Which Hospital Is Best for Having a Baby?

I had my three kids at Fairview Hospitals because that's where my OB clinic insisted I go. I personally would choose Methodist. They are one of the best hospitals in the Twin Cities. They are a better run facility and don't have nearly the staffing issues that Fairview has. I would also check infant mortality rates between hospitals with the State Department of Health. Hospitals are a big topic of discussion in my family because I'm a nurse and my father works for the MN Deartment of Health and we talk about this stuff all the time.

So here's something maybe you haven't thought of. What about a home birth? Having a home birth can be such an awsome experience and I have plenty of contacts for you if you think you might want to consider that an option. Like I've said, I have three kids and for me, if I could do it all over again, I'd have them all at home. As a few other mothers have stated, hospitals are not healing environments, but hopefully your home is.

M.

I really like ABNW, right in your neighborhood. Staff were professional, attentive and gave my husband and I private space when needed. Both the birth room and my main 'recovery' room was nice. They contacted my neurologist who needed to be informed of what was going on.
They had to clean out her placental lining, she had pooped when still inside me (it seems so long ago - almost 4 yrs, I don't even remember proper words) So they had to do some clean up right away. I wanted her NOW. Clean up seemed to take forever. I did not want her to be spic and span clean. I wanted her just as she was - all gooey and slimy and whatever else. I had to ask them to give her to me - which they were cool with. I would guess if you asked in advance they would be attentive and respectful to your wishes.
My ob-gyn doctor is Dr. Elizabeth Elfstrand. My regular doc was on vacation. She was absolutely great. I still see her for stuff.
Best of everything to you. J. (our girl will be 4 in July)

Congrats! I have delivered both of my girls at Methodist Hospital on Excelcior blvd in St. louis park just west of uptown. I see Louis Sodderberg, she is a nurse practitioner at Park Nicollet. I have also seen dr. in this office but I have been very impressed by louis as she is very thurough and actually looks you in the eyes. I have been extremely satisfied both times with delivering at Methodist and will be delivering a 3rd there in about 5 months! Hope that helps your decision.

I just had a baby 3 weeks ago at Fairview Southdale. I would recommend FSD--the nurses are wonderful. Also, I go to OBGYN West in Eden Prairie (they also have an office in Wayzata). I think most the Drs there try to deliver all their own babies...at least mine does. I would recommend them as well. Good luck!

Woodwinds and United (Children's) in St. Paul are great hospital with nurses that really look at more natural alternatives during birthing. Woodwinds even has a birthing tub!
Best of luck and congrats on the pregnancy!
:) M.

Congratulations!
I have been at both, Fairview Southdale and Abbott Northwestern. In 2003 I was in Fairview and I liked it, they gave my husband a "bed" to sleep on so that was nice. Nurses were nice too and did not push me to use formula.
Abbott was great too. They don't give you a bed, just a pull-out chair that my husband said is not comfortable. Nurses were great and friendly, they gave me about 4 classes on how to breast feed my daughter, so they're patient.
I don't know about now, but in 2003 Fairview did not have a security bracelet for the babies where Abbott has a bracelet that goes around the babies ankle and if they get too close to the elevator the whole floor starts beeping.

Hope this helps!

Methodist all the way! It was the best experience ever. It was my second C-section, and looking back, I have absolutly no gripes. The Nurses, they are so wonderful. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for anything better!

I went to Fairview University and it was a good experience. There was a lot of support for breastfeeding, either with a nurse or a lactation consultant. I was able to spend a lot of time with my son and nurse him without anyone trying to give him formula.
They also have a great NICU. My son unexpectedly spent a few days there but I was able to use a hospital pump and they gave him my pumped milk.
The nurses and nursing assistants were very friendly and helpful. It was my first time being a mother so I appreciated the information, tips and advice.
I hope to be able to go back when we decide to have #2.

J. Davis-mom of John 2/25/05

Not as close to you, but not too far away is St. Joe's downtown St. Paul. I delivered my son there in December and it was fantastic. They have labor/delivery/recovery rooms available. I did a water birth so I had to move to a different recovery room after, but generally you don't have to. My nurses were outstanding, my baby roomed in with me and was only away from me for one test that they had to do for his hearing... other than that he was with me the entire time. There really wasn't even the option for them to sneak formula or water into him since he was only away for the 30 min. required to do the test.

I used midwives at Generations Womens Clinic (in Shoreview), which is probably too far away from you... but the Healtheast midwives at Mac Groveland clinic deliver there as well.

I highly recommend it.

J.

I delivered my 3rd baby last fall at Methodist hosp in St Louis Park and loved it! I had been recommended to it by a friend who works in medicine. She recommended to stay away from Fairview, not sure of the specifics why though.
I also used the certified nurse midwives at the Meadowbrook Park Nicollet clinic (in the hospital actually) and absolutely loved them! Personal attention, involved in the delivery, wonderful. I would not have another baby any other way! I had Kaisa Johnson for the delivery and she was amazing.
Good luck!

In my experience, I go to MN Gynceology & Surgery off of France in Edina and my Dr. Soderberg is awesome. He goes to Fairview Southdale and they were awesome. Very nice and tended to whatever you needed. I was a first time mom and I was breastfeeding and they showed me exactly how to do it. My Dr. delievers the babies too. He said that once you go to one of the dr's at the Clinic, they're with you the whole way.

Congrats on your pregnancy. I would advise against Fairview Southdale. I had 2 c-sxns there and neither experience was good. With my first one (4/03), I threw up in the middle of the night and had to buzz several times before a nurse came to help me get changed and get new sheets. With the second one (10/04), they brought me someone else's baby in the middle of the night to nurse. I didn't, since my baby was rooming in, but it still freaked me out.
Best of luck to you.

I love united/children's in St. Paul they have the NICU right there in the same hospital (no transporting baby to a different hospital if something is wrong and you unable to go with because you are recovering)(They are also available at the last mn. to come to your room as they are just down the hall)it is large and new every baby gets there own room and mom & dad are allowed to stay in the same room as baby or they can be just down the hall. With my son i was considered a low risk pregnancy everything was great throught my pregnancy till he was born with muconium and had to go to the NICU it was horrible but i was allowed to be with him and everything turned out wonderful we are now expecting and just took a tour of childrens/united on Sunday and they have completely redone the NICU everything in bigger and brand new. You can call the hospitals and take tours of them for free I would suggest doing that. I hope this helps.

I have delivered at FV Southdale onece and FV Riverside twice. I like FV Riverside the best and my Doc's clinic is connected to the building so she came over quickly. Her clinic is one listed in the Mamasource listing, University Specialists for Women. Her name is Dr. Carrie Terrell, but all of the doctors are great in her group and I would feel comfortable with all of them. I felt that the nurses at FV Riverside were "old pros" and were so helpful. I had the NICU present for my 1st delivery and was really impressed by them too. I can't say enough good things about the place. Let me know if you have other questions. I am planning on delivering there again in August!

My daughter is three, and I had her at United/Childrens Hospital. It was fantastic!! The nurses were wonderful and supportive of decisions I made, rather than what they would make. I have actually had an emergency since the birth of my daughter, and requested that the ambulance bring me ONLY to United.

Congratulations on the baby! It's such a blessing!

I had my baby at Fairview Southdale and I really liked it. The nurses and Dr's were great. I didn't have any complaints. The hospital itself is kind of old but the rooms are huge compaired to other hospitals I've seen. The one thing that bugged me though, was that when we took the tour during the birthing class, the instructor told us that we'd stay in the same room that we have birth in, but on the actual day, they moved us to a different room - something about a lot of babies being born that day. But that was a relatively minor issue. I'd also recommend going to Paul Larson OB/GYN. They're right next door to Fairview-Southdale and all the Doctors there are great. Mine is Dr. Immerman. Good luck and congrats!!!

Hi M.! First off, congratulations!!
Abbott, hands down has the best birthing unit and nursery. Plus, (not that you'll need it) Children's Hospital is right next door- just in case. It's nice to have that assurance. I had my son there in November, and everyone was so nice. They have visiting hours until 8 p.m., so after that it's nice and quiet. Plus, you get an awesome view of the Minneapolis skyline!
As far as OB/GYN's, Women's Health Consultants is awesome. All the docs are women, and are all fabulous. They have been in Minnesota Monthly's top doc issues several times. Here's a link to their website:

www.whcmn.com

Congratulations M.,

I don't know what part of Mpls you live on, but Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park is fantastic! It is a couple blocks west of Hwy 100 between Hwy 7 and Excelsior Blvd.

I went through the mid-wife clinic which is attached to the hospital. And unlike the doctor, the mid-wife is more accessible and visible during your pregnancy than the doctors -- plus they have relations with all the OBGYN doctors, so at any sign of complications or needs a doctor is immediately available.

Their whole philosophy is to make the birthing experience as natural as YOU want it. Therefore, if you want to not take drugs or minimize the use of them, they will follow your instructions. They will look for the same signs as an OBGyn and they will do the same tests. They will give you the same information and let you decide what you want for your and your baby.

I can vouch for the OBGyns as well since I had to have a C-Section with my second (she was breach) and they were also terrific. They tried to help move the baby and when it appeared it was not going to work, they were very helpful and compassionate in preparing me for the C-section. Not to mention the mid-wife was also checking on me as well.

The birthing rooms are almost like a hotel suite (I experienced them with my first son since we had a natural delivery). Nicely decorated, hardwood floors appearance. You almost forget you are giving birth until all the action kicks in and then the tools come out of the hidden decor....

Good luck

M. - I had both of my children at Abbott Northwestern and couldn't say enough about the wonderful care we all received. My first child, my son, was born 7 weeks early and was in the special care nursery for 3 weeks. I hold the nurses in that unit in the highest regard; they made me feel confident that my little one would be just fine...They were professional and attentive. Of course, being in the hospital through 2 births and for the 3 weeks with my son, I came across a nurse or 2 who were having bad days -but overall, the place was great for us.

My OBGYN is at Diamond Women's Clinic near Southdale - and they all deliver at Abbott. Dr. Mary Ann Jacob is wonderful, as are all of the docs in the practice - I had a chance to work with many of them throughout my 2 pregnancies.

A great thing about Abbott is that they are a level III hospital, meaning that they can care for you baby if there are any problems - right there, and not have to transfer the baby to another hospital. As others have said, you will likely not need this - but it does give one piece of mind anyway.