A Wonderful Place to Have a Baby

Greer Memorial Hospital – A Wonderful Place To Have a Baby

I deliver babies at Greer Memorial Hospital and take for granted the way things are done at Greer. However, having recently experienced my son and daughter-in-law delivering at a different hospital, it caused me to reflect on how different and possibly unique things are at Greer. Here are some of the things that I think make Greer a wonderful place to give birth.

The facility is gorgeous. It looks more like a hotel, than a hospital. The comfortable physical facilities enhance the birth experience.
The hospital is large enough to be able to deal with any emergency that may arise, but small enough to still be very personal and intimate in its feel. While the staff where my grandchild delivered was pleasant, there was not the friendship warmth that I frequently see between staff and patients at Greer.

3. There is a very large waiting area, so different families are not in each other’s space while they wait.
4. The doctors are involved in the labor, not just the delivery. During my daughter-in-law’s birthing process, the doctor, whom she had never met, only came into the room when the baby was about to emerge. He delivered the baby and left, never to be seen again. He was just doing his job, not participating in a very important and personal experience for the family. At Greer, the doctors are people the couple get to know prior to the delivery and they are frequently in the room throughout the labor process. This not only gives the doctor a better feel for how the labor is going, thus aiding the decision-making process. It is also reassuring to the couple, when the doctor is present during labor, not just the delivery.

5. The baby stays with mom following delivery. When the baby is delivered, it is placed on the mother’s chest, where it is stimulated and suctioned and dried. The only time a baby does not stay with mom is when it has to be resuscitated or is seriously ill. This is in contrast to what occurred when our grandson was born. In his case, upon delivery the baby was immediately taken to the warmer. Once the nurses did their routine, he was given to his mother for about 15 minutes. He was then taken to the nursery for the next five hours. There were multiple requests for him to be brought back, but there was always an excuse, even though we could see him crying in his bassinet. Needless to say, this was not the optimal start for this new baby and his parents. This would not have happened at Greer, because the baby does not leave the room, unless mom requests the baby be taken to the nursery.

6. The nurses support natural child birth and mother/baby bonding. Not everyone wants a medication free birth, but for those who do, having nurses that support this plan is critical to achieving it. Whatever kind of birth one wants, the Greer nurses work towards making it your personal birth experience and not just follow the protocol that works best for them.

I am thankful I have the privilege of delivering my patients at Greer. (I am also thrilled with being a “Papa” now.)

If you are looking for a hospital in which to have a baby and want a facility that is focused on you having the best experience possible, you should consider Greer Memorial.

Kevin, Kaela and Kaden

(Inspiration for this Post)