Recent experiences with Community of Hope - Family Health & Birth Center?

[Anonymous]

Hey there,

I’m wondering if there are any moms who have recent experience delivering at community of hope’s free standing birth center. It’s the only free standing center in the city and I’ve heard no one is guaranteed to give birth there, but I’m still curious about how the process and practice work. I was with Foxhall OB for my first two children but I recently learned they closed their OB practice (😳). I have no desire to go to GW nor a Medstar facility and would love to hear specifically from moms who’ve worked with the midwives and staff at COH who’ve also been able to give birth at the center. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I had my second at the birth center and it was amazing. FWIW the midwives also deliver at WHC and that is the backup if you have complications (if you need C-section or more interventions you can deliver at WHC with the midwives).

[Anonymous]

Curious why no medstar or gw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had my second at the birth center and it was amazing. FWIW the midwives also deliver at WHC and that is the backup if you have complications (if you need C-section or more interventions you can deliver at WHC with the midwives).

Thank you! That’s good to know the backup is WHC. I’m glad to hear you had a good experience at the center though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious why no medstar or gw

I delivered my first 2 at Sibley and loved the staff and facilities but didn’t enjoy being pressured/on the clock to deliver after being induced. In my experience, OBs tend to apply that pressure more so than midwives. I asked around but don’t know of any midwifery practices that deliver at Sibley.

For medstar WHC, I didn’t feel the facilities were clean, and the rooms were a bit small. I’ve heard great things about the midwives that deliver there though and I know they do great work, it’s just not for me.

Similarly, my husband worked at GW (albeit as a contractor) and he is adamant about the facility’s lack of cleanliness and dedication to patient care behind the scenes and among higher ups. Again, no shade to the midwives and nurses who work out of this hospital and put themselves on the line for women and babies- it’s just not a fit for me.

Since this will be my third, I know I want to work with a midwife and if I can’t do that at Sibley, I’m really hoping to try the birthing center out. It’s just hard to find recent reviews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious why no medstar or gw

I delivered my first 2 at Sibley and loved the staff and facilities but didn’t enjoy being pressured/on the clock to deliver after being induced. In my experience, OBs tend to apply that pressure more so than midwives. I asked around but don’t know of any midwifery practices that deliver at Sibley.

For medstar WHC, I didn’t feel the facilities were clean, and the rooms were a bit small. I’ve heard great things about the midwives that deliver there though and I know they do great work, it’s just not for me.

Similarly, my husband worked at GW (albeit as a contractor) and he is adamant about the facility’s lack of cleanliness and dedication to patient care behind the scenes and among higher ups. Again, no shade to the midwives and nurses who work out of this hospital and put themselves on the line for women and babies- it’s just not a fit for me.

Since this will be my third, I know I want to work with a midwife and if I can’t do that at Sibley, I’m really hoping to try the birthing center out. It’s just hard to find recent reviews.

As someone who recently delivered at GW, I would say the L&D area is extremely clean and felt very well cared for by the nurses and doctors. I was checked on consistently and was given several options anytime I expressed discomfort. Also im a germaphone fwiw

[Anonymous]

Bump from a NP, any other experiences? I also have delivered with the midwives at WHC and loved the midwives but did not love WHC, and went elsewhere for my next birth. I assume all the prenatal visits are at the Birth Center as well as the delivery, or is there a different system/can you get prenatal at their other offices?

[Anonymous]

Where do you live? AAMC has a birth center and the people I know who liked the Medstar Midwives but didn't like WHC mostly switched over there. But obviously this is not a good idea if you live in VA lol

FWIW, I have had 4 babies at WHC and I actually don't agree that it's not clean. It's fairly run down (like chipping paint?) and food service can be difficult to work with, so I totally get why you might choose a different hospital, but I've never seen anything that seemed like a sanitation hazard to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live? AAMC has a birth center and the people I know who liked the Medstar Midwives but didn't like WHC mostly switched over there. But obviously this is not a good idea if you live in VA lol

Good to know there is another center, although if I have the acronymn and location right that is too far from D.C. for regular visits or a fast labor. Thanks for that info though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live? AAMC has a birth center and the people I know who liked the Medstar Midwives but didn't like WHC mostly switched over there. But obviously this is not a good idea if you live in VA lol

Good to know there is another center, although if I have the acronymn and location right that is too far from D.C. for regular visits or a fast labor. Thanks for that info though!

Yeah it's out by Annapolis -- also too far for me, ha.