choosing a maternity

[milou]

Living in Helsinki (or in the HUS area), you get to choose between the following hospitals:

* Naistenklinikka (Helsinki)
* Kätilöopisto (Helsinki)
* Jorvi (Espoo)
* Tammisaari
* Lohja
* Hyvinkää
* Porvoo

Usually you are adviced to go to the nearest hospital (to avoid everyone going to same place), but it's up to you to decide.

Naistenklinikka deals with all problem pregnancies (premature babies, sick moms/babies, drug-moms etc...) , and therefore I would not recommend it as a first choice. Kätilöopisto has been very popular, especially Haikaranpesä. If you wish to deliver at Haikaranpesä, you should have a normal pregnancy and "book" well in advance.

Hospital in Tammisaari (100kms west, on the coast) is well known for beeing baby friendly and home like. They also recommend alternative treatments instead of epidurals etc. So if you wish to have all possible drugs available - wouldn't recommend Tammisaari.

I gave birth last year at Jorvi, and I have only positive memories. We got a family room the same day even though 17 babies were born the day before ours.

Good luck with your pregnancy!

[raamv]

Hospital in Tammisaari (100kms west, on the coast) is well known for beeing baby friendly and home like. They also recommend alternative treatments instead of epidurals etc. So if you wish to have all possible drugs available - wouldn't recommend Tammisaari.

In Tammisaari, even though they recommend alternative treatments like acupuncture, water relaxing techniques, etc...They also give you the epidural if you want it..
So there is a choice of having all those possible drugs if you want them..

[milou]

That's true raamv!

But I've heard that they aren't very eager to give for example an epidural straight away. You might have to demand it for quite a while. Instead they offer water relaxing, hot bottles etc. as first choice to relieve pain.

Some of us might want to have all possible drugs immediately and might no want to try alternative treatments.

[raamv]

That's true raamv!
But I've heard that they aren't very eager to give for example an epidural straight away. You might have to demand it for quite a while. Instead they offer water relaxing, hot bottles etc. as first choice to relieve pain.
Some of us might want to have all possible drugs immediately and might no want to try alternative treatments.

We were there and they said that even though we dont recommend it (recommend alternatives) , if you need it, you can have it right away..No problems...