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WWYP: Alta Bates vs. John Muir?

chillycoochillycoo
in Northern California Babies

WWYP: which would you pick?

Since my work changed health insurance (they dropped kaiser b/c they raised their rates), I have to shop for a new hospital and OBGYN and I'm being whiny and neurotic about this whole process b/c I was completely fine and happy with kaiser.

I talked to Maria and she RAVES about John Muir so I thought I'll just go there but it's also a 25 min. drive from our house (this includes going thru the Caldecott tunnel). Then there's Alta Bates in Berkeley which I have another friend who likes it fine there. It's closer for us to go with Alta Bates but I keep hearing great things about John Muir and how nice it is.

If you seen both hospitals, which did u pick or which would u pick?

 

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Re: WWYP: Alta Bates vs. John Muir?

  • qtqiqiqtqiqi member

    I don't have any experience with John Muir, but loved my experience at Alta Bates and wanted to mention that we were very glad that the hospital is very close to our home. Robert was 5 weeks early and needed to stay at the NICU for 9 days, (of course no one plans to have this baby that early, but that fact that we were so close to the hospital made it so much more tolerable). We did the milk express/delivery sometimes twice a night, and being close is invaluable.

    Congrats!!

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  • Meg_MegMeg_Meg
    I've heard wonderful things about Alta Bates.  And when I've gone to visit friends I've always encountered nice nurses and large recovery rooms.  (Private, not shared.)

    That said, I'm delivering at John Muir
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  • green*eyesgreen*eyes
    I had a great experience at Alta Bates and would recommend it.  Some of the recovery rooms CAN be shared if there are a lot of deliveries, but we lucked out and got a double room with no one else in it (so DH got his own bed!)
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  • eastbaygirleastbaygirl

    I've had several friends deliver at Alta Bates are really raved about it.  I delivered at John Muir and had a really wonderful experience as well.

    So...I guess that's not really helpful.  If it were me, I'd look at where you'd get a private room and for me personally, I'd pick the closer hospital if they were all equal.  In all likeliness you won't need to get there super fast, but I wasn't in the mood for any car ride when I was in labor.

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  • AudreyEBAudreyEB

    I can't speak to John Muir's labor/delivery, but in general it has a really good rep.

    I've had several friends deliver at Alta Bates and have heard only good things. They have a few spa rooms, etc. That's where I'll be going. It's much closer to where I live, so I didn't really consider JM.

    p.s. I feel your pain on the employer insurance change...it's hard to switch everything!

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