L&D suites at Sibley

[Anonymous]

I went on a tour of the maternity ward this weekend and I guess everything looked ok (though I thought the rooms were rather small and outdated) but I was really unpleasantly suprised by one of the L&D suites the lady showed us. It was really dark (dark furniture, dark floors, small) but worst of all it didn't have any windows. As I am a bit claustrophobic I wonder if I would do well when I end up in that room. Has anyone used that room? And when and how can I express my concerns of ending up in that room or would I sound really hysterical?

[Anonymous]

I know which room you mean and I think they use it when the floor gets filled. When you're admitted, if there are other rooms available, I'm sure you could request one. But it's kind of the luck of the draw based on who else is in labor, etc.

[Anonymous]

It is an AWFUL room to try to have a baby in -- I know this from personal experience! If you get this room, say that you will either wait for the next available room which has a window, or that you need to be transfered from the room as soon as another one becomes available. Certainly even if you are in heavy labor when you arrive, you will most likely have plenty of time to wait for a better room -- even if that means walking around on the hospital grounds, grabbing a bite to eat in the cafeteria, etc. etc., for two or three hours. If I ever wind up in that room again, I will absolutely refuse to spend any amount of time in it!

[Anonymous]

As bad as that room sounds, try to stay calm and remember that you will be really focused on labor and getting ready for the baby. I'd bring some things with you that are calming - your own pillow, fuzzy socks, a portable DVD player with your favorite show... whatever works for you... to help you feel "comfortable," and then just go with the flow. I'm delivering my 2nd at Sibley after delivering my first elsewhere and have heard stellar reviews, and less than stellar. So I'm just trying to stay focused on controlling what I can control and if I get stuck in a crappy L&D room or have to have a "roommate" in recovery (ugh!!), I'll just deal with it then. Hang in there, and good luck.

[Anonymous]

I've delievered at sibley twice -- neither L&D room had any windows. I don't know if either of these was the room you are describing. First room was all the way at the end of the hall -- the very last room before the OR. Second room was I believe the very first room thru the double doors on the left. If it was either of these, they were both fine and I am pretty picky. I thought I would prefer a window but actually it was OK not to have it as once they gave me the epidural I turned the lights way down and went to sleep and it was kind of nice to get that rest before pushing.

One nice thing about the L&D rooms is the lights are on dimmers so you can make it more relaxing/cozy. This was esp. nice after baby came (baby will not open eyes and look at you with glaring overheads on).

[Anonymous]

My L&D room was spacious and had a full wall of windows.

[dgahagan]

My LD room was spacious and had windows...however I ended up in a cold and very bright room to have a c-section. We had a private recovery room for 4 days and it was very small but had a window.

[Anonymous]

I'm really suprised that people get so wound up about this stuff...

I mean, if you're genuinely clausterphobic, that's one thing.

And I understand that there are a lot of elements in the environment that can serve to relax or annoy a mother in labor... but really -- have we deteriorated to the point that we don't like the dark wood paneling? Perhaps you should consider a home birth?

It just seems like we set ourselves up for these expectations that the whole experience has to be "perfect" -- i.e., perfect non-stressful delivery in a beautifully decorated and appointed room with sky lights, windows, "mood lighting" and Sirius satellite options so we can pick our favorite music. Get real!

I just can't help but think you're setting yourself up to be disappointed and annoyed by this mentality. You're there to have a baby. Are we really so fragile that spending 24 hours in a room with no windows is going to send you over the edge? I think you'll have more important things to worry about -- like breathing, pushing, or engaging with your doctors and nurses.

Just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

My Sibley L&D room was spacious and had windows . . . and I gave birth in the middle of the night with the blinds up for all the world to see - and I just didn't care! I just wanted the baby out and my labor to be over!

[Anonymous]

Not trying to pile on OP, but I have to agree with the 9:32 poster.

Can you imagine this conversation in pioneer America?

"Honey, I don't want to give birth in this covered wagon. The wood is too dark and there are no windows."

Not trying to have a joke at your expense OP, but to answer your original question, I think there is no way to bring this to the attention of the Sibley nursing staff without being labelled (fairly or unfairly) as a high-maintenance primadonna. I don't think that's a label you want off the bat, because it can make the nurses slow(er) to respond to your legitimate requests.


And, although I may be a sadist, I think if I worked there and some woman came in and said "thanks but no thanks, I'll walk the halls until you have a room with a window available"... I'd say "be my guest. This room will be available for you whenever you decide you want to deliver the baby."

Seriously, I doubt they use this room unless the others are full... and the thought that they might hurry some poor woman who just had a baby out of the room so that you can have a window is just too much.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I'm with the OP - and I'm not high maintenance at all. As a nurse told me, "Sibley has a Niemann Marcus name, but the service and the rooms are a mess." I have to deliver at Sibley because that's where my OB delivers.

Some of us just aren't great with medical environments, and rooms with windows and non-hospital-seeming decor can indeed make a world of difference.

[Anonymous]

It's ok OP. I think the PPs seem a little harsh, my feeling is that if we can't express ALL of our concerns on DCUM (big or small) what's the point of this forum? There seem to be more rooms with windows than without. I was in one of the large, windowed, rooms but I've got to say that I was too busy to really take in my surroundings I did have to share a room for a half a day b/c there weren't any private ones left and I thought that was way worse. I kept trying to sleep while my very loud roommate was blabbering on the phone. That said, they transferred me as soon as a private room becomes available. Good luck to you. Seriously, there will be so much going on that day, you might not notice a room with windows or no windows!

[Anonymous]

If you're that unhappy with it....Georgetown and GW are just down the way, as well as VHC across the river.

Seriously, I didn't look out the window in my L&D room once when I delivered DS. I could probably care less.

A private post-partum room IS IDEAL and would be a deal breaker for me.

[Anonymous]

Also IMPORTANT>

Make sure your spouse/partner/family member, etc. run down to the First Floor office to REQUEST a PRIVATE ROOM, which you'll most likely have to pay for (mine was $360 for 2 days or something in 2006), after the birth.

I can't remember if you can request a room type through your L&D nurse or not...I remember my husband going downstairs to do this.

[dgahagan]

My dh paid for a private room at Sibley after my c-section-I think for 4 nighs, it came to $800 something. He got a TV too. I wouldn't let him leave the hospital