Where should I go in the case of a micropreemie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you having issues? or are you just neurotic?

Just neurotic

I’m usually not, but I had a lot of first trimester issues that started things off on the wrong foot, and thinking through plans for different scenarios helps my anxiety.

Thought the thread might be useful for other women, too.

I don't think it's neurotic to think of an answer to this question. Yes, it's unlikely that you'll need it, but it's not like it's an incredibly taxing process to figure it out, and if you do need that knowledge you'll be glad you have it.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown in dc or iNova Fairfax in Va. so let has a good nicu and if they get a micro premie, they send to Georgetown. If you go into early labor, which is unlikely, just get to a hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's pretty smart to think about that in advance because sometimes things can go wrong quickly. And I say that as someone who does not have anxiety. I agree with whc and children's.
May you not need it!

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's pretty smart to think about that in advance because sometimes things can go wrong quickly. And I say that as someone who does not have anxiety. I agree with whc and children's.
May you not need it!

Thank you!

Completely normal thing to think about!! I specifically chose my hospital based on which had best icu for me and nicu for baby (a friend had to be medically transported from Inova to gw to save her life and baby didn't make it)...glad I didn't need either but completely normal to plan for

[Anonymous]

+1 for Georgetown. Their NICU is fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also delivered at Sibley but my OB directed patients to Georgetown in case of labor before 32 weeks.

This. I’d suggest you start therapy for your anxiety now. The worries will increase exponentially once the baby is here. It will be good to get support for yourself lined up now.

[Anonymous]

Totally normal to consider this. You would go to either INOVA FFX or GT or WHC depending what you were closest to when/if it started.

And ignore the mean poster she has a weird fixation on being awful to pregnant women. You’re doing great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m on a federal employee UHC Choice Network plan

If you are in labor and present in labor, you must be treated at that hospital (unless they transfer you out to a tertiary care center because they can’t meet your needs—even then, they must stabilize you). This is the whole point of EMTALA which hospitals and payers are required to follow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone should be aware that Georgetown will apply their Catholic values to decisions about your health as the mother. If you have concerns, you may be better off at a non-religious hospital.

I think this is an important point. I know someone who has a 22 1/2 weeker who is now 2 and will need constant medical care their entire life. Although babies born closer to 24 weeks can do better; it really all depends. Although for what it’s worth, I had to go to Georgetown for an issue at 23 weeks which ended up being nothing and I was told I was “on the edge of viability” and if we needed to deliver it would be a discussion. Thank god we didn’t need to have that discussion, but just FYI.

[Anonymous]

Not OP. But of course scenario planned for risks during pregnancy.

I did not know WHC was as well regarded as it is being discussed in here.

I thought if I were in OPs hypothetical that Georgetown was the answer, but it seems like WHC might be better.

FWIW I live closer to WHC than GTown.

I would hate to be separated from baby right after birth though, can someone go directly to Children's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not OP. But of course scenario planned for risks during pregnancy.

I did not know WHC was as well regarded as it is being discussed in here.

I thought if I were in OPs hypothetical that Georgetown was the answer, but it seems like WHC might be better.

FWIW I live closer to WHC than GTown.

I would hate to be separated from baby right after birth though, can someone go directly to Children's?

I don't think you can deliver at Children's. I mean I'm sure if you showed up pushing someone would catch the baby 😂 but I don't think they'd admit an adult once the dust had settled. WHC has a level 3b NICU so they probably wouldn't need to transfer a micropreemie without medical complexity. I don't think Georgetown would be a bad choice though. Their NICU is a level 4 which is the same as Children's and they're a very good hospital. I'm much closer to WHC with a history of precipitous labor and fast recoveries, so for me I'd risk being temporarily separated to make sure I had the baby in the hospital and not in the car! But I think it would be perfectly reasonable to ask your OB or call WHC NICU and ask what they would transfer to Children's for.

[Anonymous]

If you are scheduled to deliver at Sibley but you go into labor before 32 weeks, you will generally be sent to Georgetown. If you deliver at Sibley but the baby needs more extensive care (after 32 weeks), the baby could be moved to Georgetown or Children’s depending on the issue (mom stays at Sibley). I had a baby at Sibley at 33.5 weeks and they took excellent care of my child for his 12 day NICU stay. The NICU nurses rotate between Georgetown and Sibley so they are all excellent. The nurses prefer to be at Sibley because the NICU is smaller and much less chaotic (because the babies are not as sick).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone should be aware that Georgetown will apply their Catholic values to decisions about your health as the mother. If you have concerns, you may be better off at a non-religious hospital.

The question is about saving micropreemies. How would their Catholic values be deterimental towards this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP. But of course scenario planned for risks during pregnancy.

I did not know WHC was as well regarded as it is being discussed in here.

I thought if I were in OPs hypothetical that Georgetown was the answer, but it seems like WHC might be better.

FWIW I live closer to WHC than GTown.

I would hate to be separated from baby right after birth though, can someone go directly to Children's?

I don't think you can deliver at Children's. I mean I'm sure if you showed up pushing someone would catch the baby 😂 but I don't think they'd admit an adult once the dust had settled. WHC has a level 3b NICU so they probably wouldn't need to transfer a micropreemie without medical complexity. I don't think Georgetown would be a bad choice though. Their NICU is a level 4 which is the same as Children's and they're a very good hospital. I'm much closer to WHC with a history of precipitous labor and fast recoveries, so for me I'd risk being temporarily separated to make sure I had the baby in the hospital and not in the car! But I think it would be perfectly reasonable to ask your OB or call WHC NICU and ask what they would transfer to Children's for.

My baby was in the NICU in both whc and children's. They "separate" you anyway since the baby can't be in the same room. But they encourage you to walk down the hall to the NICU. There is a certain time limit after which you must leave the hospital, for me it was 4 days. Luckily I could take the baby home with me after that. I believe they said that sometimes they don't have enough space and send the baby to children's, and I believe the hospitals have a walkway through which they are connected, though I'm not 100% sure. Obviously a fairly long walk is not great depending on how your recovery is going. But I would not suggest going to a hospital super far from home. Traveling back and forth between NICU and home,with potentially 1-2 parents back at work and sibling responsibilities gets old really quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here —

Thank you so much for everyone who has shared their experiences and knowledge! I’m going to ask my OB at my next appointment, but it’s also so good to hear from other families.

You should. He will think you are nuts.

Please, this is a perfectly normal question. The doctor is not going to think OP is nuts.