Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I have been researching OBGYN's to switch to once I am released from my RE.

I am REALLY undecided when it comes to picking a hospital to deliver at.

Stony Brook has private rooms but it's a teaching hospital and I dont know if I want to be bothered with interns etc. It is a bit closer to my house and they have better visiting hours.

St. Charles I'd have to pay for a private room but I also like that they keep the baby in the nursery for the general visiting hours. I have also heard wonderful things about the nurses and staff in the maternity ward there.

Anyone have opinions either way?

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I've heard great things about St Charles... only rave reviews....

I'm delivering at SBU though. I know SB extremely well, and know the good/bad/ugly of that hospital. The bad/ugly is the severely overworked nursing staff.... they should have many more nurses than they do, so they're stretched mighty thin. So little things that nurses do frequently never gets done becuase they have to focus upon the important issues.

However, I view the 'teaching' part of the hospital as a GOOD thing. I'm a medical researcher, and have encountered way too many Dr's who are not up on techniques, medications, diagnoses... At a teaching hospital, everyone is current. They have to be, becuase they're passing the knowledge onto the residents. Also, SBU has one of the best NICU's in the area, and is very well equipped.

I think of it this way.... if my delivery goes well, I'll wish I was at St. Charles... If the poop hits the fan and something super horrible suddenly happens, I'll be glad I'm at SBU.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I delivered Hayley in Stony Brook. I had no problems with the interns coming in. I liked having a private room, just had to share the bathroom with the woman next door (out of 4 nights I only had a roommate for 2 of them). The food was good. Hayley was in NICU the entire time so I didn't have to worry about the visiting hours.

I am having DD#2 there too

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

St.Charles was phenomenal and I would never go anywhere else (Besides, you ARE delivering the same day as me right LOL )...My SIL worked for Stony Brook as an NP for years and she prefers St.Charles to SB (as far as maternity)- Either way, you'll be in good hands though !

ETA- St.Charles visiting hours mean nothing- They are super accomodating..I had a room full of people every day at my afternoon "grandparents only" visiting hours. It was nice because our family got to see the baby in person - (although some people I'm sure would like it better w/ their DC not exposed to lots of people, I personally was OK with it)

Message edited 5/24/2008 10:05:09 PM.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I'm delivering at Stony Brook. They have one of the best NICU's god forbid. All of my cousins delivered there and were very happy.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I am delivering at St. Charles. I've heard nothing but wonderful things from everyone. Although SBU is a good hospital I just like the more personal feeling at St. Charles. It's a smaller, quieter hospital and when I visited my friend there last summer after she had her baby I was impressed with how clean the hospital was (it didn't even smell like a hospital), how attentive the staff was, and the security measures in the maternity ward. I am looking forward to delivering there.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I had DS at Stony Brook, and DD at St. Charles.
I, personally, preferred St. Charles by a mile. I will be deliviering there in August.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I delivered at St. Charles and loved how small it was, I felt like I got great personal attention even though they were at capacity for maternity while I was there. I have nothing but raves for them.

ETA: I would guess they're pretty comparable, so I'd personally suggest just finding an OB who you really like (someone who comes highly recommended from friends, etc) and then that will determine where you'll deliver, KWIM? I'd think it's much more important to be comfortable with your OB and be delivered at either of those hospitals.

Message edited 5/25/2008 10:05:24 AM.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

Jen, Kelly (aka waterspout4) delivered at St Charles, and Kerie (aka kerie-is-so-very fka ssdbk) delivered at Stony Brook. They each had unique medical problems, so they will give you a different perspective on the hospitals than your normal average run of the mill delivery.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

Although I was not in the maternty ward for my last hospital issue, I will say that I was very impressed with the medical care I received at St. Charles. I did meet with some of the nurses from labor and delivery who came to check on and I while I was in the hospital and they were very sweet, accomodating nurses. Addtionally, St. Charles was SO flexible with visiting hours. DH was able to stay as long as he wanted and they never asked any of my family to leave at the 8pm time period.

I have also stayed in SB hospital (also not in maternity) and while I liked the hospital, I preferred St. Charles because it was a smaller setting.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

Message edited 5/25/2008 11:54:49 PM.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I delivered at both and prefer St.Charles definately but b/c of insurance reasons I have to go to Stony Brook and Im not too thrilled !! JMO though

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

When I switched from my OB to the Stony Brook midwives I was a little worried about the quality of care at SB because I'd heard some bad things about SB's other non-maternity sections.

With that said, I was very pleased with SB when DS was born in March and when I have more children I would like to deliver at SB again. Everything went very smoothly and the staff was SUPERB. The place appears ghetto - for instance the area under the sink in my room hadn't been cleaned for awhile and none of the showers I used worked properly, but the staff was amazing and their attention to me was more than I expected. I had had a bout of depression a few years ago and that was marked in my chart - I was visited by someone from the psyche dept several times before I left because they were concerned about post partum depression. I thought the staff had labeled me as crazy but now I know they're trying to help me take care of myself and my family which I appreciate.

The main differences I found between SB and St Charles is the freedom to choose when your baby is with you. At St Charles the babies stay in the nursery MOST of the time, while at Stony Brook they encourage the baby to be with the mother. However, at STony Brook you can leave your baby in the nursery as often or for as long as you'd like - you don't HAVE to have him/her with you in your room at all times. It's your choice. Personally, I prefer to have the choice.

Good luck with your decisions...Do what you feel is best for you and your family.

And Congrats on the new addition!

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

Thanks for all the inofrmation ladies. I am saving this thread so that I can read it again before I actually make my decision.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I am delivering at SB. My original dr.s delivered at St. Chrales but I switched midway though the pregnancy to the Stony Brook Midwives who deliver at SB. I didn't have my baby yet so I can't comment on that yet... but some things I like about the hospital are:
-Private Rooms
-CHOICE on keeping the baby with you
-Longer visiting hours (2-8 vs 7-8 for St. Chalres)
-heard great things about the food
-NICU is right there
-closer to home
-if you have an emergency, you go to the L&D floor... not the regular emergency room. (Before I switched Drs, in St. Charles, I was seen in the regular e-room)


As for the students/interns, you have the choice if you want them in the room or not. If you don't feel comfortable you can say no. I had one midwife student assist at some of my appointments and honestly I hope she is there when I deliver. It is like having an extra midwife and an extra support person there. The one I saw is really great You don't gvet stuck with a student instead of the regukar nurse, you get them in addition to teh regular one.

HTH!

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

being that I am a high risk pregnancy I feel comfortable at stony brook I love the doc at university ob/gyn they are very ontop of things my doc sent me for a glucose level early at 9 weeks because he had a suspicion and was right i failed and he did not hesitate putting me on insulin and I was glad because I had so many problems my last PG that my former doc probably missed that so I am happy where I am plus i get more appointment which can get annoying but I know they are keeping a close eye on me and I get more sonograms so I get to see peapod more often...i was a little wiery about giving birth there only b/c I work there withiin the mother baby unit so i know everybody there including the cute residents I thought that I would have a problem with that especially cause Im friends with them but in time of need I think that having friends around might not be so bad and after doing 7 rounds of IVF i am not so shy anymore

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I delivered at St. Charles and absolutely LOVED it. I know everyone raves about SBU's NICU (god forbid you have to experience the NICU) but my baby was born at 30 weeks and was in the NICU at St. Charles for 6 weeks and I will forever be grateful to the amazing nurses there that took such wonderful care of my baby. Not to say that Stonybrook's NICU is nothing less than top notch but I can personally vouch for St. Charles' NICU as well.

Message edited 5/26/2008 12:27:29 PM.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

One thing about the residents -- I actually recieved the best breastfeeding advice from one of the teaching nurses. The student nurse came in and just did a couple of things, then her instructor came in. She noticed that I had a cracked nipple and worked with me, giving me great tips.

So, the teaching aspect can be a good thing. My advice is don't be afraid to be vocal. If the residents are annoying you, tell them to leave you alone.

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles

I can't believe I am lurking on this board with a 5 month old, LOL! But really wanted to share my experience as I cannot say enough positive things about SB. I had posted something similar on the parenting board as someone over there was asking not too long ago.....I had to be induced for medical reasons at about 38.5 weeks and my induction did not work so I had to have a c-section. I had MAJOR complications during my c-section that were quite frightening for me, thankfully the baby was never in any danger but I was. I have a fantastic doctor but I give a LOT of credit to everyone that was in that room. Afterwards--which was quite some time as I was out for several hours, they were so helpful. I felt the care was OUTSTANDING that I received. Every nurse that I met with was wonderful and as someone mentioned above they do have long visiting hours but we dictated when people came. I was VERY glad to be able to leave DS in nursery at times, especially overnight, after what I had been through (and if you have a c-section it can be tough and as a first time mom, I will admit I was scared to be alone with him at first--but everyone has their own personal preference I think when it coems to leaving the baby in their room) I was not able to get out of bed, even to change my DS the first day but that was due to some of my complications. All in all, I HIGHLY recommend SB. Can't say enugh good things about them, I am very grateful to every one there. I absolutely plan to have second baby delivered there....and now I better get of this board before I get any ideas, LOL!

Re: Stony Brook vs. St. Charles