You’ve likely heard a lot recently about naval hospitals thanks to two female Corpsmen who posted videos of themselves making newborn babies dance to rap music. They also shared a picture of one corpsman holding up the middle finger and calling the babies "mini Satans." Awesome.
I never gave birth at Naval Hospital Jacksonville where that incident happened. But as a military spouse with four kids, I have given birth at three other naval hospitals. Thankfully, I never encountered any corpsmen who treated babies that way.
What I did encounter was plenty of interesting situations unique to military life. Giving birth at a military hospital has its own unique set of challenges, especially if you are overseas. Every mom has to decide for herself whether to have a baby on base or off base. I can't make the decision for you, but I can tell what I have learned about the following military hospitals. The list isn't complete, because I haven't experienced every naval hospital in the world, (even if my small herd of children makes it appear like that is one of my life goals).
We present to you: The totally accurate but incomplete review of naval hospitals.
National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Maryland
This huge hospital is one of the largest in the Navy. Fun fact: We first visited when my husband (then boyfriend) returned to the States after being wounded in Iraq. At the time, we had no idea we would end up returning there a few years later to have our first baby.
The Pros:
- Large, well-trained staff.
- Pre-birth classes for new moms.
- Many recovery rooms.
- Good cafeteria.
- Beautiful courtyard.
The Cons:
- It's a teaching hospital, which means one or two interns follow every doctor. So instead of having two or three doctors in the room when you deliver, you will have around eight staff members in there. (Don't worry, at that moment, you really won't care at all who is seeing what parts of your body.)
- Bethesda is the designated delivery hospital for all families stationed at Quantico, Virginia. It's juuuust within the Tricare coverage zone. But with DC traffic, getting there can take 2 hours on some days. So... don't go into labor too quickly?
- You have to order your meals by calling the cafeteria. But only during hours when they are open. Otherwise, they won't bring you anything. And if you deliver in the middle of the night, you won't get any food for a while. This is a real bummer when you just had a baby and haven't eaten all day!
Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
The Pros:
- Convenient location for anyone living on or off base.
- Your prenatal care and delivery will be at the same hospital, possibly with the same doctors.
- Prenatal classes and big sibling sessions.
- Large delivery rooms.
- Average cafeteria food.
- They have Subway (my husband's only criteria for judging a hospital for birthing.)
The Cons:
- Prone to hurricanes, which can shut down the base. If the hospital loses power, the generators only work on the delivery floor, not the recovery unit. If you deliver during a hurricane (like I did), they will give you a flashlight, along with fruit snacks and granola bars instead of meals.
- The Corpsmen. They didn't take my blood sample to the lab fast enough to approve an epidural, so after I waited an hour (screaming in pain) they had to draw it again. They thought this was a good time to discuss how they had never put a needle in an actual patient before... right in front of me. They stuck me multiple times and I had bruises on my arm for days.
Naval Hospital Rota, Spain
The Pros:
- You're having a baby overseas, but all the doctors and nurses speak English. Yay!
- Extensive classes about paperwork and how to get the Spanish birth certificate.
- You will probably have the same doctor for prenatal visits and delivery.
- It's a small hospital only delivering 1-2 babies per week, so you get star treatment.
- Amazing steak and lobster meal provided after giving birth!
The Cons:
- No NICU or specialty doctors, so if you have twins, need a C-section or have a high-risk pregnancy, you will automatically be sent to a local Spanish hospital.
- There are only two OB-GYNs on staff, so on the rare occasion when two women are in labor on the same day and one doctor is away on leave, the remaining doctor will be freaking out with two simultaneous patients. (I had to reassure him that I would labor slowly and wait for the other woman to deliver first. True story.)
There are many other naval hospitals located on military bases all over the world. I have no desire to deliver a baby at every one of them, although I have had great experiences.
What experiences have you had giving birth? Do you trust Navy hospitals?
