What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

I delivered #1 at LIJ so I am thinking #2 should be the same. Experience was a little crazy but DS was delivered safely and all is okay. I had a different OB at that time who I barely saw but I had crappy insurances and never saw them since delivery.

Fast forward to now, I live very close to South Nassau and an OB/GYN who I love and have seen for a few years now only delivers there, Franklin, Mercy, or Peninsula. No LIJ.
So I found an OB that delivers there and that's that.
Now I'm getting second thoughts about switching because of hospital only.

I don't know much about SN except they only have a level 2 NICU and they always charge me extra crap when I go to the ER there lol.
Do you think it's wise to see an OB depending on hospital?
I know with the new OB that I picked, there's a 50/50 chance he will deliver me as opposed to my current GYN/OB who is the solo on call and will always deliver along with his midwife.
I'm just torn bc I want the safest, best hospital for my LO but the person who pulls them into the world should matter too, right?

Message edited 6/20/2014 9:33:23 AM.

South Nassau vs LIJ-- please help!!

My experience with SN is from 6/7 years ago, right after they opened their new l&d wing. Back then it was tops. Rooms were like hotel rooms. Nurses were outstanding. I don't know what it's like now, I do know that there have been a lot of changes since then.

Re: South Nassau vs LIJ-- please help!!

My SIL gave birth there almost 2 years ago. She seemed to have a good experience. The rooms were all private.

What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

As long as the hospital is respectable and has a good reputation, OB is more important to me in the long run. They're the ones responsible for your care for 9 months, and are the ones present for your delivery/C-section. You're only in the hospital for 2-3 days.

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

Loved South Nassau, my ds was not in the NICU but my nephew was and had a wonderful experience. All private very large rooms. I loved that it was not a baby factory, not crazy busy. You get great personalized care. Mercy is a top level NICU the same as LIJ, NS and Winthrop. But the rooms are older (last time I was there at least). But I was there during my pregnancy for complications and had a great experience. I found a dr that I loved and he delivered at a hospital that I wanted to deliver at.

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

OB. I would have a baby on the street corner with my OB if that was where he delivered. A hospital is only a few days....Your OB is 9 long months with a million and one appts.

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

It depends. With my first pregnancy I decided based on OB. I had many issues with my OB and switched practices at 11 weeks. There werent many who would take me and my OB practice delivered at NYU so I delivered at NYU. (I wanted to make sure it was a good hospital which NYU was, and it was also conveniently located for me).

When we moved to LI I asked around about hospitals when choosing a new OB. I heard great things about Winthrop, so looked for OB practices that were highly recommended who deliver there, which is how I found my current OB.

I do think as long as the hospital is great, OB matters more.

That said, with my old practice, there were 8 OBs and you were delivered by whoever was on call. I labored with an OB I really liked and then they changed shifts and I was delivered by one of the 2 doctors I liked least (my fav dr was out of the country). It is what it is...

Message edited 6/20/2014 11:04:35 AM.

What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

I chose based on both. I had already been with the practice years before I got pregnant, though.

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

I'm in San Diego so it works differently here.

My ob has not delivered any of my 3. He was not on call the day I went into labor with my 1st and with my twins, I also went into labor at 34+4 which was 3 days before my scheduled early c/s due to complications (it happened to be my high-risk ob/gyn that delivered my twins).

Here, yes I have an OB/gyn that I see for nearly all of my appointments, but the way our system works is very different. It's an HMO plan and I can't call my doctor directly. I call an answering service that can take a message and then my doctor calls me back.

The hospital here is incredible and I feel confident in having any of the doctors deliver my little guy.

I will have a scheduled c/s this time so it will be my ob/gyn who delivers me

What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

I chose based on OB. I've heard good things about South Nassau, so I wouldn't hesitate to deliver there.

Re: What is more important in making your decision- hospital or OB?

Thank you, everyone! I am going to see Dr. Cohen on a Monday to see if his practice fits into what I want. If not, I have two other OBs including my former GYN that I'm going to look into.