Need info about hospital births - Page 2

[Mama J Rock]

I'm sorry you're having to go through all of this to try to ensure you get a decent birth out of the deal. I live in a very rural area too, however the closest hospital just so happens to be in our town and is only a couple of blocks away from our house. The doctor here who delivers was trained in his advanced ob training (he's a GP not an OB) by midwives and although he can perform c-sections it's not his nature to do them unless absolutely necessary. The other thing I love about our hospital is that they don't even offer epidurals. They don't have an anesthesiologist on staff full time (they only call one in for emergencies and for regular scheduled surgeries) so they don't even offer them as labor pain management. Also, before they'll give any drugs for pain they make the mother change positions several times, try the shower and other natural remedies first. The ob nurses that teach the prenatal classes really try to get the mothers ready for birth, not for a medical procedure. In reality, it's called a hospital, but it's more like a birth center as far as their "standards and procedures".

So, I wish that your local hospital was more like ours but since it's not I think you're doing the best to get yourself prepared and eliminate some of your battles by doing some planning upfront. Also, if you page your doctor so he can be there when you get there since you both have about a 30 min drive and you're anticipating a quick labor, you may be able to insist to see him before they admit you or check you. Since he has no problems with your requests maybe he can let the nurses know that it's okay to go "against policy" on those items and you won't have to fight them on them.

I really hope that you are able to get things figured out. It definitely helps that you've been through it before and know what to expect as far as the actual birthing process goes. Also, I would talk to your doctor about your concerns after visiting with the head nurse and even about the interaction with the friend who is an ob nurse as well. Don't worry about it seeming petty to him, because obviously it's a concern for you and leads you to believe that you will be treated harshly (especially since they know about your previous homebirths and may be defensive anyway).

Okay, so that got long, but I hope it offers another option. Ask your doctor what his plan is for getting there on time since you're probably going to be a fast labor. Hopefully he will want you to call him so he can get going instead of waiting for the hospital to page him after you've been admitted. If that is his plan then demand to see him before the nurses do any procedures.

Good luck!

[tinyshoes]

originally posted by Victorian

Tell them to be quiet if they talk to you during a contraction.

This task is for your doula--after all, you'll be having the contraction at the time!

Your hospital sitation sounds very discouraging. "Stay away from the hospital as long as possible during labor" is sage advuce--but--your hospital is far away, and your labors are quick. Those elements suggest a UC is definitly an option worth concidering.

I hear you have no doulas in the area--but there's got to be SOMEONE who you can hire to DO YOUR BIDDING. Doulas are great because they've BTDT with regards to birth, hospitals, offering boirth advice, etc. You need a person to run interference and ensure you don't get messed with...all that person has to do is read your birth plan and help the staff execute it (I would freak if some tart from my high school were to be my L&D nurse, esp. with the attitude you've described, BoobyJuice.)

Does this hospital have a patient's ombudsman ? When my grandpop was hospitalized, he sure had plenty to complain about, and he did so to the hospital's patient ombudsman. Later on, when he was living out his days at the Old Folks' Home, he had a Nurse Advocate--a former RN who is now a private "brains-for-hire" person who basically acted as a doula for him...she was a valuable second-opinion for various mundane procedures (like IVs!) and her knowledge and support was precious (like a doula's.) Maybe you could hire one of these, if your area is devoid of doulas?

Could you hire a high school student to do your bidding? We hire them as babysitters--heck, you could describe birth attendence as glorified babysitting, right?

Why do you want to go to the hospital? What can they really offer you? Is it really worth avoiding a rift with the in-laws? Maybe it is. Maybe it's not. Maybe you could have your baby in a hotel room, or as bethwl suggested, in the car. SERIOUSLY. Why not in the car?

I wish you luck as you continue evaluating your options, your resources, and what exactly you want to choose. Ultimately, you'll arrive at the decision that is best for you and your family.

[BoobyJuice]

Quick Update

Well, guess what I just found out? The horrible head ob nurse I talked to is gone. She got fired last week. I did talk to my dr today - we spent 30 minutes going over my birth wishes. He agreed to almost everything.

*No IV or hep lock
*Minimal vaginal exams.
*Maintain mobility
*No fluid or food restrictions during labor
*No pitocin, no amniotomy
*Siblings present for labor and delivery.
*Choice of positions, including squat/birth bar
*No episiotomy, prefer to tear
*Mother or father “catch” baby
*Delayed cord cutting, father cuts cord
*No separation from baby
*All non-emergency treatment to be done in arms of parent
*No suctioning

I do have to have intermitent monitoring. And it has to be by machine because they don't have a fetoscope or doppler. He's OK with early release for me but like to keep babies for a day to observe. All the things like "Do not offer pain relief medication", "No directed pushing", "Dim lights and quiet during labor" he said I'll have to talk to the nurses about. Not too bad actually - much, much better than the feelings I got from the head nurse. Now I have to go talk to the nurses and hospital. Unfortunatly he said only one of them is very good with birth plans (small hospital, it only has 4 ob nurses) the rest just do what they always do by habit. I am feeling much better about the whole thing though. Now if I can just get there in time