Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I was in the hospital 5 days because I developed fever, dizziness and high blood pressure after delivering. The first 2 nights I was roommate-free and it was GREAT!!! DH napped in the other bed, had my very own bathroom, privacy, etc.
The 3rd day they brought a girl in and she was nice and friendly. Quiet, respectful visitors, etc. The only thing that bothered me was that she would keep the tv on ALL NIGHT LONG. She ended up leaving the next day and I was so relieved thinking I had my own room again. Wrong.

Then they brought in this BEAST of a girl that made me miss the first roommate! She was loud, obnoxious, on her cell phone all day and night. Her phone would ring at 3am and she'd end up having a 40 minute long (and LOUD) conversation, annoying dirty, visitors that would use the bathroom (which is for patients only) and would sit so close to my side of the room that they'd be bumping my tray table and bed with their chairs.....she was only about 17 or 18 years old and was CONSTANTLY fighting with her baby's daddy who was only about 19 also. The grandmother kept mediating and trying to tell them they had a child now and had to step up. I felt so bad for the grandmother, she was the one that was feeding and changing the baby, the mother was too busy watching TV and "didn't feel like it, isn't that what the nurses are for?"
She would have her visitors bring in McDonald's and other fast food so it would stink up the whole room and let me not even get into the bathroom situation She didn't clean up after herself at all and I almost stepped on blood a few times. The nurses felt so bad for me but there weren't any rooms available to move me into. I couldn't WAIT to get out of there!!!!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

With DS, I got a roommate on the 3rd of 3 nights. That poor woman tried to BF the entire time and the baby wouldnt latch. It felt like the husband and the LC were there 24/7 and the baby slept in room with her. The baby cried NONSTOP. DS slept in the nursery so I could get some sleep since I had a severe epi complication and was forced to remain horizontal due the air in my brain and INTENSE headache. DS also didnt make a peep when he was in the room so I was VERY frustrated.

With DD, I got a roommate on the 2nd of 2 nights. That time I was the one with the loud baby and my roommate's baby was quiet like DS. Serves me right for complaining so much the first time

Both times I was by the window and the bathroom door and thanked goodness I was. I would have been miserable with people coming and going past me, closer to the light and noise of the hallway and having to drag my yucky recovering self to the BR past someone else

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I had a roommate the 1st night and a private room the 2nd night.

My roommate was very quiet and didn't have many visitors (except for her husband and other children). She was very sweet. We did share a bathroom though. I also thought it was fantastic for the hospital to put NICU moms together. I would have probably been 100x more upset if I had a roommate that had her baby in there the whole time . But of course, nothing compares to a private room. It was only one night but it was fantastic

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I had a great roommate for the first like 12 hours...but she had a v-birth, and it was her 4th I think, so she spent only one night in the hospital then convinced the Doc's to let her go home...I was roommate free for the next 12 hours or so...

Then they brought in another woman who had a c-section (like me)...except hers was an emergency. And she didn't really speak any English...she was very nice (what coversation we could manage), but her language barrier really inhibited her ability to speak with the doctors and nurses....She was bloated from gas, too in pain to walk, and trying (with great difficulty) to breast feed....so there were docs/nurses in our room every 4 hours at most, while she moaned in pain, they talked (and some of them shouted...like she'd understand more if they spoke louder )....So I didn't sleep much the last 2 days...

The bathroom situation was not cool...one bathroom for two rooms - four new mams in one tiny toilet and shower. For the first 2 days, there wasn't anyone in the other room though so it wasn't too bad...but after that I will say the hospital did do a good job keep it clean, but still...

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Honestly, I had a roommate the first time and thought to myself, if this is horrible, I'll go private next time.

I never went private. I had perfectly fine experiences. I guess for me I lucked out timing wise and roommate-wise. My roommates had c-sections and during my stay didn't use the bathroom much and I always had the far side of the room (so their visitors never disturbed me). Overall, it didn't bother me in the slightest. I gave birth to Colin at 3:24AM Friday morning and the MD did say I could leave Saturday morning if I wanted - if it was that bad, I would have just gone home.

I think you'll be fine

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Call your DH right now and tell him that the hospital just called you and that all of the rooms for the day you are scheduled are full, and that they will give you a private room at 1/2 price!

Seriously, get the private room. With my DD, had 3 roomates over my 4/5 day stay. Also shared a connecting bathroom with my roomates as well as 2 next door. Gross!!!!!!!

When I had DS, I paid for the private room. Worth every single penny!!!! It was a pleasure- like a vacation.

I banked my last bonus check from work when I got my BFP with DS just for the private room.

With 2 children already at home waiting for you, get the private room and get a few days of sleep before you go home- it meant the world to me.

If men gave birth, every room would be a private one, with a big screen tv and a pool table!!!!! Cut corners somewhere/anywhere..... but get the private room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Both times I shared rooms with older mom in their 40's. Both of them had C-sections. The first time around my roommate was very nice. She moaned a lot because she was in pain BUT she was clean and I appreciated that sooo much! The second time around my roommate was an absolute pig. She didn't shower for the time I was there and I "smelled" her You'd think you'd want to shower after giving birth. The nurses had to insist she get up and shower. Also I think she had narcolepsy. She would fall asleep at the drop of a hat on top of her baby. The nurses had to keep coming in and removing the baby so she didn't suffocate him. She snored like a friggin lumberjack. I honestly never disliked anyone so much in my life. I didn't sleep at all, which made me feel horrible. I thought a few times of getting up and suffocating her with a pillow

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Man all of these make me want a private room for my next baby. I delivered my first in Nashville, so I had a huge private room for all 5 days I was there. I think I would have been miserable otherwise.

ETA: How much extra are private rooms?

Message edited 10/5/2010 11:44:17 AM.

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

What the hell is up w/ the moaning and groaning and cries of agony from the C section Moms?? Ever hear of painkillers ?? The joke w/ the nursing staff was that they never even knew I was there until they forgot my painkiller and I buzzed them like clockwork - LOL

Thankfully I had a private room, and I'm not much of a complainer to begin with - But the last thing I'd be doing even if I was in miserable pain was moaning and crying about it when I had a poor roommate to listen to me ..........take a percocet !!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

i was all over the place..

1st night i was in recovery by myself
2nd night shared a room with a HORRIBLE roomate.. her phone was on the loudest possible.. kept going off , she never took it with her. she would talk SO loud when she was on the phone.. she snored like a man.. i was in hellll
3rd and 4th night.. i was in a private room, thanks to my wonderful husband , and it was a world of a difference!!

i was at Winthrop

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I never had a roomate!! YAY! I had really HIGH BP so they kept me in silence!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

3 day no roomate, I was so lucky!!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

wouldn't it be funny if unbeknownst to one poster, the roommate they are talking about is a poster too

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Posted by Ophelia

wouldn't it be funny if unbeknownst to one poster, the roommate they are talking about is a poster too

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

With my first, I requested a private room when I checked in and none were available. The first night, I roomed with another lady. OMG It was horrible! I had the bed by the door and she had hundreds of visitors that very afternoon (I have birth at 10 am so I had just gotten to the room) and all night long. I mean, she had so many "extended" family there, they were sitting in the seats on my side (DH was the only one with me at the time). I figured I would get some sleep when they all left, but she was calling the nurse all night. I don't think I slept a wink. I had a c/s, so I didn't have to get up to use the bathroom that first night. The next day, a private room was available and I moved ASAP. Much better!

The second time, I had a v-birth and didn't request a private room since I was only there 1 night, maybe 2. I lucked out in that I never got a roommate the whole time. So you can be lucky!

Good Luck!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I had a wonderful roommate. We both came to the hospital and checked in to be induced at the same time. We both had failed inductions that led to Csections. We had them one after the other. We both were dead set on BFing our babies through the night. We comforted each other, both being first time mother's it was overwhelming! I couldn't of had a more perfect situation. My OB asked me if I wanted to move into another room (after the first night) because there were empty rooms available and I declined.

For next time I may get a private though, I don't want to press my luck

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

I delivered at Good Sam. 2 people, 1 bathroom. We were both C-secs and both had babies in NICU, so we became fast friends. I was in the room the first night alone and the second night she came in. She was in a boatload of pain. She had FIVE kids already, this was her 6th and was an emergency C, so it was her first C. The first C is by far worse than the second C...she was in so much pain and I was fine by day 2.

We would go down to NICU together to see our babies, shared a pump, and talked all the time. We left each other alone at other times, and were each other's therapists, too.

We are now FB friends!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

it wasn't bad at all!

in fact, i had a great roommate, we got along great. i was alone the frist two nights and then she moved in. at first i was like this is going to be great, she had a huge greek family and EVERYONE was there, but they were very accomodating. we helped each other out all the time, bf'ing tips, watching one's baby while the other ran to the bathroom, etc.

DH was with me until he had to leave, but it was nice to have someone to chat with.

the bathroom situation was never a problem for us!

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

DS1: I had 2 roommates . The first girl was on her last day there, so nice, so sweet. The next girl was a GIRL. She was 17yo, in an arranged marriage. She had NO IDEA what was going on, they never picked the baby up when he was crying, she didn't know she had to change the diaper when it was wet (she thought just for poop, I guess ) so at 1 day old that baby went literally 9 hours without a new diaper It was the saddest, saddest situation ever. I was in for 4 days.

DS2: Also 2 roommates. The first was a woman older than me, it was her 3rd child. She left day 2, got someone late that night who was sobbing for the next 2 nights because she couldn't get the baby to latch. It really was so sad I was only there for 3 days with #2.

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...

Roommate #1 was quiet and nice. I felt bad she had no visitors.

Roommate #2 was a c/s, she moaned all night. When pain management came, she told them her pain was only a 5! I told him mine was a 2 but hers was an 11 and he laughed. Her husband slept over and peed all over the toilet.

But I wouldn't spend $ on a private room, its not a big deal to me - I can be uncomfortable for 2 nights

Re: Let's talk about your hospital roommates...