Recently, my daughter gave birth to my gorgeous grandson. While the birth of her child should have been a positive and empowering experience, it was deeply overshadowed by the conduct of Dr. Siegel from Oceanside OB, who attended the delivery at Shore Medical Center.
From the outset--and throughout her prenatal care--Dr. Siegel was rude, dismissive, and condescending. On multiple occasions, my daughter left her prenatal appointments visibly upset and would call me crying due to his inappropriate remarks and dismissive attitude toward her questions, concerns, and preferences. Her hope was that he would not be the delivering provider. This pattern of behavior continued into her labor and delivery.
My daughter went into labor spontaneously, yet the doctor's first interaction with her during labor was to enter the room with an unprofessional attitude and state that she would "never be able to do this naturally." He showed little regard for her wishes or birth plan, particularly her desire for an unmedicated, natural labor--an experience she had successfully achieved with her first child.
The only reason my daughter chose Oceanside OB and Shore Medical Center was due to proximity to her new home, as it was closer than the birthing center where she delivered her first child. At one point during labor, my daughter expressed that being there felt "like being in prison," which was heartbreaking to hear.
As a registered nurse with nearly 20 years of experience--much of it in labor and delivery--I was profoundly disturbed by Dr. Siegel's behavior. What further compounded this negative experience was the conduct of the assigned nurse, Meaghan, who was also rude and unprofessional. She failed to provide compassionate care and made no effort to advocate for my daughter during labor.
This experience fell far short of the standard of care that any patient, particularly a laboring mother, deserves.
I am grateful that I was there along with my daughter's significant other, who supported her every step of the way, leading to her goal of a beautiful natural labor and delivery. read more