Best Hospital for Having Baby? (Cleveland, Lakewood: insurance, buying, university)

[kristin871]

This is typically not the first place I'd go to ask this question, but until I get settled in Cleveland (meet some friends, find a church, etc.), I'm wondering if anyone can steer me in the right direction? ...My husband and I will be moving to Cleveland in 2 weeks and I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant. I'll be looking for a new doctor asap. We expect to be living on the West side of Cleveland, but not sure where yet. Can anyone recommend the best hospital to have a baby? Your favorite doctor? I'll do my research on who accepts our insurance, but thought it'd at least help to know which hospital people prefer to deliver at Thanks!

[citymama]

We chose to have our baby at Lakewood hospital over Fairview even though Fairview had just redid their maternity ward and had a level 2 NICU. Lakewood had such a warm and caring feeling to it, that we didn't care that it was an older building. I was able to wear my own clothes while laboring and they were very hands-off unless we needed them. I've since recommended it to others who had very postive an nurturing experiences there as well.

[Cleverfield]

Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital is one of the best babies and children's hospitals in the country.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by Cleverfield

Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital is one of the best babies and children's hospitals in the country.

Check whether any hospital is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic or University Hospital systems.

Both Fairview and Lakewood are associated with the Cleveland Clinic.

Note that University's Rainbow is ranked number 3 in the nation in neonatology.

UH Rainbow Care Network | University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital | Cleveland, OH

University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, OH Rankings - US News Best Hospitals

Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, OH Rankings - US News Best Hospitals

Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH Rankings - US News Best Hospitals

Congratulations and good luck with your move!

[L2DB]

The one most covered by your insurance.

[kpl1228]

Originally Posted by citymama

We chose to have our baby at Lakewood hospital over Fairview even though Fairview had just redid their maternity ward and had a level 2 NICU. Lakewood had such a warm and caring feeling to it, that we didn't care that it was an older building. I was able to wear my own clothes while laboring and they were very hands-off unless we needed them. I've since recommended it to others who had very postive an nurturing experiences there as well.

I heard great things about Lakewood hospital. It's a shame about what's going on now.
That said, Fairview's pretty great. Certainly the main campus Cleveland Clinic or University/Rainbow.
Know nothing about Metro, except their ER is top-notch.
Southwest General in Middleburg Hts.? Wouldn't take my dog there for OB/GYN. Buddy of mine had wife and baby almost both die during labor (I'll spare the gruesome details), and it was based on false assumptions and diagnoses by the OB/GYN during, and weeks before, delivery, confirmed by doctors and nurses at University who could not believe the procedures that happened at Southwest. A big step down from University/Rainbow and the Clinic, but people do it cause it's close to home. Which to me is insane. The other hospitals aren't farther than 10-20 miles away. That people would drive the extra miles for a great pizza, but not for a better OB/GYN for something as crucial as a baby, to me is crazy.
They then went, under emergency, to University/Rainbow to fix all of the issues, and conceded they shoulda went there in the first place. Mom and baby are now fine.

[OTBass]

Fairview is the Cleveland Baby Factory. It's kind of their thing. We had our daughter there this past year and were pleased with the entire experience.

[citymama]

Originally Posted by OTBass

Fairview is the Cleveland Baby Factory. It's kind of their thing. We had our daughter there this past year and were pleased with the entire experience.

"Baby factory" is exactly why we didn't choose it.

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by citymama

"Baby factory" is exactly why we didn't choose it.

"Baby Factory" is exactly why it should be chosen. They are more experienced.

It's somewhat like buying a product from a company that's been in business for several years and has the top engineers in the country designing their products. They produce 1000 units a month vs some guy in his garage that makes 50 products a month. The process at the bigger, more established company is dialed in to perfection with an unprecedented level of quality control and every product passing specification whereas the guy in his garage has a higher rate of defective product and cannot make them as fast because his resources are no where near what the established companies resources are.

The "well there's so many babies being born at Fairview that mine will not get the level of special treatment that they would at a different facility...." is nothing more than a false hood. Fairview has it down to a science. I know several people that work there and their reputation speaks for itself. There may be alot of things that Cleveland doesn't do right, but a hospital system is not one of them. They've got it nailed.

[citymama]

Originally Posted by maxmodder

"Baby Factory" is exactly why it should be chosen. They are more experienced.

It's somewhat like buying a product from a company that's been in business for several years and has the top engineers in the country designing their products. They produce 1000 units a month vs some guy in his garage that makes 50 products a month. The process at the bigger, more established company is dialed in to perfection with an unprecedented level of quality control and every product passing specification whereas the guy in his garage has a higher rate of defective product and cannot make them as fast because his resources are no where near what the established companies resources are.

The "well there's so many babies being born at Fairview that mine will not get the level of special treatment that they would at a different facility...." is nothing more than a false hood. Fairview has it down to a science. I know several people that work there and their reputation speaks for itself. There may be alot of things that Cleveland doesn't do right, but a hospital system is not one of them. They've got it nailed.

Nope, sorry, you've totally got it wrong. Why would we ever want to compare childbirth to mass production of goods?? And, My reasoning has absolutely NOTHING to do with my baby getting special treatment like you quoted above. A healthy pregnancy with no risk factors is not a medical condition and does not need to be treated as such. A mother can give an infant all the special treatment it needs as long as it's left to do so.

I would encourage the OP to research C-Section rates of each hospital. I caution mothers to think very carefully about baby factory facilities (unless they are high risk) because there is substantial research about doctors and hospitals using fear tactics to pressure mothers into using unnecessary interventions to get labor moving faster, that can ultimately lead to C-section.


Ohio C-section rate raises questions about unnecessary surgeries | cleveland.com


Every women is different and is looking for a different birth experience. We knew we wanted a facility and doctor that would let my body to what it was meant to do without pressure to meet time requirements to allow the next birthing mother a spot.