Positive/Negative experiences at Virginia Hospital Center?
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Anonymous
| I'm planning to deliver there because I live in Arlington and it's where my current OB practice delivers, but was just wondering whether anyone has had particularly positive or negative experiences there. I just discovered that their c-section rate is a lot higher than I would have expected. |
Anonymous
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I had an AMAZING experience there - delivered my DD there with my OB and a doula, and had the unmedicated birth I wanted.
The nursing staff there is just incredible, really, they are just about the nicest people in the world. I was lucky in that I got in right as shifts changed, and gave birth about 1 hour before the end of the shift, so I had the same nurse from the beginning to end (and she was fresh at the beginning  ), AND she was very natural-birth positive (did not at any time ask me about my pain or offer an epidural). The nurses in postpartum were amazing as well - I even got photos of some of them with the baby because I was just tickled at how much they obviously cared.
I believe it's more important to know your attending OB's c-section rate than the rate of the hospital in general. The OB I delivered with (Dr. Caskie) only has a 12% rate, I believe. I certainly think that makes a difference, as she was very patient with the labor process and spent a good deal of time in the room coaching me. I could rave on and on about how much I love her. So, ask your OB what their stats are, how long they'll allow you to push, when do they induce (induction is more likely to lead to a section in FTMs), what's their take on monitoring, etc. Finally, I can't really recommend VHC's LCs much. One was good, but the other didn't help much at all. That's the only downside I experienced, though - otherwise it was great! |
Anonymous
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The main thing that I've heard from people who delivered there is that they were screaming in pain from not getting an epidural as quickly as they wanted to (or at all, and they wanted one).
So, if you plan on getting one, I'd ask for it early on. No sense in being in pain if you don't have to, IMO. I delivered at Sibley, and I was very proactive in asking about shift changes and when anesthesiologists were available because I didn't want that happening to me if I could help it. |
Anonymous
| I delivered at VHC, unplanned C-section, which is why i'm not going back there this time around. you're right, their c section rate is abominable BUT the nurses are great. the only thing i'd recommend is, if you end up being there 4 days like i did, having the nurses-in-training and residents/students coming through at ALL HOURS every couple hours to poke you and prod you gets old really fast. i'm pretty sure you can post a sign NO STUDENTS on your door. it's your right. too bad i didn't know this at the time! other than that, the rooms were very nice and i have nothing but nice things to say about the nurses. |
Anonymous
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It was amazing. They let me go as long as I wanted - I was in labor for 46 hours! and they were very supportive of our choices.
All the nurses read our birth plan and I don't have one little thing to complain about. We even thought of moving back to DC for delivery... too bad we're far away now and besides loving the practice I don't like my local hospital 
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Anonymous
| Loved it for two non-epi births. I can't speak to the epi wait. Who is your OB? Agree that matters more than the hospital's rate. |
Anonymous
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Can't speak to the OB ward, but my MIL spent weeks in the oncology ICU in private room bigger than my living room with seating for her entire, huge family.
Love that place. |
Anonymous
| Had scheduled emergency c so can't comment on labor support, but loved that magical fridge of food in the post partum ward. It was because of the surgery, I believe, but it,s like thre were people in my room all the damn time. Meds this, offer that, check incision. That was a hassle. Rooms are incredibly tiny (and I got a large one! All c sections do, I heard, for the wheelchairs/gurney to fit). Still, it was an okay enough experience. |
Anonymous
| Delivered twice at VHC and loved the experience both times. Great L&D staff and great mother & baby unit staff. NICU nureses also are wonderful. I would highly recommend delivering there. I don't know how large of rooms PP was expecting, but I found my rooms large and very comfortable and they were recently remodeled. Everyone, including students, nurses aides, and dietary services staff was very courteous and respectful. It's a great place. |
Anonymous
| 22:45 here - should also note that all rooms are private - no chance of sharing. A friend who delivered at Sibley came to visit after I delivered my second and couldn't believe how nice it was compared with Sibley. She's in VA, too, and wondered out loud why she didn't choose VHC. |
Anonymous
| Thanks all! OP here. I am going to Women to Women so could get any one of 5 doctors. I have liked all that I've met so far, but will research their individual c-section rates. Haven't seen Dr. Caskie yet but have heard great things. |
Anonymous
OP, I delivered twice at VHC with Women to Women. Dr. Holmes delivered my first DD which was a planned c-section due to breech presentation. I had a VBAC with my second at VHC. I labored at the hospital for 12 hours (was in labor at home for 6 hours beforehand) and the nurses were very accommodating. They read my birth plan and really did not push me to do anything differently. I did have a doula, which was very helpful. Dr. Shah was supporting me for most of the labor -- popping in an out until the last 4 hours when she had to go to the office to see patients. Dr. Cobbs was there for the last few hours and immediately started pushing me to 1) get an epidural which I did not want, and 2) agree to a c-section. Dr. Shah before she left thought that I was doing really well and would have no problems with the birth based on the monitoring she had done for the 8 hours prior, so I really believe Dr. Cobbs just wanted to be out of there. In the end I did not have a c-section. When I checked later on I did find out that Dr. Cobbs has a pretty high c-section rate. All of the other doctors are awesome! And I can't say enough good things about the nursing staff at VHC. Both times I had excellent care and so did my babies. |
Anonymous
| Well, apparently I'm the only one who hated my nurse at vhc. She pushed me to get the epi. In her words: you're gonna be here all night. You want the epidural. Of course, unbeknownst to her I was in transition and the baby was there 10 min later. I am grateful that I got the epi because otherwise I sincerely believe I would have delivered on the toilet. OP just don't hesitate to ask for a different nurse if you're not happy. Facilities are great. |
Anonymous
This post is incoherent. Did you want the epi or not? If you did, why do you have a problem with the nurse "pushing" you to get one? Patients are lucky that they get to fire nurses. Too bad it doesn't work the other way around. |
Anonymous
20:32 here and Dr Caskie is the main reason why I picked WtoW in the first place. I love that woman! She was wonderful through out the whole ordeal and did a terrific job with my stitches. (yup I ended up with a C-sec - totally my choice). I picked her after watching a lot of OBs working at VHC during my nursing clinical practices. She's THE BEST! |