Experiences at Overlake Hospital

[OMama]

Would anyone be willing to share some of their experiences with birthing at Overlake? Honestly I haven't heard that many great things in the past but I am hoping to broaden my perspective. In the next couple of months I have a friend and two clients (I'm a new doula) who will be birthing at Overlake and I'm trying to get some perspective on what they (and I) should prepare for. All experiences, perspectives, tips, etc. are welcome. I'm just trying to gather some information here. Thanks!

[TiredX2]

Do you know if they are through Group Health or not? From what I heard, that makes about the biggest difference (regarding "natural" childbirth and breastfeeding success) at Overlake.

[OMama]

Just so I understand, are you saying that you've heard that depending on what insurance people have that they will get different care at Overalake?
That is very interesting if that is the case. Basically, if they have Group Health their experience would be different from someone who doesn't??? As far as I know all of these couples are seeing doctors at Overlake OB/GYN. The names I have heard are Dr. Otto and Dr. Haines.

[memiles]

I've attended two births at Overlake in the last year. One was a very quick multip, they didn't have much time to go beyond checking her cervix a few times and catching her baby. The other was a primip with what turned out to be a partial placental abruption.

The thing that I noticed in both cases was multiple nurses saying "I know your birth plan says that you would not like pain medication offered, but please let me know if you change your mind" :

In talking with a nurse there, she did say that the midwives associated with Group Health practiced very differently than the OB practices and that it was very eye opening for many of the nurses. Hopefully that means that they will be more supportive of normal birth for all of their families.

[DahliaRW]

There was a mom on here a year or so ago whose on-call OB at overlake insisted she had ot have a c/s because her baby had a nuchal hand. So I think it will depend on the OB. That one is obviously a jerk!

[OMama]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

There was a mom on here a year or so ago whose on-call OB at overlake insisted she had ot have a c/s because her baby had a nuchal hand. So I think it will depend on the OB. That one is obviously a jerk!

Oh, my! I can't imagine, especially since both my babies were born with nuchal hands. Anyway . . . thank you for sharing. I'm going to do my best to go to Overlake with an open mind and positive attitude.

[MommyPixie]

Originally Posted by memiles

The thing that I noticed in both cases was multiple nurses saying "I know your birth plan says that you would not like pain medication offered, but please let me know if you change your mind" :

This was my experience too. I ended up getting encouraged into several things on my "no" list in my birth plan across about a week's span, culminating in a C Section. I'm probably not going with Overlake in the future, but there is no way to know for sure that the hospital environment really changed the outcome all that much.

[papschmitty]

nak

My aunt delivered there several years ago. The midwife was awesome but the nurses sucked (i'm not nurse bashing, I'm an RN myself). They were very rude and disrespectful of the mw. One cranked up her pitocin to speed things along despite being told by the mw to keep the same dose. When her progress stalled, the on call OB came in and told her to be quiet (she was vocalizing a lot) and try harder or she was getting a c/s. :

[DIVADLX]

Originally Posted by memiles

The thing that I noticed in both cases was multiple nurses saying "I know your birth plan says that you would not like pain medication offered, but please let me know if you change your mind" .

One thing I recently learned is that several years ago IMTALA - the organization that oversees hospital care - decided that pain management was a human right and demanded that all caretakers at all hospitals offer pain medication multiple times, or they can be in violation of the rules. I work in an ER and have always wondered why someone with a tummy ache would be offered all kinds of pain meds, but then learned of that directive from IMTALA and understood.

Its yet another one of those ways that hospitals do not differentiate a normal, physiological birth experience from an illness or injury.

[memiles]

A brilliant idea that was shared by a doula/cbe friend that you can suggest to clients:

First, ask the nurses NOT to ask women to rate their pain from 1-10. Some agree, some say they are required to do it.

Then, have the clients pick a number that they will use every time they are asked- 2 or 3- as long as they are managing the sensation of labor well. That indicates that they are feeling something (to prevent the staff from suggesting augmentation based on not feeling anything), but that it's not something that would require medication based on their desire not to see anyone "suffer" through the normal sensations of birth.

Women can then change their number if they decide they do want pain medication, but it's kind of amusing to hear a woman vocalizing, swaying and working really hard answer "about a 2" when asked.

[shannomad]

I had my first at Overlake, through Overlake OB/GYN. My OB ended up being on vacation at the time, so I got the on-call OB from that clinic. She was awful. I was in active labor so long that i went through 3 nurse shifts. The first nurse was really supportive, the second nurse (a full 8 hr night shift) was AWFUL, she said she had never seen anyone labor without pain meds, nor had she seen anyone walk through contractions. Unbelievable. She did pretty much nothing to support me since the only thing she knew was drugs and interventions. I was in hard labor the whole time she was on duty and made NO progress from 8 cm. She and the doctor kept telling me that the problem was that the baby was 11-12 lbs and there was no way it would ever fit through my pelvis, and even if I got the head out, the shoulders would get stuck. It was all so negative. The on call OB even told me at one point that I could have my C-Section right then, or in a couple of hours. The only reason she was "letting" me labor on was that the baby was tolerating labor well and because I finally agreed to try pit/epi. It was either pit/epi or c-section...

However, thank God for the 3rd nurse and the 7 o'clock shift change. Got a new doctor and new nurse. This nurse marched in the room and confidently said, let's have a baby. She got out 9 pillows and propped me in multiple positions to help the baby come down. My baby was born at 8:30! What a difference an amazing nurse makes. BTW, he was 8 lbs 14 oz, and 2nd stage was only 30 minutes, no problems.

I delivered my next at Evergreen Hospital with the midwives at the Ctr for Women's Health. It was a much more supportive and positive environment, and I got the all-natural, drug-free labor without any hassle, not even an IV. I have another child coming in ~2 weeks, and I'm back with the same group of CNMs at Evergreen. I could never go back to Overlake and risk getting that horrible nurse again, or that terrible on-call OB...

Sorry for such a LONG answer! I guess once I started my rant I couldn't stop...

[MomofMany2]

ShannonMad, who was the on call OB from Overlake OBGyn?  I am using that practice this time around after switching from Bellegrove OBGyn (my awesome doc from there retired 1/2 way through pregnancy #4 and I got a HORRIBLE doctor as his replacement... still annoyed by her unprofessionalism & such).

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by OMama 

Just so I understand, are you saying that you've heard that depending on what insurance people have that they will get different care at Overalake?
That is very interesting if that is the case. Basically, if they have Group Health their experience would be different from someone who doesn't???

I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier (like two years ago, lol).

Yes, that is exactly what I have heard.

The practicioners through Group Health, from what I have heard, are much more natural focused.  They will more actively support a mother's desire for a "natural" birth.  This is not based on their insurance, just that many people who go to Overlake with Group Health have supportive midwives while people who are at Overlake NOT through Group Health are more likely to have more managed births.  Just what I have heard.

[inky leeuhhh]

I've given birth twice at Overlake. I can't remember who my OB was with dd1. I honestly was't very naturally minded at that time, and I'm not sure I could tell much about the birth other than it resulted in my dd being born. I DO remember that I had heard to let myself tear naturally vs. having an episiotomy done. Well, I started to tear and the OB told me as he was giving me the stinking episiotomy! I didn't even get a choice. I recovered slowly from that and it really stunk. With dd2, I was shuttled off to Overlake when my HB plans were derailed. My water had broken and I never went into labor, so I ended up with an induction. My MW let me go as long as possible, and we tried all sorts of things to get labor going naturally, but finally I had to go to the hospital :( . I have Group Health, so I did get the GH midwives. The first one I got, though, was frustrated that I had come in on such short notice. I could tell that they had probably been very busy that night. She was very short/ rude with me, and it was rather upsetting considering I had planned a completely different birth from the get go. Nobody talked to me much and I ended up with an epi. I realized later I got the epi while in transition, and I was annoyed because if I'd just had someone there to remind me how close I was, I probably could have made it naturally. Nobody checked me before giving me the epi, either, which I didn't realize until I looked back on the situation. Oh well. I was also upset because nobody thought to show me my baby when she was born- everyone else in the room was looking at her, getting her cleaned up, commenting on her dark hair, etc.. I was trying to ask to see her, but I felt weak and my voice was weak. Finally I started crying and someone showed her to me @@. They did seem supportive of my wanting to nurse her right away, which was good. 

I will say that the MW I had the day after the birth was wonderful. She talked with my DH for a long time about co sleeping. Dh is very narrow minded and hates the idea of co sleeping because he wants the kids to be independent, so I was really grateful with her for that. Dh was being rather smug over our ending up in the hospital over our planned hb- it took me so long to get him to agree to the darn HB because it would be "messy" @@. She was very cheery and supportive of my bfing, as well. It's too bad I'm awful with names, because if I end up in the hospital and not the birth center as planned with this little one due in Jan, I'll be back at Overlake. I might have to do some more research! If the mw's have bios online I may remember their pictures.

Anyway, sorry if this got long- winded. I would just suggest to others that they need to make their demands known.