July 7, 2020 - I was hoping for a home birth but my fundus was measuring small at 38.5 weeks. This was determined by an ultrasound and I was sent to labour and delivery that day. The was at 7 am on July 6th, 2020. One day before Toronto made masks mandatory in public spaces. My midwife came to the hospital to check my cervix and prep me for what was to come. Waters broken and induction. I wanted a home birth for my first as a way to avoid unnecessary pressure from hospital staff and ensure peace given the new Covid restrictions. I got to my room, my midwife had some things to do and left for about an hour, and an OB and her nurses came in. They broke my water and proceeded to tell me I’d need pitocin right away, an epidural and maybe a C section. I began to cry. In part because I didn’t want to be at the hospital, my husband hadn’t arrived yet (he was buying food since there was none in the hospital for him), and I didn’t understand why I needed all of that when I felt fine... “What’s wrong, Lauren? Why are you crying?” Asked one of the nurses. I said that this was not the birth I wanted and I need to know what we need to do to ensure the safety of the baby. And that I don’t want to do anything more than only what is needed. So I was put on pitocin. The nurse put the tube into my hand and spilled my blood on the floor while doing so. She verbalized her hesitancy and difficultly with administering the needle. I assured her that she could do it. Upon my husband’s arrival, he cleaned up my spilled blood.
About the pitocin. Prior to getting it I wanted to walk around the room to get labour going naturally. One nurse said I needed the pitocin within an hour and the head of OB said I could wait 4 hours. BUT if I waited too long it could result in an emergency c section. I was confused by the misinformation and wondered what was actually true... with my midwife out and just my husband and I to decide, I thought it would be best I get the pitocin in an hour. I asked the nurse to turn up the pitocin every hour instead of every 30 mins. She agreed to “forget about me once and a while”.
About this nurse. At one point I asked her if I could go in shower but she said no because the monitors weren’t waterproof. The nurse that came in later said I could because they were waterproof... I was surprised again by this misinformation. I didn’t use the shower because by that point I was nearing pushing and had had an epidural. The OB team switched over and so did my midwife team. My midwife checked my cervix once and the OB did so the times after that. The OB was exceptionally rough with my cervix to the point where I asked her to take it easy because she was hurting me. Nothing changed and hours later during one of her last checks she said, “I was going to open your cervix an inch or two but didn’t because I didn’t think you’d like it”. Damn straight I wouldn’t have liked it! What happened to consent?
On the nurse shift change, a nurse wearing perfume came in and turned on the lights. I was heavy into my deep breathing through the contractions so I asked her, “can you please turn the lights off?” She replied, ”when I’m done my paperwork”. All I could think of was saying “do your paperwork in the hallway where the lights are on.” None of the other nurses needed the lights on... I asked her to leave because of the perfume. It was way too much for my senses. I was given another, much kinder nurse. At about midnight I requested an epidural. The day of pushing with pitocin had finally overwhelmed my body. The anesthesiologist came in and while setting up the epidural he mentioned something to a nurse about “extra fentanyl”. I asked about it and said I didn’t want it. He was surprised and said everyone wanted it. I said not me... again, where was the consent? He was asking me questions and giving explanations while I was having contractions.. I had to ignore him.
I wanted some feeling back for when it came time to push. The epidural lasted about 4-5 hours, which I used to sleep. And as feeling in my belly and legs returned I was nearing ready to push.
When it came time to push, the OB and her team came in, I masked up. She explained that the baby will most likely need help coming under my pubic bone because she was my first. She said, “we’ll probably need to use a vacuum, forceps, and then a c-section”... again, speaking to me through contractions. I probably just scowled and breathed deeply at her. My midwife helped insist that I had the strength to push my baby out and was already on my way to doing so. I continued to push and eventually the OB said the baby’s heart rate was dropping too low and a vacuum would be the best way to get her out. My midwife was on the fence still so the OB asked the midwife to speak out in the hall. They came back and they now both agreed. Vacuum. The OB used it minimally just to get the baby out from under my pubic bone (this led to 2nd degree tears in 2 areas). My baby girl was born!
The vacuum gave my baby a bulge of tight muscles on her neck and left her with a very tight latch. We did 4 rounds of osteopathy for her, as suggested by a lactation consultant. This helped her tremendously and released the bulge.
Overall I feel like the staff could’ve done a much better job! They could’ve asked for consent, should have given me peace and quiet when in contractions, and could’ve been much more professional and caring/compassionate. I made a complaint with the hospital.
My advice would be to always ask if what they are suggesting is necessary. I also think next time I will ask to speak to the head of nursing / OB if there is a problem or something I’m uncomfortable with.
Submitted by Lauren
