Orientation at the Hospital
Eric and I attended an orientation at the hospital yesterday — the hospital being Virginia Hospital Center. This is where I’ve been going to see my doc since about week 14, when I decided to switch from the local baby factory, Fairfax Inova (the hospital that delivers 11,000 babies a year compared to Virginia Hospital Center’s 3000). My doctor told me early on that Fairfax Inova is a great place to go if you have a high risk pregnancy — they’ve got all the gear to take care of your little one — but that at Virginia Hospital Center, you’ll get more personalized care.
This seems to be the case. As for a more natural birth experience? The word on the street is that you’ll get a better chance at a natural birth at VHC, but the c-section rates are actually pretty comparable — 37% of women end up with c-sections at Fairfax Inova, as apposed to 34% at VHC. It’s probably most dependent on the doctor or midwife you select, and we feel we selected one of the best of the bunch. We’ll see what happens of course … but on to the tour …
The tour started at the Women and Infant Health Center. We saw a bunch of other pregnant ladies waiting around when we came in, and eventually an RN from the education center came around to show us the place. The Women and Infant Health Center was clean, decorated nicely, and had a good feel to it. The nurse led us up to the labor and delivery area, and then showed us the mom and baby rooms where you stay after you deliver.
Overall assessment? It’s nothing to write home about in the long run, but it’s a clean, nice hospital with a guaranteed private room and heck — good doctors. Other pros include a complimentary gourmet breakfast (nice), snacks provided, and a flexibility on when you can leave (24 or 48 hours after a natural birth). The nurse also let her tour group know that VHC supports birth plans (though they might not always go as planned, she pointedly pointed out), and she also mentioned that immediate placement of the baby on the mother is just quite fine. (It was interesting to me that she referred to epidurals, APGAR tests, shots and vaccines, and the immediate bath as the “traditional” method of birth, whereas placing the baby on the mother’s chest and laboring unmedicated is “non-traditional.” Traditional since when? Traditional since … 1920? What about before that? Anyway …)
Cons include that it’s a sterilized, non-homey environment. You have nurses making you get on the monitor and stay still every forty minutes (sounds just like what a laboring woman needs), and they’re more than a bit suspicious of you wearing your own clothes, or bringing in your own food and drink. There’s always someone checking on you, and when it comes time to deliver, they hoist you into the bed, put your feet into stirrup like things and have a doctor or resident catch your little baby. Admittedly, it’s not ideal, but it’s pretty much what all hospitals are like.
And honestly? If you tell me not to do something, I’m going to do it. It’s the reason why I doodle during meetings, speak up when I’m not supposed to, leave products in random places in the grocery store, and it’s part of the reason why I’m planning a natural birth and why I’m intending to cloth diaper (everyone keeps telling me I’m crazy, so the more assured I become). So believe me — I’m rolling with bringing my own clothes to wear and totally eating and drinking when the nurses can’t see me. I can’t do those things because I’m in a pre-operative state? Oh yeah? I’ve been in a pre-operative state right now and have been all my life. A meteor could fall on me right now, and someone would have to operate on me, clothes on and with partially digested carrots and hummus inside! BS on your rules.
At least I can’t get risked out and sent to a doctor I’ve never seen. I’m glad of that. But next time? If all goes well, we’re gearing up the hose for the giant inflatable pool, and getting an awesome home birth midwife. Color me disenchanted with the away-from-home birth options — we’re going in for the big crazy next time, no matter what people tell us.
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I’m a liberal feminist that believes that liberal, feminist ideals should gel with embracing your gender and motherhood (if that’s what you feel like doing). I support all kinds of moms and dads and parents. Oh and, although I totally love that natural vibe and not harming the environment, I supplement my organic milk and fresh fruits and veggies with the occasional Twix, the frequent Oreo, and the daily Coke Zero. I’m opinionated, not easily offended, and a loudmouth in person and on the internet. I am what I am. Welcome.
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Thank you, Camilla, for educating people about blissful, empowering birth and all the options that go with it and parenting. I’ve been trying to get people to understand my POV/what I’ve learned since 2002, and I am glad that there are now so many more resources and blogs for people to access than there were back then. Kudos.
We really wish you could be there! Thanks for the comment. xoxo
Hi Camilla-
I am just wondering if you are interested in natural birth, why you are delivering in a hospital, instead of a birth center? I am expecting our first, and while my hubby was not comfortable with a home birth-i was able to talk him into delivering at a birth center with midwives. Was this not an option where you live, or did you decide to deliver at a hospital for other reasons? As I understand it, birth centers generally consider natural birth more “traditional” and are more supportive of women laboring without pain killers… Just curious!
Sarah
Hi Sarah. Thanks for your comment! There is one birth center in Northern VA, and we were wait-listed at the center for … oh about 20 weeks! I called at 10 weeks, and finally got a message that I had moved up to #11 by 30 weeks. Yikes. Because I really did want to go to the birth center, we attended an orientation there. (You can read about it several posts earlier.) It … really didn’t groove with us. I have several risk factors that could easily risk me out of a delivery at the birth center, and on to an OB that I’ve never met before. It didn’t appeal to me to have that happen and be in the hands of someone who did not know me, and might not agree with my ideals surrounding birth. I’ve been with my particular doctor since about 20 weeks, and he’s super friendly to natural birth, and lets moms go 42 weeks without intervention (the birth center only allows 41). So, it was a hard decision, but we’re satisfied with it! I hope your birth goes beautifully, and I certainly hope that the hospital turns out to be a good place for us. I think we’re doing home birth for sure for #2!