According to the U.S. News & World Report, the famous NYC hospitals for giving birth include Long Island Jewish Medical Center at Northwell Health, Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West hospitals, St. Peter’s hospital, and St. Joseph’s Health hospital, and Cayuga Medical Centre. These are for uncomplicated pregnancies. Giving birth at a hospital suited to your needs can vary based on the kind of delivery you choose, your pregnancy, the money you can spend, and your health insurance coverage. Narrowing down the list of best hospitals and finding details about the doctors, staff, amenities, and birthing process is crucial to determine which suits your need.
Birthing is a special moment in every parent’s life, and this is one of those things they want to make sure goes smoothly.
Be it normal birthing or a c-section, it’s always hard on the mother to go through those hours of labor, and the only thing that makes it bearable is the environment she’s giving birth in.
The hospital and its amenities, including the staff, ensure this process goes smoothly. Parents want to find the best hospital that can make it happen.
There are many factors parents need to look into in the hospital selection process, which makes this one tedious task.
But if you live in New York, you can rest assured because we will discuss the top 5 hospitals you can give birth in.
Giving birth in New York
When it comes to looking at the national health care ranking of New York, it’s placed as number 7 according to the U.S. News & World Report for the year 2021-22.
The states were ranked on health care using three broad benchmarks: access to care, quality of care, and overall health of the population.
According to this ranking, the top 5 hospitals ranked in the general category include:
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell
- NYU Langone Hospitals
- Mount Sinai Hospital
- Lenox Hill Hospital at Northwell Health
- North Shore University Hospital at Northwell Health
But when you’re looking to give birth, finding specialty hospitals most preferred by parents to give birth in can be different from famous hospitals.
Top 5 maternity hospitals to give birth in NYC
Choosing a hospital is a long process of deliberation for parents, and there’re several factors they need to consider before making a final decision.
Trusting your doctor is great, but you shouldn’t solely base your birthing experience in your doctor’s hands, for they will not be there for you exclusively.
During the process, your doctor might not be there with you, and you might even end up in the hands of another trusted doctor.
That’s where you need to find a hospital with good, trusted doctors and hospital staff who can make your birthing process easier and more comfortable.
One of the main things to look for in a hospital is the staff and efficiency. The environment and facilities provided at the hospital are equally important. Not just your doctor, but look at the expertise of the other doctors.
According to the U.S. News & World Report of 2021-22, they released a list of Best Hospitals for Maternity. This list consists of 237 hospitals nationwide that are the best in maternity care.
But only three hospitals in New York City made it to the list:
- Mt. Sinai Morningside Hospital on West 114th Street
- Mt. Sinai West Hospital on 1000 10th Avenue
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens
These are the best maternity hospitals nationwide.
If we look at New York City specifically, then the top 5 maternity hospitals include:
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center at Northwell Health, New Hyde Park
- Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West Hospitals, New York
- St Peter’s Hospital, Albany
- St Joseph’s Health Hospital, Syracuse
- Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca
These top 5 hospitals are determined only related to uncomplicated pregnancy, and data on high-risk pregnancies weren’t considered.
The U.S. News made this decision considering five different factors, including:
- Scheduled early deliveries
- C-section rates in low-risk women
- Newborn complications
- Rate of exclusive breast milk feeding
- Option for vaginal births after a c-section
Finding the best hospital for giving birth in NYC
There’s no one size fit for all when giving birth, and it really is a personalized experience and depends on the kind of pregnancy you have and your medical history.
There’s a lot of information out there, and the statistics will only make you more and more confused.
The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative suggests looking at the four factors of birthing experience to find the best hospital suited to your needs.
These include:
- Low-risk C-section
- Lower rate of episiotomy
- Higher rate of exclusive breastfeeding before discharge
- Higher rate of vaginal birth after c-section
If someone near you had a similar pregnancy as yours, it’s best to ask and consult them and get to know their experience.
Power of information from word of mouth is also something to consider before deciding on a hospital on your own.
No one knows it best than parents who have gone through this experience before.
Other factors to consider
While this narrowing down of the best maternity hospitals will give you an overall idea of where to consider giving birth, you should visit their websites and learn whatever information they’ve provided.
A hospital tour would be the best.
Budget is a big issue with many families, and take a look at your insurance plan to know if it involves maternity and how much it can cover. Sometimes our insurance plan is only affiliated with some hospitals, so do look at that.
If you’re a first-time mother, consider going for a private room is a good decision rather than a shared one as you would be going out of your mind during this time, and having your privacy is necessary.
Take a look at the technology they offer and birthing techniques used and If they fit into your birth plan.
Here’s a broad list of things you should be looking at from the finalized top 5 best hospitals:
- Clinical excellence in labor and delivery
- Special care nursery
- Birthing options
- Pain relief choices for labor
- Postpartum care for you and the baby
- Breastfeeding support
- Pre and postnatal care and classes
FAQs
How much does it cost to have a baby in a hospital in NYC?
NYC is one of the most expensive places to give birth. A vaginal delivery it can cost anywhere from $1000 – $30,000, and a c-section can cost anywhere between $1,900 to $ 42,564.
It depends on the insurance, the borough you’re giving birth in, and how complicated your birth gets.
Planning can help. Try to prepare for the obvious things that would cost you money except for giving birth, and think of unexpected situations where you’ll have to spend your money.
It can give you a broader understanding of how much you need to save.
How long do you have to stay in hospital after giving birth?
It depends on the kind of birth you’ve had, and if it is complicated, you might need more time to stay at the hospital.
Usually, an uncomplicated vaginal birth can make you stay for two days, and for a c-section, you might need to stay for 3-4 days.
If you’re experiencing a medical complication, you might stay longer.
What medications will my baby receive after delivery?
Your baby will receive erythromycin, an antibiotic for the eyes, and a shot of vitamin K. New York state requires your baby’s medical provider to give vitamin K within six hours of birth to prevent VKDB.
The AAP recommends that the vitamin K shot be given to newborns as an intramuscular dose.
They will also be tested at birth for seven health problems. A tiny blood sample will be required from the baby’s heel before taking them home.
When can I get an epidural?
You can ask for an epidural whenever you find it uncomfortable, but you should wait until you reach 4 to 5 centimeters of dilation and are in active labor.
It takes about 15 minutes to place the epidural catheter and for the pain to start subsiding, and another 20 minutes to go into full effect.
Can I have my doula in person for my birth in the NYC hospital?
All the hospitals in the NYC area allow for one support person and a doula present for your birth. If you have a doula, check in with your hospital first to ensure there’re no misunderstandings at birth.
Hospitals do ask doula to have their certification of proof and vaccination.
To summarise
Finding the best hospital for your birthing experience to go smoothly can depend on many factors.
Even though you find the best hospitals, you still need to narrow it down to a few which can indeed provide you the best services according to your needs.
You need to know about different things in advance, and the more you know, the better your hospital selection will be.
Don’t hesitate to ask the opinions of other mothers around you who have given birth to similar pregnancies to yours. You’ve got this!
