Choosing a Hospital -- MedStar Franklin Square or Johns Hopkins Bayview

Johns Hopkins is a GREAT facility.

You need to check with your insurance to see what and who they cover....you might be "forced" to go to MedStar....I don't know.

Check with our OB/GYN - do they have mid-wives on their staff? If so - then your insurance most likely covers them.

Most doctors respect the right to choose between natural and drugs...so you need to have an open and frank conversation with your OB/GYN to find out what his/her parameters are for no drugs, no induction, no c-section...and then agree upon it.

I only have experience with Johns Hopkins Villmer Eye Institute not their Obstetrics facility.

Hi - rather than focusing on the hospital, I would focus on finding a midwive practice that is affiliated with Doctors and a Hospital. I am on #3 and this is what I have done and I have been very happy with it. Mine are affiliated with Shady Grove though, so I think we live a ways from each other. I switched to this midwive/ Dr practice at 28 weeks with my first when I discovered that my big, OB practice was not going to be the best at helping me have a birth with low intervention. Many OBs are not even trained in natural childbirth anymore. So, just my 2 Cents - your instincts are right, but I think it is best to start with the midwife group and then find out where they are affiliated. Thanks and best of luck!

I gave birth at Franklin Square 3 years ago and had a great experience. The two main nurses that I had were phenomenal and very caring. But I can't speak for how they follow a birth plan, as I really didn't have a specific plan in place other than I really wanted a vaginal birth. I absolutely trusted my doctor, and planned to go with the best advice she could give me while in labor. I was induced because we were 10 days late, but after the initial gel induction, I did not need pitocin. I had the idea that I wanted to go natural and see how things felt, but made the decision to get an epidural when things were too intense. There were some complications with my daughter's heart rate, my contractions were on top of each other, but I was not dilating, so a C-section was offered to me, but I declined unless it was absolutely necessary. Once they broke my water though, things progressed quickly, and there was no more need for a c-section. I was never forced or coerced into having one though - but the nurse and my doctor gave me all the information I needed for my husband and I to make the decision ourselves.
I think that you really need to have a doctor or midwife that is completely on board with your plan if you have specifics that you are adamant about. They are your first advocate. I agree with another post, that having a doula may be beneficial as well.
All the best to you!

You should start with choosing an OB office to work with. The OB office will be affiliated with certain hospitals for which they have "rights" to deliver there. You can choose a OB office that is supportive of midwives and with natural birth so that you know they will be supportive of your birth plan during delivery.

Hospitals are not in the practice of "pushing" drugs or c-sections on anyone. You can tell them upfront that you do not want them to ask you if you want drugs so that there is not the additional temptation, but if you ask for it, they will give it to you (as they should).

Bottom line though is that your relationship will be with your doctor/midwife, not as much with the hospital.

If you do a little math you can figure out the C-section rate for both hospitals here: http://mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/hospitalguide/hospi...

It looks like Hopkins has a MUCH lower percentage of C-sections, from which you can infer that they use fewer interventions during birth. These are just numbers, though.

You can have the birth you want at any hospital if you are confident and demand the staff to follow your wishes. Some hospitals will try to pressure you in a certain direction and you will be vulnerable when you are in labor. Have you considered hiring a doula? If money is a factor, enlist a friend to be your birth advocate and stay with you the entire time. Someone with a clear head who can fight if necessary for your wishes.

Good luck!

not sure abotu these hospitals.. but the drs and nurses do not push drugs at all.. both times I asked for drugs when the pain became too much. if you are going to see a dr.. most likely that dr will deliver you (or someone in the same group). if you want a midwife to deliver ... you need to see a midwife throughout the pregnancy.