Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

I'm almost 41/2 months pregnant and currently go to suffolk ob/gyn and am scheduled to have the baby at st. charles. My friend recently had a baby there and my husband is freaking out bc he found out that he cant stay overnight. Does stony brook allow the husbands too? I also didn't really like how strict they were with visiting hours and that you had to share a room with somebody. I am not that crazy about my current doctor b/c i see all of them in the practice so i wouldn't mind switching to a new doctor that delievered at stony brook- i just don't know who. I wanted a female doctor and just want to see one doctor throughout my pregnancy. Does anyone have any advice on new doctors and switching this late as well as the differences between st. charles and stony brook?

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

No advice- but good luck!

I would call SBUH and ask about guests staying over before you switched dr's.

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

I have heard on here that Stony Brook has private rooms.

I am in Nassau and I know that at Winthrop unless you get a private room, your husband can't stay overnight. I don't think it's a big deal, I don't really need him there overnight. It's my chance to get some sleep before bringing the baby home.

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

Thanks!

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

I go to suffolk ob, and had my first child at stonybrook bc of an issue, but that was before they re-did the maternity ward. I believe they are single rooms, but not sure if husbands can stay overnight. The hours at st. charles are strict there for a reason, and we were very grateful that I had time to bond with DS and not have constant visitors. It was just the perfect amount of time to see people, and I was tired after they left.

I had DS #2 at St. Charles and really liked it. Yes, I had to share a room, but it wasn't a big deal to me. They will fill up all the rooms as singles unless it gets busy, then they start to put roommates in rooms. So if it is not busy, you get your own room. I was SO GLAD that DH went home to sleep. First, he would have been uncomfortable in the chairs to sleep (he's done it), and secondly, I needed MY sleep. The staff and hospital were great, I can't wait to deliver there again.

That said, if you stick with Suffolk OB, the doctor that delivers you may not be the one you want. They use whomever is on call that day. I don't have recommendations for another doctor but good luck, I am sure girls on here will have some rec's.

Message edited 11/11/2009 9:18:36 AM.

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

Just called- stony brook does allow for the husbands to stay overnight:) Still unsure about switching my doctor this late on though....

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

I am 17wks and just switched from Suffolk OBGYN b/c it was just too far for me. A lot of girls go to Three Village Women's Health and they love it. I would have gone there but I live in Huntington. It is never too late to change if you do not feel comfortable.
Good luck!

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

I got to Stony Brook Gynecology and Obstetrics in their E. Setauket office and see Dr. Porte (male dr.). They have two women OB's there Julie Welischar and Megan Lochner.

I specifically picked them because I want to deliver at Stony brook and also because I had a friend who delivered at St. Charles and I didn't like the strict visitor policy.

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

Do you see the same doctor there every time?

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

They say that it isn't good for Dh to spend the night. Once you take the baby home, it is good for at least him to be weel rested, and ready to help out with baby. If he stays the night, you will both be exhausted...you from the delivery, etc, and him from trying to sleep in a chair...

I also know of people who have switched much later than you, so I would not worry about that...

I don't know of anywhere that you wil lonly see on doc the entire time, and mine is a smaller office with only 2 docs...

Good Luck, I personally really like St. Charles, so the private room does not bother me at all..it is only 2-3 night of your life, and visitors would rather see you at home, than the hospital...

Re: Help! 4 months pregnant and cant decide on doc and hospital....

Unless you find a doctor who has an individual practice, you will have to see multiple doctors throughout your pregnancy. If there are several drs in the practice, they want you to meet all of them because you don't know who will be on call when you deliver.

As for DH staying overnight, as much as I loved having him there, I wanted him to go home and get some sleep. It was also nice to have some time to myself at night. You won't be sleeping much, so it helps for at least one of you to be well rested!
I was alone in my room for the first two nights, and then the second two nights, I had a roomate. It was actually nice to have someone to talk to at night or early in the morning.