Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Dec
4
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“…With People Of Your Size…If You Need A Cesarean, You Might Be Going Under.”
| “We will let you labor on your own as long as possible, because with people of your size, we have difficulties getting an epidural in, and if you need a cesarean section, you might be going under.” - OB to mother at a prenatal. |
There are 23 comments to this post.
Lisa in Texas had this to say,
Dec 4, 2011 @ 6:43 pm (Quote)
My one and only hospital birth was a c-section. I weighed close to 275 pounds when she was born. The anesthesiologist had absolutely NO trouble placing the needle. In fact, I never even felt it and I’m seriously needle-phobic. I’m calling BS on this doctor.
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Hmm.. My Doctor kinda said the opposite. When we discussed pain releif at a pre-natal, I had said that I didn’t want an epi and she said that is great, but if you don’t get and epi and end up with an emerg C-section that they wouldn’t take time to put in an epi or spinal that they would automatically put me under.
I ended up with an epi, due to a long list of medical interventions that I allowed (which I am fine with but now know what I really want next time around). Long story short. I was 326lbs pre-pregnancy and 336lbs day of induction. The dr. had zero issues with placement of the epi, but in the end it worked only for 20-30 min and then wore off. I had the max of 4 bulsters and wasn’t allow anymore. I was still in pain but unable to move due to my right leg and chest being frozen, but still felt every contraction… Next time… No epi…
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Victoria Reply:
December 4th, 2011 at 6:59 pm (Quote)
I had that also, with the epidural. Except both my legs were completely numb, and up to my chest, and felt everything. It sucked. I did another induction afterward, and the pain was terrible but I’m SO glad I didn’t do the epidural again because it was sooooo nice being able to move afterward.
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Ok off subject kinda only not really. Its good to read about plus size mommies. I’m sitting at 290 and TTC doc gave me a very hard time with my son and I was at 230 then…. Scared of what she’ll say now.
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Kristy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 5:10 am (Quote)
I know what I’d say… get a new doc. If she is going to ‘scold’ you instead of treat you as a medical professional no matter what your size… you don’t want her. Losing weight could be a help in TTC and pregnancy… but that doesn’t mean she needs to give you a hard time about your size. She shouldn’t do more than share the facts and figures about how your size can contribute to your goal of a healthy baby and then move on to other factors.
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Dayna Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 8:42 pm (Quote)
Have you visit http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org? That’s actually how I learned about this site. It’s loads of education and encouraging stuff all about fat moms.
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Jen Reply:
December 9th, 2011 at 2:32 pm (Quote)
I weighed the same when I got pregnant with my daughter and I wholeheartedly believe that they would have made up some sort of excuse for me not to get pregnant…as it was the first OBGYN I saw at my very 1st appt scared the hell out of me with his talk about my size and miscarriage…FYI I am trying to find someone better that takes my insurance and if I decide to have another I’m going for a VBAC…would try HBAC but too many people would freak out over it and I dont know how I feel about it anymore either..
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Jenny Islander had this to say,
Dec 5, 2011 @ 9:38 am (Quote)
Let’s try that again.
“We recommend that you labor without an epidural because it will be easier for you to change positions, walk, rock, and do whatever else your instincts will suggest in order to assist the birth of this baby. Please be aware that due to your greater body weight, in the unlikely event that you will need a C-section, you may require general anesthesia, which is quicker to administer and takes effect more quickly as well.” (If that is even the case. Actual docs out there, is this OB blowing smoke about that too?)
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Mama Wrench had this to say,
Dec 5, 2011 @ 10:16 am (Quote)
This one strikes me as a threat. “We’re going to make you hold out on the EVIL, HORRIBLE PAIN as long as possible. Fatties don’t deserve pain relief, unless it’s an emergency — and then we won’t bother to respect your right to meet your own baby. We’ll just knock you out.”
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This is mine.I think she was trying to reassure me thatI would get my as little interventions as possible birth.Yeh,failx2!When my water broke and i went to the hospital,they gave me pitocin to “speed things up” because my contractions were only lasting about 45 secs each time.Then this same person put an internal monitor on the baby,which made me want to slam my head into the next room it hurt soo bad.Then said person was trying to check me and LOST the monitor,had to put a new one in…another 20 mins of laying on my back writhing in pain.Finally she was the one who came in my room and said we LET you labor for long enough(19 hrs from point of rupture) we think we need to do a c section….this was the most aweful experience of my life and i felt like all my protests werent being heard and the person who was supposed to be my advocate just sat there until they said section,then he jumped up and put the scrubs on.Needless to say,we arent really together right now!!! Its been 11 months and Im just now starting to talk about how utterly helpless I felt and how mad I am at the whole practice i went to.
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Jen Reply:
December 6th, 2011 at 6:14 am (Quote)
oh and btw no problems with a spinal at all!
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The Well-Rounded Mama had this to say,
Dec 7, 2011 @ 10:54 am (Quote)
The doctor’s phrasing could have been more sensitive, but I know what they were trying to communicate. It IS harder to put in an epidural on a woman of size, and may take multiple attempts. He’s trying to make sure she knows that in an emergency, they might have to use a general.
However, unless it’s truly emergent, where every moment counts, most of the time there’s time to put in a spinal. That’s a little easier to do (although still harder in women of size) and offers great coverage for a cesarean, better generally than an epidural. Just wanted to make that point. Generals are riskier for women of size, but the choice is not just epidural or general. Spinals are a choice too unless things are really an emergency.
It sounds like he also was trying to reassure mom that they didn’t WANT to do a cesarean on her as a woman of size and would give her plenty of time to labor etc……but it sounds like what they say and what they do are two different things.
I’m sorry that during your actual labor they weren’t as supportive. Intervention is just routine for them, and especially so in women of size. Yet of course that has implications for women and how they experience birth. I’m sorry your experience was difficult.
I hope you will check out ICAN, http://www.ican-online.org, for more information and support.
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This doc should have shut up while (s)he was ahead. Jerk. You know, ironically, a spinal block was the pain relief of (doctors) choice for my very large and overweight father to help with a slipped disk. *his* anastegiologist didn’t have any problems getting that needle in. Maybe this doctor should think about hiring some competent staff instead of blaming mom.
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