It was distressing to read of a Chicago’s women’s birth experience in which she was verbally abused by an OB during her birth.
I know that these things do happen during birth. I have seen it as a doula though to a much lesser extent. Part of the problem is that even if you have an OB you trust, you may end up with someone else at the birth. Often with little choice of who it is.
The only solution I can think of to this is a very small practice with one or two care providers. Or a homebirth where you are CERTAIN of who will be in your space as you birth.
I feel for this women who suffered during her birth. No one should have to experience that.
My mom experienced this when she was giving birth to me. She said the doctor came in drunk and he yelled at her when she asked him to move so she could see me come out in the mirror. He yelled at her and said “Do you want me to drop this G** Damn baby”. She said it was such an awful experience because the birth itself was her easiest birth (She had 5 kids unmedicated, she’s my hero). They left her strapped on the table for 30 minutes by herself while my Dad was with me. So I am a HUGE fan of midwives, and like you said, if you need an OB go to a small practice. This should NEVER happen. My mom is not the type to write a nasty letter, but she said that is the one time in her life she wrote a nasty letter to the hospital.
The guy was not her actual OB. Her OB was on vacation, and this guy was on call and had the audacity to deliver a baby DRUNK… WHAT A D-BAG!
It has always amazed me when moms are yelled at and threatened during labor/birth…and then after the baby is born they THANK the doctor/staff.
Insane.
I am proud of this mom for standing up to STOP this treatment.
As a doula it is difficult to ‘help’ moms in this situation; and what moms need is to stand up for themselves. They are not a patient. They are a paying client.
I truly believe that doctors take advantage of the women because they are in such a vulnerable state. Anything negative that is introduced during the birth is made 100% worse because mom is working to bring her baby here and having to make parenting decisions to protect her baby simultaneously.
Misogyny. Plain and simple. It has pervaded our culture to the point that women comment that “it wasn’t so bad” when referring to their births.
IT WASN’T SO BAD!?!!? I want to scream!! Why are women not clamoring for “empowering”, “life changing”, “like a religious experience”, “fulfilling”, “in charge”, or “amazing” births?
Why are women just lining up like cattle to be slaughtered? When did the women in our society turn into sheeple who cannot/do not/choose to not think for themselves??
I still, three years after beginning this journey, find myself shaking my head in disgust all the time. You’d think that by now I’d be used to the revolting things that are done to women.
Kudos to this women for having the courage to stand up to the face of hatred and wrongdoing. I hope she wins in court and that this beast of a person is never allowed to touch a woman in the name of medicine ever again.
Give low risk birth back to the midwives!!
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