insane!

so the midwife was discussing hospital procedure at my last appt and went over the vitamin k shot and eye antibiotics they give the baby after birth. i told her that we didn't do the eye antibiotics for the last 2 babies since i am quite sure i don't have gonnorhea (sp?) and it isn't necessary.

she told me that the hospital policy (not the midwives) is to make me sign a waiver and then take the waiver straight to children's aid and file a neglect claim she also said that though the midwives have hospital privileges, the nurses/docs have a habit of "losing" midwife patient files so she emphatically told me not to give my chart to anyone who is not a midwife.

i am disgusted. i am seriously rethinking the hospital birth. i was only doing it because the first homebirth made dh nervous and i am a bit older so i have some concerns about complications, though i have no history to worry. the midwife gave me all the supplies for a homebirth "just in case" so maybe i will just wait too long.
*sigh* why must birth be so complicated???

thanks for listening. just had to vent.

That's a bit harsh! I don't know what to say. I've only had hospital births, everything went really well. Except Claudia was delievered by the nurses. I think that if the last home birth went really well, you should try to do it again.

seriously?! that is so dumb.

OH MY

I would call the hospital and ask them specifically about the policy, then I would call Childrens aid and ask them about it. It may just be that they keep it on record that you refused it, Maybe it doesn't mean that they are going to send an army of people out to investigate you?
You should have the right to refuse medical care. Its a legal right.
I do see how the hospitals have to cover their own butts tho, esp. in this society.

Personally home births scare the bejeebies out of me, but thats just because of some of the really bad stuff I learned about in school and saw in the hospitals. I never got to see all the wonderful easy normal deliveries.

If that it is true, it sounds like the drs. and nurses are irritated that "anyone" can be a midwife... that she didn't have to go through years of schooling like they did, so how could she possibly know anything. Kind of like how a lot of teachers feel towards homeschooling parents.
I think maybe you should talk to DH about the home birth idea again. If your local hospital is like that, maybe I'd try it on my own first.

It would be nice to try home birth BUT i cant. I have to be in the hospital. My blood pressure always climbs to a dangerously high and I seem to hemorage more with each additional child and with breanna I almost died:( Not at birth but a week later i hemoraged 2 litres of blood. BUT i did bleed alot more at birth with breanna then i did with jenna so i always plan for a stay of at east 2 days:(

I'd definitely follow up with the hospital as to what their policy is. I can understand that they want you to sign a waiver to protect themselves, but filing a neglect claim is ridiculous!

omg, Shelly, i had no idea. glad you are okay.

it is the hospital's policy. still waivering back and forth on where to deliver. i guess i will decide when the time comes.

goodluck!