OB-GYN/hospital recommendation?

[Anonymous]

Hi - we just moved to the area and found out we are pregnant with our second. Could you recommend an OB-GYN and related hospital to deliver in? I'd like someone convenient to either our home in Woodley Park or offices in downtown DC for both office visits and delivery. After that, I'd ideally like someone who is friendly and supportive, open to natural approaches but doesn't push them, has a relatively low c-section rate, and doesn't have any religious limitations on their practice. Ideally, we'd like a hospital that has a NICU if needed, is supportive of natural approaches, but is willing to take the baby to the nursery overnight if I need the assistance. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

GW does not have a nursery. Sibley does. I’d pick an OB practice that delivers there. People will tell you that the hospital is very pro section and epidural but that wasn’t my experience at all. I never felt pressured to get an epidural, but then I’m not the sort of person who interprets being asked about epidurals as pressure to get one.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend Sibley. I had two unmedicated births there with Reiter Hill and had really good experiences. The nurses are amazing.

I recommend the Friendship Heights office- more calm than the downtown one, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

I would consider Washington hospital center. Sibley doesn’t have a NICU. My wife had both of our boys at WHC - one did require a NICU stay for a few days. I didn’t at all feel that they pressured us into anything; in fact, with our second, it was very peaceful and quiet between pushes, with her female OB and a team of all female residents and nurses. We will go back there if we have a third (and we live in Rockville now).

[Anonymous]

GW has a nursery again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GW does not have a nursery. Sibley does. I’d pick an OB practice that delivers there. People will tell you that the hospital is very pro section and epidural but that wasn’t my experience at all. I never felt pressured to get an epidural, but then I’m not the sort of person who interprets being asked about epidurals as pressure to get one.

GW now has a nursery. Opened up last year.

[Anonymous]

I had an unmedicated birth with the midwives at GW and with a solo practitioner at Sibley. My preference was the solo practitioner; the midwife practice is just way too big for what I am looking for. Having said that, GW is right in downtown, and the doctors and nurses are also supportive of natural childbirth for low-risk women. So, it's a good option.

[Anonymous]

GW has what you’re looking for. My doctor is Roxanne Jamshidi there and I can’t recommend her highly enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an unmedicated birth with the midwives at GW and with a solo practitioner at Sibley. My preference was the solo practitioner; the midwife practice is just way too big for what I am looking for. Having said that, GW is right in downtown, and the doctors and nurses are also supportive of natural childbirth for low-risk women. So, it's a good option.

GW is also supportive of natural childbirth for high-risk women. I had two high-risk births there. I cannot speak to the nursery, but the NICU is excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GW has what you’re looking for. My doctor is Roxanne Jamshidi there and I can’t recommend her highly enough!

Just gave birth at GW in March and freaking loved my OB who was dr jamshidi (she’s popular though so gotta book her in advance). Now GW has awesome delivery nurses and docs, super supportive and understanding. But the GW post partum care is hit or miss.

[Anonymous]

Highly recommend finding a doctor that delivers at Sibley. It’s a community hospital that specializes in labor and delivery. The hospital was just rebuilt so everything is nice and new. And yes, contrary to another poster, it does have a NICU. I know because my first kid spent two weeks there. Their NICU takes babies born at 32 weeks or later. Any baby born before 32 weeks will be transferred to Georgetown. I wouldn’t want to have delivered at Georgetown for anything. You don’t want a huge teaching hospital to give birth. Way too chaotic.

[Anonymous]

For what it’s worth I loved Gw, also have smart friends who loved WHC and Sibley and Georgetown. I think it’s mainly about what you want. I like teaching hospitals and am comfortable with residents taking part in my care - if that’s not you, don’t do GW. I wanted a place where my husband could run out and get me non hospital food - a good thing as I was there for 6 days - but that may be less important to you. GW is known for being very natural-birth-friendly across the board, but I know many other practices are as well. Sibley is known for being higher end (I have heard rumors of a smoothie cart in postpartum??) so that’s nice. We are honestly so lucky to be in a city with such fantastic medical facilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth I loved Gw, also have smart friends who loved WHC and Sibley and Georgetown. I think it’s mainly about what you want. I like teaching hospitals and am comfortable with residents taking part in my care - if that’s not you, don’t do GW. I wanted a place where my husband could run out and get me non hospital food - a good thing as I was there for 6 days - but that may be less important to you. GW is known for being very natural-birth-friendly across the board, but I know many other practices are as well. Sibley is known for being higher end (I have heard rumors of a smoothie cart in postpartum??) so that’s nice. We are honestly so lucky to be in a city with such fantastic medical facilities.

Thank you for writing this. Too often we are so competitive with each other but you are right, we are lucky to have so many choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth I loved Gw, also have smart friends who loved WHC and Sibley and Georgetown. I think it’s mainly about what you want. I like teaching hospitals and am comfortable with residents taking part in my care - if that’s not you, don’t do GW. I wanted a place where my husband could run out and get me non hospital food - a good thing as I was there for 6 days - but that may be less important to you. GW is known for being very natural-birth-friendly across the board, but I know many other practices are as well. Sibley is known for being higher end (I have heard rumors of a smoothie cart in postpartum??) so that’s nice. We are honestly so lucky to be in a city with such fantastic medical facilities.

I can confirm no smoothie chart in postpartum! But having delivered both at GW and Sibley, I did find the Sibley experience preferable—it’s a quieter, less hectic place.

[Anonymous]

PP who delivered in march i was worried about the residents but they were the best part! so understanding and calming and they explained everything (and three of them and my epidural guy came to visit postpartum (were not the docs making the rounds) and they were so sweet for putting up with my bs haha) hugs were given kind of a deal.

but again...that postpartum care aka nurses lactation consultants and some rushed docs were not the best.