Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Mar
11
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“See, That Is What Natural Childbirth Is Like…”
“See, that is what natural childbirth is like, maybe next time you should consider getting an epidural sooner.” – Midwife to mother who had an induction at 35 weeks, tectonic contractions from pitocin, an epidural that did not work, a baby that needed to be resuscitated, a third degree tear and a postpartum hemorrhage.
There are 26 comments to this post.
Umm that’s NOT what natural childbirth is like because she just got induced. If she had been able to have her baby at full term with labor beginning on its own I imagine things would have gone quite well. An epidural sooner wouldn’t have changed a thing except perhaps causing her to also need a c-section.
Shame on that midwife!
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funny, i had a natural childbirth and none of that stuff happened to me… i think this MW is confused. Induction kinda rules out the all natural approach from the beginning, but thats no reason to disregard the patient’s wishes to have everything else go as natural as possible, or blame her for complications CLEARLY far beyond her control. But strangely enough, some of those were within the MW’s control..
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SuzyHomemaker had this to say,
Mar 11, 2012 @ 5:33 am (Quote)
This statement is awful on a number of levels. I am curious to see the pink link, mainly the cause for induction so early? 35 weeks?
Was it medically neccessary due to complications in the pregnancy or did this woman just have a insanely careless OB?
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SuzyHomemaker Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 5:36 am (Quote)
Another thought, even if medically neccessary, most women’s bodies are not quite ready for labor at 35 weeks. Did anyone think to check this woman’s bishop score beore inducing?
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Jespren had this to say,
Mar 11, 2012 @ 5:34 am (Quote)
Must be one of those ppl who think ‘natural childbirth’ means ‘vaginal childbirth’. Either that or she has the reasoning capabilities of a 3 year old, you know the type that can’t pick the ‘which one doesn’t belong?’ Out of a pack of 3 items.
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LG Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 5:50 am (Quote)
Please, I find that statement soooo offensive to three-year-olds. 
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SuzyHomemaker Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 5:53 am (Quote)
I hate that “natural” has no clear definition.
I wanted to try for a “natural” (meaning drug-free, eating/showering/toileting at will, pushing in whatever position my body felt compelled to, etc) birth but I ended up opting gas&air for about two hours towards the end, and being forced to push on my back (despite crying to be allowed on my hands and knees). I’m still pleased with how the overall birth went, however I don’t consider it to be “natural” because I did opt for gas&air and because I was forced into an un-natural pushing position.
The midwife who did my postpartum care considered any vaginal birth without an epidural to be “natural.” Several of my friends consider anything that isn’t a c-section to be “natural”.
Its just sad that the word seems to have lost its meaning.
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amelia Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 10:49 am (Quote)
For a minute I thought I had written this post, you described my daughter’s birth exactly. 
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SuzyHomemaker Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 11:38 am (Quote)
Were you also having a VBAC? 
My first was an awful induction, ending in a c-section and PTSD.
Dispite being held down by the night shift midwife during the pushing phase, the rest of my VBAC went almost ideally. The day shift midwife was a wonderful labor support, respected my birth plan, and I felt in control the entire time she was on shift.
But I see your frowny face, so I’m assuming your overall labor wasn’t as pleasant? I’m sorry.
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No, that’s NOT natural. I am embarrassed that this woman, who is called a midwife, is not acting/talking like one, but is merely the doc’s handmaiden…how awful, that baby and mom suffered needlessly! Hope the OP has any future children at home!(or at least in a place where she knows SHE has control!)
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This is obnoxious and degrading and just horrible.
I had two induced preterm labors (one at 31 and one at 33.5 weeks both due to PPROM and after several days of holding labor off, signs of infection with the 33.5 weeker and the fact that I tested a strong positive for GBS, in my urine and everything, we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to keep the pregnancy going even though 31 weeks is very early since I had a low grade fever with him). I had to VEs during that time though and they pretty much left me alone except to check temps, bp and how baby was doing until I needed to be induced.
Anyway, both times I was induced but they started the pitocin really low and stopped upping it when I was having contractions. They watched my contractions but better yet listened to what I felt like the contractions were doing and made sure they were never too strong or right on top of each other. With both I was able to avoid pain meds and epidurals because they helped me manage the contractions by backing off on the pit when my body seemed to take over. While I was able to go med free and have great experiences both times (I was able to be up and moving and in whatever position felt comfortable at the time and when pushing I still wouldn’t call either a natural birth. They were as natural as possible and I don’t feel badly about them but they were still not 100% natural.
I just feel so lucky that I had such great doctors and nurses taking care of me and I wish it were that way with every induction.
With my first I was induced because of preeclampsia at 37 weeks (after holding off a couple of week to get as far as we could while being closely monitored to make sure it was still safe). That induction was pump up the pit, don’t let her move. It was horrible and I ended up getting pushed into an epidural because it was so horrible and the nurses were relentless in pushing me into one. It didn’t even work though! It made my legs numb and nothing else! That was definitely not in any way natural.
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Jenny Islander had this to say,
Mar 11, 2012 @ 9:17 am (Quote)
I try to use the term “undirected childbirth” to talk about what I want because attempting to direct a normal labor into a course determined by the provider is, IMO, the main cause of iatrogenic complications. Tincture of patience is the only medication needed in the vast majority of labors.
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Hi All, I am the original poster. You can see the entire story here (it took me almost two years to finally write it down): http://www.mommymadegreen.com/my-premature-birth-experience/
I now know that it was not my bag of waters that was leaking, but I had a severe kidney infection, the exact same thing happened with my third child and I had an amazing birth team that not only did a litmus test on my panties and my urine, but also on my cervix. They treated my kidney infection, stopped my contractions, and I went on to have the most beautiful birth, at full term. I also shared that experience here: http://www.mommymadegreen.com/amazing-micah-andrew/
I want mothers to know that nothing is more important while pregnant than having a birth team you trust. Do what you have to, change insurance companies, change doctors, the birth of your child should not be the most traumatic experience of your life. And also if you have had one traumatic experience that doesn’t mean you will have another. When I switched doctors, I received the highest quality of care. They took care of me and my baby not only physically but helped me through the emotional scars and difficulties I faced from the previous experience I had.
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abba12 Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 3:27 pm (Quote)
Your story is terrifying… I had a ‘premmie’ induction (I put that in quotation marks because we were 37 weeks exactly, and term is 38 weeks where I live, but 37 weeks is hardly premmie either, plus we think she was older than her dates)
My labour was nowhere near as bad as yours, I responded well to cervadil and was never moved to pit, I was also a transfer from the in-hospital birth center so even though I didn’t know any of my nurses or doctors, they knew what sort of birth I wanted after working closely with the birth center over the years, and most respected it.
I know we were very fortunate, I think my daughters ‘scores’ at birth were perfect, but it’s made me very aware of what could happen, and research my choices.
I can’t believe the doctors insisted on inducing you right then for a leak. I am 8 weeks pregnant with my second and my husband and I don’t go anywhere near the doctors without our laptop or at the very least his smartphone, so we can ask for some ‘time to think’ and do our own research, we just don’t trust the doctors at all anymore. Doctors are supposed to give us the infomation we need, I’d consider the possibility of waiting until 37 weeks a definite ‘needed’ piece of info in this case, I don’t care how big the baby is, delivering at 35 weeks when it’s safe to wait till 37 is not a good idea.
I’d say the ‘big baby’ thing comes from the fact due dates can be very inaccurite, and his large size may have indicated he was older than his dates said. Which dosen’t hold true at all, because my ’37 weeker’ was like 6 1/2 pounds (3.1kg, can’t do the conversion atm) and we suspect she was at least 38 weeks for how well developed she was, she was ready for immediate release (I was registered for early release 4-6 hours post birth), only reason she stayed was because I had complications that forced an overnight stay.
I’m glad you had a great birth the next time around!
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Lisa in Texas Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 7:50 pm (Quote)
I don’t understand the inducing for a leak, either. I had PPROM at 20 weeks. I was told to go home and come back at 24 weeks to be hospitalized if I was still pregnant since there was nothing they could do for the baby until then. I put myself on bedrest at home and stayed there for 11 weeks. Then other complications necessitated an emergency c-section at 31 weeks, But NO ONE ever talked about inducing me — it was all about keeping the baby in as long as possible.
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Christie Reply:
March 11th, 2012 at 4:26 pm (Quote)
wow they induced for a leak? i know women who have leaked for weeks before birthing, since the fluid is constantly replenishing there was no need to deliver unless there was a full rupture! to hear that they didnt even test and there was no need for induction in the first place just makes me sick, i wonder what happened to the little oath they have to take, you know where they say “first do no harm”. im so sorry you had this experience OP and im glad your next births were so much better
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I have been induced and had my uterus go haywire (NO breaks between contractions), and I did not get an epidural even though the nurse assured me I would. I was very glad I didn’t too, as my baby was in severe distress from lack of oxygen and I had to push him out as quickly as possible, and move to all kinds of different positions to try and help his oxygen levels. It was NOTHING like natural childbirth, which I had with my 2nd child. This woman should not be delivering babies if she doesn’t know the difference.
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Wow. Talk about blaming the patient!
This whole situation sounds like a clusterbomb, and the midwife had the gall to blame the mother for wanting natural childbirth?
OP, I’m sorry you went through that.
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