On the heels of the great hospital birth story I posted a few days ago, here is one that is not-so-great... And this has already been posted on a ton of birth blogs, so please forgive me for following in the footsteps of y'all!
Birth Story: Coerced Pain Meds
This is the story of a mama who wants a natural birth but is forcibly persuaded into accepting unwanted pain medication through the coercion of her mother and her attending nurse. While both (or at least her mom) were trying to do what was best for her... well, they kind of blew it.
This kind of thing (which is far from uncommon, it seems) is why I ALWAYS recommend a doula! A doula can protect a laboring mama from unwanted coercion, can play go-between, can reassure the mom and dad of the normalcy of labor (dads can get pretty freaked out), and make sure the mama's wants are honored. Don't birth without one! In fact, I love them so much that I'm going to have two - and at a homebirth, at that!
If I had birthed in a hospital without a doula, I too would have ended up with unwanted pain meds. Labor is scary, especially for first-time moms and first-time dads. The mama doesn't know what to expect, and the dad is freaked out by seeing his wife in pain. Doulas are invaluable assets at any birth!
This story is so sad. And then people wonder why more and more women are going to midwives and having their babies in birthing centers and at home.
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