Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Nov
1
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“I Don’t Work With Doulas.”
There are 26 comments to this post.
If you were a good and honest doctor you would love doulas since they take some of the burden off the nursing staff. So explain what your problem is! Do doulas make you nervous? Are you afraid they might catch you in a lie? What exactly is your dysfunction?
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Dreamy Reply:
November 1st, 2011 at 12:01 pm (Quote)
Exactly. He/she works with nurses, no? “Works” with dads/partners? Mothers?
Then again, maybe not. Maybe that’s part of the problem.
I’m sure there exist some small minority of doulas who are an objective PITA. And there are a few who, even if “right,” surely argue with doctors out of turn. But most just help moms do things that their doctors aren’t used to (get into other positions, etc.) And that’s “at worst,” IME. Many end up doing little* but helping mom with relaxation, holding onto compresses, maybe providing counterpressure, and just being there. You know– the kinds of things a spouse/partner does, or would do “better” if he/she had more training and experience.
Yes, rhetorical question, but still– how is that threatening?
*Not that it’s unimportant or feels like “little!”
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an OB group that I fired at the beginning of my second pregnancy included: “We do not participate with Doulas.” in bold letters on the front of their information packet.
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Alyson Miers Reply:
November 1st, 2011 at 12:29 pm (Quote)
Very good of them to be so up-front about it.
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Heidi had this to say,
Nov 1, 2011 @ 12:19 pm (Quote)
The *only* midwife who delivers in the hospital in my town won’t work with doulas. She is great other than that. It’s a hard choice.
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Amanda Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 6:51 am (Quote)
Just because she’s a midwife doesn’t mean it’s ok for her to reduce her patient’s birth options.
I would still be wary of this practitioner. What doesn’t she want the birth community knowing?
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Heidi Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:48 pm (Quote)
Just to be clear, I do not see her, but women who want natural childbirth speak very, very highly of her. I don’t think there really is anything that she’s hiding. I think she had some sort of negative experience with a doula, and that she herself very much acts as a mom’s support in the hospital. I’ve heard she even keeps nurses out, at times, which would not be a bad thing, in my opinion.
Anyway, I personally am very happy with having a family doctor catch my babies and a doula support me, but I know other people who really like this midwife. Even if they can’t have a doula.
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I’m a doula. I don’t work with doctors. They’re not my coworkers. I work *for* the mom. I work *alongside* doctors. And nurses. And midwives. I only work *with* the mom’s other support people.
I hope the OP had the option to run like the wind.
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“Well, aren’t you the little prima donna!”
Seriously, what other professional cops attitude such as this? Has anyone ever seen a lawyer, when a client mentions their accountant, stick the lawyerly nose in the air and announce, “I don’t work with accountants”? And expect the client to fire their accountant because “You have to trust me, I’m your lawyer”? (I am admittedly speculating on that last point, but the doctor here may well have said something like this as a reason.)
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This was actually in the hospital when I was first introduced to the OB. This was also my 3rd birth as a birth doula. She was lacking in bedside manner to say the least. I almost let this experience change my mind about becoming a doula. Glad I let it inspire me instead of discourage me.
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I’ve heard recently about several woman who have LIED and said their doula was a “labor coach”, “sister” or “friend” because their docs didn’t want a doula at the delivery.
Honestly, I would find a new doc far before having to justify who is and is not in the delivery room with me. I did not have a doula at my birth, but that was my choice. I would be suspicious of a doc who dictated who could or could not be with me when I deliver my child.
Crazy.
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I am a practicing OBGYN and I LOVE doulas! If they are good ones. I have seen so-called doulas sit in a chair and offer advice and never touch the patient and I have several who I love who bring the crock pots, hot towels, essential oils and wisdom. So choose carefullly and know their skills. My grandmother was a doula and lay midwife at the turn of the century and taught me on her knee before I was even in high school!
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And I don’t have to work with you. “You’re fired.”
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