alexist

Long Island College Hospital is closing its maternity unit. It's not the greatest hospital, but there are some really excellent midwives delivering there and I'd considered going to one of them next time. No idea where they're all going now (I know one has gone to St Vincent's in Manhattan and a bunch of the OBs have gone to Methodist).

I'd like a midwife next time as private midwives in the US attend you throughout the birth (if you have an OB, which most people do, you get assigned an L&D nurse who does most of the work. She's usually got more than one patient, you've never met her before, and she might be good or she might suck.) Since I'm going to be a VBAC patient (hopefully) I don't want to deal with a lousy OB nurse and I want to have choices (like not being on the EFM the entire time).

All the hospitals in Nassau County have awful stats (all, save 1--the welfare hospital!--have CS rates over 40%--LIJ on the county line squeaks under it) and while I don't think they have no-VBAC policies (aside from 1 or 2 of the smaller ones that don't have 24/7 anesthesia coverage) they aren't supportive. Queens is about as bad. I'm going to have to go to Brooklyn or Manhattan.

I had an awful experience last time and I am really anxious to avoid a repeat.