Which Hospital Is Better: Little Company of Mary or Advocate Christ Hospital?

Even though I haven't delivered at either, I've heard that Christ is better too. I've seen the lactation consultants at Christ a couple of times and they were very helpful. Good luck with the new baby!

christ with out a doubt!!!
I would stay as far a way from Little Co as possiable. Even though Christ is a teaching hospital, you can enquire about the residents that will be there at the time of delivery, you can always request that they just observe not do anything, if that makes to uncomfortable. Security is also much better at Christ. Good luck with your new bundle!!

I personally did not deliver at either, but had 2 friends who delivered at LCM and 1 who delivered at Christ. The friend who delivered at Christ had a MUCH better experience.

If I had the choice of those 2, I'd go to Christ.

B.
(fellow Beverly mom)

I delivered at Christ Hospital and loved it. Post pardom rooms are a little small(althogh I was lucky enough to not get any room mates) and there are few private rooms. But the care I got there was awesome! Sorry I cant compare the 2 for ya.

I delivered my twin girls at Christ and I was high risk. The doctors and nurses were very attentive to my needs. My daughter also spent 6 weeks in the NICU and I had no major issues with the staff.

If I had the choice I would deliver at Christ, reason being is if your baby needs special care he/she will be transfered over there anyway. Hope is one of the best children's hospital next to Children's Memorial Hospital.

Due to where i was living at time i gave birth to son, I delivered at St. Frances in Blue Island. However, i have friends who have delivered at Christ, and almost my entire family delivered at Little Company of Mary. From what I have been told and seen with my own eyes, Little Company of Mary is a much better hospital. Not only in the maternity and Labor and Delivery areas, but in other areas of hospital as well. Good luck with your baby, and I hope all goes well.

B.

I have never had a baby at Little Company of Mary, but I did have my son at Christ Hospital and everyone was very friendly and helpful. I plan to have my second child there and I am due in late June.

Good Luck Mommy :-)

K.,

I read this message and thought that I would respond. I have two children, one four year old and a one month old. My eldest son was born at Christ. I loved it there, however like the other moms mentioned, it is a teaching hospital. But the benifts are that if something shall go wrong, that is the hospital that you want to be in. They are incrediable there.

As for Little comp. of Mary, I have no expierence with. But I did have a new exciting expience at Palos Community in Palos Heights. I LOVED IT THERE!!! It was incrediable. Every one that I met on the L&D floor were outstanding. I would recommend that hosp. to anyone. The great thing is that it is a family hosptital so my four year old could stay with me as long as he wanted there were no rules to that. And the family visiting was very long as well.

But whatever you choose I am sure that you will be happy with. Good Luck to you and your family. I wish you the best.

B.

Kim,
I am a former resident of Beverly, now living in Mt Greenwood. I've had 2 kids at Christ and 1 at Lcm and am due again in Feb, and I won't go back to either...so I'm going to Palos Hosp. But, if I had to choose between the 2, I'd go back to Christ, I think. Christ has some drawbacks: they're a teaching hospital. So, you have to stipulate very early on that you only want your nurse and your doctor/the doctor on duty to come in your room and no students/observers. If you don't, you will have all kinds of visitors at ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. I even had a student doctor asking me stupid questions like, when was my last period, in between pushes for my first kid. (I didn't know I could lay down the law back then.) Secondly, they have some private rooms, but if it's a full moon out, chances are you're getting a double with a roommate. I was put into a private room my first time, but a double my second. I'm sorry, but sharing a toilet with another bleeding woman was a bit too much for me. And lastly, the nurses are spread very thin at that hospital. They were very friendly, and good, and I felt good knowing that their neonatal unit was one of the best in the state, but my second time around they hadn't checked me for close to an hour and I was crowning and it was too late for drugs at that point. However, LCM's anesthesia dept is something to be warned of. LCM gave us this tour and I was excited about the private room aspect. But, again, if all 5 of their private birthing rooms are full, you are laboring in this room with 8 other beds....then they wheel you into the OR to birth, then you go into a recovery room, then you get your private room. The nurses' philosphy is...your baby is your roommate. So, they strongly discourage you sending the kid to the nursery...Why?!? Their anesthesia dept is made up of this: 2 or 3 anesthesiologists and several Nurse Anesthetists. I had a N.A. administer my epidural and she screwed it up. It was never fully explained to me what a 'bad epidural' is, what the consequences were, etc. Now I know. I didn't know I could refuse the nurse and request a real anesthesiologist. Now I know. Now you know. I had to have 2 post partem surgeries on my back to fix the mistake and was separated from the baby for 4 days due to heavy morphine.It was the worst pain and time of my life. But, the nurse staff at LCM treated me like I was lazy and didn't want the baby in the room, or that it was a burden for them to come in and help me nurse and change him even tho I couldn't sit up (had to stay flat on back) and was on heavy drugs. (I nursed all 3 kids till they were 10 mos...so I only needed help picking baby up...that was too much for them). So, ask your OB for her/his opinion. Mine was Nancy Church/Cathy Cavato. Loved them both!!! Had to change to new OB because I won't go back to either hosp. You may not be opting for an epidural, but just know that in the event you need it (emergency c) my OB warned me about not going to LCM because of who they use, etc. I was just drawn to the privacy aspect, but it backfired on me. Didn't mean to scare you, but most women don't know what the down side is to an epidural. This isn't your first kid, but even so, stand up for yourself (and have hubby on the same page as you), make sure someone is monitoring your progress (in labor), and make very clear that you only want folks who HAVE a reason to be there, in the room with you and for the duration of your stay. I had to spell out a time with my second kid that I wanted the nursery to bring her back. (and no, sending the baby off to the nursery at night doesn't give the baby nipple confusion....I've got 3 kids to prove it). Mommy needs rest, and that's what the nurses are there for.

Good luck!

Kim:
What type of birth experience are you looking for? Do you want a rather cold, totally medicated, highly controled, unnatural type of birth - attend Christ. Would you like a more family atmosphere, natural with medication options, you have a say in your care type of birth - attend Little Company of Mary. Christ is fine if you have a baby with high risk factors and special needs after the birth, otherwise avoid it! Usually the only moms who have decent births at Christ are the ones who labor at home til transition and then arrive when there is little time for the staff to intervine, but they still end up with episiotomies and pit after the fact! Not to mention how long the baby has to stay in the nursery after birth and breastfeeding is delayed. Also, who wants to share a room with strangers postpartum? I'd shop around much more if your insurance lets you. Think really hard about your options here and what to you want for your birth experience. I understand West Suburban has tubs you can labor in, University of Illinois has midwives and birthing tubs, natural and medication options. Look for a hospital you don't have to share postpartum rooms and they don't keep the baby in the nursery for 4 hours initially after the birth. Good luck!

I delievered at Christ and thought it was great, I loved all my nurses and didn't have a problem at all with it being a teaching hospital, it was a great experience. I was a high risk pregnancy and my baby also had some problems so he was put into the NICU there. He and I got the greatest care there, I couldnt say enough about it. I have only been to LCM once for a doctor visit but other than that I have had no interaction there, but I would recommend Christ to anyone, good luck with everything!

I have no personal experience with either hospital, but can tell you that Christ is a teaching hospital so the doctors are always learning. I know Little Company is a private hospital, and don't know much about their teaching requirements.

First off, Congratulations on your pregnancy. I have had both of my children at Christ Hospital and I can't say anything bad about the place. The nurses are great and so was the rest of the staff. Plus the nurses there were an award at that hospital. I hope that all goes well for you.

I have a 18th month son and a 3 month old daughter.

E.

Christ Hospital, without a doubt!

I have 3 girls and my 4th is due in November, all of my children were delivered there.

My doctors are a husband and wife team, the wife Dr. Varsha is the OBGYN and her husband Dr. Vinod is the pediatrician.

And their office is connected to the hospital so when you go into labor it only takes a minute for them to get to you.

It's also convenient, when it's time for us to see the doctor I schedule me and the girls on the same day so it's a one stop shop for me. It doesn't take months to get an appointment and they have late evening hours.

I love the doctors and the hospital, they even let my husband stay with me for my entire stay (about 2-3 days) as long as I didn't have a roommate.

They also accept the public aid medical card

I love this place, I can't say enough about it, I hope you will too.

Dr.Vinod & Varsha Upadhyaya (U-pa-de-ya)
4400 W. 95th St. Suite 201
95th & Kostner
Oak Lawn, Il
###-###-####

Good Luck!

Hi there Kim,

Chris Hospital all the way...Love it just love it , everyone was great, had my both children there..the birthing room is like a very big comfort bedroom. My husband and I oh and my sister were very comfortable there...Good Luck and you will not be disappointed with Christ....