Is there a neonatologist out there? Dilemma about birth in a hospital w/o NICU!?
I’m at the beginning of week 39 and we are still considering where to have our baby. I’m 29 years old, perfectly healthy, the baby is great too, weighs about 3 kilos and the pregnancy has so far been physiological with no problems whatsoever.
The dilemma is, we have 2 hospitals to choose from – one is a state hospital with a NICU but terrible conditions for the mothers – they actually still perform preventive episiotomies and women aren’t encouraged or allowed to give birth in any other position than the lithotomy (this is 21st century Slovakia)! I’m in depression just thinking about it 
The other option is a state hospital in nearby Austria which is extremely baby- and mother-friendly, has great staff and they are willing to support me in every point of my birthplan. They are expensive almost beyond what we can afford (as I’m not insured in Austria, I’ll have to pay for everything) AND don’t have a NICU.
I feel that when I chose the medieval one, I’m doing the right thing for my baby, but I don’t know how big the risk is something goes wrong in this stage and he’ll actually need the NICU (it’s usually the premature babies who do, isn’t it?); on the other hand, I’m freaked out at the thought of the “treatment” I’ll get and the stress, pain and injury. If we choose Austria, I’ll feel irresponsible towards my baby, although the experience will undoubtedly be much more bearable for me and for him too (if everything goes allright).
What would you choose? Am Ia ctually putting the baby at real risk if I go to a hospital without a NICU? Or will the stress I’ll undoubtedly experience in the Slovak hospital be a sort of risk too? Thanks a lot for your opinions!
The transfer to an Austrian NICU and the care there would cost much (tens of thousands of dollars) and take long (it’s 50km).
Tagged with: about • Birth • Dilemma • hospital • neonatologist • NICU • there
Filed under: Depression during Pregnancy Treatment Recommendations
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In the event that your baby needed the services a NICU provides, would it be possible for both of you to be transferred to the other hospital? Or some other hospital with a NICU? I mean… if something went wrong, you’d have to go *somewhere*, right?
I think this is something you should talk to your doctor about. I don’t know much about hospitals in your country, but I think your doctor/obstetrician could give you an estimated guess as to the outcome of your pending birth experience.
Women give birth at home all the time, without a NICU readily available….
Best of luck!
I don’t think you have to be in stress about going to Slovak hospital. The doctors there have great schools and do their best for you. Remember that if you will need to go to hospital you would need to go to the closest one. Or are you going to move to another country and wait near the hospital there?