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The Hospital Takes Insurance – Does the Doctor?

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Medical debt from hospital bills can send families spiraling into bankruptcy. If you have health insurance coverage, you might think that you will be able to afford going to a hospital for the health care you need. The hospital might take your insurance, but that doesn’t mean individual doctors within the hospital are also going to accept that form of payment. Not all trips to the hospital are going to be things that you can plan. Accidents can happen that lead to emergency visits. In those situations, people end up hoping that they were taken to a hospital that will … Continue reading →

The Pre-Admission Interview

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As you approach your due date, your hospital may ask you to come in for a pre-admission interview. The pre-admission interview should be done early enough that you are not in danger of missing it (by having your baby a little early), and late enough in the pregnancy that you will be able to remember all the information you will be given. The name “interview” is a little misleading. Even though part of the interview involves the staff member asking you questions, a great deal of time is spent providing information and it may also include a tour of the … Continue reading →

Is this the Hospital or the Hilton?

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On a recent trip to visit a friend in the hospital after she had her baby, I noticed that her room had a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. I had a TV in my hospital room, but it wasn’t that nice! I began to wonder what kind of accommodations might be available at the hospitals in larger, wealthier cities. As I started looking at different birthing centers and hospitals in cities like New York City, I realized my hunch was spot on. Some centers offer amenities like concierge service, leather couches, wooden floors, spa tubs and giant flat … Continue reading →

Please Let Me Eat!

I’m having my next baby in the Netherlands. I’m joking, but seriously, I just read that laboring women are allowed to eat in the Netherlands and when I was in labor, I wasn’t allowed to touch food for twelve hours. It was about fifteen hours before I actually got to eat something. Labor is hard work, and I felt like I was starving half the time. I really think I could have used the energy boost! By the time I got into my room, the hospital’s kitchen had already closed. My husband did a midnight run to pick up McDonalds. … Continue reading →

Ask Your Doctor, Not The Internet

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In the age of Google, pregnant women everywhere have themselves worried sick about diseases, complications, birth defects, and traumatic labor. Search engines are great for learning more about morning sickness cures and breastfeeding techniques, but it’s not a good place to turn when you are worried about things of a more serious nature. Your doctor is a better resource. The internet is biased. People love to post pictures of birth defects, write stories about traumatic birth experiences, and fill up forums with warnings about every activity, food and drug out there. What you don’t see are the countless accounts of … Continue reading →

Five Things I Loved About Giving Birth In the Hospital

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When I was pregnant, I read a lot of forums, books, blogs and essays about different settings and styles of childbirth. The obvious choice is a hospital, but there are also birth centers, home births and free births. Many of the writers bashed hospitals, claiming unnecessary intervention, poor care, increased risk and self absorbed doctors as a few of the reasons hospital births are a bad idea. I chose to give birth in a hospital for a number of reasons, health insurance being the main reason. I was all geared up to “fight for my rights” as a patient and … Continue reading →

One Week Since You First Looked At Me

I wanted to talk a few minutes to talk about the first week – the first week after the day you give birth. The first week of your baby’s life as they adjust to a world outside the womb and your first week of coping with this new life that suddenly fills up every corner of your own – it’s both bittersweet because you’re exhausted and the most exciting thrill of your life. It can also be terrifying especially for a brand new mom experiencing this magical week for the very first time. What to Expect In This Week First … Continue reading →