Hospital: Sibley Memorial or Holy Cross for labor and delivery?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I live in Woodley Park and am due to deliver our first baby at the end of July. I'm debating between Sibley and Holy Cross. I'd love any input, both positive and negative. Thanks in advance!

[Sherichka]

I had my baby @ Holy Cross. Great experience. Attentive and knowledgeable staff. Epidural was timely and worked like a charm!
They deliver 18-30 babies a day, so they are one of the most experienced hospitals in the country.
A+. I would highly recommend it.
.

[Anonymous]

I had 2 not so great experiences at Sibley- the labor and delivery nurses are great, the recovery nurses were not. THey were overworked, overstressed, and very obviously overwhelmed. I had to routinely ask for pain medication and then wait hours to get it. I really felt like they were there to take care of the baby (and not really even that since they roomed in) and not me. I felt very much like every thing I asked for was a bother. I would do Holy Cross in a heart beat.

[Anonymous]

I delivered at Sibley and while I thought most of the experience was wonderful, I was not pleased how unpro-active they were when it came down to my breastfeeding. As a result of my ignorance and their hands-off, brusque approach (at least in my situation) I was never able breast fed and I hate them for it.

If you go in and are your own advocate, then it is nice since it doesn't have that "hospital" feel to it. The lactation consultants and bf classes are a JOKE!

[Anonymous]

I only heard rave reviews about Sibley while I was pregnant but my experience was not very positive. I just don't see what all the fuss was about. I'm interested to hear about another option for this area to explore next time (other than Georgetown and GW).

[Anonymous]

I delivered both of mine at Holy Cross. Overall, it was great. Like the PP said, it is an extremely busy maternity ward. When I had complications with my vaginal birth, my OB pushed a button and throngs of specialists came rushing in. They are really top notch and I was sure I was getting the best care. Also, the lactation consultant I had with number #1 was nothing short of amazing. She really coached/cheerled me through some really trying times. She was such a wonderful person.

I had fairly spacious birthing rooms and a private room both times. I also thought the food was fairly good (better than I expected).

The downside -- it can be crowded and a bit hectic at times. But once you've cleared the hurdle of getting into a birth room, it goes much smoother.

Good luck. I've known many friends who've given birth at Sibley. Sometimes I felt there was a bit of a class division -- Sibley is for the Spring Valley crowd and Holy Cross is for po folks (like me) from Silver Spring and beyond. (I'm kidding -- sort of!)
But I never felt shortchanged at HC or that my care was lacking.

[Anonymous]

I had an entirely different experience than PP with the lactation consultants at Sibley. I thought they were too pushy and came by too often, bringing a pump, etc. before I requested one. I almost felt like I didn't get to try to breastfeed on my own b/c every moment, someone was in my room squishing my boob into my baby's mouth. The next time I deliver at Sibley, I will tell them not to come to my room at all.

Other than that, I liked Sibley. The delivery nurses were wonderful, but I had some wonderful and some not so wonderful recovery nurses. Because I had a c-section and they left the epidural in for the entire day for pain, I couldn't move. I buzzed a nurse to ask her to help me flip over and she said she couldn't b/c she needed to go feed my baby, that I should ask the next nurse. I must say, however, that other than that one nurse, I was pleased with the others. However, based on what PPs are saying, I might be tempted to try Holy Cross!

[Anonymous]

I delivered twice at Holy Cross. My first experience was very good. My second experience not so much. There seemed to be a shortage of nurses and I felt like they were very rushed with me. Hours would go by and I would not see anyone. It was very crowded and guests were talking in the hall. Security had to be called. I felt like the room was dirty.

[Anonymous]

I had a fantastic experience with the nurses and LCs at Sibley. The anesthesiologist, not so much.

You know, everyone is going to have an individual, unique experience at these two hospitals.

The only thing I want to point out is that Holy Cross is a huge schlep for you if you are in active labor. You might consider that fact.

[Anonymous]

Ovearall I had a decent experience at Sibley. I had no complications with the birth itself, which I think made my experience okay. The only issues I had were somewhat minor in the grand scheme of things. The first nurse put the IV in really close to my wrist bone and it was very tender to move. Later that night another nurse attempted the other arm, but stuck it in wrong and my arm swelled up. I was then stuck with the IV next to my wrist bone for 2 days. My labor and delivery nurse was AMAZING! The recovery nurses were okay. Some were attentative while others were overworked and kind of ignored me since I was didn't have any complications. I would deliver there again only because I adore my OB and I pray I get the same labor and delivery nurse again.

[Anonymous]

I gave birth at HC last year on a Saturday and was discharged on Monday. There were no LCs on duty at all during that period. I ended up having to pay for one on my own and in the long run had a really hard time with bfing which I partially attribute to getting no assistance the first 48 hours. Otherwise, HC was fine.

[TwinsinAdMorg]

Sibley was great for me. But I've only had one pregnancy and it was planned twin c-section at full term. Depite being bumped about 9 hours due to 2 emergencies, everyone was really helpful.

Here's the long story, if anyone is interested. Sounds like HC is more popular.

My OB has privileges at Sibley and got my 2nd choice doc as well. Pre-op nurse was a dream - kind of like Santa Claus, he's a grandfather (yes, a guy) and very soothing. I'd never had surgery.

Post-op nurses seemed really responsive and understood how clueless and on the edge of a breakdown I was. So they actually prompted me for meds. Didn't do well on meds, so OB got a nurse to out of her way - I mean past her shift - to get a hot water bottle-type thing for pain relief (apparently a big deal?).

Maybe it was because my room was right across from the station, or having twins, or jsut looking so pathetic, but nurses always seemed to be there.

Unfortunately our pedi did not haver privileges and the neo-natal from G'town disappeared post birth! One baby's release from "special care" nursery was delayd 24 hours due to circumsion mixup!!! Nurses figured it out (of course), got the signatures and helped a very pissed of DH get the baby home even though he had nothing but a car seat during his visit. Nurses turned shirts into little leggings and got a gazillion blankets for car seat. It was like something from a movie. You could tell the nurses were pissed at the pedis too.

Needless to say, can't say enough about nurses and my delivery OBs.

Not sure this helps. Maybe I don't remember a lot, but in general it felt like things went really well at Sibley.

[Anonymous]

I delivered at Sibley in December and had a great experience. The L&D nurses were great, with one exception (but it was at a time when everyone on the floor but me was delivering all at once, so I was obviously not the priority). I had an emergency C-section following an induction, so I was there for a total of five nights--plenty of time to get a feel for the place! My post-partum nurses were mostly great, and the ones who were not great were still pretty good. I always got pain meds in a timely manner when I needed them. I thought the LC's were a mixed bag, some great, some so-so, but I was lucky and not having any real problems with breastfeeding. We are already contemplating number 2, and I will definitely go back to Sibley for delivery.

[dgahagan]

My experience with Sibley was wonderful. The nursing staff were kind and attentive. I never had to ask for pain medicaton and if I had any questions or concerns, they helped me. My son was well taken care of. The surgery went great-I was given some sort of valium type medication because I started to hyperventilate through the epidural and don't really remember much, but my dh was impressed. We were there for 4 nights and it was the best 4 days of my life! I have no complaints about Sibley. Oh-and they brought my dh breakfast, lunch and dinner because he stayed the entire 4 days.

[Anonymous]

Go to Sibley because it is closer. Any hospital is a crapshoot in terms of the care you get - I had a good experience with Sibley. But I live closer to Sibley than you and it completely sucked to drive there while in the throes of labor - there is no way I could have made it to Holy Cross.