Want to deliver Naturally @ GBMC

Supasweet

My OB uses GBMC. Love him but I'm not in love with GBMC 43% c-section rate. Has anyone delivered naturally there? Do they have tub for water birthing? I want to a water birth using hypnobirthing. I'm almost 32 weeks so I will ask my OB at my next appt. just wondering if anyone has had previous experience.

autumn bliss

If a waterbirth is your priority, I would have looked for a hospital that has a tub.  To my knowledge, Mercy is the only hospital in the area that has one and it is not a guarantee that you will be able to use it if it is already occupied when you go into labor.

I delivered at GBMC because I go to a fantastic practice that delivers there.  However, I had no qualms about the hospital so I was comfortable with our decision to deliver there.  I did not have a c-section, in fact, it was never even mentioned.  I won't get into the cs vs. vag debate and GBMC's high cs rate, as really, it is your OB's decision, based on your health and your unborn child's health.  I delivered vaginally there and about half of the women I know who have gone there have done the same.  I chose to get an epi but I was not made to and could have gone "naturally" if I had wanted to.

I do know that the hospital does not provide birthing balls, and they may not have birthing bars available either...I can't remember about the last one.  I am also pretty sure they require you to have an IV port put in just in case and I believe they require continuous fetal monitoring or atleast the majority of the time, which makes getting out of the bed to labor difficult.  They do have a doula program there for you to hire a doula in advance, particularly helpful if you wanted to go "naturally".  Honestly, I would address your birth plan with your OB ASAP.

Good luck with your decision.  Perhaps your practice has priviledges at Mercy so you can have that waterbirth there?  Otherwise, and I know this is late in the game and I personally would not feel comfortable doing so, but you could always switch your practice to one at Mercy to get what you want. 

daisyterp

I started a reply to this but closed the tab by mistake.

Basically- you need to worry about your practice's/provider's policies and C/S rate as much as you need to look @ the hospitals. You should be asking your provider about their policies regarding induction, augmenting w/ pitocin, episiotomies, positioning/moving around during labor and delivery, etc. 

I am not familiar w/ GBMC for L&D, but I had a completely non-natural (pitocin inductionalbeit vaginal birth @ AAMC w/ my daughter.  I switched to a midwifery practice for this most recent pregnancy and had a completely natural labor and delivery experience.  I never understood why some women want to go natural until I had my daughter and I felt like total crap afterwards, was scared to death during, etc.  My birth experience w/ my son was totally different and really just an awesome experience.

With my daughter I went to an OB practice - throughout my pregnancy I let them know I 1) would do anything to avoid a c/s and 2) really did not want to end up getting induced (I thought my EDD should be 2/11 they dated me @ 1/31- of course I ended up w/ a pitocin induction on 2/11, they wouldn't let me go the full 42 weeks due to "scheduling" issues- my health was fine, baby was fine we did non-stress tests, etc.)  Turns out they were really just paying me lip service throughout my pregnancy.

It is possible to decline getting pitocin during labor, being induced, etc. but it's tough to say no to these interventions once you are in the hospital. 

If you end up staying put my biggest piece of advice to you would be to labor at home for as LONG as possible.  W/ the delivery of our son I went in and got checked @ 9:30 am by my midwife, I was 3 cm, so I went back home.  I stayed at home until nearly 4 pm, when I went back in I was 7 cm- 4 pm, 7 cm, 6:00 pm my water broke on its own, 6:15 I was 8.5/9cm and @ 6:35 my son was born.  Granted as a 2nd baby he came faster than a first baby was, but I spent the bulk of my time in labor at home in my bed, my shower, able to eat and drink and move about freely etc. 

As autumn bliss mentioned once you are in the hospital you are hooked up to monitors and basically stuck in bed as a result- some hospitals do have wireless/walking monitors, but from everything I have read/heard they don't like using those because they move around and aren't as accurate.  Also if you are hooked up to pitocin you can't get out of bed because you have a blood pressure cuff on your one arm, IV on the other, the 2 monitors on your belly.  

jcsntms06

Another hospital that you may want to check out is Harbor Hospital. They have a birthing tub. Although I didn't deliver there, I have a friend who plans on birthing there in a few days (hopefully) and she plans on having a natural birth.

Good luck. 

hdommy

I did end up having a c-section at GMBC with my first.  I was induced due to her large size.  However, my Dr knew I wanted to go vaginally if at possible.  She let me push for over 5 hours, but after 5 hours, we figured she wasn't going to make it out.  She was in sunnyside up (face forward) and being such a large baby 9+ lbs made it very hard for her to tuck her chin to get out the birth canel, however, my Dr. never told me this until after I was done pushing, so I wouldn't get discouraged.  She tried everything with me, GMBC does have birthing bars, we used them, they had me out of bed, squating, etc even with piticon, IV, and an epi (I still had feeling in my legs).  My dr knew my thoughts and desires and we tried everything, with no luck.  The c-section was the last resort, because we had to get her out with the time restraints with when my water broke and infection.  I new going in I have BIG babies, I was 9+ and my husband was 10+, genetically I have BIG babies.  I am now 26+ weeks pregnant with my second, I have spoke with my OB and she is allowing me to go VBAC with my second.  I have already discussed with her everything and we are on the same page, unless something changes medically that is the plan and I will be delivery again at GMBC.  The biggest thing is, to talk to you OB and make sure your birthing plan is expressed in your baby work, so that the hosipital has it also, incase your OB doesn't end up delivering you.  I know I have a BRIGHT sticker on my file saying VBAC, to make sure everyont knows.  Just some thoughts.  

hollykhenry

I delivered naturally there and had a WONDERFUL experience. As far as I know they do not have a tub for water birthing.

 My experience included an OB that knew I wanted to go naturally and hiring a doula from the GBMC service - I had Lanny Dowell and she was absolutely amazing - I would have paid her anything she asked to be there! She did massage, offered position suggestions, helped my husband and generally made sure we were happy and comfortable at all times. She also found out the hospital has fetal monitors that do not need to be plugged in as well so we used them. Some of our nurses didn't know those existed there - so it helped to have someone advocate for us! We brought a birthing ball, the bed can also go into a ton of positions including serving as a squating bar, which was great.

 I would recommend getting a doula and being clear with your doc. Our nurse said basically we could do whatever our doc was comfortable with but he had to literally write down that I was allowed out of my bed, to walk around, only have monitors on once an hour, etc. and it was a lovely experience. Hard, for sure, but great! Hope this helps!

MoMandA

I delivered at GMBC and had a c-section after a failed induction. I was induced because I was 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant with twins. I had no complications. 

My twins were both head down and I should have had a vaginal delivery. However, my OB broke baby A's water very early into the induction. I was positive for GBS and 12 hours after my water was broken she pressured me to have a c-section because she was worried about the infection risk because she intentionally broke his water. If his water was not broken I could have labored longer. I was tolerating labor well with no pain meds and the babies were doing just fine. I blame my OB primarily for my c-section. I realize that it could be hospital policies that informed her decision to pressure me to have the section or to have broken my water in the first place. I probably will not go back there.

Their breastfeeding warmline is awesome though.

Good luck.