My Experience Giving Birth at Mt Sinai East in NYC
I’m a first time Mom and I recently gave birth at Mt. Sinai East labor and delivery on the Upper East Side in NYC. With so many hospitals to choose from in NYC, you want to make sure to choose the best location for your needs and your family. Today, I wanted to share with you my experience and answer common questions that you may have.
Would I recommend giving Birth at Mt. Sinai East?
Overall, I had a great experience and definitely recommend giving birth at Mt. Sinai East because the medical team, including both doctors and nurses, did an incredible job keeping me informed about the progress of my delivery, answered all my questions immediately, and I received phenomenal treatment. The Mt. Sinai East team was exceptional.
Most importantly, my baby and I remained healthy throughout the entire process. Once I gave birth to my son, I was immediately moved into recovery where I again received amazing treatment and was able to enjoy a beautiful view of Central Park while I recovered.Â
How does the process work after delivery?
After you give birth at Mt. Sinai East you are moved upstairs to the recovery center. Once you are in the recovery center you’re able to decide if you want your baby with you at night or the nursery. For me, I had my baby at the nursery so I could rest and recovery after delivery. In the morning they bring your baby in for snuggles and lots of love! Throughout the entire day nurses and doctors will come in and check on you and your baby.
What type of help do you get?
Giving birth is a traumatic event, Mt. Sinai East doctors and nurses are there to help you. You’re given a nurse to help with the essentials such as going to the bathroom, showering, and getting up for walks. Don't be afraid to ask for help while you regain your strength. At night, you have the option to have your baby at the nursery so you can rest all night. While your baby is at the nursery they’ll be given formula. We chose to have our baby in the nursery at night so we could rest.
During the day, you also have unlimited access to a lactation nurse. As a first time mom, I used the lactation nurse a few times to help figure out how to launch the baby on the boob, best practices for bottle feeding, and how to pump. The hospital has a Medela pump that you can use while you are there. If you are going to nurse I recommend starting to pump asap to get your milk supply going.
Private Room vs Shared Room
At Mt Sinai East you have the option to recover in a private room or a shared room. If you want a private room I recommend as soon as your baby is born that your partner goes upstairs and tries to book a room asap. These rooms tend to fill up quickly. I’ve even heard stories of people not being able to get into a private room.Â
I was lucky because I was in a shared room but was the only one in there so it was a private room experience. I highly recommend getting a private room after delivery because you’ll be in an extremely vulnerable place, you are bleeding, uncomfortable and overall in a lot of pain. The last thing you’re going to want to do is share a bathroom with someone. Even though they clean the bathrooms multiple times a day, not sure how sanitary it is.
The private room at Mt Sinai East Labor and Delivery cost $550-$850 per night depending on the view and size of the room, and is not covered by insurance. A shared room has no additional cost to you and is covered by insurance. It’s important to do what’s right for you and your situation. Â
What are you given in your room to begin?
Once you’ve given birth and moved to the recovery area where you're given everything you need to recover. These things include adult diapers, witch hazel, a peri bottle, itch spray, tissues, a night gown, and body wipes to wash up.
On your hospital bed, your hospital bed will have a button you can press, so the nurses can help you up and take you to the bathroom. I used a nurse a few times to go to the bathroom then after I wanted to do it myself to build up my strength.Â
Can your spouse stay the night?
Yes, your spouse can stay the night in both the shared rooms and the private rooms. Your spouse will be able to sleep on a chair that semi turns into a bed. I recommend that your spouse packs pillows and a blanket to make his sleeping experience more enjoyable.
What type of Food do they serve at Mt Sinai East Hospital?
During your hospital stay you’re able to order food directly from the Mychart application. This is food only for yourself, not your partner. With that being said, the food you can expect is cafeteria quality. You also have the option to use a food delivery service to have meals delivered straight to the hospital. Many times, we ordered food or my husband would go pick something up for us.Â
How was discharge
Once you’re ready for discharge you’ll get a goodie bag of products to take home for your recovery and baby. For you, you receive everything you received when you arrived to the Labor and Delivery center. For the baby you will receive a 4 pack of Similac infant formula, wipe clothes for diaper changing, a pacifier, the baby receiving and swaddle blanket, and if you have a male and your baby gets circumcised, you will receive products to help with the circumcision. I asked for extra products so I didn’t have to worry about ordering replacements asap.
What should I pack for my hospital bag
I highly recommend in your hospital bag you pack a discharge outfit, extra wide indoor slippers in case you have swelling in your feet, going home outfit for baby, a car seat and any beauty products such as makeup / hairbrush. Personally, I thought I would be doing my hair and makeup to take photos, but really I just wanted to sleep, snuggle with my newborn, and recover.
Any additional advice?
My biggest piece of advice is after you delivery your baby at Mt. Sinai east hospital is to rest and recover. The postpartum process is often not discussed enough but it’s exhausting and the quickest way to recover is through rest and staying on top of your pain medicine. Partners don’t forget to bring your push present to the hospital! I’d be happy to answer any additional questions about giving birth at Mt Sinai East in NYC and the recovery center.Â
Sincerely Petite in Paris,
Diane
