INOVA Fairfax birth stories?

Anonymous
Okay, I keep seeing posts here that are really down on INOVA Fairfax, and I can't tell if this is just some sort of snobbishness against a hospital that's in the suburbs and not in DC/Arlington, or if there's legitimate reason to think everyone at INOVA is just waiting for me to show up so they can tie me down to the bed and slice me open, as people are making it sound.

Anyone have actual experience at Fairfax one way or the other? When I asked my doctor about birthing positions, she said we wouldn't be getting in a tub of water (definitely not a problem for me as I have no interest in a water birth), but anything else was fine. Should I be doubting that?

Anonymous
I am curious to hear actual stories too, as I am delivering there. Three of my sisters delivered at INOVA Fairfax, and none of them had a bad experience. But, the most recent was almost 7 years ago, so I am wondering if things have gone downhill.
Anonymous
I can't speak to birth, but I've had several miscarriages there and at several other hospitals. Hands down, the care at INOVA Fairfax has been the very best. The nurses there are angels - absolute angels. With my last loss I was hospitalized at GW and the whole experience was a horror scene. I went back to my regular doc and INOVA to fix what GW screwed up. After six months I'm finally healthy again. I would never, EVER go anywhere else.
Anonymous
I gave birth there 4 months ago and couldn't have had a better experience. I had a vaginal birth and got an epidural a 7 cm, but they would have been very supportive if I hadn't wanted medication. No one pushed a C/S on me at any point. TBH I think it has more to do with your doctor than the location.
Anonymous
Dw delivered 7 months ago. It was our second at fairfax. Both experiences were good. This time the only issues we had were no gown for the longest time and no pillows. The nurses are really really good.
Anonymous
I had a scheduled c-section at ffx a year ago and the care could not have been better - my nurses during c and post delivery were amazing / forced me up - on top of my meds - came instantaneously if I called - food decent - really happy birth experience
Anonymous
I have had 2 scheduled c-sections at inova and everything was good. It's known for being an one of the best maternity wards in the country. Even the food has improved adn is really good at the new cafeteria!
Anonymous
I found that the day nurses were better than the night ones. I had some really great nurses but a couple were just "ok". But I had high expectations. My doctor was great, anathesiologist was great, etc. Overall a good experience.
Anonymous
Inova Fairfax has the highest csection rate in the state of Virginia:

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2011/3/5/virginia-cesarean-rates-by-hospital-2009.html

The 2009 numbers were 45% overall, 27% of first time moms, but I have heard they are over 50% now.

If you want to check csection rates by doctor, they are here:

http://www.vhi.org/ob_report_results_phys.asp

In the doula community, Inova Fairfax is generally understood to be a hospital that is not noninterventionist-friendly; with approximately half of births being surgical, this makes sense.

At my most recent birth there, the nurses and the OBs all expressed surprise at my client's successful unmedicated birth, and admitted that they silently snicker when a mom comes in expressing a desire to go unmedicated. They also admitted they rarely see such births.

I have found the staff pleasant and professional, but (perhaps unwittingly?) unsupportive of unmedicated moms: like this time, the OB told my mom that the pain would be "excruciating," the worst pain a human being can experience; the nurses assured her that she didn't have to do this to herself, and they promised to keep a good eye on her...because the monitor could be seen at the nurse's station, and even in their lounge (so the monitor, not a present person, would be observing her labor). And they offered her an epidural at 9.5 centimeters!

So the hospital culture is not particularly well-suited to noninterventionist birth, but that does not mean it is impossible.
Anonymous
Fairfax is likely to have some the highest c-section patients because that's where the high risk people go. I had a zillion complications and that's where my doctor put me so that whatever happened, we'd already be in the place where we would ultimately need to end up of something didn't go well, rather than have to transfer in.

It's a bit of a factory. But it also has all the specialties and wards right there. It was 72 hours out of my life (for that time - I had been there for a long time for the initial admit) and I just don't get the whole fixation on "birth experience". I'm five years out and I hardly remember anything.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Fairfax is likely to have some the highest c-section patients because that's where the high risk people go. I had a zillion complications and that's where my doctor put me so that whatever happened, we'd already be in the place where we would ultimately need to end up of something didn't go well, rather than have to transfer in.

It's a bit of a factory. But it also has all the specialties and wards right there. It was 72 hours out of my life (for that time - I had been there for a long time for the initial admit) and I just don't get the whole fixation on "birth experience". I'm five years out and I hardly remember anything.


It's not a "fixation on 'birth experience,' " PP. Certainly their c-section rates are affected by the fact that they have specialists in just about everything, but that doesn't explain the attitudes, culture, and practices that exist and have been expressed to and witnessed by the doula PP. It is an interventionist hospital and is not natural birth friendly. That's something that a pregnant woman who wants a natural birth and is planning on delivering there should be aware of.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I am curious to hear actual stories too, as I am delivering there. Three of my sisters delivered at INOVA Fairfax, and none of them had a bad experience. But, the most recent was almost 7 years ago, so I am wondering if things have gone downhill.


I don't think it's gone downhill so much as lawyer and hospital friendly policies have become more entrenched. They still give excellent care, it just tends to the highly, highly medicalized whether or not the situation calls for it.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Okay, I keep seeing posts here that are really down on INOVA Fairfax, and I can't tell if this is just some sort of snobbishness against a hospital that's in the suburbs and not in DC/Arlington, or if there's legitimate reason to think everyone at INOVA is just waiting for me to show up so they can tie me down to the bed and slice me open, as people are making it sound.

Anyone have actual experience at Fairfax one way or the other? When I asked my doctor about birthing positions, she said we wouldn't be getting in a tub of water (definitely not a problem for me as I have no interest in a water birth), but anything else was fine. Should I be doubting that?



Will you get to labor in the tub if you want? My friend (a home birth) ended up with a water birth, not so much because she was planning on it, but because the water alleviated so much of her pain while she was laboring.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Okay, I keep seeing posts here that are really down on INOVA Fairfax, and I can't tell if this is just some sort of snobbishness against a hospital that's in the suburbs and not in DC/Arlington, or if there's legitimate reason to think everyone at INOVA is just waiting for me to show up so they can tie me down to the bed and slice me open, as people are making it sound.

Anyone have actual experience at Fairfax one way or the other? When I asked my doctor about birthing positions, she said we wouldn't be getting in a tub of water (definitely not a problem for me as I have no interest in a water birth), but anything else was fine. Should I be doubting that?



Will you get to labor in the tub if you want? My friend (a home birth) ended up with a water birth, not so much because she was planning on it, but because the water alleviated so much of her pain while she was laboring.


Inova Faifax has showers, but no tubs, and there are very limited circumstances where moms are "allowed" in the shower.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Fairfax is likely to have some the highest c-section patients because that's where the high risk people go. I had a zillion complications and that's where my doctor put me so that whatever happened, we'd already be in the place where we would ultimately need to end up of something didn't go well, rather than have to transfer in.

It's a bit of a factory. But it also has all the specialties and wards right there. It was 72 hours out of my life (for that time - I had been there for a long time for the initial admit) and I just don't get the whole fixation on "birth experience". I'm five years out and I hardly remember anything.


It is true that some of the csection rate can be attributed to their NICU attracting high risk and preemie moms. Reston Hospital has a similar csection rate that reflects more poorly on them, because they are just a regular hospital, without the excuse of a high-level NICU. However, there is no denying that the hospital trends towards highly medicalized routines, and the vast majority of their births will be subject to such routines.

I've seen "old school" procedures there that are almost never seen elsewhere.
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