Lake Arrowhead & Crestline Communities

My wife and I are expecting our first child in late Jan...early Feb. Does anyone have a good experience or bad experience at MCH Birthing Center. Were trying to decide between there and Loma Linda. Any input would be great.

FFEMT86, you must not work up here, or you would already know the answr....lol

Oh, and Congratulations!!

DM was born at MCH 5 years ago (next month! YIKES!!). And if we were to have another, that's where I'd go again.
Congratulations & good luck!!!

I've only heard good things about the birthing center, but I had my last one at Loma Linda, since that was the hopsital my OB was affiliated with, and since I was considered high risk because of my age

Totally unwarranted - 4 hour total labor and delivery, no drugs, not even an IV.

I watched my niece being delivered at mountains, its quiet, serene, they arent overloaded with births like most hospitals. Great experience. I recommend it.

The only experience I've had with MCH is the ER and the experience's were horrible. I had my first 3 at Redlands Community Hospital and my last at Loma Linda and Loma Linda was the best experience, but a lot of it depends on your doctor where ever you choose to go. My OBGYN at Loma Linda was awesome!!

Have you contacted Leonette Clayson at the Inland Midwife Services? She has a well run true birthing center in Redlands.

My friend used Leonette Clayson at the Inland Midwife Services in redlands and she loved them. She has had both of her daughters with IMS, would definately recommend her.

My wife and I went to Mountains for the birth of our first last year. We ended up being sent down to Loma Linda due to complications...but the staff were GREAT! They had no problem sending us down the hill at the appropriate time. I would recommend it to anyone, esp. low risk. Definately has that personal feel.

Just keep in mind LL is going to have students in and out observing the process and helping out. There were a lot of "extra" people in my room, LOL

Thank you all for your input. I believe we decided to go to Loma Linda(insurance decided for us) For those of you who have gone to Loma Linda...how was it? What are the rooms like? Do you feel like your in a hospital? Do they offer tours of the birthing center?

Totally unwarranted - 4 hour total labor and delivery, no drugs, not even an IV.

Awewsome, Junco...I was not high risk, and of course that was not my experience with my first one. As you know, I didn't even try labor with the second! Labeling mothers high risk by virtue of age only is silly. Although I wasn't treated as high risk being 39 with this last one. Maybe they're looking at other indicators aside from age now.

Cathleen

Just keep in mind LL is going to have students in and out observing the process and helping out.

Doing more than observing, I'd say. he he. My girlfriend had her daughter there, and the doctor would come in to check her, then the intern would say, "may I." And she would just lie there, looking exhausted, and say, "go ahead." She just had so many hands in her while she was in labor, it was like, "what the heck!" And then when it was time to get the baby out, I remember this one intern standing there next to the doctor delivering the baby with his rubber gloved hands up in the air watching the entire process in awe. It was really quite comical. But she did get good care.

Cathleen

I gave birth at Loma Linda in February 2008 (my first child). I was there for five days recovering from a C section.

Many of the rooms are single bed, and quite spacious. I was told that single rooms are not guaranteed- it depends on how many women are giving birth at any one time. They said that they make all efforts to keep rooms as singles. I got a large single room (with a great view!) for my stay. In fact, I don't remember seeing any of the rooms 'double bunked' during my stay there.

Usually they give tours once a week- just call for details (877-558-6248). On the tour they take you through the labor and delivery ward as well as the recovery areas.

The staff were absolutely wonderful! The nurses were all extremely helpful, attentive, and patient with my many questions and requests. And the food wasn't bad, either.

The only complaint I can think of is that since it's a teaching hospital, there are a lot of students/residents that come in with questions at all hours of the day/night (always-it seemed- when I was just about to get some sleep!). They were all professional, but it was annoying.

Despite this, if I have another baby, I'm definitely having it at Loma Linda. Congrats on your pregnancy, and good luck with the birth!

5 days is a long stay. With my first cesarean I had the baby on Monday night and went home Wednesday afternoon. With the second I had the surgery Thursday morning and went home Saturday afternoon. I could have stayed one extra day with the second one, but to be honest, I knew I would recover no faster in the hospital. I hate hospital beds and just couldn't get comfortable. Only one day after getting home on Saturday the fire in Arrowhead broke out and we got evacuated on Monday (well...couldn't get home after going down the hill in the morning, actually). It's probably better that I went home before not being able to be there at all. I might have just totally fallen apart if I had not been able to go anywhere after leaving the hospital. My girlfriend that is Japanese went to Japan to have her daughter and she stayed 10 days post c-section! Can you believe it? I think she didn't want to go home

And congratulations, Buttercup. If you go to Mountain Recipes I started a thread on home made babyfood. Good tips. I haven't bought any babyfood, not even to travel, with this baby.

Cathleen

Loma Linda is great. I delivered one of mine there. REMEMBER- you have the right to refuse to have anyone but the attending care for you. I also worked there for 6 years and it is part of the job to remind patients that it is a teaching facility but, if they insist on no students or residents, thats the way it goes!The patient gets what they want!

I highly recommend Loma Linda University Medical Center. The birthing center was recently remodeled. Loma Linda is equip to handle any emergency situation that arises. The nurse patient staffing ratios are excellent for special attention to the patient needs.

Loma Linda, for certain. Truly. Many reasons. Just do it!