First PCS to Ft. Rucker

[lahela808]

Aloha everyone!  My family will be moving to Ft. Rucker this summer and I would love to connect with any moms who are there.  My husband and I have been in the military for 12 years but this is our first move as a family and with children.  I have so many questions!

Would appreciate any information on the following:

How is the commissary and PX there?  

We will be living on post... any particular community we should ask for?

Is the elementary close enough to walk or bike to?

I am expecting... will I have to find my own provider off post, and do you have any recommendations?

We attend a Four Square Christian church here in Hawaii, and would love any recommendations for churches there.

Thank you everyone!

[amonkeymom]

Welcome!

[adrianna1043]

We've been there before. I had a baby there and they don't have facilities on post so you will get referred off post. I had a wonderful experience. There are more churches there than people! Lol I loved it, and would love to get back there some day, but I doubt it.

[lahela808]

Thank you for the welcome amonkeymom :)

Adriana1043, do you have any recommendations for a OB or hospital?  Do you have any recommendations for a church.  Thanks!

[aviatorswife]

 I enjoyed our time at Fort Rucker and hope we can go back. We went to church at Faith Baptist just outside the Enterprise gate. Loved it there and made some life long friends there.

I delivered my son while there and while I had a pleasant enough experience I'm not sure I'd repeat the same OB. I had Dr. Heim and he is a good OB, but he is quick to do c-sections. My bigger problem though was that my son required a NICU stay and because the Enterprise Medical Center didn't have one my son was transferred to Montgomery, 2 hours away. If I were to deliver while at Rucker again I'd go to Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, they are more equiped to handle problems that arise in newborns and my son wouldn't have been transferred from there.

[lahela808]

Thank you so much aviatorswife for your recommendations!  I just checked out SAMC's website, and it said "After the birth she is moved yet again to a postpartum room. Her baby, meanwhile, is taken to a nursery and then brought to the mother at various times throughout the day. "

At Tripler Hospital here in Hawaii, there were no nurseries, and the babies stayed with me in the room until we left.  Is this common?  I would like for my babies to be in the same room with me at all times, and not in a nursery.

[adrianna1043]

I had my baby at southeast, and it was awesome! You can have the baby with you if you want to. I delivered and stayed in the same room the whole time, it was brand new and clean and beautiful. The nurse kept asking if we parked in the parking dick, and we finally figured out she was saying parking deck, with a thick Southern accent! Lol I had the best ob.

[aviatorswife]

 Just about every hospital in the area encourages rooming in while they do not require it. Many people like to use the nursery while others do not. I had to because of my c-section and his needing extra attention until they were able to transfer him. I honestly don't know of anyone who delivered at any of the area hospitals who was not allowed to have their babies in the room the whole time.

[lahela808]

Thank you adrianna1043 and aviatorswife for assuring me that my baby will be able to room in with me.  I had not considered the c-section reason, and that makes a lot of sense.  Based on both of your recommendations, I will be seeking care at SAMC.  Thanks again!