Are you against having students attend to your birth alongside the doctor?
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Anonymous
| Teaching hospital question. What made you against it rather than for it? It seems the doctor is still in the room I believe? |
Anonymous
| I had three births, two had students and one just an attending and nurse. During the first two, I didn’t GAF about the students due to the pain, etc. They are mostly all there at the end (like 10 flooded in when I was about to give birth and then immediately dipped). In retrospect, the third was a lot more peaceful but I would’ve been fine with students if asked. You can always start allowing them and change your mind whenever you want. |
Anonymous
I didn't end up having any students or trainees at my births, but I did have some present for prenatal appointments and considered the "present at birth" issue. With my first baby, I didn't really know what my comfort level with strangers would be during that time and I also didn't really know what I'd need. In retrospect, I don't think I would actually have noticed if there were students present as I was very internally focused during that labor. With my second child, she was being induced and I was kind of stressed out about it. I kind of just didn't want people around - didn't want to be talking to anyone or having anyone watching me at all, to the point where DH was annoying me by asking nice questions about how I was doing as well. It was not at a teaching hospital, so it wasn't an issue, but I remember noticing the difference (after the fact) between how little I noticed other humans during my first labor and how bothered I was by other humans during my second. In general, I believe that people have to learn somehow and that students are capable of being respectful and are well trained enough by that point to not be offensive, but laboring women's comfort levels are not the same woman to woman, not entirely predictable, and expected to change throughout the process. But also, important to note that having your birth attended by students doesn't mean that the students are the only ones there. They are observing the licensed provider. Resident OBs are not "students" and should be considered "real doctors" by everyone. Medical students are not conducting procedures by themselves on laboring women. |
Anonymous
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I delivered at GW so there were so many people in the room. The attending was there for the first two but my third came too fast. All were fine.
I am quite modest normally but didn’t care by then - I also turned inward during each labor, plus the resident looks and acts like a doctor so it wasn’t like I felt unsupported or anything. You spend the most time with the nurses. |
Anonymous
| 100% they have no idea what they are doing. they don't attend alongside the dr. they do the work and the doctor supervises. They can do this in teaching hospitals. I chose not to go to a teaching hospital to give birth. |
Anonymous
| My siblings are physicians, they have to learn somehow. You can ask for them to observe and not participate if you're not comfortable with them being hands on, but please allow them in the room. |
Anonymous
Great news - the resident IS a doctor! |
Anonymous
| What do you mean by “students”? Medical students? Residents? Fellows? All of the above? |
Anonymous
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I was at a teaching hospital for my first but no one was around because it was late and an emergency C. No one spoke much and it was a little tense until the baby cried.
Since the second ended up being a planned C, I had no problems with the students being there - it was interesting listening to my doctor explain what she was doing, which I assume she wouldn't have done in the same way if the students hadn't been there. They have to learn somehow - and the hospital sure as heck doesn't want to be liable for any mistakes! |
Anonymous
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I don't care, OP.
My first birth was a long-drawn out emergency (long story). When DS came out, all grey and blue, the entire neonatal staff was there to resuscitate him. There were so many people in the room! I was in so much pain, I didn't care at all. My second birth was quiet with only a natural birth nurse and DH. If something happens, I guarantee you won't care who is in the room as long as they can save you and your baby. |
Anonymous
| Oh, hell no. |
Anonymous
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I gave birth at a teaching hospital.
I had an induced labor. Some sort of trainee broke my water with supervision. There were two people there. I did not find it any different from having two of any sort of provider there. A med student came by late in my labor. (I had a spinal block anaesthesia). She was pregnant with her first. We chatted a little bit about why she wanted to have a kid during med school. That was a bright spot. My female obgyn arrived and was immediately entreated by some nurses to go help another delivering patient whose husband didn't want a male doctor attending. I also remember that vividly. |
Anonymous
Indeed. The fewer people looking at my undercarriage, the better. I'm a never-nude, and shower with clothes on. Absolutely no observing. |
Anonymous
| Had three babies at a teaching hospital, but only had students (not residents) in my pre natal appointments. I had no issue with it and as another poster said, liked hearing the dr explain what was going on to the student. I felt like I got more intel. The dr always asked my permission first though. |
Anonymous
The only thing that I asked was that I not have a resident for my epidural. They argued with me for so long that I gave in ("they" was every nurse on the floor, and then my doula!). He botched my epidural, the attending couldn't figure out what he did wrong and couldn't fix it after trying for two hours. I was prepped for a C-section under general anesthesia and seven years later I still have a lump where the 18 boluses of epidural they kept pumping to "prove" that the epidural was actually inerted correctly ran down my back and lodged on the back of my left hip. So, I vote no. But it turns out the patient's vote isn't that important! |