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My wife and I are expecting our first baby. My wife is all for a natural birth giving experience. She wants by all means to avoid a C-section, unless it's absolutely necessary. She also doesn't want an epidural, or to be chemically induced.
Yesterday, we took a tour for prospective parents through Lenox Hill, and while the facility looked clean and well equipped, we got a little worried by the high rate of C-sections performed there (over 60% of all births) and the rate of epidural and chemical inductions given to moms.
We saw that the Birthing Center at St. Luke's Roosvelt is the only place in NYC that caters to natural births. My wife is 7 1/2 months pregnant, so she's worried that this might not a good idea so late in the pregnancy. Any thoughts?
Any input on giving birth in Lenox Hill or St. Luke's Roosvelt?
Had two friends who gave birth at St. Luke's. They had a fabulous experience. Though it can be difficult to be accepted to their natural birth center. One of these friends is having her second baby there in one month.
Had one friend give birth at Lenox Hill last January. She also had a good experience though she had an epidural. It was her first child and she came out of the hospital saying she didn't know why giving birth was a big deal. Haha. She loved her doctor.
The only negative experience a friend of mine had was at Columbia. She felt like she wasn't given options and that not everything was explained. She wound up with a c-section and was very unhappy. However, I know a couple co-workers who had great experiences there.
Presumably your wife has seen an OB/GYN for prenatal care. Where does he/she practice? Most women usually give birth where the OB/GYN has admitting privileges. This not the case for you?
Thanks for the replies guys.
Wife's doctor practices at Lenox Hill. We're kind of worried that he's a plastic surgeon also, and might get a little too excited about using that knife and wanting to perform a c-section. Our expected due date is around Christmas. And no doctor, I assume, wants to be waiting on a woman to give birth during Christmas if he can get the baby out through a C-section.
We spoke to him about this, and he says that he would do as we please.
I don't know what to think at this point. I just want my wife to have a good experience, but being our first time, and the way we're bombarded with information is a little overwhelming.
My wife and I are expecting our first baby. My wife is all for a natural birth giving experience. She wants by all means to avoid a C-section, unless it's absolutely necessary. She also doesn't want an epidural, or to be chemically induced.
Yesterday, we took a tour for prospective parents through Lenox Hill, and while the facility looked clean and well equipped, we got a little worried by the high rate of C-sections performed there (over 60% of all births) and the rate of epidural and chemical inductions given to moms.
We saw that the Birthing Center at St. Luke's Roosvelt is the only place in NYC that caters to natural births. My wife is 7 1/2 months pregnant, so she's worried that this might not a good idea so late in the pregnancy. Any thoughts?
Any input on giving birth in Lenox Hill or St. Luke's Roosvelt?
True, but it is important for a woman's husband, doctor, doula, and whoever else is involved to understand and respect her wishes. My friend who had a bad experience at Columbia regretted this when she wound up with a c-section. She felt lied to and rushed into a decision because she was a first time mother and she felt unnecessarily pressured by a rushed doctor and nurses. Having a thoughtful team that can fully explain to you options is I think what OP is asking for. Do women change their minds midway? Some do. Others do not and they shouldn't try to be convinced otherwise.
Not a lady but I can see why your wife is worried.
About a month ago, I watched 'The Business of being born' on Netflix. It's really an eye opener on how medicine in the U.S. has morphed from a science that concerned itself with 'taking care of people' to a business model that tries to maximize profit at almost any cost.
C-sections are -for obvious reasons- more pofitable than natural births and that's why they are so popular in the U.S.
In this documentary I'm telling you about, women are scared into having these procedures. They tell them 'oh the baby is not well positioned for natural birth', or 'for the well-being of the baby, we cannot delay this any longer'. What's a new mom to do when faced with those statements from a supposedly medical professional?
I read some statistics where it's shown that only 1 out of 10 deliveries, have complications serious enough to merit a C-section. Yet, in the U.S. about 60% of births are done this way.
Sadly enough, medicine is a profitable business model in this country, and untill that doesn't drastically change, people in the healthcare industry will try to squeeze every single penny they can out of you.
True, but it is important for a woman's husband, doctor, doula, and whoever else is involved to understand and respect her wishes. My friend who had a bad experience at Columbia regretted this when she wound up with a c-section. She felt lied to and rushed into a decision because she was a first time mother and she felt unnecessarily pressured by a rushed doctor and nurses. Having a thoughtful team that can fully explain to you options is I think what OP is asking for. Do women change their minds midway? Some do. Others do not and they shouldn't try to be convinced otherwise.
Lied to? "Wound up" with a C- section? They are not giving them out free, they are usually not an option...
Some first time moms have no clue how painful it can be...some women end up begging for pain meds but because it goes against her "birth plan" the DH/doula/support staff tries to discourage her. Ugh.
I gave birth to my first at St. Luke's Roosevelt. Not the birthing center but with an OB in the regular L&D. Had her on Dec 23. No pressure for a C sec and had a good experience. It is not the swankiest of hospitals but none of the city hospitals are.
Had my second at Stony Brook with a midwife and had a terrible experience and ended up with a C.
I kind of feel it is a crapshoot. Since I won't be having any more kids I don't think about it too much. Always will wonder a little bit why I was rushed into the C the second time around, if it was really necessary, etc. Compared to an easy vaginal birth, the recovery from an emergency C with infant and toddler was rough!
Good luck. Try not to overthink it all. I know people who switched practices later than 7 months. I switched with my second because we moved from the city to LI. So it's not too late if that's what you want to do.
I don't have any input for Lenox Hill or St. Luke's Roosvelt, but just make sure you
remember what your baby looks like once it was born. Who knows someone or some
nurses might accidently switch your beautiful baby for another baby, and you ended
up with a very ugly baby that is not yours.
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but I can see why your wife is worried. 
