Having a baby at Mount Sinai

Hey i did, I loved my labor and delivery nurse I cried when we had to move to the ward as she was truly amazing. The post partum unit we had a semi private room it was ok I was by the door which made me feel a bit uncomfortable to use the washroom as I think they keep whoever had a c section by the bathroom? I didn't really like my ward nurse she didn't help me breastfeed effectively and pushed formula. So that part wasn't the best. They didn't have breastfeeding sessions at the time I don't know why but I was engorged I'd push to see a lactation consultant if you have any issues breastfeeding. Overall it was a good experience I'd go back there just I guess with another baby figure out what you need more effectively

I’ve had my two there; April 2022 and February 2024. I had good experiences both times. All of the doctors and nurses were wonderful. I’d say 90% of the staff listen to you and adhere to your wishes but you may have to advocate for yourself to some staff. Make sure you have a solid birth plan and your birthing partner is in sync and also capable of advocating for you. Find a good breastfeeding class beforehand and have the contact for a lactation consultant if you wish to breastfeed. Don’t rely on their resources for it. I was provided with more items the first time around so pack everything you think you might need just in case. You can always ask first. I did the regular ward the first time which was not great as the other babies kept waking mine and also some parents were noisy/talking a lot. I opted for a private room the second time and it was so worth it. We got great sleep and felt so much more comfortable. It was also great for having my toddler come to meet her sibling!

I had a baby at mount Sinai 3 years ago. Overall the L&D experience was fine. I kept asking for an epidural during labour from the pain but they kept discouraging me from getting it because they thought my labour would progress slowly. Wrong assumption. My labor progressed faster than they expected and it was too late to get epidural. Even when I was 10 cm and in pain, the nurse didn’t think I could have been 10 cm because I wasn’t screaming and shouting in pain. If you want an epidural I would just suggest you to be very vocal about it, otherwise they may not believe you. Post partum, the experience was good. Most of the nurses were really nice.

I had pretty quick labours both times. From water breaking to birth; 7 hours with my first and 1 hour with my second. I did labour the first time in triage and then went to delivery but I chose to labour at home with my second (before my water broke) as I live about 5 minutes away. I basically went straight to delivery with my second. I opted for non medical vaginal births and advocated for no iv and tried to have as much of a “free” birth as possible. I preferred the hospital because I have a complicated medical history. They were great and took care of me well. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself.

Even though I ended up having an emergency c section, my labor and delivery were amazing! I lost count of ho many people helped/checked me (doctors, nurses, specialist, etc ) but I can tell you they were all empathetic and encouraging. I remember feeling embarrassed because I wasn’t dealing well with the pain but they never made me feel out of place at all. Post surgery, I’d say that I liked my ward room afterwards a bit less, the nurses were alright but kinda aggressive in my opinion. Maybe I was a bit sensitive as well with the drugs wearing of and general sleep deprivation but it wasn’t too bad. Hospital food isn’t great btw, but there are places nearby to grab something from (my husband got us chipotle as the first meal after birth lol and I think he got Tim Hortons for breakfast)

@Rabia oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that! Were you offered laughing gas or morphine with gravol throughout your labour since they were discouraging you from the epidural?. I told my OB that I wanted an epidural as soon as possible and I got a similar response.

I had an overall great experience. I didn't want an epidural and they supported me through s very painful back labor, with positive comments throughout. I had similar experience to another person here, they thought my labor was progressing much more slowly than in reality. I was very calm but in a lot of pain. It's hard to communicate effectively when you are in that level of pain. They don't check your dilation often, which is to prevent risk of infection, however I was probably ready to push much earlier. I could barely speak as my energy was all going to contractions, so it was hard to explain my needs and wants at that point in time. I tried to say I'm ready to push several times, finally they checked and realized I was ready. The best thing you can do it's make sure you have someone there to advocate for you, someone who knows what your birthing plan is very well, and what you want in case x, y or z happens.

There were things that happened that I was not able to say I'm not ok with. Like I never wanted my partner to have the visual, and he didn't either lol, but the doctors asked him to help with this and that, which was totally unnecessary. So train your birthing partner that they can tell the nurse or doctor "no she specifically does not want this" just in case. I experienced complications during and after labor, these complications would have occurred no matter where I was. And the staff acted fast and saved my life. They handled both situations without me feeling scared or traumatized. I felt very safe the entire time, I felt like I was in the best hands.

@Katheryn yes they offered me morphine with gravol exactly 4 hours before my baby arrived. It didn’t help with the pain at all to be honest but everyone is different. When the anesthesiologist said it was too late to give epidural they offered me laughing gas. That really helped. But then I couldn’t feel much down there and couldn’t push the baby out. So they had to do an episiotomy to get the baby out. I guess the only thing I’d say is to advocate for yourself or have your partner advocate for yourself. Also when the resident checked me after complaining of the pain I was 10 cm dilated, but the nurse didn’t believe him because I was “handling pain well”. She prolly thought he was too junior and didn’t know what he was doing. She went to get another doctor to check my cervix again and confirm I was actually 10 cm.

I gave birth at Mt Sinai in August this year. I had a great experience and I felt like I was in the best hands. The nurses and doctors were very supportive, knew what they were doing, and very kind. I was induced. I got my epidural soon after my contractions started because I didn’t want to deal with the pain. The nurses recommended I get it before they administered the pitocin - turned out to be the best decision I made. I had a smooth labor (about 11-12 hours from the first contraction). The nurse showed me how to push & got me to try different positions (with a peanut ball) in preparation. Pro tip - you can opt to do a tour of the hospital’s L&D ward for a small fee (I think $10). I did the tour and it helped me be more at ease knowing what to expect in my surroundings when I go in. Also, carry all the items you need to be comfortable! My top recommendation - your own L&D gown - I found mine was so much more comfortable than the hospital one. If uhave any questions, msg me x

I gave birth at Mt Sinai last week and honestly it was amazing. I was in labor for 26 hours and I cannot be more thankful for the staff, they were very supportive and kind the whole time. At first I went to the hospital because my contractions were very close apart but they checked me and I was only 1 cm dilated. They sent me back home after some morphine and I came back after a couple of hours because my water was leaking non stop and the pain was unbearable. I got there and they were extremely fast to admit me and give me the epidural, I think it was all around 1 hour or so. My nurse was an angel with all her help and support. The delivery was super quick and the medical team was telling me every single detail of what was going on. The only thing I didn't like was the semi private room because the nurse was checking the neighbor mama quite often and she was very loud. They were also very helpful with breastfeeding, the nurse was very patient and sweet. You can msg me if you have any question :)

I had my baby 2 years ago at mount Sinai and I’ll be having my second at May. It the best hospital I’ve ever been in!!