister hospital to the big women's hospital that was only 5 miles away. If anything happened they could rapidly transport her.

Sahara6971 · September 2014

smg2302 said:

I have birth to DD at a hospital with no NiCu. It was the regional sister hospital to the big women's hospital that was only 5 miles away. If anything happened they could rapidly transport her.

This is what I was thinking too. We have an AMAZING children's hospital here. I know it isn't ideal to transport but it is done all of the time. I think if something went wrong, that is where I would want him/her to be.

krysmill · September 2014

The hospital I'm delivering is has one. If you loved the hospital that you delivered at then I'd say go to that one again if your comfortable with it. Just do your research and find out what your best options are.

AngieAn · September 2014

I did for my first. I was a medium size hospital that was 1 minute away from my house. I was happy with it at the time and I had no problems. I was however not doing that with my second. ( they didn't do epidurals there either) When we moved we then chose to go to the bigger hospital ( only 35 min. away now) cause of the epidurals. It was a good thing also cause there was some complications and the NICU team was sent down.

chickyclg · September 2014

Nope! But I am having twins and expect a possible early arrival, I made sure the hospital had a level 3 NICU

Sahara6971 · September 2014

ChickenOnSunday said:

Also your friend is a labor and delivery nurse. She has seen wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to much and that is what is forming her opinion.

yep, what I was thinking.
:-bd

thegoodpotato · September 2014

Yep. I had my first baby in a very rural town in the Rockies in BC. We did have a major hospital, because even at 18,000 people, we were the regional economic centre of the area. Our L&D ward had 4 large and beautiful rooms, and the birth rate was such that nobody ever had to share a room.

If there was something wrong with the baby that was detected by ultrasound, that the hospital couldn't handle, then they had to give birth in Calgary. If there was something that was wrong at birth, they would be airlifted to Calgary to go to one of the hospitals with at NICU there.

I am pretty relaxed about this whole thing, though (I've never had terrible complications other than for myself during birth, so I have the luxury to be relaxed about it).

acpruchnik · September 2014

DH and I were just debating about this a few days ago. He works at a hospital and is insisting I deliver there and they have what DH called a level 2 nursery (is that the same as a level 2 NICU?) and I'd rather deliver at a different hospital that's 10 minutes away from his because a girlfriend of mine that delivered there told me they wouldn't have to transport my little guy if something went wrong. I'm touring both of them next week to humor DH but I'm going to push to deliver at the other one if it has a better NICU option, especially since I'm high risk.

rosieo52 · September 2014

I'm with Sugah. Very nice new hospital 5 min from home and is practically in the same parking lot as the office I work at. But I will drive the extra 20 min to the hospital with the NICU because of not wanting to be separated from baby if something did happen. Now living in Iowa and possibly having a baby in the middle of snow storm and having to drive that far scares me, but my BIL offer his 4 wheel drive SUV!

Irishcurls · September 2014

I won't be, my hospital (closest AND where my practice delivers) has a level 3 NICU but I would only consider this a make-or-break if I were high risk or something came up as my pregnancy progressed. Definitely not something that swayed my decision at this time.

Sahara6971 · September 2014

sugahcookie01 said:

I will not.

We have a nice hospital 10 minutes from home. But there is no NICU. If your baby needs NICU services, they airlift the newborn to a different hospital while YOU STAY PUT and wait for release. Nope.

Instead we'll drive 30 minutes to a hospital with one of the top NICUs in the state.

This is the only reason I am torn...

weansworld09 · September 2014

Absolutely. DH works at the pediatric hospital connected to the adult side where I will deliver. Both of us have seen way too much working with NICU babies. I understand they could always be transferred, but this was a non-negotiable when choosing an OB for both of us.

schnitz9 · September 2014

Hopefully we won't need it but I'm delivering in a hospital with a level IV NICU. Its the only one in the entire region. It just so happens that my practice delivers there. Didn't pick it. However, I do feel a bit more comfortable knowing it is available to me. I'm the kinda person that always prepares for the worst when I really don't have to.

mamabisme · September 2014

My second was delivered at a hospital with no nicu. I live in a smallish town that only has one hospital. At the time, the hospital had no nicu. I was not high risk. Had I been high risk (or had and problems with baby been discovered during my pregnancy) I would have been referred to a doctor at the hospital in the nearest city (about an hour away). Also, had I gone in to labor prior to 35 weeks (if the hospital was unable to stop labor) I would have been transferred to the other hospital. I honestly thought nothing of it at the time but the local hospital has since added a nicu and it is reassuring to know that if anything were to go wrong they are equipped to deal with it.

We were living in the city at the time my first was born so she was actually delivered at that other hospital (with the nicu). I hated it! Everything about my stay there was terrible. I am so thankful I will never have to go there again! My local hospital is BY FAR the better hospital (even before the addition of the nicu).

jennjilljo · September 2014

I highly prefer it but would not rule a hospital out for not having a NICU. Luckily, I don't have to make that choice. I live 5 miles from an amazing hospital with an awesome NICU. I was won over by the hospital policy before I consisted the NICU.

lilybug319 · September 2014

I am hoping no complications arise but there are 3 women's hospitals within 5 minutes of each other that all have a NICU somewhere inside so I don't really even get a choice. Not that it's a bad thing! The one I like best has theirs on the floor right above the recovery suites so if anything should happen I can just walk upstairs.

DD has been to the NICU so many times and I never leave her side for days. I couldn't imagine doing that with my newborn too.

mommy510 · September 2014

As long as your previous deliveries went well and your babies didn't need to be in the NICU, and as long as you aren't high risk, I would think that it would be fine. As PP said, you can always be transported if there is an emergency.
Just curious though, how far away would the nearest hospital with a NICU be?

WanderingA · September 2014

I'm delivering at an independent birth center and did so with DD so no NICU for me. The birth center is right across the street from a hospital with a NICU though so if the babe needed to be transferred it could happen immediately. My midwives are very thorough however and I trust that they and/or the A/S would identify any life-threatening medical issue with the baby and, if needed, I would be transferred to a hospital prior to the birth.

CatLadyTX · September 2014

The hospital I delivered DS at has a level II NICU. If there is cause for concern above that point, they transport about 50 miles to TX Children's. DS was actually admitted to TXCH NICU when he was 9 days old, and after briefly having him in the NICU at his birth hospital (for something unrelated to his later admission) I feel comfortable with #2 having the same options available.

cinderella4282 · September 2014

It wouldn't bother me. Most people don't need a NICU - and I imagine your hospital/birthing center would have a relationship or process in case a baby needed a NICU.

If you are comfortable there, then I would do it.

My hospital that didn't have a NICU was cozy and near my home - the hospital I had to go to when they thought I had to deliver at 34 weeks was locked down with security and was a bit institutional.

Just my thoughts though. You have to do what puts your mind at ease.

Disneygeek77 · September 2014

I wouldn't but I also had to be separated from my baby while there were in the NICU.

I talked to other moms in the NICU and there were many that had completely healthy pregnancies but something happened and they were separated.

Sahara6971 · September 2014

mommy510 said:

As long as your previous deliveries went well and your babies didn't need to be in the NICU, and as long as you aren't high risk, I would think that it would be fine. As PP said, you can always be transported if there is an emergency.
Just curious though, how far away would the nearest hospital with a NICU be?

The other hospital I could deliver at is about 30 minutes (w/ no traffic). It is downtown so with traffic it could be much worse. The birthing center in nowhere near as nice and the NICU is level III. Children's Hospital has 2 NICUs (level III and level IV) and is also about 30 minutes away. I know a 30ish minute drive is not bad. However, I have 2 kids in school so it would be nice for my husband to be close. He also has a landscaping/snow plowing business to run so if there is a blizzard, it would be easier for him to be close. Traffic and a snow storm could make the drive to the other hospital easily 1.5 hours. Much to consider I guess!

srcr2011 · September 2014

Nope!! No way. I was not high risk with DS. I had a perfect text book pregnancy...until my water broke at the hospital. It was so green and dirty. It's not completely uncommon for babies to pass meconium in utero. Mine did and it was soooo much. The doctors were very concerned and had a pedi in the delivery room for him. They took him immediately and suctioned him. I was so scared he would have developed MAS, he didn't, thank God, but that scared me enough to be thankful there was a NICU.

mmariel · September 2014

Unless something shows up on the anatomy scan and baby doesnt come too early I am not worried about having a NICU at the hospital.

Dani_Love · September 2014

I chose a hospital a little farther away but had a level 3 nicu over a super close one with a level 1. I felt better knowing if my baby needed anything they could cover it there instead of moving her.

ksgsmu · September 2014

No way... but I am having twins so no NICU isn't even an option... I will only deliver at a level 3 NICU hospital!

aetg · September 2014

Well, I'm not giving birth in a hospital, but in a birth center with midwives. However, if there is a problem and baby has to be transported I will be able to leave as they won't keep me there. So there's that. I can't imagine being stuck in the hospital and having my baby in a completely different place.

starrynight1658 · September 2014

I did last time, and I will again with this one, as long as there are no concerns at our a/s. The nearest NICU is 30 minutes away, and that's a distance that I'm comfortable with.

foxslaw · September 2014

I'm a FTM so absolutely doing the hospital/NICU thing. Depending on my experience, I want to do a home birth the next time.

lizjennings81 · September 2014

Nope. My hospital has a Level 3 NICU. There's also a Level 4 NICU a stone's throw away.

Your nurse friend's experience definitely influences her. I hadn't given it much thought until I was doing research on fetal and transitional medicine. I'm not high risk (beyond being old), but I'm happy to be surrounded by NICUs after that reading and writing.

DBride2006 · September 2014

Our closest hospital is 25 minutes from our house. The closest with a NICU is over an hour.

I was "high risk" only by being a well-controlled gestational diabetic with both of my boys. I plan to deliver at our local hospital again unless something in this pregnancy indicates the baby is at-risk.

Quite frankly, I'm more concerned about getting to the hospital in time with my third than the risk of needing a NICU. But I have two safe, healthy deliveries under my belt to base that off...

HailsMom · September 2014

Absolutely NOT! In fact we are slightly closer to a smaller hospital that has a bit nicer of a L&D unit, but there is no specialty nursery or NICU. We are instead going to another hospital that is about 5-15 minutes farther away because they have a NICU.

Having worked on the NICU transport team for Hopkins/University of Maryland, I wouldn't dream of taking the chance. Yeah, if the baby needs NICU it can be transported, but you are putting a tiny baby that is already sick, in the back of a box with 1 nurse, 1 paramedic, and 1 doctor. Limited space and equipment, not to mention the risk of them driving through the streets to get to the higher level hospital. And if the baby is sick enough to need them to go lights and sirens - that just increases the risk.

Also like @sugahcookie01 said, I wouldn't want my baby to be taken to a different hospital than I am at. Depending on the situation, I might not be able to be transported with baby if I am also having complications.

turnow · September 2014

The only hospital within an hour in a half of me in all directions doesn't have a NICU. SO it's not much of an option for me. However, I do live in rural oregon, so if I had the option I might reconsider. But if there are no foreseen complications deliver where you feel comfortable.

Mrs. Zee · September 2014

The hospital my ob delivers at has a level III NICU. It is about 30-40 minutes from my house but so are the other two hospitals with level III NICU's.

krispy83 · September 2014

I would not. I was not high risk with DS and had a textbook, uncomplicated pregnancy until my water broke at 36w. They had a NICU team in the delivery room just in case. Luckily he was completely fine apart from being on the small side. But the idea of not having a NICU available if needed and possibly having my baby transported to a different hospital while I'm stuck in the other one.. no way. Given that DS was early, I am well aware that it's a strong possibility that this baby will be early too. I chose a hospital that has a Level 2 NICU. There is also a hospital with a Level 3 NICU close by that I can switch to if my OB is concerned (both my OB and pedi will travel there).

kefttsc · September 2014

I've been given a "deadline" as to which hospital I have to go to. If I go before 34 weeks (twins) then I have to go to the large downtown hospital with a NICU. If I'm past 34. I can go to the awesome birthing center that has only a special care unit.

GWhizzers · September 2014

Lurking from April '15

If you have a choice, I would recommend choosing the one with the NICU, mainly for the separation issue mentioned earlier. Our first was in the NICU for 2 weeks; thankfully, since I gave birth in that hospital, the hospital actually allowed me to stay overnight in my room (for free!!) as long as they didn't need it. Although it sucked to live in a hospital for 2 weeks, it was SO nice and such a blessing to be able to go down 1 floor to see her, breastfeed every time she was hungry, hold her, etc. at all times instead of having to drive 20+ minutes. Heaven forbid you actually need one, you will want to be with your LO instead of separated.

mrsherr22 · September 2014

My OB's office recently changed their hospital rights to only one hospital which has no NICU whatsoever. My choices were to continue with her and risk having the babies be sent via neonatal transport and me be stuck at a separate hospital until I'm discharged or transfer OB's and deliver at the hospital that has a NICU. Since I'm considered high risk with twins there was no other option in my opinion. That's just my situation of course pregnancy/delivery is very different from each person. Even babies born at 38-40 weeks sometimes need NICU care even if it's only for a few hours to a few days it's just nice to have the security in case it's needed especially when minutes and seconds matter when it comes to infants needing special care. Good luck in your decision.

KMommytobe · September 2014

I personally wouldn't. DS1 was born prematurely (33w5d) and was immediately brought to the NICU after birth where he spent 3 weeks.

DS2 was born at 37w1d and while was technically "term" had some breathing issues and needed to spend a little time in the NICU.

To me the most important thing is the safety of my baby and myself. I wouldn't want either of us needing to be transported anywhere in an emergency. I want all the care we could possibly need right where I am delivering. That's just me though.

kimmykaye · September 2014

Given my history of preemies, I would not deliver at a hospital without a NICU. I probably would not have given it a thought before having children. Now I feel it's better to be on the safe side in case something bad were to happen to the baby during delivery.

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