Second (and Final) Hospital Tour

On Sunday, Trevor and I toured the second hospital where Dr. S has labor and delivery privileges. We liked hospital #1, but weren't sure what we should be looking for in a hospital. Well, I guess you know it when you see it because we really liked hospital #2. I was surprised because hospital #2 is older and I trend towards liking newer, modern things and places, but hospital #2 exceeded my expectations. I can't put my finger on one special thing we liked, but it just felt right. Here are a few things we liked (in no particular order, just as I remember them):

1. A variety of postpartum rooms, especially the availability of suites. We "reserved" a two room, two bathroom suite, but there's no guarantee Baby D will make his/her debut on the requisite day. The likelihood of that happening is slim, so hopefully the suite will be available when I go into labor. Although I'll only be spending 48 hours of my life in the hospital, I appreciate the privacy the suite offers. If I'm breastfeeding Baby D while visitors are present, they can remain in the sitting area while I breastfeed in privacy in the bedroom. Also, if I'm trying to nap and Trevor is trying to watch TV, he can watch TV in the sitting area while I sleep in peace. A nice perk, and it isn't too expensive.

2. Well-stocked "nourishment centers." Hospital #1 only had a coffee/water bar. Hospital #1 has nourishment centers stocked with coffee, water, juice, soda and some food items. All complimentary.

3. Staff OB in the event of an emergency. Apparently there are only a handful of hospitals in the city that offer this service, and hospital #1 isn't one of them. Hospital #2 prides itself on their staff OB because there is someone on hand if a woman needs an emergency C-section or needs to deliver before her own doctor arrives.

4. Brand new nursery that will open later this month.

5. Very impressive neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Hospital #2 has one of the most respected NICUs in the area. We hope Baby D won't have to visit the NICU, but we were impressed with what we heard about hospital #2's NICU and know that Baby D will be in good hands if a NICU stay/visit is necessary.

6. Lactation consultants on staff daily from 8am-5pm. While hospital #2 has lactation consultants, their availability isn't as good. Since I want to breastfeed, I'm glad there will be plenty of support on hand.

7. Dining on demand, and a fancy celebratory dinner for mom and dad. The celebratory dinner can be eaten at anytime from check-in to check-out. Parents' choice. I think this is a nice touch.

We're happy to have something else off our "to do" list.

Hospital Tour

Dr. S has privileges at two hospitals, which makes the decision of where to have Baby D pretty easy. Today, Trevor and I toured the labor and delivery unit of hospital #1 after church. Upon arriving to the designated meeting spot, we quickly realized that we are planners. I was clearly the "least pregnant" woman there. Some of the women looked like they were ready to deliver any day now. Honestly. I really wondered why they were JUST taking the tour, but who am I to question it. Anyway, we had a chance to see a labor and delivery room, the transition nursery (where Baby D will be taken approximately one hour after birth for his/her first bath, a check-up and whatever else they do to a newborn baby), the ante-pardum ward (where women stay if they are put on hospital bed rest before having their baby), the nursery, the C-Section triage and prep area (I hope I don't have to see that area of the hospital when the time comes), and the post-pardum ward. We weren't allowed to see the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), for obvious reasons, but hopefully Baby D won't have to spend any time there. I'm just glad to know that hospital #1 has a NICU if it were necessary. I would be devastated if my baby had to be transported to another hospital in order to get NICU treatment. All in all, the hospital was nice. I guess?? It was clean, modern and everyone seemed nice. The hospital has won a lot of awards that meant nothing to me. I'm not really sure how you rate a hospital. It's a hospital after all. I'm interested in seeing hospital #2 so that I'll have something to compare hospital #1 against. Being the consummate planners that we are, I'm sure we'll be visiting hospital #2 sometime in September, and once again, I'll probably be the "least pregnant" woman there. Oh well! I'm just ready to check something off our list.