OB/GYN becomes evil in delivery room!

[youngmommy]

BS"D

Wow! I just had my baby girl on Saturday, May 29th! Can't believe she's finally here. (She was due on the 20th.)

So anyway, I got along great with my OB/GYN throughtout my whole pregnancy. This may have been because I also had a midwife (acting as a doula in this case) who I was meeting with regularly and knew would be in my delivery room with me. So I mentioned to my OB/GYN that I was having a labor coach, but I never expected her to deliver my baby anyway because there are so many doctors rotating through the practice. Well, she happened to be on-call that day, and when she came to the delivery room, she refuzed to let me talk to my labor coach and ask her questions about what was happening. I tried to talk to my labor coach and my OB/GYN actually threatened to have security remove her. Meanwhile, my labor coach wasn't trying to convince me to do anything or not do anything, she was just talking to me and halping me through labor. I really want anyone who would like to have a drug-free childbirth or a labor coach to know that they should NEVER use this doctor. I am so angry over what happened to me, and I never want that to happen to another woman.

Please, if anyone has any suggestions about how I can get the word out about this doctor, I would greatly appreciate it. I wish I had known in advance. Please tell your friends. Her name is Monica Norwick with Park Nicollet Clinic in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Thanks in advance.
-Yocheved

[Dscvrlifewith3]

I am horrified for what happened to you. For one, you have the right to have whomever you wish as your labour coach. I would write to the hospital about this doctor and report her to the state medical board. Also write her a letter, notarized that you are firing her for her behavior in the L&D.
Also I am not sure if you post ate Mothering.com forums, but you may want to go there and ask someone what you can do. They may be able to help you.

[Smiles81]

That's crazy!!
I had a labor coach and my doctor was really appreciative of her!! They both complemented each other really well.

Reena Green
Smiles81

[lizamann]

Wow, that's terrible! I have no advice, other than to tell everyone you know and hope it spreads.

I would love to hear more about your birth story, if you have the time and energy!

[kaitlinsmommy]

I'm sorry this happened to you and I would also be outraged. I don't know if you had a birth plan discussed with your doctor but it is something to consider for anyone reading these posts.

[zuzu]

Congratulations! I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through that, and it's nice of you to want to warn others. You've gotten some good suggestions and the only thing I can add is to possibly check for local list server (or whatever they're called) parent groups in your area. I belong to one for my area, and often see posts recommending or cautioning against particular doctors.

Take care and enjoy yor little one.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5.10.03)

[Rachels]

What Kimberly said!!! So sorry this happened to you. Congrats on your baby, though!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/character/2/character39.gif

"We have a secret in our culture...it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong!!" - Laura Stavoe Harm

[starrynight]

Congrats on your dd's birth! I'm sorry your doc was such a jerk, I would complain to the hospital or the patient liasion.

[Kieransmom]

I would definately complain. My father is a physician and he says that a doctor's "bedside manner" is SO important. It is true. I would say something to the hospital. Not to mention change to a new practice. I wouldn't want to give her my money regardless of if my insurance was paying for it or not.

Congrats!

Michelle
Mommy to Kieran, born 5/9/03

[Melanie]

I am so sorry. What a rotten doctor.

[Chelsey333]

You should contact your health insurance company and file a complaint. Call the number on your card and speak to member services. If it is a good insurance company they will follow up and have a representative look into it. If a doctor has a certain amount of complaints your insurance company will drop her.

[StantonHyde]

This sounds like an awful experience. I can tell you one potential way to avoid having this happen with your next doctor. I asked my doctor what doula she recommended. She raved about one woman and I heard excellent feedback about her from many others. In the end, I didn't end up using her because of scheduling conflicts and then I had health problems so had to be induced. BUT I had my MDs buy-in the whole time. I wanted to use somebody the MD was comfortable with and liked. With my risk factors, my MD came first. I was also very happy to know that she was totally supportive of me using a doula. So I would say--talk about this in the interview process. And--pick an MD/practice where you can have some certainty that the MD who sees you throughout your care will be the one to deliver you.

In the meantime, take the time to recover emotionally from your birth experience. And enjoy that sweet baby!

[barbarhow]

There should be a patient rights advocate at the hospital. They should receive a letter as well as the president of the hospital. Unbelievable behavior. I am so sorry that such a beautiful experience was marred by her. I would press the issue with the patients rights office, too. ITA about sending her a letter and firing her as well. I would send a copy of that letter with the letters to the hospital.
On a happier note-Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[DDowning]

The above suggestion from the PP is good - but its also a good idea to talk to your employer's health insurance representative and have her/him file a complaint with the insurance company. Insurance companies want to be on the good side with employer groups as that's where the money is and will likely admonish the doctor themselves.