Experience Giving Birth in Portland Hospitals?

Hello-
I have two friends both nurses that dilivered at good sam and loved it. Both had birthplans that were fallowed. I have not heard anything about OHSU.
L.

1 mom found this helpful

I had my daughter with a beautiful natural birth at Adventist Medical Center in Portland, OR a few years ago. When they found out I wanted a natural birth, they provided me with doula-trained nurses, birthing ball, squat bar, and everything I needed. They let me wait to cut her cord, and they let me keep her placenta to plant under her "birth tree." There was even jacuzzi jets in the tub in my room, where I spent a lot of time laboring. They were very supportive, and the fact that it is a smaller hospital was nice! They only have, like, 32 birthing suites so you get lots of attention and support. They honored every wish I had, and I had a 3-page typed single-spaced Birth Plan. With my son, who is due in July, I can't wait to go back. I know they'll take care of me. My OB was and still is Dr. Drake with Women's Healthcare Specialists which operates out of Adventist. Their number is ###-###-#### for the clinic. I'm not sure what the hospital number is, but it's right by Mall 205 off I-205 and stark street. I wish you all the best!

...I saw that someone else wrote that their services after 5 p.m. weren't so great, and that their hubby had a hard time sleeping. My husband also didn't really like the fold out couch they gave him, but we never had a problem getting food anytime we wanted it. The nurses were great! And I was quite comfortable, and my husband didn't complain about his sleeping arrangements until after we returned home. He knew it wasn't about him as long as me and the baby were well-taken care of. But if we could change one thing about Adventist, that gal is right: it would be the sleeping arrangments for the partner :)

I gave birth in Nov at GSH (Good Sam) and I liked it real well. Everyone was very nice and helpful. Lots of resources. You will have the same nurse with you wherever you go I ended up needing a C-section,my nurse went with me to surgery, then to recovery and then back to the room with me. You stay in the same room until you discharge.

I had my daughter at Legacy Good Sam, and I had a great experience! A lot of it has to do with your doctor, but mine was incredibly supportive of my birth plan, and didn't push for a lot of interventions. The nurses were really nice, the anesthesiologist was incredible, and the birthing rooms are great. That said, I am hoping to have my next baby at Andaluz Waterbirth Center. Check them out as well! I also highly recommend a birth Dhula. Ours was definitely worth it! Email me if you would like references. :)

I delivered both of my daughters at Legacy Emanuel. It is an amazing hospital. Their birth centers are wonderful and the staff is great. I would recommend Legacy. My cousin delivered at OHSU and she loves it there. I think either hospital is a great choice.

I had my daughter at Good Sam, with the help of a doula, my DH and mom. We had the most AMAZING nurses!!! We wanted a natural birth, and even though my labor was long (26 hrs), no one rushed me or pressured for medication. They were incredibly supportive, the facility was beautiful, and we were so happy about the whole experience. I was very leery about giving birth in a hospital, but was so pleasantly surprised. Two notes, however. The tubs in the L&D rooms are regular sized bathtubs, so if you think you'll want to labor/deliver in water, don't do it there. I thought I would want the water, but didn't. And the other thing, my husband and I have an ongoing joke about Good Sam. I looked up the day after my delivery, and said "Is it my imagination, or are all the nurses really hot?" He just sort of looked down, but I noticed A LOT of his friends visited us while we were there!! It was like Swedish Bikini Team nursing staff!! They were so sweet and totally helpful and professional, but we had to laugh.

I absolutely loved giving birth at Good Sam! The rooms were like huge hotel rooms- plenty of room for hubby and other kids if needed. And you never had to move rooms the entire time, so you could spred your stuff out right when you got there. Plus the tubs were jetted in case you felt like a jacuzzi bath! My 2nd daughter had to be born at Legacy Emanual downtown and boy, did I miss Good Sam!!! (we had to change rooms and the second room was so small and very hard to fit all of us- my hubby and 2yr old visiting)
Good luck!

Hi,

I just gave birth at Good Sam two weeks ago to my first child. I had a natural birth and the staff was very supportive. We called a little after midnight to tell them my labor had started and they immediately pulled my file. In this first phone call they scanned my birth plan and made me aware they saw it and gave me advice on what to do for my natural labor (ie. stay at home for as long as you can but noted that the politcally correct direction from them was to come in for an exam). When I finally got there they had a room ready for me. No one asked me if I wanted any medications except my ob who asked if I wanted a local for the perineal area during the pushing. Our nurse Susan was great. Without her keeping me focused on my breathing my husband wouldn't ahve been as open for providing other comfort measures. I think without her it would have been overwhelming for both of us. I didn't have a choice in hospitals but I would highly recommend Good Sam. Our nurse even got my hubbie a dinner for the first night so he didn't have to leave, which we thought was very nice.
Good luck.

Good Sam!!! What a great place to deliver. I delivered both my girls there.

And yes, Jenna is GREAT :) I delivered both my girls with her as well...

I gave birth at Providence St. Vincent and MANY of my friends have as well. My only complaint was that we were stuck in a very small recovery room for our stay. They have a bunch of overflow rooms that are tiny (barely enough room for one person).

Luckily they moved us to a larger suite after we complained, but I know other people who were unhappy about that as well.

Andaluz Water Birth Center is the best place ever. I had my daughter there 7 months ago and it was the most fantastic experience of my life. You are treated with respect and your opinion matters. The midwives are wonderful and supportive and will not force, coarse, or scare you into doing anything you do not want or need. I would never have a baby any other way.

I have not had deliveries at either hospital, but I used to work at OHSU and have had a friend who delivered at Good Sam. OHSU does have a separate L&D and postpartum unit adn the rooms are smaller. There is a chance, if they are really busy, that you will be put into a double room (if they still have them). The nurses hate doing it because they know that the birth experience is very personal and special and they hate sending the daddies home (it is a privacy issue for the other patient), but that's what they've got to work with. That said, the nurses are very caring and highly trained in normal and high-risk moms and babies and they do have a state-of-the-art NICU. Good Sam is definitely like a luxury hotel and specialize in low-risk pregnancies. I don't know any of the docs there but my friend was very satisfied with hers and her stay there.

I'm a big fan of the Women's Health Clinic and Meridian Park in Tualatin - it has a great birthing center. You give birth and stay in the same room.

If you're more on I205 than I5 - Willamette Falls birthing center is great too.

I had my daughter a OHSU and I loved it. Who is your doc? I had Dr. Bednarek at OHSU and she is great she is still my gyn. Her # is ###-###-####.

S.,

I had our son in 1995 at St. Vincent's and had no complaints. They were midwife-friendly, supported our birth plan, and allowed natural childbirth to progress as we had requested (barring trouble, of course). There was also a whirlpool bath/tub on the labor floor I used to ease part of my labor along.

May you have a wonderful and safe delivery wherever you go!

Congratulations! I delivered my daughter in 2005 at Good Sam. Wonderful experience!!!! It was a quick labor and I panicked but the staff was wonderful. Also made use of the lactation specialists and was very happy. I am due in 10 weeks with daughter #2 and plan to deliver at Good Sam. My Dr. is also Jenna Murray (see previous poster) and she is the BEST!!!!

S.,
Congratulations on the upcoming event! It is great, no matter, where you go. I never had a baby at OHSU, but we were patients there otherwise, and it is an excellent hospital-just HUGE. I had my daughter at Emanuel, which is part of Legacy system, and I loved every moment of that experience. The birthing center was great and the staff super-caring. The reason we went there was simple-at that time Kaiser had a contract with Emanuel. This later changed, so two years ago I had my son at St. Vincent. Again, the staff were great, but the place was much busier (and bigger). I worked as a nurse at Good Sam for two years and many of my fellow nurses had their babies there, so I had a chance to get familiar with their L&D, I think it was awesome. Bear in mind that Good Sam does not have high-risk nursery, so if there is a chance your baby may require interventions, you may consider other hospital. The same applies to birthing center. But I wish you an awesome , halthy baby and no interventions whatsoever,
A.

I had an excellent experience at Good Sam when I gave birth in 2005. The hospital was chosen for me since that's where my OB/GYN delivers (Dr. Jenna Murray who totally ROCKS! if you're in the market for a good OB). I wanted a natural birth as well, and though I had to be induced due to complications that developed at the end of my pregnancy, I was able to deliver naturally. They were very supportive of letting me labor as I chose. I had a doula and there was no issue at all with that either. The rooms are very nice (like a hotel room...they try to make it look as "unmedical" as possible, there is room for your partner to stay and family to visit, they are fine with baby rooming in with you the whole time) you birth and stay in the same room, and there is also a tub in your room if you want to labor (though not deliver) in water. The labor and delivery nurses were also very excellent. I was very pleased with the experience and would deliver there again.

(Just a quick note on OHSU...friends just had a baby there in Feb. and we stopped by for a visit. The rooms were way smaller and not nearly as "hotel" like, and labor happens in a seperate place and then you are moved to the room you stay in.)

I gave birth at Willamette Falls Hospital in Oregon City and loved it.

Well, I had triplets a little over 2 years ago at Emanuel(another Legacy facility) and had a fantastic perinatologist and specialist care. My doctor recently had a baby and could have chosen anywhere and he chose Legacy Good Sam - pretty good reference if you ask me! =) I loved my experience and though I haven't had a baby at OHSU, my husband had a surgery there and they were so anxious to get him out of the recovery unit afterward, I had to dress him and take him home still drugged up. Congratulations on your new parenthood!

I had my twins at home with midwives through Andaluz. The midwives are so amazing! I got to labor on my own and didn't notice the midwives as I was laboring. I had twins which is why I was at home other wise I would have been at their birthing Center in Tualatin. If you want a natural birth they are great and they cost less than a hospital birth, in many cases. I know that for me I paid maybe 2 percent of what I would have paid if I had gone to a hospital.

S.
Mama to Tiernan and Caulla-Anora born 11-8-07 home water birth

Hi, check out Andaluz Waterbirth Center in Portland their website is www.waterbirth.net I just had my second child at Andaluz and it was an absolutely amazing birth experience. You can go for a free tour and introduction to the birthing center to see if it is a right fit for you. They are AWESOME!!!

Hi,
I had both my kids at Providence Milwaukie (13 and 16 yrs ago) and had a great team there.
I recently was in Mt. Hood Legacy birthing unit when I had a hystercomy in Nov. It was a GREAT place! Beautiful, great friendly staff. Not a lot of people there so you do get personal attention.
I would never elect to do ANYTHING at OHSU ever!
I don't know anything about Good Sam...
Hope that helps. :)
D.

I had a natural labor at OHSU in 03 with the midwives, and worked with several great ones, and Linda Glenn was the best. I had a doula stay with me at home for a long time, since my labor eventually was 35 hours, and I pushed for over 2 hours. I thought my experience was really powerful, and I felt supported and not pressured in any way to change course. I think the doula was essential though. I had access to a water tank but in the end it slowed things down too much.

I also had a shorter natural labor at Kaiser Sunnyside in 05, where there was some early pressure to take pitocin (refused) since I was 8 days overdue, and then the attending nurse was amazed at my birth, she had not seen many natural births. I also had a water tank there, but eventually wanted out. A doula here was also essential.

Good luck!

I had my youngest daughter at Good Sam 17 years ago. I had a wonderful experience. Although both hospitals are very good, OHSU can be a bit more inconvenient to get to...especially if the weather is bad & the parking is undoubtedly horrible! So you & your husband need to decide what the both of you want.

I may be a little bias because I work for a division of Legacy Health System and had one of my children at Emanual and cant think of a better place to have a baby. The birthing certer is fantastic and the staff if unremarkable. My suggestion to you is to tour both facilities and question the staff about the comforts for not only you but your spouse also. Think about the services available during all hours of your stay. I know it may seem odd to think about but our first child was born at Ptld Adventist hospital and after 5pm each day and the weekends the cafe was closed so my husband had to leave each day to eat or we had to have family bring him food. The facility had the most horrible sleeping arrangments for him and during a time that was to be special and when I needed the most help he was being treated not so farly.

Call the hospitals and get a tour, they make all the difference in the world.