not a nursing-related question, but not sure who else to ask

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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This question isn't really related to OB nursing so I hope no one minds me posting this here, but anyways...I was wondering how common it is for women to go into labor and have their baby at a different hospital from where their obstetrician normally delivers. I am currently 7 months pregnant with my first baby and have been seeing a doctor who, from what I'm told, only does deliveries at a certain hospital, although I'm gonna need to verify this. Lately however I've started thinking that I would rather have the baby at a different hospital that is very well known for delivering babies; it also happens to be the hospital I work at as a med-surg nurse on nights...another reason I'm interested in it, I mean what if I go into labor early while I'm at work, I'd probably just get treated and/or have the baby there in that case, right? I guess they'd just assign me to a different doctor if my own doctor doesn't deliver there? I'm not familiar with how all these things work. I'm sure the other hospital is perfectly fine but I guess I'm a bit picky, lol. Thanks!

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Specializes in Mental and Behavioral Health.

If your OB doesn't deliver at the hospital where you want to have your baby, then you're going to need to pick a doctor that does deliver where you want to have your baby. Are you sure you want to? If you are, then ask your co-workers who the best OB is there at that hospital where you want to have your baby. Ask a nurse. Nurses know about doctors.

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Specializes in NA, Stepdown, L&D, Trauma ICU, ER.

Clarify with your OB where she/he has priviliges. Some docs prefer to go to one hospital, but can practice at another as well. Most of them will deliver their patient wherever she ends up in that case, some grumble about the longer drive, some basically dump the patient on the staff docs/residents.

If your doc doesn't do any deliveries at the other hospital, you'll need to find a new doc asap. And arelle is right, ask the nurses where you work who they like for help picking the new one

Congrats and good luck!

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Thanks so much...I'm sure the other hospital is fine and I will probably end up having it there, not sure that it's worth the trouble of finding another doctor this late in the process; I just hope I don't go into labor while I'm at work or something.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Thanks so much...I'm sure the other hospital is fine and I will probably end up having it there, not sure that it's worth the trouble of finding another doctor this late in the process; I just hope I don't go into labor while I'm at work or something.

Unless the other hospital is a six-hour drive from your hospital, or unless EXTREMELY FAST labors run in your family, I wouldn't let this be one of your worries. From when you go into labor until when you have the baby is likely to be anywhere from 10-50 hours, start to finish. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get to wherever you want to get during that time frame.

And it wouldn't hurt for you to ASK your OB if he has privileges at your hospital. Remember, your doctor works FOR YOU, not the other way around. If he can legally deliver in the hospital of your choice, then you should not "feel guilty" for asking him to deliver in the hospital of your choice. You're the one paying him for his services, you're the one having the baby, YOU should be in charge of this process.

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