I Can't Believe This Just Happened!!!

doulajamie · 11-06-2009, 09:23 PM

I have a client who recently gave birth. She called me early in the morning with contractions 30 minutes apart, lasting under 30 seconds and told me she was going back to sleep...OK, so I told her we would keep in touch during the day and to call when she needed me...I figured it was going to be a long day! She called me about three hours later to inform me she was going to the hospital because contractions were 5 minutes apart. She had a half hour drive so I figured I'd meet her in a bit at the hospital. I called to the hospital triage en route to see how she was doing and was told she had been moved to the OR. YIKES!!! So I run up to L&D and have to sign in with security because of the H1N1 stuff. I am told my client is in the OR being "worked on" and I will have to wait. I start to panic and decide it's best to get something to eat and calm down so I don't freak my client out. I go back upstairs about 20 minutes later and find out what room she is. She tells me she came to the hospital and was already fully dilated and they moved her to the OR because there are no L& D rooms available. She ends up having an unmedicated, intervention free birth (and this was a planned epidural birth!!!!). OK, so sometimes birth is fast. She spent most of her labor at home on the ball and the toilet and progressed quite well. She acknowledges how all the information and education has made a difference. I can deal!

I go back today to assist with breastfeeding. Mom tells me that she has spent time talking to the nurses and asked why her doula wasn't let into the operating room when I arrived. They told her they had "shoed" me away and didn't know where I was...they thought I had left!!!! They were not even sorry they didn't honor mon's wishes and she tells me she really needed me. OK, now I'm feeling horrible andr there was NOTHING I could have done. She knows its the staff fault, she doesn't blame me. They also refused entry to her mother and told her she was in the OR and couldn't give any more information. I just don't get this! It looks like this security thing is going to make it hard to support clients.

A part of me wonders what the animosity is all about. All I can think is our last three clients to this hospital entered at over 5 cm dilated and had unmedicated births. I arrived behind the client each time. I wonder if the hospital feels we are keeping them home too long or even doing cervical checks...BUT...here's the interesting thing... I never labored at home with any of these women. They did early labor at home with family and friends. They called me when they were heading to the hospital. I had no idea where they were in their labor when I headed in to meet them. We have worked very hard to build alliances, this is just devestating!!

Thanks for reading...I just needed to vent!!!

bellymamadoula · 11-06-2009, 10:54 PM

Jaime I am not following I guess. Mom did AWESOME! Did you tell her that?

Intervention free birth, managed on her own at home and liked it. She wanted you when she was in the hospy and the nurses told her what? They couldn't find you? thought you left? when really you think they were trying to keep you away?

Write a letter. ask why you were misled or your client was, or you both were. It sounds as if it was a bad miscommunication to me (one person told you one thing, the Land D nurse of your client couldn't find you, asked and was told someone saw you leave). I'd write or call right away to try to figure this out.

Other then building the mom up for her accomplishment and what a great baby she has, I wouldn't bring her into it until it's resolved with yourself and the staff. I wouldn't ask or bring it up at all; she needs to bask in how awesome her body is and how great her baby is right now.

DoulaMegz · 11-06-2009, 11:43 PM

1: I'm so happy for this mamma for her empowering and amazing birth.

2: shame on the staff, I would talk to them in person (head of the department) and ask how it can be avoided so all moms (your clientele and others) can have access to their support persons guaranteed.

doulajamie · 11-07-2009, 02:41 PM

Not only did mom do great in her birth. She has done a great job advocating for herself and her baby. She has a complicated case and continued to advocate for exclusive breastfeeding of the baby, getting a pass to get her medication (hospital won't supply), and rooming in with her baby. She really is doing an amazing job! She has persisted with breastfeeding even with a difficult start. I just wish her wishes had been honored and I could have been with her for the delivery. It makes me sad (and angry) that the hospital staff says they "shoed" me away, like I was a pesky fly they didn't want to deal with. I will be making some phone calls on Monday morning.

1stimestar · 11-07-2009, 04:00 PM

Is there a reason that you don't labor with them at home? That way you are arriving at the hospital together and it is much easier to go WITH them into triage then to get let into it at a later time.

doulajamie · 11-07-2009, 05:54 PM

Georgeanne: I offer to labor at home with them, however, in the above cases they have called to let me know about early labor and have stated that they are doing well at home. We keep in touch until they want me to meet them at home or want to meet at the hospital. In this case, she called at 7:30 with contractions 30 minutes apart and lasting under 30 seconds and wanted to go back to sleep. I suggested we keep in touch until the contractions required more attention. At 10:00 I got the call she was going to the hospital because contractions were "right on top of each other". I certainly offer but if mom is doing well I don't impose myself on her space. In this case, she told me she was using the ball and the toilet as we discussed in class and that she was feeling the baby move down.
I am really proud of these last three mamas, I think it is awesome that they made it to active labor on their own and is an accomplishment they can call their own.

1stimestar · 11-10-2009, 01:26 AM

Oh thanks.