Here are some pics of my boy...the Douglass'...just chillin in the bed with Mommy!!!! Love them to pieces.
Big Brother Aiden checking the temp of the milk...lol...Monday, June 21, 2010
Northside vs. Crawford Long Hospital
Okay so I know I was suppose to do this post like weeks ago but needless to say two little boys have me fully occupied!!! Aiden was born at Northside Hospital and Noah was born at Crawford Long (now Emory University Hospital Midtown). And I have to say that my experience was totally different at each one, but neither experience was what I would call a bad one. I will list my pros and cons for each one, but like I said....I did not have a BAD experience at either...they were just different.
Northside Hospital
1000 Johnson Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30342-1611
www.northside.com
Planned to have a vaginal birth but ended up having a cesarean after 24 hours of labor due to developed fever. Was sent to the hospital by mid wife at 41 weeks due to low amniotic fluid.
Pros: One of the top Maternity hospitals in the country...they have nicknamed this place the baby factory!! Hospital was easy to get to from the freeway, but if you go into labor in the afternoon (as I did) it will be difficult to navigate through traffic. You can pull up curb side right to the Maternity center and father/coach can move the car once you are checked in...which was GREAT. Parking was FREE for the father!!!!
Check in was quick and painless. The Birthing suite was BEAUTIFUL!!! Very spacious and they were very accommodating to the family. They had all of the delivery menu's in a folder for easy reference. Standard gowns but they didn't provide those socks with the traction on them...but I had some of my own. The nursing staff was FABULOUS and I found it hard to decide which nurses got my Godiva Chocolate treats that I got for them. Thank goodness I has some nurses more than one day/night. The anesthesiologist was great and I felt NO pain while prepping for or recovering from my c-section. Paul was able to take pictures throughout the procedure which was great!!! I was in recovery FOREVER while waiting for them to take me to my room...FOREVER. They had one nurse in the recovery room so I had to wait for her to deal with people that got in there before me before she could get me sent upstairs...UGH!! But they gave Aiden his first bath and allowed me to hold him before they took him to the nursery.
Security was great for the baby and the photo people came the day after he was born. They did a good job and were good with Aiden. Window seat where Paul had to sleep was a little small and the mother/baby suite was a tad small, but we were on one of the older floors and not in a new mother/baby suite. Bathroom was a decent size but I don't remember them providing toiletries (even though I had my own). But they DID have these cute buttons for all of the family members that were free. Buttons that said "I am the Grandmother" "I am the father" "I am the auntie/uncle" etc...very cute!!!
Food was okay, but it was hospital food. Lactation people were great and I was able to rent a pump from my room!!! They showed me how to use it and got me the attachments that I needed. Check out was not slow but not fast either. But they were very accommodating and checked on Aiden and I often to see if we were okay or if we needed anything.
Pro's: GREAT facility, easy check in, good infant security, pump rental on site, free parking, GREAT nursing staff.
Con's: not close to our home, no extras like socks and toiletries, small mother/baby unit, small sleeping area for partner/father/coach
Overall I loved this hospital...the only reason I ended up not going back was because the OB that I wanted only has privileges at Piedmont an Crawford Long.
Emory University Hospital Midtown (Crawford Long)
550 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-778-7777
www.emoryhealthcare.org
This was a 7am scheduled cesarean at 39 weeks 5 days after no dilation or cervical change.
Pre op testing that was done the day before took FOREVER and I had Aiden (20 month old) with me, but it made check in the next morning very quick. Facility is close to my home and very easy to get to from the freeway. But it is downtown Atlanta so the possibility of getting stuck in traffic is pretty high. Parking is not free nor is it cheap. You can get a week long parking pass for $25 otherwise you will average $7 per day in the parking deck. You can be dropped off in front but there is no area for idle parking so your partner/the father would have to leave you there and go park in the MASSIVE parking deck.
We were only waiting for maybe 5 minutes until we were taken back to pre op. In that area I was given a standard gown and SOCKS with the traction on them. They also gave me a garment bag for me to put my clothes in!!! That was a nice touch. Paul was able to stay with me until they took me into the operating room and he was allowed in there after I as prepped. Anesthesia was not as pleasant this time but that is because I felt them do the spinal this time. With Aiden I was in so much pain that I didn't feel when the epidural was administered.
When Noah was born they gave us this really cool certificate of birth (not official) that had his foot prints on it...an it was on really nice paper. They did not allow Paul to take pictures until he was out of my stomach. The recovery nurses were great and I didn't feel like I was in there that long but I only got to see Noah for a few seconds in the operating room before they took him up to the nursery where he got his bath and was weighed. But I did have my own personal nurse in the recovery room that put a lot of effort to get me up to my baby.
Security at Crawford Long was just as great and in some ways better. In the new hospital wing they took your picture and had to see ID before you could go back. Our OB requested that we be taken to the old Maternity wing and once I got there I realized why. The room was HUGE!!! I mean HUGE. She was thinking of us and the fact that we had a 21 month old that is very active and the extra room came in VERY handy!!! They didn't take your picture in the old wing unless you went thru the new facility to get to the old. But you could not go past the nursing station without signing in. One problem with being in the old wing is that it was hard to find!!! Everyone that came to visit was like...dang it was hard to find you guys!!!
The photo people came in the day after he was born and he was sleep so I asked for them to come back later that day or the following morning. Well they NEVER came back!!! I had to call them on the day I was suppose to leave in order for them to come and take his picture. But they did a great job and did different poses that Northside's photo lady did not offer.
Once again...food was okay...lol. But the lactation people had me on the fence. They DID come and see me like 4 times but for some reason they got the impression that I didn't want to breast feed (even though I asked about pump rental). so they showed me a lot but it was not until the last day I was there that I got a FAB nurse that brought me a hand pump then offered to bring me a real pump!!! WHAT!!! The lactation people told me they didn't have pumps!!! One thing I didn't like was that the hospital did not have rentals available. So as I went home, beginning to engorge, I had to have my mom go and get a rental pump!!! ugh...I was in so much pain!!!
Check out was SLOW and the nurse that was handling the check out was SO RUDE!!!
Pro's:Room size!!!! security was good...recovery nursing staff was great!!! Closer to home and family.
Con's: expensive parking, not a lot of food options (esp ones that deliver), no pump rental, nurses were just okay, don't get to spend any time with the baby after c-section other than the few seconds you see the baby in the operating room.
So when if I had to choose between the 2 hospitals I would choose Northside (if my OB had privileges there). But Crawford Long is the hospital you want to go to if your baby is a preemie and needs NICU support! But for a standard delivery/cesarean Northside is the place to go!!!!
Northside Hospital
1000 Johnson Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30342-1611
www.northside.com
Planned to have a vaginal birth but ended up having a cesarean after 24 hours of labor due to developed fever. Was sent to the hospital by mid wife at 41 weeks due to low amniotic fluid.
Pros: One of the top Maternity hospitals in the country...they have nicknamed this place the baby factory!! Hospital was easy to get to from the freeway, but if you go into labor in the afternoon (as I did) it will be difficult to navigate through traffic. You can pull up curb side right to the Maternity center and father/coach can move the car once you are checked in...which was GREAT. Parking was FREE for the father!!!!
Check in was quick and painless. The Birthing suite was BEAUTIFUL!!! Very spacious and they were very accommodating to the family. They had all of the delivery menu's in a folder for easy reference. Standard gowns but they didn't provide those socks with the traction on them...but I had some of my own. The nursing staff was FABULOUS and I found it hard to decide which nurses got my Godiva Chocolate treats that I got for them. Thank goodness I has some nurses more than one day/night. The anesthesiologist was great and I felt NO pain while prepping for or recovering from my c-section. Paul was able to take pictures throughout the procedure which was great!!! I was in recovery FOREVER while waiting for them to take me to my room...FOREVER. They had one nurse in the recovery room so I had to wait for her to deal with people that got in there before me before she could get me sent upstairs...UGH!! But they gave Aiden his first bath and allowed me to hold him before they took him to the nursery.
Security was great for the baby and the photo people came the day after he was born. They did a good job and were good with Aiden. Window seat where Paul had to sleep was a little small and the mother/baby suite was a tad small, but we were on one of the older floors and not in a new mother/baby suite. Bathroom was a decent size but I don't remember them providing toiletries (even though I had my own). But they DID have these cute buttons for all of the family members that were free. Buttons that said "I am the Grandmother" "I am the father" "I am the auntie/uncle" etc...very cute!!!
Food was okay, but it was hospital food. Lactation people were great and I was able to rent a pump from my room!!! They showed me how to use it and got me the attachments that I needed. Check out was not slow but not fast either. But they were very accommodating and checked on Aiden and I often to see if we were okay or if we needed anything.
Pro's: GREAT facility, easy check in, good infant security, pump rental on site, free parking, GREAT nursing staff.
Con's: not close to our home, no extras like socks and toiletries, small mother/baby unit, small sleeping area for partner/father/coach
Overall I loved this hospital...the only reason I ended up not going back was because the OB that I wanted only has privileges at Piedmont an Crawford Long.
Emory University Hospital Midtown (Crawford Long)
550 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-778-7777
www.emoryhealthcare.org
This was a 7am scheduled cesarean at 39 weeks 5 days after no dilation or cervical change.
Pre op testing that was done the day before took FOREVER and I had Aiden (20 month old) with me, but it made check in the next morning very quick. Facility is close to my home and very easy to get to from the freeway. But it is downtown Atlanta so the possibility of getting stuck in traffic is pretty high. Parking is not free nor is it cheap. You can get a week long parking pass for $25 otherwise you will average $7 per day in the parking deck. You can be dropped off in front but there is no area for idle parking so your partner/the father would have to leave you there and go park in the MASSIVE parking deck.
We were only waiting for maybe 5 minutes until we were taken back to pre op. In that area I was given a standard gown and SOCKS with the traction on them. They also gave me a garment bag for me to put my clothes in!!! That was a nice touch. Paul was able to stay with me until they took me into the operating room and he was allowed in there after I as prepped. Anesthesia was not as pleasant this time but that is because I felt them do the spinal this time. With Aiden I was in so much pain that I didn't feel when the epidural was administered.
When Noah was born they gave us this really cool certificate of birth (not official) that had his foot prints on it...an it was on really nice paper. They did not allow Paul to take pictures until he was out of my stomach. The recovery nurses were great and I didn't feel like I was in there that long but I only got to see Noah for a few seconds in the operating room before they took him up to the nursery where he got his bath and was weighed. But I did have my own personal nurse in the recovery room that put a lot of effort to get me up to my baby.
Security at Crawford Long was just as great and in some ways better. In the new hospital wing they took your picture and had to see ID before you could go back. Our OB requested that we be taken to the old Maternity wing and once I got there I realized why. The room was HUGE!!! I mean HUGE. She was thinking of us and the fact that we had a 21 month old that is very active and the extra room came in VERY handy!!! They didn't take your picture in the old wing unless you went thru the new facility to get to the old. But you could not go past the nursing station without signing in. One problem with being in the old wing is that it was hard to find!!! Everyone that came to visit was like...dang it was hard to find you guys!!!
The photo people came in the day after he was born and he was sleep so I asked for them to come back later that day or the following morning. Well they NEVER came back!!! I had to call them on the day I was suppose to leave in order for them to come and take his picture. But they did a great job and did different poses that Northside's photo lady did not offer.
Once again...food was okay...lol. But the lactation people had me on the fence. They DID come and see me like 4 times but for some reason they got the impression that I didn't want to breast feed (even though I asked about pump rental). so they showed me a lot but it was not until the last day I was there that I got a FAB nurse that brought me a hand pump then offered to bring me a real pump!!! WHAT!!! The lactation people told me they didn't have pumps!!! One thing I didn't like was that the hospital did not have rentals available. So as I went home, beginning to engorge, I had to have my mom go and get a rental pump!!! ugh...I was in so much pain!!!
Check out was SLOW and the nurse that was handling the check out was SO RUDE!!!
Pro's:Room size!!!! security was good...recovery nursing staff was great!!! Closer to home and family.
Con's: expensive parking, not a lot of food options (esp ones that deliver), no pump rental, nurses were just okay, don't get to spend any time with the baby after c-section other than the few seconds you see the baby in the operating room.
So when if I had to choose between the 2 hospitals I would choose Northside (if my OB had privileges there). But Crawford Long is the hospital you want to go to if your baby is a preemie and needs NICU support! But for a standard delivery/cesarean Northside is the place to go!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)