for those of you who have given birth in a hospital... - Page 2

[intorainbowz]

I marked I was told I couldn't see my child unless I consented to some intervention being done on him/her because I was told if I continued to video tape my visits with DD that I would not be allowed to see her. We were videoing her baths and each other holding her, that's all. Not a surveilance camera by any means. She was in the NICU for 6.5 weeks.

[DreamsInDigital]

My first birth I was given an episiotomy without *my* consent, although the doctor asked my mom. I was 17 at the time. My baby was given Hep B despite my request for him not receive it.
My second birth I was given a shot of pitocin for no reason other than it was SOP.
I've since had two homebirths and will never again birth in a hospital.

[ndakkitten]

I am actually one of the people who answered "husband/partner/labor assistant" not allowed at the birth...

I answered this because of what happened during my c/s. Once we (my midwife, the backup OB, my doula and I) realized during my second birth that a c/s was unavoidable (the baby physically could not descend because of the cord around his neck), they started prepping me. Then they wheeled me off to the OR (which they did have one on the same floor as L&D) to finish the prep. The OB had told my DH he could be there, but when he tried to come in, the OR nurse refused to let him in (the OB didn't know this btw). So he goes around to the other door (which is connected to the nursery) and has one of the nurses get him all gowned up anyways, figuring he can talk to someone else.

And of course, my doula (who worked at the hospital as a LPN) knew it was either him or me, so she'd all ready gone off to grab a bite to eat. She apologized later, saying if she'd known that nurse was running the OR, she would have made sure that DH had gotten in.

Meanwhile, there I am lying on the table, wondering where the heck my DH is. Fortunately, the anesthesiologist comes up to me and asks if there is anything I need. I said "Yes, my husband!!" He sees my DH standing in the doorway watching through the window and goes over and brings him in. Of course, the nurse couldn't object, the anesthesiologist outranked him. By this time, they'd all ready started. I swear, DH had just gotten situated on the chair when they asked him "Do you want to stay with your wife or go with your baby?" When he answered "I'll go with the baby" they said "Well ya better get going then, cause there he goes."

So that made for a very horrible experience. Thankfully we moved and I never had to deal with that hospital again.

[ani'smommy]

Originally Posted by ckhagen

I think something perhaps that maybe you left off the poll is "I was told a situation was emergent and a certain course of action was necessary, but none of that was true".

: This happened to me as well.

There was also a student in the room who decided that he was going to break my water. Thankfully, somehow, I was able to get him to go away, but it really upset me.

[savithny]

I birthed at the same hospital wombatclay did twice. Two natural births. Very pleased. The nursing staff is great adn very supportive, my midwives were wonderful.

I don't know what the natural v medicated v section birth rates are there, but they're high enough that the nurses see people laboring and delivering naturally every day. The hospital requests a birth plan and has a simple one with checkboxes to fill out. No one ever mentioned drugs to me. They have a wonderful hot tub to labor in and birth in if you wish, do all newborn procedures bedside (I did not refuse any, but I've heard they're okay with that) *after* baby has nursed. I got great nursing advice (most of the nurses are LCs).

My births were both uncomplicated, but I seem to follow an atypical labor pattern (cx never settle down into the typical pattern, and i seem not to be progressing until I get settled and comfortable and then I go very quickly from that to birth). No one whipped out the pitocin, no one freaked when there was meconium at birth #1, no one cut anything. Someone mentioned breaking my waters with #1, I said "No, no thank you," and the response was "Okay, that's cool too."

They do have a nursery now - they got certified as a Level II nursery so they don't have to airlift 32-weekers to the nearest big hospital. It was empty every time I saw it, other than babies being given their hearing tests.

[coobabysmom]

I gave birth in a hosiptal birthing center where unmedicated births with mws are the norm. My mw did ask to do an AROM and did ask to do directed pushing (explicitly written NOT to do in birthplan) because that's what she thought I needed and I consented. I have a little regret about this but I was asked and I consented.

[wombatclay]

They do have a nursery now - they got certified as a Level II nursery so they don't have to airlift 32-weekers to the nearest big hospital. It was empty every time I saw it, other than babies being given their hearing tests.

Very true...I was typing fast and meant to say they don't have a well baby nursery. It's great that they got their level II certification since otherwise mamas/families would have to drive almost an hour (or more) to reach a NICU. (and it meant there was a perinatologist there to check dd after her shoulder dystocia...and they even did those checks in my room since they brought the equipment to us!)

[SweetTeach]

I've given birth in a hospital, but none of these things have happened.

[artemis80]

I voted "none of these things happened," but my birth didn't go the way I wanted it to. The interventions (ROM, constant fetal monitoring, forceps) were not things I specifically denied at the time, but of course I would have been happier without them. The atmosphere was very tense and the interventions were presented as necessary, so I didn't refuse (but neither was I really asked). I still don't know if they were necessary, but I do wonder if the situation that led to them (failure to descend, then asyncliticism) would have occurred had I been in a more relaxed environment.

FWIW, I delivered with a CNM who let me push for over 3 hours, although I suspect the "situation" may have occurred in part because I started pushing too soon. Any OB would have gone to a c-section ages before 3.5 hours, I'm sure.

[Peppamint]

I voted I've given birth in a hospital, but none of these things have happened... but just because those things didn't happen doesn't mean it was a "good" experience. My birth plan was largely ignored, they had a reason why I couldn't do or have most of the things I requested.

I was led to believe that my induction 2 weeks before my due date was necessary, I was assigned a nurse that pushed drugs on me and told my mom in my hearing I had hours to go (she was wrong, I was in transition and VERY vulnerable), I was led to believe that an episiotomy was necessary to get my baby out right then (the OB "asked" me as she was telling me it was necessary).

It took me months to heal from the (unnecessary IMO) episiotomy and the pelvic floor pain from pushing in a prone position. I found my next two births, waterbirths at home, to be very healing.

[~PurityLake~]

my huspand/partner/labor support person were not allowed to be present with me during the birth

This was true for both births, both cesareans.

[Twocoolboys]

None of those things happened to me.

I had two wonderful hospital birth experiences. As a matter of fact, during labor with my first son, I got to a point when I was sure I wanted an epidural. I had told the nurse upon arrival that I did not want one under any circumstances. When I told her I did, she was so kind and asked me several times "are you sure?" When I told her that yes, I was, she said ok, but first I would need a full bag of IV fluids, so she hooked me up to that. By the time the bag was empty, it was time to push and I did not end up getting an epidural. I am SO thankful that she helped me stick to my plan. I know she would have let me have it had it not been time to push yet and I was still insisting, but I'm glad that she gave me the IV fluids first.

My second labor was easier in the sense that I knew I had already done it without meds so I knew I had the strength to do it again.

[IfMamaAintHappy]

my first dd was born in a hospital in rural tennessee. my birth plan was followed and I ahd no interventions. I birthed vaginally with no meds.

However... I live in NC now, and know from my friends experiences at the hospital closest to my house that many interventions happen to them, and that once you walk through the doors you are under their control and lose a lot of your own ability to choose. THe other two local hospitals are better about things, the furthest away from me being the best for being respected and listened to.

[Fyrestorm]

See birth story in siggie

[Llyra]

I've had two hospital births, and been in several more times with preterm labor. I didn't have any unwanted interventions during my births, but I had several when in there for preterm labor. With my first, a nurse attempted to inject terbutaline while I was sleeping, even though terbutaline was contraindicted for me because of my heart condition. That was scary, and luckily I woke up in time. And with the twins, DS had a really scary decel on the monitor, and a nurse rushed in and inserted an IV with fluids and shoved me on my side without explaining what was happening. To be fair, however, she thought DS was deprived of oxygen and was doing what she thought was truly necessary.

DS was given a bottle of formula only a half hour after his birth, without my or DH's permission, because some jackass thought he had low blood sugar, even though his heel stick came back normal. He was under observation in special care for three hours after his birth because he was having trouble breathing on his own. I will admit that the breathing help saved his life, but even the peds said afterwards that he did NOT need the stupid bottle, and we dealt with three weeks of nipple confusion and now he is allergic to dairy because of being sensitized so early. DH was there, and knew to refuse, but he was busy with DD2 at the time, who was also under observation because of her low birth weight, but only for about a half hour.

Oh, and once with DD1 a nurse came and removed DD from my breast and wheeled her out of the room while I was sleeping, so that I woke up in a panic not knowing what happened to her. The nurse was trying to be helpful, and thought I'd appreciate having someone take DD so I could rest. I was furious.

[redhen]

The only one I checked was that a medical prodecure was done on my child without my consent- they clamped her cord immediately in spite of my birth plan, but I feel like it was more of a force of habit thing, not them deliberately going against my wishes.

[Cutie Patootie]

I couldn't technically check any of these, but...

1. When I first arrived at the hospital, the doctor who "checked" me, started to sweep my membranes, until I yelled "NO WAY". While she was checking she said, while starting, "I am just going to sweep your membranes..."

3. I was threatened if I didn't have pitocin...

2. I was eventually told if I didn't have an epidural, I would be forced to have c-section.

Oh so many other fun things happended. :eyeroll

Anyway...

[shooflymama]

I picked "none." I gave birth in a hospital with a birth center midwife after I couldn't labor at the birth center (both risk and space issues that night). No meds, no interventions.

[RoadBuddy]

I had a good hospital birth. A lot of it was due to having a doctor who signed off on and actually supported my birth plan, having a doula to help explain things, and choosing a hospital that was more open-minded. Of course, getting there fully dilated and having my son an hour later probably helped Needless to say, it was an unmedicated labor. I had to request no pitocin for delivering the placenta - they were setting it up as a matter of routine, but were fine with refusal.

DS never left our room (even for the hearing test and the pediatrician visit). Breastfeeding, eye ointment and shots (none), and no circ were not even issues. THe one thing they were pushy about was the bath. Of all things, a bath! And DS was having temperature problems, so a bath was the last thing he needed.

[StrawberryFields]

I transferred to the hospital during my labor with ds but it was a very pleasant experience. Nothing was done without my consent, the doctors and nurses were very respectful, and I never felt like I had to fight or struggle to get what I wanted. I had full interventions once I arrived but they unhooked anything they could as soon as they could without my having to ask and I never felt violated or disrespected.