Angela – Confident to Change Dr and Hospital 48 hours prior to due date

(This is the second in a series of e-mails Angela, posted on the Hypnobabies Yahoo Group in December.  I will be posting them here approximately on the dates she sent them in December so you can see the steps she took to try to create the ideal birth for her.  It required a lot of her work on her part.  Check back to see the challenges she faced and the choices she made and what the outcome was.)

I have had a bit of a busy and overwhelming couple of days. My due date was the
13th (yesterday). I had a checkup last Thursday with my Dr. and she said me and
baby were healthy. I had shown her my “birth preferences” and while she said she
was supersticious about planning anything she would be ok with what I desired
(that was about a month ago). Since there are 5 Dr’s in the practice I made my
rounds and hadn’t seen her in over a month.

So back to Thursday morning. Me and baby are healthy. She checked my cervix and
it was “hard” (even though 2 weeks prior to it was “softening” by another
Doctor’s standards) so she wanted me to go directly to hospital to be admitted,
started on an IV, then Friday they would insert cervidal in my cervix to soften,
then start a pitocin drip on Saturday to deliver Sunday-Monday. I was in shock
and felt ambushed. I told her calmly “I respect your medical opinion but you
want me to be in the hospital for 3 days prior to induction then you want to
induce..No Thank you.”

I asked again if there was anything wrong with me or the baby and she said no
but it is practice policy to induce by or prior to the due date due to the 5-10%
chance of stillbirth in women..and she proceeded to tell me about how I am
putting my life and my babies life at risk..and that it would be my fault if
anything happened to the baby in the womb because I wouldn’t agree to the
induction.

Now I met with the chief OB the week before, showed her my prefrences and she
said that they wouldn’t mention induction until 41 weeks…now they are saying
that I misunderstood and that only by specific request will they not induce
prior to the due date. So she finally agreed after I told her “no to inducing
this week” to put off the induction until Wednesday the 16th…where she said my
cervix will still not be ready so they would like to start an IV on the 15th..to
induce by the 16th-17th.

I was not a happy mommy to be. My husband was at work in California (I was in
Arizona) and my family members in town were not supportive of my decision to at
least give my self a chance for a natural birth. My Sister in law delivered at
this practice with a scheduled induction 1 week prior to her due date because
they were worried about baby distress..and she has regretted the induction ever
since. It was a hard and highly medicated birth..that lasted for days.

So, I cried alot, called my husband and my parents (who have all been very
supportive from a far) and all were upset by the news. I also had random
friends calling to check on me so I thank God for wonderful people in my life
who listen to their gut on when to call…and give words of encouragement in
support of me and my husbands decisions.

At this point, I was ready to deliver at home with my mom (an RN) in my bathtub.
But I prayed about it..and thanks to Hypnobabies remained calm overall..and
thought through my options. Home Birth, change of Doctors, change of Hospital
(It wasn’t very natural friendly either)?

Thursday night I called all of the midwives on this side of town (all 3 of them)
and one called me back and said she’d be glad to help out but insurance wouldn’t
cover the costs and we had literally 1 week or less to come up with the money
and supplies needed for a home birth. She also gave me the name of the ONLY
Mid-wife/Doctor practice in the area (about 35 min away) that delivers at a
hospital.

Friday morning, I called the midwife’s office, told them my situtaion and they
were horrified. They talked with the midwife and she agreed to meet me at lunch
on Friday to make sure me and baby were ok as well as take me on as a patient
even though the due date was Sunday. What an Amazing Blessing! I met with her
on Friday afternoon: baby is healthy, I had high blood pressure upon arrival but
after an hour talk with the midwife it was back to normal. I also found out the
most natural friendly hospital where she delivers the majority of babies
(Phoenix Baptist). They even have Jacuzzi tubs and while they don’t officially
do “water births”..she said “Hey, if you happen to be in the tub when the
pushing phase begins..I”m not going to make you move..I’ll just hop in with
you!”

So here I am, with a Midwife and a Natural friendly hospital and I am confident
that me and my baby are going to have a wonderful birthing experience! Thank
you to Hypnobabies and the Moms in the Yahoo Group for the wonderful stories and
encouragement. I would have never had the knowledge or confidence to stand up
to a Doctor and CHANGE Doctors and hospitals just prior to the birth of my first
baby if it were not for you!!

I’ll let you know when she arrives along with the wonderful and perfect birth
story for us! Right now we are 40 weeks and 1 day but she’s my first so I know
she will come at her perfect time!

Blessings to all of you!!

Angela A.
40 weeks and 1 day
Phoenix AZ