Okay so here's the thing. Dr. Rebecca Yee was my doc (whom I love by the way), but when I went into labor she wasn't available. I was pregnant with my second child and planning on a natural birth with hypnobirthing techniques as I did with my first.
I had already had a wonderful, natural birth at CPMC back in 08...yes they can happen. So I knew what to expect, I knew there would be great nurses there to support me, I also had a wonderful doula and very supportive husband. I was in great hands!!!
I've done Hypnobirthing before no problems, I know how to control my pain, I know how to birth my baby. So when I went into labor one morning back in April 2010, I wasn't scared I was prepared and ready!
I went to the hospital around 11am, labored in the tub with music, candles lit(battery operated ones of course) nurses excited to see a natural birth, husband speaking calmy to me, taking care of me, doula massaging me, comforting me....it was a tough but great labor because of my support.
So around say I don't know, 5:50pm it's pretty much go time. I'm told my doc, won't make it but someone from her office, Dr. Wittenberg, who I had never met, would be delivering me baby. So I think I'm in good hands right....WRONG.
With my first birth the doctor that I had, because yet again Dr. Yee wasn't available, was AMAZING! She respected our wishes for a calm, quite lights dimmed kind of birth, no interventions unless NECESSARY. She was totally okay with this, she barely uttered any words and let me do the work, no coaching, no yelling, it was a wonderful experience for having a hospital birth. She let me deliver however felt right to me, I told her laying on my side felt best and she said "go for it!" talk about a supportive OB!
dang I forget her name though......
Well with Wittenberg......when she came into my room, I was standing on the side of the bed and had begun to push. I was ready to climb in to the bed to deliver in the side laying position because it was what's comfortable to me. She yelled, yes yelled to my doula and the nurse, "she needs to lay on her back"..... I'm thinking to myself Oh hell not like those chicks on TLC on those horrible shows, that IS NOT how birth really is! Women around the world DO NOT lay on their backs to deliver. At first I wouldn't do it, my body knew what to do, but she yelled yet again, I mean freaking screamed. THen she screamed at me to pull my legs back....seriously is this a freaking joke. I'm looking around the room, like is she kidding, does she even know me, has she even looked at my birth plan. what's this doc talking about, "hold my legs back" honey I ain't on A Baby Story, I know what the hell to do.
Needless to say I could NOT deal with her yelling, I mean I'm in freaking labor, why must you scream at a mom to be like that. So i delivered on my back, that shit sucked!!!! My labor was a tough one but I could handle it, delivering on your back sucks and I'm not happy that I was forced to do so. But my baby boy came out perfect and healthy and was laid on my chest for some skin to skin and nursing in no time.
if i were to have another babe, i will most likely use a Midwife or find a OB who supports natural births. Based on my experience with Heidi, I personally would not recommend her.
Again this was MY experience with her, so maybe she's different with patients she knows...she did not know me. Maybe she was having a shitty day(lame excuse) who knows, but we were not pleased. read more