Recommendations for good hospitals for labor and delivery in San Diego

I delivered at the new(er) Kaiser hospital in Claremont and had a great experience! Big rooms, I liked the nurses and doctors I had. I know people really like Mary Birch as well.

happy to hear all went well with you! I will check it out...

do they have good doctors as well ... the thing is i deliver usually early and I might be in the emergency... dunno how that works if its early in the morning and my doctor wouldn't be able to reach... this what happened with me with my son!

Delivered both of my babies at Jacobs Medical Center - it’s like staying in a 5-star hotel, honestly. It’s part of the UCSD network, and is in La Jolla. You can go through their OB-gyns, or you can use their midwife network (that’s what I did, both times), and you’ll get excellent care either way. You can deliver in the Birth Center there, or in regular Labor & Delivery, which are both on the same floor. That gave me comfort, in case of any emergencies.

They’ll allow pretty much any position for laboring and birth, but they won’t do water births. They also have the lowest rate of unplanned c-sections, which made me happy. Made me feel like they didn’t jump to unnecessary procedures without real medical necessity.

Delivery won’t be easy, of course, but their post partum care is truly top-of-the-line. They’re like a well-oiled machine. They do everything really really well, BUT their people actually care, too, which is amazing. Can’t say enough good about this place!!

sharp hospitals are amazing! mary birch is for women and children but sharp grossmont is where i delivered. EVERYONE i came across including nurses and doctors were so great to me :) in case of emergency for baby, both have i believe a level 3 or level 4 + radys children’s nearby

If you do deliver there, ask for the celebratory dinner after you deliver your baby ♥️

When I was pregnant, it was Covid, so no touring in person, but they have an online tour of their facility. They may have in-person tours again now, I don’t know. Definitely check them out :)

I’m not sure what would happen in that scenario. The emergency entrance at the Clairemont Kaiser hosital is really close to the birth ward, so I think they would be able to get you into a birthing room right away. The doctor that you will get is whoever is on shift so it’s kinda just luck of the draw that you will get a doctor that you like, but I think it’s like that at every hospital here. I was in labor for a really long time so I rotated through 3 shifts, and met 3 doctors, and I liked them all!

Definitely recommend Mary Birch. I’ve delivered both my babies. My first was a precipitous labor and they got me right in to the delivery room. My second is my angel baby and the nurses and doctors were amazing through the process of delivering him.

I had a very bad experience at Mary Birch. Rees-Steely canceled my 1st appt the night before and I didn’t realize until I showed up. Then they tried to schedule me 10 wks out w/ diff OB saying the one I scheduled w/ is going through something. I was told if I wanted a sooner appt I had to find a diff Rees-Stealy Sharp OBGYN clinic. I called and couldn’t get anything sooner than 4 wks! Then I bled and went to Sharp Urgent Care. The Dr there was shocked how I was treated and called them. Was able to get me in with a NP until I could see my new OB. I only met my OB once during my entire pregnancy. She had to take her exam? I didn’t understand why I wasn’t told this when I selected her that she would be MIA most of my pregnancy, especially the 2nd half. It sucked. I was tossed around from NP to NP and had to drive around to multiple clinic bec they kept rescheduling my appts. I had 5 diff OBs on delivery date all w/ diff plans! My labor was 37hrs and ended in c section! I was furious.

This time I’m going through UCSD. So far it has been consistent and reliable. I am with Dr Gillian Mackay and love her. I am not sure about the maternity ward yet and will be scheduled for a tour soon.

is it Jacobs medical center?

omg 😲 sorry you had this terrible experience!!!!

The doctor I was seeing is now at UCSD- Dr Driebe. Supposedly amazing. But I can’t say I only saw her once. I was going to Sharp Rees-Stealy on Health Center Drive. But I was literally driving everywhere they could fit me bec my appts were constantly cancelled. I gave birth at Mary Birch Hospital- horrible experience. I am trying UCSD this time. Have yet to see the labor unit. But so far my care has been top notch. I’m 16 weeks pregnant.

I delivered my first at Sharp Mary Birch and I would never do so again or reccommend them to anyone I like. The worst part was it was my first so I didn't know any better.

My second was at UCSD Jacobs in La Jolla and it was AMAZING! The nursing staff was top notch and so were the doctors. I'm so glad I had a memorable and life changing experience for my last 💜 They also have a volunteer (free) doula program which I used and I loved.

I don't know if this app allows messaging but feel free to reach out if you want to ask questions. I love discussing my birth stories- both were smooth uncomplicated vaginal births.