Childbirth at Kaiser
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Feb 2009
I am trying to choose between delivering my first baby at Kaiser Oakland or Walnut Creek. There is quite a bit of information on the website, but all from 2004.
I am leaning towards Walnut Creek over Oakland because I feel that having a CNM attend the birth rather than a resident would reduce my chances of an unnecessary c-section. I have read that residents tend to have higher c-section rates because they are less skilled. My instinct is that a resident would adhere to a more traditional ''medical model'' than a CNM. While I don't require a completely natural birth, I lean more towards a non-medicalized one.
Taking a look at CalHospitalCompare.org shows that Walnut Creek has higher patient satisfaction scores and Oakland's c-section rate at 18% is slightly higher than Walnut Creek's rate of 16%.
Can anyone share recent experience (past year?) who chose between the two facilities? Which did you select and why? I hear that Walnut Creek is referred by those who work for Kaiser as the ''Country Club'' facility.
Feeling guilty about not wanting a resident to ''practice'' on me
I've had two vaginal, drug free, midwife attended births at
Kaiser
Walnut Creek. #1 was 2004 and #2, in 2007. Sounds like with what you
are seeking, it would be a great choice for you. The midwives do
check in with a OB Attending, but they were incredibly supportive
of a natural birth with as little unnecessary intervention as
possible. I also had a great doula who they were very receptive to
and I felt incredibly supported by the whole team. At my second
birth, there was tense moment when my daughter was stuck and the
midwife called a neonatal specialist stat, but then very calmly and
firmly coached me through it with breathing. Having that backup
should something happen is why we chose the hospital route but
having such an experienced midwife guide me through was exactly
what I hoped for.
Blessings on your upcoming birth!
I got all my prenatal care from a wonderful ob/gyn at Kaiser
Oakland, but when it came time to deliver, I chose Walnut Creek.
I'd recommend going there. I shared your concerns about the youth
and inexperience of the residents; when I went to the
meet-and-greet, they all seemed about sixteen years old, plus
incredibly tired from the demanding schedule of medical residency.
Then there were the philosophical differences between MD's and
CNM's, although in a real-life situation I think there ends up
being less difference between the two models and the two facilities
than you might think (medical model of higher intervention versus
''alternative'' model of lower intervention). Kaiser is Kaiser,
it's a big hospital and all they really want is a healthy mom and a
healthy baby, however it happens. Which is, of course, all you
want in the end, too.
That said, I had a perfectly fine experience at Walnut Creek. It
wasn't like I was surrounded by nurturing mother figures singing
lullabies, but on the other hand I had a vaginal delivery after
prolonged/stalled labor. They gave me every encouragement to keep
laboring and working at it, and not once did anyone mention
C-section (although they told me afterward that it was a
possibility). I don't know if the resident MD's at Oakland would
have had the patience or sensitivity to let me do it at my own
pace.
I delivered my first baby at Kaiser Oakland
on Sept. 30. Early in
the pregnancy, I seriously considered delivery at WC, because like
you I tend to think that the more medicalization, the worse off for
the mom, and that the CNMs might help avoid medicalization. I was
swayed to Oakland mainly because I heard a bad WC delivery story
from a friend; but now, based on what I learned through my own
experience, I am even more glad I stayed in Oakland. I delivered
naturally with no meds (not even an IV lock!), and the residents
were basically fine with it (ok, they really wanted me to have the
IV lock, but took my polite refusal). If you have an uncomplicated
delivery and (this is key) labor at home until ''transition'', by
the time you get to the hospital, it's showtime and there is no
time for interventions! (I arrived at 8 cm dilated and baby was
born 2.5 hours later.) Please bear in mind the additional travel
time to WC if you live on this side of the tunnel - we had a 10 m!
in drive to Oakland Kaiser and it was brutal for me since I was in
*very* active labor; can't imagine making it all the way to Walnut
Creek. And yet I am so glad I stayed home as long as I did and
ultimately had the med-free delivery I wanted. I recommend getting
a great doula to help at the hospital, too - she will help you
interpret what the med staff is saying. The doula and your own
personal emotional and physical preparation will go a long way to
helping you get the delivery you envision.
Oakland Kaiser Just Fine for Uncomplicated Natural Delivery
anon
I had my daughter at Oakland Kaiser
in 2006 (mistakenly so...we had
just moved to Oakland from SF and didn't quite make it to SF =),
and I have done lots of pediatric care at Walnut Creek Kaiser. I
am not sure about rates of csections there since I had her 17
minutes after we arrived (yowza!), however, I can speak to the
facility. Oakland Kaiser's facility, room space, etc. does not
compare to Walnut Creek...they are even more dirty 'around the
edges'...a result of (from what I hear) just an older facility.
Also, I was shocked to learn I had to share my room with TWO other
mothers, when the room was really only big enough for 2 total.
There wasn't even enough room on the side of the bed for someone to
walk when the bassinet was there, and my family had a really
hard/uncomfortable time visiting. The toilet (shared between 3 new
mothers, which was gross enough), was also too close to the wall so
your leg almost touches the wall, and you had to sort of slide
across the seat to wipe. The care I received there was good, though...although
a couple of the nurses were a little scary.
I stopped taking my girls to the pediatrician office there after I
noticed a drug exchange going on between a couple of pre-teens who
were in the waiting room the same time as me & my younger daughter.
SO...don't feel guilty about anything! You have to go where you
feel most comfortable. Congratulations & good luck!
Sandra
I had my daughter at Kaiser Oakland in Jan 07. We ended up
transferring there after our planned home birth became higher risk.
The residents and the nurses were truly wonderful. I think (at
least then) that all of the residents were younger women, which was
really lovely. I had an extremely detailed birth plan and they not
only read it, but went through each part with us and respected as
much of it as their protocol would allow (pretty much the whole
thing). I ended up tearing quite a bit and then resident MD spent a
long time sewing me up (it was a weird kind of tear), she was a
perfectionist, which in the long run I think is good. I healed
perfectly and quickly.
I have heard some good things about Kaiser WC, but the complaints
I've heard have to do with how potentially busy they can be, due to
Kaiser patients coming from all over in order to have a
midwife-attended birth. I have heard things about having to share a
recovering room, which you may or may not care about. I liked the
privacy we had at Kaiser Oakland, though they did not have laboring
tubs or birth stools, or birth balls available. I'd check with them
now, as well as Kaiser WC.
Also consider how far you live from each facility. Riding in a car
while in labor is no fun at all.
kaiser oakland fan
My son was born at Kaiser Walnut Creek
in 2003. What a great
experience! Our nurse midwife was fab. She actually used warm olive
oil to massage my perineum to help soften and stretch so baby's
head could pass more easily. Lots of pushing, lots of patience on
Kaiser's part, vaginal birth!! Delivery room to myself and recovery
room to myself. Very nice.
happy in Walnut Creek
I didn't do any comparison shopping because i live in rockridge (so
very close to Oakland Kaiser) but i am very happy with my birth
experience in june 2008. i can only compare to my first son's
birth in jan 2006 at cpmc in sf. kaiser was great - birth rooms
don't have windows like cpmc but i the staff was warm and
professional. they are very interested in what the mother wants;
they check in frequently but let you labor in peace. I had a
vaginal birth with no problems.
I was concerned about the recovery rooms. I know they have some
single but a lot of double and even triples. I wasn't looking
forward to sharing to be honest. But after doing a tour I actually
wanted a double/triple because the singles are really small. I
ended up in a triple but as the sole occupant. Very nice indeed.
Good luck!
brenda
I chose to have my baby in 2007 at Walnut Creek Kaiser,
because of
the nurse midwives. But my experience wasn't what I had hoped for.
Maybe it was just bad luck, but I felt that the midwife I got
pushed me toward medical intervention and in the end, I did have to
have a C section. Another down side was that they were very crowded
and most of the time we felt on our own. I would suggest hiring a
person to attend your birth, someone who knows about childbirth and
can advocate for you and help you through the tough times.
Kristin
I can only offer that I had two babies at Kaiser WC
and the last
one being 3 1/2 years ago and can't recommend it highly enough. I
loved both midwives and went drug free. I also had a doula which
helped a lot. I agree, I wouldn't want a resident practicing on me
either. I didn't love the after birth care as much, but thought
the midwives were terrific! Good luck!
Loved it
I haven't given birth at either facility, but we are having our
first baby this June at Kaiser, so have been doing some research. I
initially heard a lot of the same things ? Walnut Creek's better,
less likely to have medical interventions forced on you, etc.
However, while interviewing doulas, the different options were one
of the things we talked about. All of the doulas we talked to, who
had attended multiple births at both facilities, praised Kaiser
Oakland's staff as excellent. All had attended natural births at
both facilities, and said the level of intervention suggested
depends a lot on which medical staff you get, something that is
hard to control. One doula, herself a midwife-in-training,
remarked that while many assume that being staffed by midwives
means less medical intervention, that's not necessarily true. One
tip that we got was to specifically request a nurse who is
interested in working with moms wanting natural births during the
intake phase. They did
say that Walnut Creek is ''fancier,'' but otherwise said they're
pretty equal. In the end, we've decided to go with Oakland because
it's closer to home, with no risk of getting stuck on 24 during
rush hour while in labor.
Kaiser Oakland mom-to-be
Hello,
I'm sorry my response from fall 2006 was not archived, but I still
stand by what I said. My experience at Kaiser Oakland was
outstanding. The residents were great -- our crop was a bunch of
kick ass young women, who were clearly briefed in the latest and
greatest. At no time did I feel like I was being experimented on.
The nursing staff were exceptional. Everyone was very supportive.
When we moved to pitocin and an epidural, well that was my decision
-- before that was my decision, I was fully supported in my desire
for natural childbirth. Oakland is just as much the Bay Area as
Walnut Creek is, and people in Oakland also want to do natural
childbirth, so I don't think this is treated as an exotic request
at Oakland.
The main thing is, I think you will find the nursing staff at
Oakland very supportive of your wishes. Unless something goes very
wrong, you will be dealing more with the nurses than with the
residents in any case. Our experience with the residents was that
they were quite progressive.
I'd encourage you to take the tour at Oakland and meet the
residents and other staff. Our experience was great.
Merrilee
August 2008
I live in Richmond and need to choose a hospital for delivery.
Would love to hear your experiences. I like the idea of a midwife
at Walnut Creek, but am concerned about the drive while in labor.
Anyone make that drive from Richmond/El Cerrito area?
Have you thought about Kaiser SF?
I know it means going over the
bridge, but it is about the same distance from WC from where you are
and I LOVE my doctors there. I've had a surgery there already and
will be delivering my son there in November. SF does not have
midwives but is super-progressive and has a low c-section rate and
is doula-friendly. Kaiser Oakland is my emergency hospital and we
did the tour there and thought ''wow, I hope there's not an
emergency.'' They are very nice and clearly competent, but the
rooms are dark and TINY and it just isn't as modern as either WC or
SF. The problem I've heard with WC is that EVERYONE wants to
deliver there so you can get diverted to Oakland pretty easily. SF
doesn't divert very often, so says my OB. Also, while Kaiser
Oakland has a Level 3 NICU, the level 4 is in San Francisco at UCSF,
so close to that hospital. Also - MOST of the postpartum rooms in
Oakland are shared. They do try to keep you in a private setting
but it's not guaranteed like at SF. Hope this helps!
Lara
Definitely Walnut Creek. I will be delivering my second there in
Nov. We live in the Annex and did the drive around 9pm the first
time I delivered. It was quick and easy at that time. Our plan was
to leave earlier if it was rush hour or a more congested time of day
and head over San Pablo Damn Rd as an alternative. Really, labor is
uncomfortable/painful so distance doesn't really matter. You won't
like being in the car but being out of the car really doesn't matter
that much because you are in labor. Pillows and being in the back
seat with more room did help but again you are in labor it's just
unpleasant. We choose WC over Oakland for several reasons. Oakland
is a teaching hospital so there could be many people in your room
while you deliver. My friend said she didn't even notice but I
relished in my low lit room with only my husband, the midwife and a
nurse present at the birth of my little one. She was welcomed into
a very calm and serene environment. Oakland,
at least two years ago, also had no midwives. I was very set on a
midwife as I was very set on having a natural birth. WC's are some
of the best and I wouldn't have made it through without our
wonderful midwife. We also went for three tours at Oakland and
still never saw the facilities because the guide never showed. I
wasn't taking myself to a flaky place like that. The only complaint
I had with WC was my bed didn't go down. I didn't really notice
till after the birth. During labor they just hoisted me up but
after when I needed to pee the nurse expected me to hop off the bed.
A true impossibility after a natural birth. Thankfully I spotted a
stool and the nurse finally helped me to the bathroom. So I'm a WC
fan all the way but either way just be VERY prepared in your
relaxation techniques, PRACTICE ALL THE TIME especially in early
labor when you can still communicate with your coach what is and
isn't working for you, and those should carry you through your drive to Oakland or WC.
Alexis
We made the drive from the Richmond Hills to
Kaiser WC. I was also
considering both Oakland and WC, but liked the midwife and laboring
tub options at WC. We planned to take San Pablo Dam Rd. to 24, but
decided against it at the last second because it was dark and
raining really hard (no traffic though since it was late). So, we
just took 80 to 24. My husband was going fast to get us there, but I
kept yelling at him to slow down because of the rain. I guess I had
4-5 sets of contractions in the car. It was fairly awful. However,
the contractions were also fairly awful at the hospital. I too was
worried about the longer drive to WC, but I don't think it mattered
because getting there didn't take the pain away (I didn't get meds).
So, it is certainly doable. And I loved the care I got there so I
would definitely do it again (though hope for no rain).
Shauna
Our youngest grandchild, who is now 3 months old, was born @
Oakland
Kaiser. My daughter-in-law felt that she got extrememly good care,
as did the baby. There were some complications that had not been
expected (a Caesaean was absolutely necessary to save the baby from
possible harm because of a change in the position of cord & baby),
but she recuperated rather quickly. She was kept in the hospital for
about a week, no move made to kick her out w/a minimum stay; had
excellent nursing care, got several visits from lactation
specialists, was given help in getting her own body back into shape,
& liked the pediatric care. The food wasn’t very good, but good
medical care is a lot more important. (We brought in some good
salads & pizza from nearby Piedmont Avenue for them.) The baby is
now 3 months old, gaining weight amazingly well (breast fed),
strong, alert, & now beginning to take long stretches on some
nights. The parents are on the older side. They live in the Richmond
Annex-El Cerrito area. Oakland Kaiser has some incredibly good medical
personel. Sorry for the spelling mistakes; I am a dreadful speller.
Happy Grandmother
I live in Pinole and delivered at Kaiser WC. I didn't drive there
in labor because I had complications that required a c-section. But
I did need to travel there unexpectedly several times for pregnancy
complications. I ended up hospitalized on the OB unit on more than
one occasion and cannot say enough positive things about the nursing
care and the physicians. I've heard many positive comments about
the midwives there, but sadly my pregnancy was considered too high
risk for me to receive midwifery care. Good luck with your
delivery!
Kaiser Mama
I delivered at Kaiser Walnut Creek
in June (I live in Oakland) and
was absolutely thrilled with the care I received there. The Midwife
who was on call and all of the nurses that took care of myself and
my son during my 3-day stay (my son was born a month early) were
simply incredible. They were very supportive of my plan for an
unmedicated birth and the Midwife in particular was an incredible
labor coach and was able to help me visualize the pushing in a way
that made it really effective for me. I can't say enough good things
about the L&D team in WC. While I can't speak from experience for
Kaiser Oakland, I've also heard good things but keep in mind that
Oakland is also a teaching hospital so there tend to be more
observers around (but you don't have to allow them in the room if
you're not comfortable with that). And of course WC has the
Midwifery program which certainly gives it a different atmosphere.
If this is your first baby, I would not worry too much about having
time to get to the hospital. Most first babies come with long labors
but even if you are like me (3 hour labor - first baby), that's
still plenty of time to get there. That said, I HIGHLY recommend
taking a good childbirth preparation class so that you can identify
what stage of labor you are in and know when to go to the hospital!
I would have had my baby at home had I not realized (based on what I
learned in my class) that my labor was progressing abnormally
quickly. Best of luck to you!!!
Cindy
thanks everyone for your input. that's exactly the feedback I
needed, especially about the car ride being uncomfortable but so
was being at the hospital. next up is the tours.
geraldine
April 2006
Up until my 25-week appointment today, we have been planning on
switching from Kaiser Oakland to Walnut Creek for the labor and
delivery, so we could have a midwife at the birth. Well, lo and
behold, at our appointment the doctor told us that Walnut Creek
is not accepting new transfers now because they are too full.
She said we could transfer to Hayward if we want a midwife.
So does anyone have any recent experience at Hayward? I know
nothing about it. Advice from 2001 on the website is mostly
positive but it says there are no private rooms and midwives are
only there 8am-8pm M-F... has that changed at all?
Are there other, better Kaisers we could switch to? Could we
transfer to San Rafael from Oakland? And what is L&D like there?
I was excited about Walnut Creek's midwives, mostly, but also
about bigger rooms (we plan to have quite a support team, plus
our 3-year-old and someone to watch him for part of the time) and
the fact that they are installing labor tubs. I don't need to
have a tub, but I want to be somewhere where it will be comfy to
have my 3-5 people with me, where they will be fine with a
natural, unmedicated birth with as few interventions as possible,
and where I can have a private room.
Thanks in advance!
Jen
I had a fabulous experience at Hayward
last year. It was my intention to deliver
at Oakland, but when I called to say we were on our way, they said they were full
and diverting to Walnut Creek. Called them next and they were full too. They
were diverting to Hayward - we didn't even know where that hospital was! In any
case, the drive was rough - traffic on 238 was busy as usual. (It was a Friday
afternoon.) But, once there, it was great - 25 minutes of pushing with the help
of my doulas, husband, fabulous nurses and a wonderful, nurturing mid-wife and
out popped baby #2! I don't know about the midwife hours. And, I would think
San Rafael would be too far - at least for me. Labor in the car is no fun. All
that said, If I were doing it again, I'd choose Oakland for proximity - hands
down. -Not sure I helped answer your question.
It is true that Walnut Creek is overwhelmed right now with a skyrocketing birth
rate, and that they are trying to discourage women from transferring there. That
being said, Kaiser members have the right to deliver where they choose, even if
they do not formally transfer to that facility prior to delivery. It is BEST to
transfer your care prior to delivery as you can be oriented to the practice and
facility and have your records easily retrieved by Labor and Delivery once you
are in labor. Transferring also allows the facility to project an anticipated
delivery rate and staff accordingly. Walnut Creek anticipates about 415 births
for the month of May, the busiest East Bay location by far.
The last information I have about tubs at Walnut Creek is that installation has
been placed on hold due to the need to upgrade electric wiring in the location
that they will be placed.
San Rafael does not have a Labor and Delivery service. Locations besides Walnut
Creek with CNM services include Santa Rosa, Hayward, Redwood City (currently only
at night and weekends- they have CNM openings that need to be filled), Vallejo
(M-
F 7am-7pm), South Sac, Sac (sporatic coverage), and Santa Teresa. I believe
Hayward CNMs are covering L and D 24/7. You can call L and D and ask to speak
with the on-call midwife at any facility to confirm current CNM coverage.
The CNM chiefs are working on a web page that will give everyone the ability to
learn more about our services but that will not be ready for a while. We will
also have a phone number for each service at that time. I will continue to
monitor this site to answer questions as they arise. I hope this information is
helpful!
Thanks, Kathy Heilig, CNM. Co-chair, CNM Chiefs, Kaiser Northern CA
I gave birth June 2005 at San Francisco Kaiser
and am planning to go back there
with our next in the future. I originally was going to go to Walnut Creek so I
could have a midwife but because of pre-term labor (and receiving care in San
Rafael) they sent me to SF because it was closer. The staff is caring and
supportive. I actually got to go home and carry my son an additional month (very
lucky) and decided to go back there for the birth. Again, my experience was
similar and the staff in labor and postpartum were wonderful, answered all my
constant questions (first baby) and found a nice bed for my husband to sleep on
too. If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to talk to you.
kim
Oy. When I did my tour of Oakland Kaiser's labor and delivery
department in the fall, another woman who was as concerned about
what she was seeing as I was asked about Hayward. The person
leading the tour said that if Oakland wasn't what she wanted,
Hayward certainly wouldn't be either. Apparently that facility
is even older and more cramped. I have heard that if you just
show up at Kaiser Walnut Creek in active labor they will not turn
you away. If I had been unable to successfully transfer to
Walnut Creek, that is what I would have done. Good luck!
anonymous
I wanted to add my experience with
Kaiser
Walnut Creek. I had one child there in 99 and another in 03. With my
first birth experience the midwife apologized to me for taking too
long to contact the doctor that I needed a C section. My son was in
distress for quiet a while before I finally had a C section. That went
fine. Then the circumcision was crooked ( my sister inlaw had the same
experience with that at Walnut Creek). Oh, and they left a staple in
me.
My next child was delivered in 2003 at Walnut Creek. My baby again
went into distress, they wheeled me into the operating room, after 3
hours of pushing hard, and I was told that if the baby did not come
out in the next 10 minutes they would push her back up and give me the
C section. She did come out. They did not have the right needle yet
she stiched me up anyway. The thread broke later. In my room nursing
my beautiful daughter in recovery my husband thought she was breathing
hard, nurse said she seemed fine but would check. Off to the NIC unit
for a week due to breathing problems. I boarded there (if they have
empty rooms you can stay on which is a huge blessing). I went in every
3 hours and was able to breastfeed her within a few days. Most of the
shift care was amazing. Wonderful, considerate nurturing nurses. The 2
am shift does not seem to have a doctor on rounds. It was loud in
there. The manager yelled from one end of the room to the next, a
nurse put a radio really loud next to an 5 month old who kept crying,
and the topper was the nurse who said ' stop crying or I will throw
you in the trash'. I kid you not. I chose not to report the staff
until we were out ( she was in a week).
I was told that the manager was fired, yet I heard from another
manager that she was transfered. I sent a complaint to the Chief of
the hospital who later forwarded it back to the head of NIC who heard
my original complaint. She wanted me to come in so that she could
reasure me that it was all better. She was also upset that the
complaint I sent to the Chief 'passed through a lot of hands before it
got to her.' So, there it is, my experience at Walnut Creek.
In hindsight I think it would have been a great choice to have a doula
who would have had the experience to shepard us through the
experience. I do want to add that I have had a great many positive
experiences with Kaiser but this was not one.
Anon
Nov 2005
My first child is due in early December, and I'm trying to decide
whether to deliver at Kaiser Walnut Creek, Oakland or Hayward.
I've toured Walnut Creek and Oakland, and liked Walnut Creek much
better--both the physical space and the midwife,
natural-birth-oriented approach. But at a check-up today my nurse
told me that Walnut Creek is overcrowded and I may get turned
away. She suggested that I check out Hayward, which also has
midwife births and which has apparently recently been remodeled.
I'm wondering if any mothers who've given birth at any of these
places recently can comment on their experiences. The previous
postings I've found on BPN about Kaiser Walnut Creek and Hayward
are quite a few years out of date. Thanks!
Erica
I am the co-chair of the Northern California Kaiser midwives and can answer some
of your questions about where to deliver. I live in the East Bay and was in private
practice here until I joined two other CNMs and established Kaiser Walnut Creek's
CNM service in 1990. I now deliver in Vallejo.
Kaiser midwifery coverage is 24/7 in a number of our No. Cal medical centers
including Hayward and Walnut Creek. There are no midwives in medical centers with
large OBGYN residencies except for Sacramento where there is part-time CNM
coverage.
Walnut Creek is very busy these days but you can deliver there as long as there is an
open bed when you go into labor. It is rare that a client is asked to deliver in a
location other than the one she planned on. It does happen, however, so it is
important to call the Labor and Delivery unit before you leave for the hospital.
Walnut Creek asks that women who receive prenatal care elsewhere transfer their
care to WC around 35 weeks so they can plan and staff for your delivery. An extra
midwife has been added to the WC staff through December as they anticipate a
sustained baby boom there through the end of the year.
Hayward has a wonderful midwifery service. If you are uncertain where you want to
deliver, I would recommend taking a tour of the facilities on your list. I hope you all
find this information helpful. Thanks and take care, Kathy Heilig, CNM
Kathy
Also see reviews for Childbirth at Kaiser Oakland and
Childbirth at Kaiser Walnut Creek
Nov 2004
Hello all! We are due in January and as Kaiser patients have the
choice of where to deliver. I've heard that Kaiser Oakland L&D
is staffed by mostly interns, whereas Kaiser Walnut Creek is
primarily staffed by CNM's. We are hoping for a natural birth,
and would welcome hearing about any and all experiences relating
to delivery at the new Kaiser Oakland facility vs. Walnut Creek.
Thank you in advance for your reply!
Yvonne
I delivered at Walnut Creek Kaiser because I wanted to have a
CNM attend my birth. Overall, I was pleased with the
experience and really liked the midwives that took care of me.
A few caveats though... I was forced to transfer my prenatal
care to Walnut Creek at 35 weeks. Once I was there, I didn't
have a consistent prenatal provider. I had four appointments
and saw four different people. My chart often wasn't handy,
and the continuity of care was very poor. Also, the midwives
don't provide prenatal care at all, except at the 36 week
visit.
Labor and delivery care was good though, and the rooms were
pretty nice. I haven't seen the new Oakland facility to
compare. In particular, the labor and delivery nurses at
Walnut Creek have a very good reputation.
You might want to consider going on hospital tours at both
facilities to get a feel for the type of care you might receive.
Sandra
I gave birth to both of my boys in Walnut Creek. We live in
Richmond so I went there for my early OB checkups.
Walnut creek has (or at least had) nurse midwives on staff and
at the time Oakland didn't (my boys are now 9 and 13). It turned
out that we had the same midwife for both boys.
Both times were wonderful experiences (oh yeah, aside from
labor!!!)
I had very normal births, the nurses in the birthing unit were
soooo kind and there was always a peaceful, calm feeling which I
think is really important when you're in your own chaos of
labor/contractions, etc.
My first child was natural, my 2nd one I chose an epidural....
HOpe this is helpful...I realize things may have changed since
my 2 guys were born.
Good luck
anon
I delivered my first child in July at the Kaiser Hospital in
Walnut Creek and still rave about the incredibly positive
experience I had there. From the OB MD, to the birthing
midwives, to the post-partum nurses, everyone one was kind,
thorough and knowledgeable. They are all first-rate! I heard
that many medical professionals come from all over the world to
learn about the state-of-the art child birth facilities and
processes. Congratulations and good luck!
sn4akis
I delivered naturally at Walnut Creek in September, having chosen
that L&D over Oakland because I wanted a midwife. My experience
there was excellent--I never saw a doctor until I was discharged!
The nurses and midwife I worked with were wonderful--they
listened to what I wanted my birth experience to be and helped me
achieve it. The birthing rooms are large, comfortable, and sunny
(not that I cared once the tough contractions started coming). I
would highly recommend going to WC--the drive is worth it.
Barbara
For my 2nd I drove to Walnut Creek 19 months ago. It was a wonderful delivery-
great nurses and very confident and relaxed Mid wifes. Plus, it was one of their
busiest days, and I still have not complaints about my care. And there was a
student that wanted to observe and I was asked very kindly by her teacher if she
could watch. I did allow the studen to observe and she was so grateful afterward.
Nothing like the mystery tour at Alta Bates.
I ran into someone at the Zoo right after my 2nd delivery at Walnut Creek and she
had practically the same story. Make the drive!
Linda
I delivered last March at Kaiser Walnut Creek. I also wanted the
least amount of intervention possible and I had hired a doula. I
would say overall that the midwives were pretty good. I had a
very fast labor (pitocin induced because my water broke) and they
seemed sort of unprepared for how fast the delivery itself went.
This was frustrating because I was telling them that the baby
was coming. I did tear a lot but the doula said that the midwife
did a great job stitching me and I have healed well. I didn't
miss having an OB at all. The nurses were really good also. One
strange thing, after the delivery I never saw the midwife. She
didn't come by on rounds which I think is unusal. Don't expect
to be coddled afterwards, either, they give you the bum's rush
after 24 to 36 hours and I wasn't overwhelmed with the lactation
support either.
I delivered both my children (now ages 4.5 and 1.5) at Kaiser
Walnut Creek and had excellent experiences both times. The
facility is very nice and the staff is terrific. I was so
impressed by the CNM's - both had great bedside manners and were
obviously skilled and experienced. I even ended up with a
private room after both deliveries, which isn't guaranteed, but
is really nice if you can get that. I don't know anything about
Oakland's L&D - Alta Bates used to deliver the babies for
Oakland Kaiser patients, so I think that's a pretty new addition
for Oakland Kaiser. Even though I live in Oakland, I'm so glad
I used Walnut Creek to deliver (and still use it for my OB/GYN
and Pediatrician) - it's just a very top-notch place (not that
other facilities aren't, of course). If I have a third child, I
will go to Walnut Creek again to deliver. Good luck to you and
congratulations!
Kaiser WC fan
We were faced with a similar dilemma when our daughter was born
2 years ago -- to give birth at Kaiser Alta Bates or Kaiser
Walnut Creek. I, like you, wanted very much to have a ''natural''
childbirth. We chose to deliver at Walnut Creek, despite the
longer drive, and I'm really glad we did. It came down to this -
- I didn't want an epideral, but if I had to get one, I REALLY
didn't want a sleep-deprived intern giving it to me. Of course,
nothing went as we had planned, and after 2 days of labor, I
opted for the epideral. The doctor who administered it was very
experienced and patient, as was most of the staff. (We did have
one surly nurse and asked her to leave and send someone else.
She did. Keep in mind you always have that option.) I'm not
sure how different the nurse midwives were from regular nurses.
I was in so much pain that there didn't seem to be much that
they could do. I would have died for a tub to sit in -- I've
heard they may have them now, although they didn't then. You
might want to ask about that. Last thing -- not everyone gets a
private room, but we lucked out and got one, which was really
great.
-glad we went to WC
Hi! I just faced the same option as you and chose to deliver at Walnut Creek. I highly
recommend it. The midwives are incredible. I was really impressed by how
competent the midwife was who delivered my daughter. She got me through
pushing with no tears, something I just don't think a new resident would necessarily
be able to do.
amy
I posted a message asking for labor experiences at Oakland
Kaiser about a month ago. I got a number of 'off line'
responses. For the benefit of others, here are the main points
I picked up:
* the staff are nice, experienced and knowledgeable (''terrific''
in the words of one mother); many hired from other facilities
in the area
* the place is small -- no one felt pressured to leave because
of overcrowding, but there wasn't much room to walk around
* there are various communication/regulation 'kinks' related to
the newness of the facility (for those who gave birth in
Sept/Oct), e.g. around enforcement of visiting hours, some
problems working in teams, general disorganization
* staff is supportive of mother's choices re: medication and
interventions
* staff is supportive of breastfeeding
I'll probably deliver there, just because I don't want to get
stuck in traffic going to Walnut Creek, but I'd be very
interested in hearing about more recent Oakland birth
experiences.
Irene
Deciding which Kaiser to use
1998
I'm a Kaiser patient and I have been in prenatal care since October. There
is a lot of confusion at the moment about the question in which hospital
Kaiser patients have their babies and what role Alta Bates plays in this.
It took me about 20 phone calls to find out, but these seem to be the
facts:
Every Kaiser patient has the right to get care at every Kaiser facility
anywhere in the US. It doesn't matter where you live. For example, I live
in Berkeley but I got my prenatal care at Kaiser SF because it was more
convenient - the SF Kaiser hospital happens to be in a walking distance
from my workplace. So if you decide to have your prenatal care and
deliviery at Kaiser Walnut Creek, that's okay regardless of where you live.
Kaiser would like you to have your baby in the same place in which you have
obtained your prenatal care. For SF, Walnut Creek etc. that is not a
problem - you just deliver at the hospital at which you got your care
before. For Kaiser patients of Richmond and Oakland, delivery is no longer
possible at these hospitals and will usually happen at Alta Bates in
Berkeley instead.
It is, however, possible to have your baby at a different hospital if you
go through some paperwork beforehand. This is what I will do - I've stopped
working now, so I no longer drive to SF regularly, and I want to have my
baby at Alta Bates because that's closer to my home. This was clearly not
Kaiser's "preferred method", but in the end all I had to do was to make
sure that the records about my prenatal care got faxed over to the East Bay
after my last prenatal appointment in SF.
This DOES work, and I think the same must be possible the other way around
(a woman who got her prenatal care at Oakland Kaiser should still be able
to deliver at Walnut Creek as long as she sorts out the paperwork
beforehand and gets a referral from her doctor).
I hope this helps. Good luck, Angela
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