leave hospital AMA? - Page 3

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by alegna

Legal or not, the can and do and have not yet been stopped.

-Angela

And my dh wondered why I flat out refused to move to Texas due to childbearing issues! (He's from Texas)

[alegna]

Originally Posted by ColoradoMama

And my dh wondered why I flat out refused to move to Texas due to childbearing issues! (He's from Texas)

Well as long as you're not in a hospital, birthing is GREAT in TX! Homebirth midwives can attend anything they want

And to be fair, this is the environment in *Houston* the great medical city. I doubt it's as bad in other cities.

-Angela

[mamaverdi]

Originally Posted by Shawnee

Legally, in Texas, the only things they can do in spite of refusal are urgent, life-saving measures like resuscitation. However, I bow to your superior knowledge of the situation in Texas, and admit I have no idea whether hospital staff may be routinely ignoring the law.

To this not funny topic. I don't think it's a hijac or a debate. Are they ignoring the law? Sure. Do they know about the law? Not sure they always do. But the thing is, legally, they can make anything appear that it was a life-saving effort.

Anyone who has ever requested medical records from ANY medical institution knows that what happens, what's recorded, and what's legally pursuable are alllllll different.

I could give personal examples, but I am advised by my lawyer not to.

[mamaverdi]

Originally Posted by alegna

And to be fair, this is the environment in *Houston* the great medical city. I doubt it's as bad in other cities.

: Actually I've heard some other cities in TX are worse.

Angela's right though, the homebirth climate is good. The transfer climate is not so good. Not horrid...but not so good. The hospital birth climate is...well....

Let's say Houston is only a "great medical city" in its own mind. :

[kaspar]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

I don't know how it works where you live, but I imagine it goes by provider more than anything. Do you have midwives that do hospital births or less medically minded doctors?

If I were to have a hospital birth with a midwife and everything went fine, I would be discharged within two hours since they provide so much home support.

that's how my birth went! we arrived at the hospital when i was 9 cm (i should have called the midwife earlier, but my early labour was so easy i didn't think it was "real"), had the baby just over an hour later, and went home 3 hours after that. baby was never out of my sight, let alone out of the room. there were no hospital staffers in the room either - just our midwives - except for one person who gave my husband some paperwork to fill out, and one who knocked on the door and said "you have visitors" and that was it.

we could have had the little guy at home, really, but i'm glad we went to hospital - "just in case" since you never know what's going to happen, and also because birth is messy!!

[G8P4]

There would be no maternity ward without the WOMEN who come there.

Reading all these posts makes me feel so sad and so angry. My first child was born in a hospital; they missed his bowel obstruction because they thought I was a neurotic, overanxious first time mother. He went to the nursery for observation....they failed to observe that he didn't pass meconium. I had to leave the hospital and go to a pediatric hospital, where he had surgery almost immediately. We got to know hospitals pretty well after that. You walk a fine line there….because, they have your kid. Don’t fool yourself that hospitals are the safe place for babies. Please, though, if you are treated badly, write them….write the chief of staff AND the CEO…send copies to as many people as you can think of. Terrible things will still happen there as long as people don’t realize their power to change them. Voting with your feet is one option…but let them know first. Sadly, some women HAVE to go there; we need to make it better for all of them.

[ericswifey27]

Originally Posted by G8P4

There would be no maternity ward without the WOMEN who come there.

Reading all these posts makes me feel so sad and so angry. My first child was born in a hospital; they missed his bowel obstruction because they thought I was a neurotic, overanxious first time mother. He went to the nursery for observation....they failed to observe that he didn't pass meconium. I had to leave the hospital and go to a pediatric hospital, where he had surgery almost immediately. We got to know hospitals pretty well after that. You walk a fine line there….because, they have your kid. Don’t fool yourself that hospitals are the safe place for babies. Please, though, if you are treated badly, write them….write the chief of staff AND the CEO…send copies to as many people as you can think of. Terrible things will still happen there as long as people don’t realize their power to change them. Voting with your feet is one option…but let them know first. Sadly, some women HAVE to go there; we need to make it better for all of them.

First of all I am sorry for everything you went through. It makes me sad to hear all these stories of women not being heard, not being respected. It is just not right. It seems like common sense is often thrown out the window in favor of the bottom line.

I've been thinking about what you said above lately. What happened to me and my baby during my first birth was the exact opposite of what should have happened. I birthed at Kaiser Hospital (Zion) in San Diego. I was given an unneccessary csection, food/water was withheld (mmm, yummy ice chips ) , pitocin administered against my wishes, pressured into epidural, separated from babe, eye goop administered, etc.- the whole nine yards. The only part of my birth plan that was respected was my son was not circumcised. (thank god he wasn't -I've heard horror stories of hospitals doing this too) I have this urge to sue for an unneccessary csection but am certain it would have no impact, not to mention how would I even go about doing that? So what can I do, 3 years after the fact. Any advice?

[~member~]

Originally Posted by mamaverdi

Anyone who has ever requested medical records from ANY medical institution knows that what happens, what's recorded, and what's legally pursuable are alllllll different.

So true!!!!! My last birth, the medical records say my baby was fine, head down, etc. Even the surgeons notes say my baby was head down, but what do they say for why an emergency c-section was needed? For a breech baby!

I did call lawyers and sent a few of them my records and none were willing to help. They said there was not enough money in it for them.

[mamaverdi]

MITB that is

[Malva]

Wow that's crazy!

All the hospitals around here have the opposite policy: you must room-in with your baby, regardless of how you feel about it.

[Emma's_Mommy]

Originally Posted by ColoradoMama

Okay, policies - schmolicies. This is YOUR baby. You are responsible for her. Barring an emergency - tough luck for them. Baby is born - you hold baby - you nurse baby - you hold baby some more. Them: "We need to weigh the baby" Dh hands puts baby in weighing thingy - they measure, weight, etc. Then dh grabs baby back quickly and gives baby back to you. Them: "We need to take the baby to the nursery." You: "No. My baby needs to stay with me." Them: "Well, it's our hospital policy." You: "This is my baby and s/he needs to stay with me." Them: "We need to observe the baby." You: "You're free to stay with us." Getting the picture? This child is your child - they cannot force you to make him go to the nursery. Barring an emergency - the CANNOT take him anywhere without you if you give them strict instructions to that effect.

this is GREAT advice....you should rollplay with your husband....have him practice saying....NO....i won't sign any forms....that is NOT acceptable....i want to speek to the charge nurse if this is a problem.....i don't care if it is hospital policy.... in a firm but calm voice!

while you are in labor and recovering post partum your husband (or birth partner) is your biggest advocate and he needs to know what your wishes are and needs to be ready to stand up for them! Tell him not to let that baby out of his site, and to not let anyone push him around regarding both of your wishes....if they insist on taking the baby...hubby goes with and stays within arm length at all times....and dont let him take NO for an answer!

Originally Posted by mamaverdi

If you have to transfer, pump and keep your baby at home with another breastfeeding mama. Don't take the baby unless it's the baby that needs care.

this is sneeky.....yet such a great idea!