Jun 1

“One More Push, Then I Cut You.”

“One more push, then I cut you.” – OB complete with finger motion across mother’s abdomen, to first time mother who had been pushing for one hour.

78 people dislike these words.

There are 25 comments to this post.

Sarah had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:09 pm (Quote)

Like hell you do. GTFO and find me someone who understands the term ‘informed consent’.

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Sheva had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:24 pm (Quote)

OMG That is so scary!!I would be terrified if I was the mom and royally PISSED if I was the doula!

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amelia had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:25 pm (Quote)

No, one more push then I tell you to GTF out of my room before I call security on you for uttering threats.

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Angela had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:46 pm (Quote)

“Then I cut you”?! Is this a doctor or a serial killer?

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Mrs. Gamgee Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:47 pm Mrs. Gamgee(Quote)

This was my thought exactly.

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Shawnicy had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:52 pm (Quote)

Only if I get to cut you first!

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Missy had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:56 pm (Quote)

What if I was waiting for an appointment at this OB’s office, and I saw him in the hall and said, “One more minute, then I cut you!”? I’d probably be arrested. What makes anyone think it is ok to say stuff like this to a woman having a baby when it is NOT OK in any other situation???

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Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 2:58 pm (Quote)

Let’s try it this way…. “I’m getting concerned that you’re getting exhausted. It’s been an hour and you seem like you’re struggling to push. Let’s take a break and get an epidural” (if one has not yet been administered) “or try changing your position to make this easier. If these steps don’t help, though, and your pushing is still ineffective or you don’t feel up to continuing, I recommend having a c-section. What would you like to do?”

Fixed it.

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Jen had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 3:13 pm (Quote)

This is the same doctor from Why Aren’t You In a Gown (just commented and pinked), but it happened to a friend. He walked into the room, looked at the monitor strip, and asked the nurse how long she’d been pushing. The nurse said about an hour, so he turned to my friend and said, “One more push, then I cut you,” complete with finger slash across her abdomen. My friend thought her baby must be in danger, because why else would she need a section? With the next contraction, she pushed as hard as she could, breaking several blood vessels in her face, while the doctor cut an episiotomy, and her son was born. To this day, she believes the doctor saved her son’s life.

I despised this doctor. My friend adored him and was really upset he retired a month before her due date with her second.

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Dreamy Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:17 pm Dreamy(Quote)

That’s bull, of course. 99% of the time, if it’s that emergent, there’s no “one more push.”

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Suzanne Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 1:03 pm Suzanne(Quote)

This is not true. Depending on where the baby is, it may be faster to get the baby out by “one more push” then it is to do a crash section.

I know. My son’s heart rate was dropping and the doctor said, “He has to come out now.” And so I pushed like a maniac and he came out with a lovely APGAR of 3 and required resuscitation.

My doctor knew that my first baby had had a pushing phase of 20 minutes and that I could do it faster than a c-section. Which I did.

While this doctor was undoubtedly an idiot, don’t think that just because the birth continues vaginally it’s not a real emergency.

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Dreamy Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 7:50 pm Dreamy(Quote)

I don’t disagree, so the question is, if not 99%, then…? 90%? 75%? 60%?

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abba12 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:24 pm abba12(Quote)

Could we perhaps point out the glaringly obvious contradiction here? I’ve never had a c-section so please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but in my logic one more push, even if it dosen’t deliver the baby, will probably push the baby further down the birth canal and out of the uterus. When he then proceeds to do the c-section he will have to get the baby back up again manually to get it out. The further down it is, the more time and effort it will take. If the baby is truly in distress I’m pretty sure pushing it further down is the last thing you want to do!

But of course, because he phrased it like an emergency, the mum began pushing excessivly, perhaps dangerously, just like 90% of the other mums he says this line too. Baby is born in the next push, and he is seen as a hero.

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Kathryn Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 7:51 pm Kathryn(Quote)

That is so scary! I hate to say it, but I’m *almost* glad your friend doesn’t realize what happened… because that would be a very traumatic realization.

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Jen Reply:
June 9th, 2012 at 11:45 am Jen(Quote)

Forgot to mention, the doctor also used the vacuum to assist the delivery. Her husband was horrified at how hard the doctor pulled on the baby’s head. He was afraid he’d pull it right off.

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Lily had this to say, Jun 1, 2012 @ 3:30 pm (Quote)

One hour. One. Frigging. Hour. Is not always enough time for a new mother. But this doctor probably wanted to finish up with her.

OP, have you ever discussed this incident with your friend?

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Jen Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:26 pm Jen(Quote)

I’ve talked a little with her about it, but I don’t feel like it’s my place to re-define the experience for her. After all, I find it offensive when people tell me I should “just get over” my horrible second birth because at least I have a healthy baby. So how can I tell her she should be upset?

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Lily Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 7:03 pm Lily(Quote)

Very true point. I think it just upsets me when I hear stories like this and the people who got hurt still think the sun shines out of their caretaker’s arse.

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Lily Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 9:52 pm Lily(Quote)

PS been reading your blog all afternoon, and it’s fantastic!

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Jen Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 4:22 am Jen(Quote)

Thank you!

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Eileen had this to say, Jun 2, 2012 @ 12:22 am (Quote)

Jaw. hits. floor.

Wow. WOW. I just gave birth to my sweet little girl on Wednesday and it took 1.5 hours of pushing (FTM). And baby did FANTASTIC the whole time, she was the wriggliest baby my midwives had ever seen while being born. If someone had said this to me while I was pushing I think I would have cut them with the lasers shooting out of my eyes.

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Mandy had this to say, Jun 2, 2012 @ 8:21 am (Quote)

Sounds like he was determined to cut her one way or another.
Congrats, Eileen!

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Lorraine had this to say, Jun 2, 2012 @ 10:39 pm (Quote)

So glad that isn’t/wasn’t my OB. My first bubs was a bit over 2hrs of pushing(coached but took the pain away so I was ready for it!). 2nd bubs I was pushing(coached, didn’t feel right) for about 2 1/2hrs and the OB gave me another 30mins, unfortunately as he walked out the room bubs heartrate went down so ended up with emerg section. 4th bubs, VBA2C pushed(not coached) for well over an hr but she was stuck behind my pubic bone as she was OP. I’m guessing if she’d been OA she would’ve been a lot quicker. So OB are you saying that I should have had a section for all my babies?

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Sam had this to say, Jun 3, 2012 @ 8:03 am (Quote)

He sounds like a sadist. He was determined to cut her, wasn’t he? Sbecause he would enjoy it for its own sake, or because he wanted to “be a hero” or whatever… Thank the stars Dr Slashy Hands is retired. :-/

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