Short version: Phenomenal clinic. I gave birth 8 weeks ago, right when Covid-19 was squeezing NY by the throat. It was a natural birth, my baby is healthy, and my body is basically back to normal - all things made possible by the expert care and support of Dr Brennan and his partner Jais. The cliff notes on this clinic are that it is exceptional - immaculate, outstanding patient care, quirky and kind bedside manners all round, and connected to the best hospital in NYC. I cannot recommend the practice highly enough. Long version: I was recommended to Dr Brennan by my boss (an experienced attorney who doesn't suffer fools), after I lamented the prevalence of arrogant, impersonal doctors. "You will love the Brennans," my boss said. "They are eccentric, experienced, won't push an agenda, they'll give you all the time in the world, and will make you feel like family." She was right on all counts. The Brennans invest seriously in their patients. Throughout my pregnancy, they discussed each decision point in depth, teasing out the best path forward. Perhaps because I'm a lawyer, I saw the fact that they would discuss pros and cons in front of me as a sign of true professionalism - they weren't arrogant enough to think there was one right path, and they weren't afraid to test one another's views to make sure we got it right. No question was stupid, and even if my appointment was initially 15 minutes long, they would keep answering my questions for an hour if needed. Dr Brennan is permanently on call for his patients, and I contacted him regularly with concerns that usually amounted to nothing but which he treated with the utmost seriousness. Yes, the flipside of this kind of personal care is that appointments sometimes start late, but I would rather wait for an appointment and have this level of attention than efficiently get bad service. (And to be fair, people like me regularly rock up 45 minutes late and throw their whole schedule out of whack...).
Another important plus is that Dr Brennan is the only doctor. In so many practices you never see the same doctor more than twice, so when you are sick they don't have a point of comparison. (Nothing like being told you're fine when you feel like death). This meant that when I showed up at Dr Brennan's office late at night in serious pain from my contractions, he could trust right away that I wasn't playing around and needed pain relief stat. He could also read me like a book during labour - eg he suggested I use a mirror because I'm goal-orientated (and yes, it was a huge motivator!), and he knew when he could push me to the next level during delivery and when I truly needed a break from the pain. I'll always be grateful to Dr Brennan for staying so in tune with me. I trusted him, and if he'd said I needed a C-section I would have gone with that whether I'd wanted to or not - childbirth is full of risks and curveballs, and that's why we have experts like him to give us their best bet.
Dr Brennan's connection to Lenox Hill Hospital is also a major drawcard. The staff are extremely supportive and professional, and that was so important since I was only allowed one support person (because of corona). A few days after my birth I had to go to the ER at a Brooklyn hospital on a non-birth related matter, and the staff were horrific - cold, unprofessional, no PPE, and the only way I got through that was because Dr Brennan coordinated with the ER doctors (and calmed me down!).
Post-partem, the Brennans have also been incredible. They have seen me by Zoom, and started me on treatment on magnetic chair that gives a bajillian pelvic floor exercises in a short amount of time - well worth it!
I was horrified to read a review that Dr Brennan is a 'yeller' and Jais tries to cover up - what bizarre accusations. Nothing could be further from the truth. Dr Brennan is calm, kind, and nothing is too difficult. Jais is also a delight - hilarious and incredibly supportive. They are cautious but not overzealous with testing, and they never pressured me - eg I decided not to get the amnio or the late term scans, and there was never any pressure to do the contrary. I was bemused by the reviewer who questioned the regular internal and external ultrasounds - how do you think Dr Brennan is supposed to see what's going on? Holistic fortune-telling? X-ray vision? Psychic ability? (Side note: I loved these ultrasounds - hearing my baby's heart beat each week was the most incredible part of pregnancy. Why would anyone not want that??)
Thank you, Dr Brennan and Jais, for being with me on this remarkable journey. If I have another baby I want you by my side again every step of the way! read more