St. John's Vs. Santa Monica Hospital?

L., my children are now 12 and 9, but I had both of them at Santa Monica Hospital and everything went really well there. The parking isn't the greatest, but the two facilities are pretty much in the same area. At the time St. John's did not have a neonatal unit so if there were complications they would've had to take the baby elsewhere. I don't know if that has changed. The nursing staff and rooms were great. Good luck and hope that helps!

Hi L.. When we lived in the westside, we visited both hospitals before the birth of my first child. That was 2 1/2 years ago. I now have a second daughter, born at home in water (the best!). St.John's has bigger rooms and hardwood floors, with a big screen T.V.! However, we felt that the staff was cold and not at all accommodating (at least for visitors). Santa Monica UCLA Hospital was nicer, but the rooms are smaller. We got good feedback about SM Hospital's staff (nurses and midwives) and when we visited, they were really nice. We didn't end up in either one (I chose to give birth at a birthing center but ended up at Cedars Sinai as my water broke and labor took 36 hours), so my view is from a visitor's standpoint only. And I agree, either hospital would've been a lot better than Cedars Sinai (my experience there prompted my decision to give birth at home the second time around). I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Good luck and congratulations!

Hi L.,
I can add two cents about St. Johns... just had our boy there 6 months ago. We did the tour prior which I would recommend (but book it sooner than later) - it was nice just doing a run-through! We ended up being induced so things were very calm once we got there. Parking was easy as was check-in. The nursing staff is AWESOME. Vibed with some more than others but overall, we felt very taken care of. (Nurses) Debra & Liz ROCK though. Debra was the one actually there while pushing etc (did more than my OB)... she along with my doula and husband completed my awesome team!! Also, the lactation specialist was wonderful (forget her name but she's British)... she helped set a good foundation and consequently, breast feeding was truly a positive experience.
GOOD LUCK and enjoy every minute of your birth experience (it goes by so fast)!!
xx K.
ps- let me know if you have any other questions.

I am an acupuncturist, doula, and mother of two boys - I'd have to say in my professional and personal experience - St. John's all the way...better staff, environment, all around vibe!

Good luck to you in May!

Nicky Corbett, L.Ac.

Like everyone else who commented I had my son there last may and the staff was excellent. I had preregistered, and was at my final ultrasound to check position of the baby when we were told we should deliver that day because my placenta had given out. Everyone was really calm, and called St. John's and they were very sensitive to my shock at having to induce early, we parked with no problems and one of the nurses in the lobby even helped us carry our bags up to the maternity floor.

The new wing is beautiful, and the staff were very nice even when they were over booked and had to move me down a floor for recovery because they needed the LDR room for an influx of deliveries. I highly recommend it,

I am so glad you asked! I toured both hospitals and can say they both were great. I delivered at St. Johns's on 11/13/07 and my experience was fabulous. I spent 6 days there (1 in labor & 5 after an emergency C-section), so I would know (more details below). Santa Monica Hospital has a pediatrics unit and Saint John's does not. Should your baby need to stay in the hospital after you leave, they will not have to be transported. Also, they told me that have a lactation consultant there every day of the week, whereas St. John's doesn't (but I will tell you why that doesn't matter).

If you delivered at St. John's and your baby needed additional care after you left, it is only three short blocks to Santa Monica. My pregnancy did not show any signs of complications (not to say that there couldn't have been), so I opted for St. John's as my best friend had her baby there in June of 07'.

I am SO glad I did & here's why... breast feeding was/is very important to me and St. John's has a fabulous lactation consultant who will assist you with any of your breast feeding issues during your stay & here's the great part AFTER you leave. I went back to see her 3 times after having my little one. I cannot tell you how great she is! My best friend's neighbor had her baby at Santa Monica a week before me and had to pay a lactation consultant lots of money after leaving the hospital for a consultation. I paid nothing. She was not able to breast feed and I was. That's a very personal decision & I by no means look down on her. However, I would say that I am successfully breast feeding thanks to the free consultations after I checked out of the hospital. I was fine breast feeding in the hospital, it got difficult when I got home.

Good luck to you with this very big decision! I am sure wherever you go you will have a safe and wonderful delivery! E_mail me if you have any questions: ____@____.com

Hi L.,
Congratulations!
We had this choice as well and wound up at Santa Monica UCLA. The nursing staff and lactation consultants were incredibly friendly and helpful. The parking was very easy for us ($5 flat rate) and there were options for visitors, too (B of A lot, meter lot) - whereas at St John's there's a few meters and then a $12 valet option.
One thing that made us lean toward Santa Monica is that, while they both have you room in with the baby, the nursery at Santa Monica is available 24 hours if you need to get a little sleep. I didn't feel like St John's encouraged that.
Of course, my husband would have loved the TVs at St John's!
We have no regrets at all about the decision, but no matter which you choose, you will get excellent care. If you are still undecided, I recommend going on the tours.
Good luck!

I have delivered all three of my children at St. John's. I think the care you receive there is amazing. The materninty floor is so quiet (even with the newborns). When I delivered my last child, I thought I was the only one on the floor. I later learned that the floor was FULL! What I don't like about SM UCLA is that it is a teaching hospital, and there are a lot of different people coming in and out of your room. They are both great hospitals, but I kind of liked the quietness of St. John's. As for the parking, I think all hospitals are the same, except I know St. John's has valet.
Lastly, my first son came 8 weeks early. He was just fine, but had to spend 3 weeks in the NICU at St. John's. They have the most amazing nurses and therapists. They made a new mom feel OK about leaving her baby there. Hopefully you will never need the NICU, but just know that there are the best!

Hi, this perspective comes from a visitor, who is a pediatric nurse. My friend delivered at SM UCLA 2 yrs ago. Her labor experience was great. I wasn't sooo impressed with the postpartum nurses, but my expectations are probably a tad bit higher considering I am in the medical field. From what I understand, St John's is nice if a flat panel TV is in your birthing plan. I have a friend who was a L&D nurse at St Johns. She said it was a nice facility, but that their staff was over worked. I asked my OB which facility she felt provided better care (I was completely set on choosing St John's.) She said that 60% of her patients go to St Johns, and 40% to UCLA. My OB's choice? SM UCLA. She felt that I would receive better nursing care there. St Johns NICU is a level II. UCLA's is a level III. Meaning that if your baby is just a little "sick", then St John's will be fine. BUT, if your baby is significantly sick, then your baby will be transferred out. Just food for thought. When I am able to conceive again, I will choose SM UCLA. Good luck to you, and congratulations on your new addition!

Hello L.,
My second daughter was born in the new St. Johns. The staff took care of me well. The room is private and quiet with a flat screen TV. As if you want to look at any thing else but your wonderful baby, It's good for the dad. There is a long window seat long enough for a bed. Private bathroom. Parking was $9 for the valet in front.
The reality, you have everything you need inside you!
Relax and enjoy the experience!
Bring some one handed snacks, banana, fruit and nut mix. You will be hungry in the middle of the night. Don't be afraid to hit the button to get more juice.
Today is my third childs 4 month birthday. I had him at home in a horse water trough full of warm water. My oldest daughter,4 yrs., cut the cord. That was great experience also.
"Ina May's Homebirth" book is full of real information and inspiring stories.
You have the strength and the ability inside you, and trust the little voice.

I had my second son at St. John's - he just had his 9th bday so obviously things may have changed. But I had the BEST experience there. The nurses were great. It was so comfortable and exactly what I wanted. They immediately put my baby on my chest and he nursed before the umbilical cord was even cut. We were all crying with love and joy. Amazing!

I delivered both of my children ('03 & '05)at Santa Monica/UCLA and had a very positive experience. My dr. is right across the street, so it was convenient for him, but he was happy to go to St. John's as well. The rooms are adequate -my husband was able to spend the night. In '05 we had the suite for 2 nights, which was great. Parking was easy -it's across the street and of course, there's valet. I liked most of the nurses very much. It is more convenient, in my opinion, than St. John's because it's not on such a busy street, so the parking is easier and it's just overall easier to get in and out of.

I delivered at Santa Monica UCLA last year. I would not go there! The nurses are horrible! And the Lactation consultants are really bad, and started me off on the wrong breast feeding path. I have had many friends deliver at St Johns and they loved it! Good Luck!

Dear L.,
Both hospitals are very good. You should go on a tour of each one to see which you are most comfortable with. Ask if they give you a private room or if you have to share. If you have to share, get the details. Also see how many people each nurse has to care for. I gave birth at Cedars but St. Johns was my 2nd choice. They had a nice facility and they have a NICU - which is nice to have just in case.

It's all about what makes you the most comfortable. I took all the baby classes (CPR, Breastfeeding, Caring for a Baby) through St. Johns and they were very good.

Good luck.

L.

Although I gave birth at UCLA-SM, St. John's is reputed to be the very, very best in So. Cal. And their NICU is second-to-none.

Parking seems to be arranged pretty well at UCLA-SM, although this is something they talk about on the H tours. The nursing staff and lactation consultants were wonderful.

Good luck!

I had my baby in December at Santa Monica and could not have been happier. It was our first baby so I can understand your apprehension. It was before they moved into the new building so the rooms were a bit tired but had everything you needed - and anyway decor is the last thing you are looking at! The nurses were just amazing and provided a really good cross section of advice going out of their way to sort out any problems/ issues which came up. Parking is fine it is just across the road.

I delivered both of my girls at St. John's. My first was delivered in the old hospital, and my second was delivered in the brand new wing. I can't say enough good things about this hospital! The nursing staff was AMAZING, very sweet and considerate - and extremely knowledgable & comforting. I had 2 very different experiences with my deliveries. My first was an induction that led to 3.5 hours of pushing and an eventual emergency C-section. Our baby had meconium in her lungs and wasn't breathing right away. I also suffered with high blood pressure and had to be monitored every 10 minutes all night long. My second delivery was a scheduled C-section, without any complications. With both deliveries, the staff was very much on top of it and I always felt that I was in good hands. No kidding, I wanted to send my anesthesiologist flowers both times! He had a very comforting demeanor, and both of my epidurals were without complications.

The new facitlity is also wonderful. Nice big rooms that are clean & comfortable for you and your husband & family. Parking is very convenient (valet) and reasonable which makes a difference especially to your husband and family that may be coming & going. You should definitely have a tour of each hospital before committing to one!

I have no experience with Santa Monica hospital, but I strongly recommen St. John's! Congratulations & good luck!

I had my son at St. John's and my daughter at Santa Monica Hospital. I have to say that they are both excellent hospitals with wonderful maternity wards. I like the fact that both hospitals are not baby factories like Cedar's Sinai. I think you should check out both and make your decision after your tours. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either hospital. Good luck!

Hi Lindsay,

I delivered our son Dylan at St John's just 2 years ago. It is an amazing hospital. The labor and delivery department nurses were so sweet and the facilities are realy clean and up to date. I kept calling it a hotel room! I had a private room my entire stay (labor through recovery) - enough said, right?
I don't know anything about Santa Monica hospital, but anyone I've ever told where I delivered was like wow! It's a superb hospital. I will for sure return to deliver our second child.
-H.

I am not sure about Santa Monica Hospital, but I have worked some shifts in St. John's as a labor and delivery nurse. I really like the night staff there. It is a very clean hospital. They are only Ob/Gyn groups that work there, no Midwives, so it's pretty standard hospital model of care. You should really consider having a birth Doula regardless of which hospital you choose. Check out www.Birthwell.com. Best of luck to you. M.

I was originally going to go to St. John's but when I arrived there in labor, they were having electrical problems and sent me to Santa Monica-UCLA. I had a very pleasant stay there and the nurses were fantastic. You should ask your OB because he/she may have an opinion.

Hi L.,

I made the same choice in 05 with my birth. I toured both facilities and was really turned off to St John's. The staff was rude and seemed exasperated that I even wanted a tour. The facilities were nice, but I'd heard from my OB that the nurses were more seasoned and experienced at Santa Monica. I chose SM, even though it felt more 'hospital' than 'hotel'. I paid for a single room upgrade, which wasn't really much more at all. The staff was GREAT! My mother is a retired pediatric nurse and she said the staff and care were superb and was very impressed. The parking was fine and I had no troubles at all. My birth was very good at SM and I'm glad I chose there.
I guess, I'd rather have a great nurse than a flat screen TV. ;)
good luck,
A.

I think you'll find that they are both great hospitals and you will have excellent care in either one. I gave birth last March in Santa Monica Hos. and LOVED all my nurses. I was very well taken care of. I was there before the remodel, so the rooms weren't beautiful, but apparently they are much nicer now. My sisters and friends have given birth at both, and were happy with both... also something to consider, if (god forbid) it were needed- I have had a nephew in the NICU and Santa Monica, and my best friend's baby in the NICU at St. John's and both were excellent facilities and the parents were and are very grateful to the doctors and staff. Visit both and you'll be able to decide which you like better, but don't stress too much, because you should have a great experience at either one. Congratulations... it's the best thing in the world!!

HI! I delivered at St. John's 3 yrs ago just before they opened the new private-room wing. I LOVED my experiences from my L&D staff, post-labor staff, as well as the lactation consultant. A friend delivered in the new wing last year and only had wonderful things to say about her experience, especially the private room. The parking worked well with valet and you can purchase a multiple-day pass which costs less than regular valet.

Best wishes on a smooth labor, delivery, and recovery!

Hi L.. I took tours of both hospitals and decided on SM-UCLA. St. Johns was nice, but it didn't knock my socks off like everyone said it would. The rooms are slightly bigger, but not enough to make a big difference. Yes, they have the flat screen TVs, but I didn't even watch much TV so that didn't matter to me. I really liked the nurses at SM-UCLA. They were very attentive and checked on me a lot (almost to the point of being too much). You should also ask your doctor which hospital they prefer. My doctor said if God forbid there were a problem, she would much rather be at SM-UCLA. That was really the deciding factor for us. It will really depend on what's important to you. A couple of differences between the two...
- SM-UCLA has lactation consultants 7 days a week, St. John's only Mon-Fri (I think a couple hours on Sat)
- At St. Johns, you can still see the lactation consultant even after you've delivered for free if you delivered there. At SM-UCLA they are only available during your hospital stay. I needed to see someone after I got home and I had to pay $75 to meet with the consultant at St. Johns.
- SM-UCLA have much bigger bathrooms and they have tubs where you can labor if you want. St. Johns didn't have tubs and the bathroom was pretty small.
- Parking at SM-UCLA is a little better. It's just $5/day in the lot across the street. They also have valet and metered parking on the street.
- St. Johns is a little prettier, but again, not enough to make a big difference in the quality of care.
- All the rooms at SM-UCLA are private, no need to pay extra. I think it's the same at St. Johns.
- The nursery at SM-UCLA is more private and only people in the post-partum area can see in. At St. Johns the nursery is next to the main waiting room and there's a big window to see in. I thought that was a little weird.
- If you have to have a c-section, the recovery room at SM-UCLA is right next to the nurses station not in the regular emergency room.
Hope all that helps. When you go on the tour, you'll get a feel for both places. I suggest while on the tour, talk to the nurses and see what vibe you get from them. They are the ones who will make or break your stay. Good luck!
~S..

Wow. I wasn't going to respond, but I thought it important that I do considering that St. John got such a bad rap.

I have two children one year apart from each other. The first was born before the St. John's remodel, so I went with UCLA, Santa Monica and really had a horrible experience.

I will tell you that when I first got to UCLA I had a nice nurse assigned to me. She was sweet by any means, but was to the point. I ended up in an emergency status as soon as I was hooked up to the heart monitor and they kept me on oxygen all night. At one point a rude nurse came in to check if I had dilated and she broke my water. She didn't warn me and I was stunned. When I reacted she laughed to my husband and said, "Didn't someone tell her that she was having a baby?"

I ended up in emergency c-section (not the fault of the hospital at all!!!!). The part that was their fault was that the nurses were horrible to me. LITERALLY! I fought to try to have the birth naturally and one nurse said to me (on my way into EMERGENCY delivery) that my baby was going to come out with problems because I had pushed for a vaginal birth. I was bawling and freaking out! When I got into surgery I told my doctor this and he said, "No way! The baby will be fine." After I got out of surgery we made a report against that nurse.

BUT, our stay didn't get better. There were a few helpful nurses, but most were sub-par. One night they kicked my screaming child out of the nursery, woke me up in the middle of the night to have me walk (which you do have to walk after c-section, but they could have waited until morning) AND they were so mean that my husband decided to take over and ask the nurse to leave...and HE helped me to the bathroom and helped me clean myself...very humiliating...and I am a strong girl.

The next year St. John's had just finished being built. I had my son there. The facility was flawless and nurses were amazing. I did at first get put into a strange ward on the bottom floor. I mentioned that I would like to be moved to the main floor at first opening and was moved later that night, but eve with that I was not ignored and people kept coming to check on me.

The room was like being in a hotel. My husband enjoyed his bed there (at UCLA it was horrible). The nurses made me this juice that was amazing and would bring it whenever I asked. They even said how they made it and let me go into the fridge and make it myself and store food my family brought in for me.

They were all smiles every time that I saw them. I walked the halls a few times everyday and everyone would say hi to me and they were all so nice. Just writing this makes me want to have another baby.

I did have an episode there that tested the nurses. I started shaking in my bed uncontrolled. They came rushing in wrapped me in blankets and stayed with me while my body was shaking. They were so sweet to me. My husband was astonished because at UCLA he had to do so much. Here they just said sit back, we will help her to the bathroom. We will hold her while she shakes. They were calm and said these things happen...don't be scared, etc.

I do know people who had good experiences at UCLA, but I know MANY who LOVE St. John's. Just had to put my two cents in.