https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:13:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2417616 Mon, 11 Jan 2016 18:20:49 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2417616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted a hospital with a top-level NICU (obviously you hope you never need it but I wanted it there if necessary). And our hospital did not care if you were pregnant for taking a tour. All you had to do was show up at tour time and you were welcome. </p> <p>Besides that, hospital stats for c-sections and such only means so much. My OB's stats were very different (and better) then the overall stats for the hospital. </p> <p>Or for example, a hospital might have higher stats/section rates because they are the go-to place for high-risk pregnancies. But for a not complicated delivery, they may have better stats than the other hospitals. But the stats aren't broken down in a way that would show you that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2417582 Mon, 11 Jan 2016 17:39:09 +0000 Finfan 2417582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've seen expecting moms ask for recommendations in our local parenting Facebook group. You could ask for OB and hospital recommendations based on what kind of birth you would like even if you are TTC. </p> <p>We have 3 hospitals I could have theoretically delivered at but only one with a high level NICU which was important to me personally even though neither of my kids used it. I found my OB practice through word of mouth (pregnant co-worker and we had just moved to town). Now that we are done having kids, I will switch to a smaller practice closer to my house I think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053782 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 11:38:33 +0000 avivoca 2053782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I chose my practice and hospital based on the type of delivery I wanted. I wanted a non-medicated birth and also wanted to be with a practice that offered CNM. The hospital I delivered at did not have a top-level NICU, but the children's hospital for my area was about three miles away and in the city I lived in (I delivered at a small community hospital just across the river). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053752 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 11:19:48 +0000 nanilani 2053752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: That's generally the route I'm trying to take. Did you rely completely on personal references to get a feel for the three different hospitals? None of my friends who have delivered in this area have had much to say about their experiences, positive or negative. I also don't know if it's fair to compare say someone's planned c-section against what a typical vaginal delivery might be like. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053747 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 11:14:51 +0000 nanilani 2053747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@espion: I have great insurance so all the hospitals are in-network for me. It almost makes me wish I had fewer options to guide me into a more obvious decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053743 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 11:13:34 +0000 nanilani 2053743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@megangeriemama @cole: I haven't contacted all of the hospitals yet, but I know at least one of them only gives L&amp;D tours after you're pregnant and preferably far along. Instead I'm referred to a virtual tour on their website (aka a video that looks like it was taken on an iphone). It doesn't give me a good view of what it's like one way or the other and it's not at all professional looking, which doesn't jive with their overall reviews elsewhere. I always assumed I would go there because of its location, but with so many hospitals in my area I'm starting to second guess such a glib decision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053205 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 22:13:01 +0000 Espion 2053205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found both my OBs via word of mouth. As another thing to consider, make sure the physician and hospital is within your insurance network. There are two main hospital systems in my city, and only one of them is "preferred" with my insurance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053162 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 21:25:36 +0000 Cole 2053162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you called to see of you can do a tour at the hospitals? All three we considered didn't care at all if I was pregnant or not. Two of them had you call L&amp;D directly to set up a time and you talked to one of the nurses to do that, you might be able to ask them who they recommend, they would certainly have the inside scoop! The practice I wound up using had a meet the midwives night which was really helpful, it might be worth calling a few practices to see if they offer something similar. </p> <p>When I was trying to decide I went at it from both sides, I checked out a few hospitals and set up visits with a few practices all at once. I ended up going with a practice that is fifty minutes from home and a hospital that is thirty five minutes away, the ones closer weren't the right fit and I am glad I expanded my search<br /> Good luck in your search! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053012 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:50:36 +0000 Anya 2053012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I picked the hospital first too when I was unhappy with my previous practice and looking to switch. There were 3 I originally considered near me, one I eliminated because their maternity ward just didn't seem as up to par and I only knew of one person who ever delivered there, and of the other two one came up more often when I was looking for recommendations and it has the added distinction of being a "baby friendly" hospital because they specifically encourage breastfeeding, skin to skin etc. Most of the endorsements actually came from my husband's coworkers or their spouses when he started asking around. From there I looked into practices that delivered at my preferred hospital and landed on one with a full staff of midwives and OBs (as opposed to most practices that had all OBs and maybe one midwife). I love it this way because I can see the midwives for my currently low-risk pregnancy, but when I had a complication that required surgery I was cared for by the OBs within the same practice. While you may not be looking for midwives specifically, my recommendation is to try to find a practice that is staffed to handle both low and high risks so that whatever happens you are covered. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2053005 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:45:47 +0000 AprilK 2053005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would ask about the policies regarding when a baby has a nicu stay and what their Nicu rates are. The hospital where I had my first, I think they were way too liberal will their use of the nicu (unnecessarily so). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052974 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:19:47 +0000 blackbird 2052974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The hospitals here list their affiliated physicians. So that could help you narrow down the list </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052968 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:16:57 +0000 nanilani 2052968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@belugabean @ms.badger: Thanks, I'll have to take a deeper look at city-data and U.S. News. Most of the hospital reviews I've seen so far aren't based on L&amp;D experience, and I wasn't sure exactly what else to look for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052962 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:11:25 +0000 MenagerieMama 2052962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would ask about NICU level available and take an L&amp;D tour to get a feel for the place! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052958 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:08:44 +0000 PurplePeony 2052958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I picked my care provider (a hospital-based midwife group) and delivered at the hospital they work out of. Honestly, the hospital's overall stats and policies didn't really factor into my decision because the MW group's stats are very different than the overall hospital stats. But I ended up being very happy with the facility. The hospital has "all-in-one" maternity rooms so you labor, deliver, and recover in the same room (unless you need a C-section, there are ORs at each end of the childbirth center). And most of the rooms have jacuzzi tubs, though there are a couple rooms that have shared tubs (not shared at the same time, obviously!). So I really felt like I got lucky with that, but I would have gone to a different hospital if that's where my MWs were. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052957 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:07:09 +0000 nanilani 2052957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lulu mom: I'm planning on talking to different practices as well, but I don't want to completely disregard the hospital experience when making my OB/GYN decision. I can't interview hospitals the same way I can doctors. I'm not trying to pick a hospital first so much as do research relevant to my ultimate decision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052863 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:09:21 +0000 Foodnerd81 2052863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I switched practices while ttc- I was due for my annual so I figured may as well switch (my gyn didn't do OB anyway). I knew I wanted to go with a midwife practice in a hospital anyway so I found just that. If not for knowing I wanted a med free, midwife birth, I probably would have just gone with whatever one I heard most about. </p> <p>I have convinced at least two friends to deliver at my hospital though- it was great, not just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052852 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:03:03 +0000 LuLu Mom 2052852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess why is the hospital more important (choosing first) than the doctor? I personally want to have a stronger relationship/connection with my doctor than the hospital I deliver. I will say my doc will deliver at either hospital (2 close to us) but strongly prefers one. Luckily it's the one I wanted to go too so it worked out, but I like her so much I would have went to the other hospital if she had a strong reason for it that made sense to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052849 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:01:56 +0000 Ms.Badger 2052849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One thing I would strongly consider is what level NICU the hospital has (hopefully you never have to use it, but I'd feel better knowing that most problems could be handled by the hospital where the baby is born).</p> <p>You could also look at hospital rankings for neonatology departments, surgical departments, etc. You could also look at some of the catagories US News and World report uses in hospital rankings, see which are important to you and look to see rates at your local hospitals (Important to me would be stats related in infections, nursing education and ratio, maybe available specialists and technology in house) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052845 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:00:33 +0000 BelugaBean 2052845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I moved across the country at 38 weeks pregnant and had to find a new hospital and doctor. I searched a lot for info on the hospitals (look at things like city-data) and had to rely on pictures and stats in addition to that. I picked the hospital I thought best suited what I wanted (I wanted a more natural birth although still in a hospital). Then I looked at which doctors delivered there and picked the one that seemed the best. It worked out although I had to switch doctors for this pregnancy because my other doctor's office switched which hospital they deliver at and I could only fine one option to allow me to go to the same hospital this time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-from-scratch-advice-on-choosing-a-hospital-amp-obgyn#post-2052816 Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:47:15 +0000 nanilani 2052816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am looking for a new OB/GYN (current doctor does not do obstetrics and I'd like to find a new practice altogether), and I'd like to choose my next doc based on both a consult and what hospital they deliver at. I'm trying to do my due diligence on hospital research but am having trouble finding good info. There are five within 30 minutes of me that I would consider with generally comparable c-section rates, etc. Any advice out there on where to find more comprehensive hospital data and reviews specific to maternity care? </p> <p>I haven't gotten much information out of friends who have delivered (just "It was fine.") and hospital tours aren't typically available to couples still in the ttc phase. (Side question: Did anyone tour a hospital early?? If not, was your doctor able to adequately prepare you for the hospital's L&amp;D practices and policies?)</p> <p>Please don't say you just chose where your OB/GYN delivered because I still need one of those too and would like to narrow the pool down some before interviewing different practices. I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but I'm not too sure which is which in this scenario :\ </p>