PA: Reading Hospital, bad experience NIP

[leosmommy]

I went to the Women's Health Center at the Reading hospital for a colposcopy a few days ago (the health center is part of the Reading Hospital). My son was not born here...but at the Birth Center in Reading. we were all in the waiting room before my appointment (me, DH, and DS). While waiting, DS was hungry so I fed him. There were a bunch of other women, children, and a few men in the waiting room with us. Within seconds of me starting to feed DS, a nurse comes over and says, "I'll go get you a sheet!"

DH: "Why would she need a sheet?"
nurse: "to cover up so no one has to see"
DH: "she does not need to cover up. the baby is eating."
nurse: "but, she has to."
DH: "no, she doesn't. we are fine."
nurse: "well, I'll go get the sheet now..."
me: "I don't need it."
DH: "you're welcome to get it. I'll put it over your head so you don't have to look."

she left and didn't come back.

I was suprisingly not shaken up at all. What was this woman thinking? And she was a nurse! I'm going to school to be a nurse and I know we learn about how wonderful and natural bfing is!

[Swan3]

Originally Posted by leosmommy

DH: "Why would she need a sheet?"
nurse: "to cover up so no one has to see"
DH: "she does not need to cover up. the baby is eating."
nurse: "but, she has to."
DH: "no, she doesn't. we are fine."
nurse: "well, I'll go get the sheet now..."
me: "I don't need it."
DH: "you're welcome to get it. I'll put it over your head so you don't have to look."

she left and didn't come back.

I was suprisingly not shaken up at all. What was this woman thinking? And she was a nurse! I'm going to school to be a nurse and I know we learn about how wonderful and natural bfing is!

YAY to your DH. THAT was brilliant, did everyone in the room hear it clearly? Setting a great example! Good for you, hope this doesn't put a damper on any other NIP experiences for you. You'll just get stronger!

[Parthenia]

Originally Posted by leosmommy

DH: "you're welcome to get it. I'll put it over your head so you don't have to look."

That's one of the best responses ever! Your DH must be made of win.

[Breeder]

to your DH, great response. You both sounded very strong and in control of the situation (no matter how you felt at the time).

[Emmeline II]

That went well :.

Are you going to write to TPTB about the incident?

[evlu]

Grrr. "To cover up so no one has to see"??? How ridiculous. And demeaning. And you "have to" cover up? I'd have been tempted to ask if that was in the policies and procedures. : Please do complain about that incident. At the Women's Health Center, of all places! Sheesh! I would at least try to contact one of the patient representatives and one of the lactation consultants. And if you get a patient satisfaction survey to fill out, make sure you write in comments about what happened (those patient satisfaction scores are generally taken very seriously!).

[momo7]

I just showed your story to my DH...he's laughed his ass off. That was great. He wants to buy your DH a beer. Good for him and good for you. :

[mamajake]

I wish I could say I am surprised but I am not. I hope you write a letter of complaint to hospital administration. PA's public breastfeeding law is lame but clearly hospital staff needs a copy of it.

§ 636.4. Freedom to breastfeed

A mother shall be permitted to breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be present, irrespective of whether or not the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breastfeeding.

You were there for a colonoscopy? Sounds like the nurse is working in the right department.

[NettleTea]

Originally Posted by mamajake

You were there for a colonoscopy? Sounds like the nurse is working in the right department.

[paquerette]

Originally Posted by mamajake

You were there for a colonoscopy? Sounds like the nurse is working in the right department.

But colposcopy I think is cervix. Hope everything turns out okay! And your DH is a hoot!

[Tine]

Originally Posted by leosmommy

DH: "you're welcome to get it. I'll put it over your head so you don't have to look."

she left and didn't come back.

I was suprisingly not shaken up at all.

to both of you! Well done.

[BnInTheOvn]

Leosmommy ~ How rediculous!!

I do not go to the women's center, but right next door at the EZWC ObGyn office... and will be delivering at the Reading Hospital. I did not deliver there with my first, I had her at St Joseph in Bernville.

I haven't seen all of the doctor's in the practice yet, but the ones I have were very supportive of me still nursing my daughter while I was pregnant (and she is almost 2). No one encouraged me to wean her at all. I'm shocked, and would definately complain...

The nurse may have meant to say "so that you dont have to have everyone see" as apposed to "so they dont have to see", thinking of YOUR privacy (prob not, but I'm trying to find some good...) However the fact that she continued to argue it with you is rediculous. And in the women's center, of all places?? I find that most people (really, men) are uncomfortable with "women talk" and using the word "vagina" than they are with seeing someone breastfeed. Anyone uncomfortable shouldn't look.

[Lilcrunchie]

I grew up in Berks county. I am not surprised, sadly.

I live in a pretty crunchy area of NC (DH is in grad school) and one of the reasons I'd like to stay here vs. move back to PA is that I think the area is much more conservative.

My friend worked for the Dept of Health for a few years and when the case came up with a mom harassed at Berkshire Mall (prior to the law finally being established in PA that protects the right to BF in public), I spammed her with the story and explained why it is so important to legally protect a mom's right to NIP (she doesn't have kids of her own yet).

Please, please, please consider writing the hospital (I'd write a letter to the department, and I'd CC it all of the way up the chain of command to the board, CEO, etc.). I'd also consider contacting the media. The only way to get things changed is to keep pointing out that these people are violating the law, and in a hospital, pertaining to BFing, it is even more upsetting.

I'd ask if the LCs at the hospital (assuming they have them) would do an inservice for the entire nursing staff, etc. on BFing law, or demand they issue a memo/training pertaining to PA's law.

So sorry you encountered someone like this, but good for you and your DH for handling it so well!

[OwensMa]

That is absolutely a great response from you and your husband. And it bears repeating that a letter to hospital administration is in order.

[gratefulstella]

You go mama, and your hubby!! Way to be proactive, My hubby can't understand what all the fuss about BFing is about and why so many find it a "problem". When I first had DD I asked if any of the BFing bothered him *(just to see) and his response was "NO way!! this is great, it's like the discovery channel but in my own house!" How funny!

[hedgehogs4]

- you both had a great response

[mommaduck]

Must be that nurse or that particular section. My husband had surgery at Reading hospital and I had a nursing babe with me the whole day. No one said a word. I'm sorry that happened and I would definitely write a letter to the administration.