How to Find the Best Obstetrics (Maternity) Hospitals
You want the very best for your baby, and making sure that the first moments following their birth are perfect is at the top of that list.
I was so impressed seeing those pictures of Beyoncé’s birthing suite at Lennox Hill Hospital in NY and thinking that it was more like a hotel suite than a typical hospital room. How fabulous it was that her whole family had the room to enjoy Blu Ivy! What mom doesn't want her moment to be just as special? Well fortunately, it’s more common than you think and now you can have an experience that is just as wonderful. Many hospitals today have birthing centers filled with all the amenities, suites and staff ready to deliver your new prince or princess.
So the first step to ensuring that your experience is the best possible for you new bundle of joy is to start by finding the right hospital. Make it among your top priorities to ensure the optimal care and experience you and your family will treasure for a lifetime. It starts with research and thanks to WomenCertified, home to the Women’s Choice Awards; that research has been done for you by identifying the America's Best Hospitals in Obstetrics for Patient Experience. Give special consideration to those hospitals carrying the Women's Choice Award, because it symbolizes an even deeper commitment to you and your baby’s experience. These hospitals can be found at wwwWomensChoiceAward.com And while we hope the choice will be yours, its important to make sure your insurance covers the stay at the hospital. If your insurance requires you to choose from a certain list of maternity wards, hopefully at least one of your choices will be listed among the best, but just in case here are things you will need to ensure proper medical coverage during the birth and stay at the hospital according to www.BabyMed.com:
1. Average Length of Stay. With insurance coverage, most of the time the length of stay approved will be the time the mother spends in the hospital. Before choosing the best maternity ward, ask how long the average length of stay is for a vaginal birth and a C-section birth. Just because the insurance approves a length of time does not mean the hospital has the available rooms to keep mom and baby that long.
2. Number of Patients on the Floor. How many mothers and babies can be housed in the maternity unit at one time? Is the unit usually full or are their open rooms available most of the time. If there are open rooms on most days, the mom may be able to stay longer in the hospital with the support from the nurses when transitioning from pregnant woman to new mother.
3. Nurse to Patient Ratio. The number of patients for every nurse on the maternity ward is an indication of the support the pregnant mom and the new mom will receive. If there is a large ratio, the care you want may not be available with the nurses being spread thin over the patients.
4. Private Room Availability. Some insurances cover the use of a private room after birth. This does not mean the hospital will have that space available. If you want to have a bit more privacy after baby is born, check with the maternity ward to see if there are private rooms available.
5. Night Visitor Privileges. Dad wants to be as much a part of the birth and after birth care as possible. A growing number of hospitals allow the father to stay in the room with the patient for moral and physical support.
6. After Birth Suite. In cases where the baby is in need of specialized care after mom has been released, after birth suites provide mom a place to stay in the hospital while baby is still under the care of the doctors.
7. NICU. After the baby is born, if there are any complications the baby may need NICU care. NICU stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. If the hospital does not have an NICU on sight, choosing another maternity ward may be the best option.
8. Specialized Care. Along with choosing a maternity ward with a NICU, the specialized care givers need to be available to care for the baby. These caregivers include Neonatal Intensive Care nurses and a pediatrician that specializes in critical infant care.
9. Obstetrician / Pediatrician on Call or in House. Some hospitals employ an obstetrician and / or a pediatrician to be in house during the late night and overnight hours. Others only require a specific doctor to be on call. With the on call doctor, there will be a wait before specific care can be given.
10. Lactation Support. Some mothers choose to breast feed from the moment they know they are pregnant and take classes on lactation. Others decide after the baby is born to try their hand at breast feeding. For these moms, in house lactation support is essential to making the connection between mom and baby a bit less stressful.
11. Patient Reviews. After checking your list and finding what seems like the perfect hospital or maternity ward, the last thing to check are other patient reviews. These can be found all over the Internet and are a great indication of how the maternity ward truly treats the patient and the baby. To find a an America’s Best Women’s Choice Award Obstetrics hospital, visit www.womenschoiceaward.com/best-hospitals-for-obstetrics
Find the Best Women’s Choice Award Obstetrics hospital
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