Hospital Advice

I delivered both my kids at St. Alexius Med. Ctr. and recovered in a double room, but they didn't put anyone in there, so basically it was like having a big single room. It was great. They really try to keep you alone and the staff there is so nice, helpful, and comforting. I don't know anything about the other hospitals. I had a great experience in at St. Alexius, however.

I am partial to Alexian Brothers in this area. I Have heard from other people what wonderful experiences they have there. Doesn't sound like your closest option though!!

I delivered my twins at St. Alexius and would not even consider the other two! The NICU at St. Alexius is much better, in my opinion. The nursing staff is wonderful in the nursery and on the floor. I had the best experience there and would do it again. Also, my daugher had meningitis in November and they are the only hospital in the area that has a pediatric ER, which is very important to me. I asked my doctors (Suburban Woman's Health Care--Dr. Epstein delivered my twins, but I saw all of them) and they couldn't officially recommend one hospital, but they all strongly hinted to St. Alexius and even said that they had/would have their children there. Best of luck and congratulations!

S.,

I had a C-section at Sherman and was very happy with the staff and my experience was uneventful. All of the nurses and other staff were very nice. I went to a tour there before and that really helped with knowing what to expect. I requested a private room and was first put in a double with nobody else in there and then I was moved to a private room as soon as one was available. They have limited private rooms and it just depends on how many babies are being born on that day. I don't have any experience at the other two. Good luck!

My grandson was born in September at St. Alexius. There was a labor/delivery private room.
Arrange for a tour of each of the hospitals and see if they have a sibling tour appropriate for your 22 month old. You will have greater peace of mind after taking the tours if you unexpectedly end up at a diferent hospital than your first choice. If you are west of the Fox River, Provena St. Joe will be the closest hospital. Maybe Sherman will have their new facility open at Randall & Big Timber by April (if it's not already open). Don't hesitate to ask your midwife/OB/nurse practitioner about other useful info they can share with you. Congratulations! Also, suggest that certain VIPs bring a big girl gift for the big sister. I always tell the big sib that their gift is one that the new baby can't play with because the little one is "too little." It doesn't have to be big or expensive--just a big kid present.

I delivered at Sherman 2 years ago and they were great. I was in the hospital in the L and D deptartment 3 times with early labor. They were great every time. They listened to what I wanted and let me have as natural of a labor as possible. The premature labor scares were terrible, but everyone there helped me out wonderfully. The only complaints I had was that my nurse started pitocin early and I REALLY did not want ANY unless it was absolutely necesscary. My midwife said to start it in a half hour if my labor didnt' start on it's own (after breaking my water). She waited about 15 minutes and my labor was horribly intense and fast and I doubt it had to be that bad. I also did not get a private room, but I wasn't sharing it so it wasn't too bad....but they are very small.

The lactation consultants there are not the best though, so if you want breastfeeding help at all I would suggest a private LC or LLL.

I haven't given birth at any of them, but do have experiences with them.

1st: St. Alexius - my mother had neck surgery there last year and was treated excellenty by the staff. My cousin (more like a sister though) also works there on 5 North (I believe it's the cancer wing-could be wrong). She gave birth there though, and her OB saved her life - she had placenta previa at the beginning of pregnancy and they thought the danger was gone when she delivered, but she couldn't deliver the placenta, they took her into emergency surgery and did a DNC but still couldn't get it out. They saved her, her baby, and didn't take her uterus - gave her some medicine to make it come out on it's own.

2nd: Sherman - I know a few who have given birth there in the past and they were fine with the experience they received. I had kidney stones removed there and would never return! First the nurses were wonderful and took care of me really well, but the administrative staff was horrible! They lost my paperwork to get my surgery started 5 times (somewhere within the hospital, so paperwork with my SSN was floating around the hospital and no one cared). Then I had to go back to the ER after I was discharged because I was still in a huge amount of pain, and they blew 3 IVs in me (I'm a hard stick as it is, but I told them and they had people practicing on me!) and they left us alone, unattended for hours, so when I had to use the bathroom, my mother had to help me in and out of bed and figure out what to do about my IV because we paged the nurse's station so many times, but no one ever came.

3rd: Provena St. Joseph - I have had many procedures done there and the staff is wonderful! I've never had a problem with administration or nurses. I don't know anyone who has given birth here, but this is the hospital I've chosen (my OB also delivers at all 3, do you go to Suburban Women's Health Specialists?)

I hope this helped at least a little.

I had both my children at Sherman. I'd have to say they do an adequate job of delivery and the delivery rooms are nice enough, but don't expect any above and beyond from them. I think they are just overworked, maybe a little understaffed.

Some of the people I dealt with were super friendly and I'd recommend in a heartbeat, but there were a lot of instances where I felt like I was just another numbered sheet in the stack of patients for them to deal with. My children were both born perfect and healthy though, despite some complications from gestational diabetes that had them especially worried the second time when I needed insulin to control it. With the second pregnancy everyone I saw was through Sherman in some way or another, including the OB-GYN. However, they didn't page her soon enough and didn't have enough staff to keep track of my progress - the nurse wanted to be SURE I was ACTUALLY in labor before giving me drugs after the doctor told me not to come in until I NEEDED drugs for the pain! - I was there over an hour before I got any relief and then didn't get the epidural because she wasn't around to tell when I wanted to have it! The doctor almost wasn't there in time. She literally threw her arms into the gown upon arrival and then flew forward to catch the baby that the nurse had been trying to hold inside me!!! I'd had a quick labor with my son too, but they didn't seem to take any of my first pregnancy into account when dealing with my second one. They were also really busy, so they put me in a shared room even when I asked for private and then didn't seem to make any effort to move me over until it became a problem. I didn't get any sleep for at least 48 hours because the people in my room were partying about the other lady's new baby. One nurse finally noticed me in tears and cleared out the (at least 10) visiting people in the room until she managed to get me into a private room about an hour later.

Also, after offering to take my daughter over and over again, the nurses didn't want to take her for me when I finally did ask them to let me get a little sleep! They brought her back after a half an hour, saying she was hungry when she was just overtired from not sleeping either! A couple of nurses were superb, however, and stepped in and helped a bunch - one of them is the REASON I'm still breastfeeding my daughter, since I was ready to quit right there in the hospital as I was overtired and having trouble getting her to latch.

Don't get me wrong - they work hard over there and DO do the job needed. I had a head injury several years ago and it was touch-and-go for a while, but I came out okay (10 days in the hospital, 5 of which were in ICU). The beds in the regular rooms - suck. They are as uncomfortable as hell. Bring your own pillows if you have to go there. But the doctors and nurses DO get the job done, so you wouldn't have to worry that they will do anything wrong medically. Just don't expect more than the occasional person to go above and beyond what's deemed "necessary" for them to do. Not enough of them have the time for that I think. Too many patients. When I planned appointments I'd plan a good hour into the schedule just to wait for the paper bracelet to go for a test. Sometimes it would be five minutes. Sometimes it would TAKE the whole hour.

In an emergency, I think I'd rely on them to be competent. However, I'd pick a different hospital for birthing if you have options. I've heard wonderful stories about "extras" that some of the other ones do to help make it a special experience.