Getting a joyful experience in Pregnancy delivery is a combined skill set of Doctor, Hospital facilities/infrastructure and the Nursing/Medical care.
From our own experience Cradle, Gurgaon is fulfilling two of the most important dimensions: Hospital Infrastructure and the Staff/medical care . Their Operation Theatre and LDR rooms are world class. Also the Rooms (after delivery) Deluxe, Super-deluxe and suite rooms are very good. They are neat and clean and regularly room serviced. The 3rd pillar "The Doctor": Of-course it is equally very important to choose a good a Consultant Docotor Ob/Gynae who can do the delivery/C-section at Cradle. Cradle has many OB/Gynae affiliated to them, so have to choose your own, based on whoever is comfortable and suitable for you.
The best thing about the Cradle is doesn’t look like a hospital at all. When we went for our baby delivery, we packed our clothes in a small suitcase and we entered the place as if we were checking-in at a hotel. We went for Cashless option, and all the insurance work were taken care by the hospital staff and I did not have any hassle at all.
The Nursing care staff (fondly called as Chechis) were too good. They took care of my wife and the baby very well, promptly came for medicine times and for feeding the baby. The food they served to the mother is also very good, needless to say the food available for the the attendant is equally good.
They have good pediatrician and neonatalagist and have NICU, so the baby is taken care well during the initial hours and is observed well, then handed over to the mother only after everything is satisfactory.
Few minor cons:
1) Cradle is bit expensive, which is still okay in my opinion for the medical services, care and the attention received. If you have suitable insurance, then this is not a issue.
2) They do not provide new born baby clothes, which in my opinion they should provide one or two sets. If not clothes at-least, a cap, mitten and boogie set to be provided.
3) The other small disadvantage I saw here, after the baby is discharged, if there are any blood test to be done for the baby (for followup of Jaundice, etc), we have to take the baby to the OPD at the Apollo clinic adjacent to Cradle. I’m not comfortable because those pathologists in the OPD are not very good in taking the blood samples from the infants. Our baby cried too much and it took 10 mins or so. However when the baby was in NICU in the Cradle, those nurses are too good and they took the blood samples from the baby so nicely, babies doesn’t cry at all and they do it 2 minutes. Atleast I would expect the Cradle born babies are treated in NICU for the followup visits and blood sample collection.
But overall our experience at Cradle was very joyful and had fulfilling delivery.