Natural Birth
flying.pier
member
Worried about losing control?
flying.pier
member
Hi gals, so my main concern in this whole pregnancy is having the birth that I want if possible. What I am worried about is that my hospital will pump me full of stuff even if I say no, or will simply not listen to what I want! (It's Tripler, the military hospital on Oahu, the ONLY military hospital on the island!) Everytime I have been there it is SOO crowded and understaffed, and it is obvious they dont really care about the individual all that much. Any ideas on how to get my way or prevent unnecessary drugs being given to me? (We cant afford to go anywhere else, this is the only place that insurance will cover)
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Re: Worried about losing control?
They do have a midwife program there, but there are only about 4-5 midwives, so the chance of mine actaully being there for the delivery are very slim. No outside midwives are aloud since they have their program. (or so I was told) I will be taking a tour of the delivery area next month, and will ask more indepth questions of them then, but am not sure what things to even ask about. Bleh...
Start by calling Tricare and asking how much OB care and birth is covered by Standard and what your copay is. Also consider that Tricares catastrophic cap on Standard is only $1k so that's the most you could spend in one year for all your healthcare. I believe they cover 100% of all OB care regardless of if they are network or not. Double check that though!!
A doula is not a midwife. They do not do medical things. A doula is just a woman who knows a lot about childbirth and can help you understand what the doctors are saying so you can make informed decisions. They also help with comfort measures. Check into doulas at www.dona.org.
With DD I was lucky and had a nurse that was very pro natural birth so it was very easy to stick to my birth plan. With my first delivery with my DS, the hospital was good but the nurses were asking if I wanted pain meds very early on and I gave in and got the epi and ended up with a c-section. They would scare me and warn me how it will get SO much more painful in a few hours... Loads of support huh?
This time around I made sure to get my DH on my side 100% about the VBAC and no pain meds so if I felt the urge to ask for meds he would be my rock. I got back labor again and it was painful but he was great and did the work of a doula essentially and did the massage and pressure pushing on my back and hips. If you can't find a doula then teach DH
Also be strong and when you go into the hospital there is nothing wrong with asking them to assign you a nurse that is the most pro-natural that they have. When I told my OB my birth plan in triage they gave me a nurse that was the most supportive.
Last advice I give, LABOR AT HOME AS LONG AS YOU CAN!! Trust me, it's scary, especially the first time. Thoughts of "omg what if I deliver in the car, ect.." but honestly, almost all of us make it to the hospital in time and once you are there you will wish you stayed home longer so you could relax and be comfortable
If you are not there then you can't be convinced to have meds 
I would stay home and labor there as long as possible. Also, you need to just remember that you are the patient, it is your body and your baby and you have the right to discuss every step with the docs and make a decision.
I would begin with a birth plan that generally states your wishes for a natural, med-free birth. I'd make sure your whole labor team is aware of your wishes. And then as you progress, just remember to ask questions. E.g. "We need to do X" then you say "Is this an emergency or can we discuss the options first?" Etc. If it's an emergency, obviously let them do what is necessary, but if it's not then engage them in conversation so you can make a decision.
Good luck!
Thanki you very much! I didnt realize that this was possible by switching to Standard! (I'm new to all the Tricare stuff, just married a few months ago) I will call and check, and keep my fingers crossed!