34w and i hate my hospital (rant)

[Robyn42]

i have been having contractions so hard that its causing me to throw up. my friends convinced me to head in to my hospital to be 'monitored' of course everything stopped as soon as the machine was turned on, but the attitude of the staff really set me off. i was completely offended by most of them, even the receptionist. she refused to let me 'sit' while asking inane questions that to me seemed unrelated to the situation. i honestly wish there had been a form. i was having a hard time talking through the contractions at that point, let alone standing at her desk. the nurses accosted me with latex after i told three of them i was allergic. now i am swollen sore and it hurts to pee.  the staff berated me after 20min of being 'un able to preform' for the monitor; that i was a wuss, in pretty clear terms. even though i tried to explain that the symptoms i arrived with aren't the symptoms being recorded.  i could go on and on about my experience, but the point is i don't want to go back! I'm 34w, and my OB is the only one in the county (who takes my insurance) who will let me try a vbac. i am unsure how to handle the situation. DH is terrified of me laboring at home for any stretch of time. he went with me to most of my OB consultations where they told me c-section was necessary for the health of me and our baby. he didn't seem to hear the part where they stated the 'only' reason they said that was hospital policy was against vbac. I'm so frustrated and scared. i don't want to sit at home and accidentally go into labor too early, but i don't want to go back to the hospital to be abused either.  :(

[quinbearzmama]

Oh mama- so sorry you had to go through that.  (((hugs)))  I'm assuming that HB/midwifery care is out of the question due to insurance/DH considerations.  I don't have much advice, just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you.

[Tdunahoo]

Big giant hugs

First, I would talk to your OB about how you feel at the next appt. Ask if there is anything you can to do have to avoid doing something like that when u do go into labor (meaning, not standing at a desk to answer questions) then ask if he can put on your file that you have a latex allergy. Thats pretty serious that they were so disrespectful of an allergy, what if you went into shock or something from another allergy they ignored?

Second, you need to talk to your DH about why you want to stay home as long as possible when you do go into labor. He needs to back you up even if he has concerns. 

I hope your actual labor experience is much more positive 

[Robyn42]

Thank you so much for all the hugs and support. Yes, i plan to talk to my OB about my experience and see if there is anything he can do. The latex allergy is not only written in my chart, but the folder it self is a different color. I hope all of this was due to a 'full moon' or something crazy. I will be bringing DH with me to the hospital as back up, and he has already formulated a plan of attack if we receive any more irresponsible behavior. that made me feel tones better. i shouldn't /need/ back up.. but that is another rant for another day. The midwifery option frankly isn't one due to WA state law, unfortunately. but thanks for the advice, i would have loved to used the group in my area. they are wonderful ladies. I plan on working with them through after baby gyn and other follow up mommy stuffs as much as possible. thanks again for listening to me complain lol, ill keep you up dated as to how we end up dealing with the 'hospital that shall not be named'.

[MamaChef]

Originally Posted by Robyn42 

Thank you so much for all the hugs and support. Yes, i plan to talk to my OB about my experience and see if there is anything he can do. The latex allergy is not only written in my chart, but the folder it self is a different color. I hope all of this was due to a 'full moon' or something crazy. I will be bringing DH with me to the hospital as back up, and he has already formulated a plan of attack if we receive any more irresponsible behavior. that made me feel tones better. i shouldn't /need/ back up.. but that is another rant for another day. The midwifery option frankly isn't one due to WA state law, unfortunately. but thanks for the advice, i would have loved to used the group in my area. they are wonderful ladies. I plan on working with them through after baby gyn and other follow up mommy stuffs as much as possible. thanks again for listening to me complain lol, ill keep you up dated as to how we end up dealing with the 'hospital that shall not be named'.

Why is midwifery not an option due to WA state law?  Im in WA, and am confused.. not that you should pursue midwifery, but if it's because you think VBACs arent allowed at homebirths, that isnt correct.  It isnt against the law.  It's just not covered by malpractice insurance so it is more difficult to find a provider who will do them.  They are out there though and Im currently planning a HBAC. in Pierce County. :)

[becca_howell]

Wow, I am so sorry you had this happen! I am allergic to latex too, and I have to be vigilant about it! It's written three times in my chart and the u/s tech still tried to give my kids a latex glove balloon. 

I would file a complaint with the hospital about the idiot nurse who made you stand to answer questions, but especially the latex. That's unacceptable.

[Robyn42]

i must have been given bad information. the midwifery groups that i spoke with told me that due to 'WA law' that due to my c-section i was stuck with a hospital birth. i wasn't given much detail as to what 'law' they were referring to. honestly i was so surprised and bumbed out that i didn't ask all the questions i should have. i assumed it was how they as a group were licensed and it had to do with liability and other related issues. since we were looking to labor in there center, as apposed to home. i consulted the midwives at my closest hospital and unfortunately they were booked for my due date, although they did say that they 'could have' taken me under different circumstances. :( i asked to be referred to 'another practice' but they again stated that due to the c-section i had to deliver 'observed by a Dr' under this magical un named law, and the other hospital in the area didn't have a midwifery wing. having two un related practices reference the same issue i excepted this as fact and moved on. i asked a doula friend of mine, her opinion as to how i should proceed. i had been to a hand full of OB's and was irate at there expectations and demands of early term c-section requirements and judgmental attitudes.  She told me that there is no such thing as the pregnant police and if i wanted to labor at home no one could/would stop me. (lol the mental imagery still makes me giggle)  but after extensive conversations with DH we decided finding a Dr that would work with me for a vbac would be the best 'middle ground'. finding said OB was quite the adventure, but  up until recently, everything has been great. which is why this is such a let down so close to the end stretch.
 

Originally Posted by MamaChef 

Why is midwifery not an option due to WA state law?  Im in WA, and am confused.. not that you should pursue midwifery, but if it's because you think VBACs arent allowed at homebirths, that isnt correct.  It isnt against the law.  It's just not covered by malpractice insurance so it is more difficult to find a provider who will do them.  They are out there though and Im currently planning a HBAC. in Pierce County. :)

[Jynuine]

Um... One of the MAIN midwivery schools is IN WA!
Look it up... http://www.washingtonmidwives.org/news.shtml

As far as Im concerned, a VBAC is not illegal in WA! I guess it depends on the TYPE of incision you had prior... but a general VBAC is not illegal.

http://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/resources/VBACinSeattle.htm

That link has great info!!!!

[lil_stinkyfeet]

Umm Yeah VBAC isn't ilegal anywhere http://vbacfacts.com/2009/02/28/is-vbac-illegal/I

I

I am sorry you had a bad experience, hopefully talking to your OB and having your dh for support will help.

[MamaChef]

Originally Posted by Robyn42 

i must have been given bad information. the midwifery groups that i spoke with told me that due to 'WA law' that due to my c-section i was stuck with a hospital birth. i wasn't given much detail as to what 'law' they were referring to. honestly i was so surprised and bumbed out that i didn't ask all the questions i should have. i assumed it was how they as a group were licensed and it had to do with liability and other related issues. since we were looking to labor in there center, as apposed to home. i consulted the midwives at my closest hospital and unfortunately they were booked for my due date, although they did say that they 'could have' taken me under different circumstances. :( i asked to be referred to 'another practice' but they again stated that due to the c-section i had to deliver 'observed by a Dr' under this magical un named law, and the other hospital in the area didn't have a midwifery wing. having two un related practices reference the same issue i excepted this as fact and moved on. i asked a doula friend of mine, her opinion as to how i should proceed. i had been to a hand full of OB's and was irate at there expectations and demands of early term c-section requirements and judgmental attitudes.  She told me that there is no such thing as the pregnant police and if i wanted to labor at home no one could/would stop me. (lol the mental imagery still makes me giggle)  but after extensive conversations with DH we decided finding a Dr that would work with me for a vbac would be the best 'middle ground'. finding said OB was quite the adventure, but  up until recently, everything has been great. which is why this is such a let down so close to the end stretch.
 

Ahh.. some CNM groups may not attend a VBAC and you are completely right that you cannot VBAC in a birth center in WA state.  That is against the laws.  You can homebirth though, with a Certified Professional Midwife.. but sounds like that isnt what you guys were looking for.  I hope your doc can help you better navigate the hospital system.
 

[lizzie]

Just wanted to say I'm sorry you had such a horrid experience! I would file complaints too - the disrespectful attitudes can be so common and are just NOT ok. You shouldn't have to deal with that, and blowing off allergies is so dangerous. That's ridiculous that you were subjected to that kind of treatment.

[atnightingale]

Yikes! Which hospital was this?  I am so sorry that happened to you.  Just out of curriosity, have you looked at the midwife services that deliver at Group health central?  I know that is a VBAC friendly hospital.

[yosemiteroses]

a monitor cannot tell how a woman is feeling!!!! i went to our hospital last night because i was having intense lower side pain with regular contractions for a few hours. it really felt like muscle pain that was worsening when i would have a contraction but i wanted to make sure everything was okay because the pain was pretty intense. we walked around after getting to the hospital just to see if the pain would subside and after about an hour of that we decided to go get on the monitor. they had me lay down and after awhile of that my side started feeling a lot better but my contractions were still very regular and showed up as intense on their monitor, so the nurse didn't want me to leave and she said i needed a cbc even though the contractions weren't painful at all. then she did a second internal exam and it was so awkward because she said she couldn't find my internal os anymore, after what felt like 5 minutes of her fishing around for it i asked her to stop, so she found another nurse to do it and the other nurse was done very quickly. gah. i felt so violated being prodded and poked. after all that i told them i was leaving and took off the monitors and got my clothes. i don't want to go back either!