Support for Natural Birth from OB?

cheerleader.08

Have many of you really had problems with OB's and Hospitals not being supportive of Natural Births?  I have two natural births with Ob's in hospitals in two different states.  I got nothing but support and enthusiasm and encouragement.  Both hospitals were very pro-breastfeeding and the second actually required that you breastfeed at least once in the hour after birth.  I was never given sample formula at a hospital.  I see so many posts about hospitals and OB's out to get natural birth, but I have never seen it in person.  So I am just curious, have you all had that many bad experiences or just chose a midwife to avoid the possibility?

ridesbuttons

My experience in the hospital was great.  Doc very supportive, nurses great, breastfeeding encouraged.

Nobody tried to push meds or change my goals in any way.  I didn't have a written plan, my plan was just to go with the flow, and the staff was just excellent helping me through contractions, making position suggestions, etc.

I am both saddened and surprised by the many discouraging stories on this board.  Good luck to you all!

veebug22

My current practice is very supportive of it; however, my previous practice was hard to read. I have a feeling in the moment that they may have pushed me in directions I didn't want to go. At one point I actually had a receptionist say to me -- in front of an OB who was trying to tell there aren't really any negative possible side effects to getting an epidural -- "Why would you even bother trying to go natural? Like really, why would you even bother doing that to yourself?" I was dumbfounded at the lack of professionalism and push back from both of them. The hospital however seems very pro-breastfeeding and open to natural births and moms who want to avoid bottles after birth, etc.

robyn2201

My OB was not very supportive of our decision. We thought about switching practices but for several reasons we decided to stay with her. One reason being that she was on a rotation of 8 dr's and most likely she would not be on call that day. We also knew we might run into some conflicting views with the hospital staff so we hired a doula. Thankfully the day DD decided to arrive our nurse we were assigned was amazing and totally open towards our plans. We ended up having a great experience and my dr was actually on call that day funny enough. But she was only there for 30 min of the hour pushing and left quickly after DD was born.

We may do things differently the second time around. Maybe make the long drive to a birth center or homebirth. Not quite sure.

ETA: In our area, we did not have the option of a midwife unless we wanted a homebirth. If we did we would have automatically made the switch.

njh514

Ooh! I'm so happy to see that some have had a great experience at a hospital with an OB. I don't really have any other options but I L*O*V*E my OB. We talked to her about natural birth today and she was very supportive. I loved her attitude. She went back and looked at my records with my first son and let me know that if x, y, or z happen that it could kind of harm some of the natural plans but that she just wanted me to be aware. She said that she thinks I should be able to go naturally. So excited. Thanks for the positive experiences!

Anonymi

I got more support from my OB than I expected. I mentioned the fact that I wanted to try a natural birth and she got excited! I knew though from the start that she would probably be open to the idea but I didn't think that she would get excited about the prospect and actually have a ton of helpful suggestions.

desmerelda317

My OB wasn't unsupportive, but he wasn't overly enthusiastic either.  I suppose you'd consider him somewhere in the middle.  Every time we talked about labor/pain management/etc. and I said, "I'm planning on going med-free and am taking Bradley classes to prepare me for that end," he'd respond with, "well, you've never done this before, so don't feel like you have to say no to any pain management meds or other interventions."  That was usually the extent of the conversation.  He never said I couldn't do it or he wouldn't allow it, but he always made a point of reminding me the epidural and other meds were readily available.  

In the end, it didn't matter.  The OB on call when I delivered was a different one and she was AMAZING!  She did exactly what I needed her to do which was to stay out of my way and let me labor with my doula and husband until it was time to push.  She honored all of our requests and let me labor and push in any position I felt like it.  She was so relaxed about the entire thing.  

The nurse on the other hand was super annoying.  First, it took her about an hour to get my saline lock in (I didn't want the IV line or pole, but the hospital insisted on the saline lock).  She tied on the tourniquet and then had to wait through about 5 contractions - while my arm was turning purple from the tourniquet - before she got it in because she kept forgetting various tools in her basket and then she went through about 3 different veins before the IV nurse came in and did it properly.  And then the stupid thing fell out anyway while I was pushing so that was annoying.  

Also, she was so intent on getting my contractions and the baby's heart rate on the monitors and because I refused to stay still enough for them to get the heart rate properly, she kept freaking out "I can't get a heart rate, I can't get a heart rate."  The doctor was clearly not worried about my son's heart rate or him being in any distress but the nurse wouldn't shut up.  Finally the doctor looked at her, then looked at me and said, "would it be okay if we did an internal monitor for the baby's heart."  I said, "no."  I knew DS wasn't in distress because the times his heart rate did register, it was perfectly fine and healthy.   The doc never mentioned it again.  And the nurse finally shut up about the stupid monitors lol.

Aloe0l

Our OB is supportive, but is also adamant that we are aware that should things require medical intervention, we be open to it.  Which, is fair IMO.  That is what she is there for, to intervene when medically necessary, right?

monkeyqueen

I have nothing but great Hospital experiences (except the nurse from this last one...I didn't really like her, but she did okay I guess,..... the Dr. was fabulous!!!).

mysticporter

Two different OB's, two different hospitals in two different states, both very positive experiences.  Second time around the nurse and OB were really a big part of why I didn't get an epi, they kept saying I was so close I should hold out.

drewiekc

My OB is extremely supportive, and our hospital seems to be as well.  I have absolutely no reservations about where we're delivering.  I feel bad for the ladies who have had poor OB/hospital experiences.

TCMom78

Switched OB's and hospitals to get support.  My original OB was not very supportive of it --- he'd let me "try" but told me in the end, I'd ask him for the drugs, and that 99% of his births have the epi.  So, BUH BYE!

leah520

My OB just says over and over again that I need to keep an open mind. I'm at 36 weeks with my first and I've talked to him about birth but he keeps saying all the "new ideas" around are hype and making a birth plan isn't a good idea because the situation will be so unpredictable. I said I wanted to go med-free and he asked "Do you have a high tolerance for pain?" That seems like a weird answer to some but it really made me think about whether or not I do. I like my OB and I don't care how he feels about birth as much as I care how qualified he is. I'm paying for his experience and education not his "feelings". 

In my opinion, women should be more concerned about that than they seem to be on the boards.

longingtoholdher2010

I got a pretty snooty attitude from a nurse practitioner that I had to see last week because my ob was out of town and her whole demeanor changed when she asked me if I was pre registering for my birth that week and I said actually we are having a home birth with a midwife, immediately stuck her nose up in the air and was just like oh ok then, well why would you want to do that!? we haven't yet told my ob but I am hoping that we don't get the same reaction from him since he has actually been back up for my midwife before.