Mar 29, 2010 11:45 PM
5845 Views
We had our second baby in cradle. Having a baby can be an extremely harrowing and painful experience and so we wanted the best available, which was supposed to be the 'Cradle'. So here we were, chosing this hospital despite living in Sarjapur Road. I found out that it was all about the money right from the word go. Ample space inside the premises for a baby stuff shop, coffee shop etc but one tacky plastic slide outdoors near where some cars are parked in the name of a play area. Abroad when clinics or hospitals have anything to do with children, they are laden with stuff kids enjoy doing and many have trained child minders where parents can leave their kids for a while. Many couples who come to CRADLE are expecting their second child and handling the first who is sick with boredom in this state is a pain. I am not comparing but when one calls itself 'international' and charges a bomb, this is the least we expect.
We paid 600 per visit to see the doc, which is steep considering we have to see the doc once in every two weeks in the third trimester and once a week in the last month. And for this fee, I didn't think the docs were majorly special. They are surely good at what they do and what they know but I feel they have become sort of mechanical about the whole thing. The warmth and personal touch, which I expected, was missing. Also, they have done this so much and for so long, they don't want to explain or discuss anything with you, just prescribe. I dont know if anyone else has noticed this but after about 10 minutes, we receive monosyllables as answers to our questions, as if to say, I have given you enough of my time, it is the next patients turn now.
The ultrasound was done in a rush, nothing shown properly or explained in detail. Also, if you do not specify, they will by default do a 4D scan which is costlier. I would have chosen the 4D anyway but they should specify and ask you before you go for one.
On the day of Labour, (thank God it was early morning so no traffic at all!) I have no issues with the hospital. No paperwork etc, soon as you reach they rush you into your labour room where you are joined by atleast two nurses and a doctor. So no complaints there.
For this kind of a hosp, I expected better and more polite nurses. But they were also mechanical. Not majorly supportive when you need every extra bit of support and encouragement. Labour room is cosy and well equipped. Delivery was smooth and well handled. But once I was back in my room, I was very disappointed with the room itself. Tacky interiors, feeding chair was creaky and wobbly, a/c wasn't working due to which I had to be shifted, major pain in this state. The bathroom was also tacky, paint peeled on the bathroom walls, the guest bed is terrible and uncomfortable. Basically, far from their claim of '5 star room'. Far from it.
My baby, it seems, had jaundice, which they told me is fairly common in newborns but this they tell me just before I was expecting to leave after the three day package, not on day one or two. They tell me I will have to keep the baby under some light and will have to do so for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours. This was a huge blow for me as I didn't want to stay there a minute extra. To top that, the light machine wasn't working properly, which the visiting pediatrician grudgingly agreed to change. I say this because I was told "we have many light machines but at the moment all 12 of them are being used'. This sounded fishy, all the babies seemed to have jaundice and seemed to have to overstay! When you overstay, you also have to pay a hefty amount for all the extras like doctors visits etc apart from basic room charges. My baby's bilirubin count was around 17 and what was funny was that it was the exact same even the next day, after spending 24 hours under that light. "It would have been much higher had she not been under the light" was the explanation. After returning home when we had her tested in an independent clinic her count was around 10. Weird.
All in all, you do not get anything near what you paid for or expected. There is too much of prescribing, telling, announcing and very little of discussing, listening, informing. I really thought, finally we have something of international standard but what I experienced was nothing like it.
My advice: Go to a place where you feel cared for, listened to, and special even if it is small.
