October 27, 2012 - My experience was okay but there were things that stood out to me afterwards that I wished had happened differently.
The nurse kept trying to push the epidural on me which I had to refuse several times. I'm not sure whether it was because they believed that it would be the best way to deliver or they just wanted to keep me in the bed and control my labour.
The hospital also lost my birth plan which included the conditions that I didn't want my cord cut right away and wanted skin-to-skin. Even in light of the plan being lost the nurse or doctor never double-checked what my plan was and it was never followed through. I also gave birth around supper time and missed it by minutes...no one ever made sure that I had food to eat for the night.
The first time I went to urinate, I had to have a nurse accompany me to show me how to use the pericare. The nurse was very annoyed and impatient because it was excruciatingly painful and it took me forever to release my urine. I felt like a child.
Also, the ward is a terrible place especially as a first time mother on her first night with a baby. There needs to be a better system for this. I would have gone with a midwife and done a home birth if I knew it would be like that.
My doctor, even though she seems like a nice person, neglected to tell me that she couldn't keep seeing my baby and I as patients in her practice. She told me bluntly that she only likes delivering babies and treating pregnant woman so I basically had to find another doctor. This made me feel like I wasn't worthy enough to receive care.
All things considered I did deliver a healthy baby and had no complications afterwards but I do look on my experience with mixed feelings. If I wasn't as stubborn as I was, the nurse and doctor could have manipulated me to do things I didn't want to do.
