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Virginia Hospital Center - Natural Birth
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| I'm looking to have a unmedicated birth at VHC using the bradley method. Has anyone else done this? Was it a major struggle with hospital protocol? I'd like any advice I can get. Thanks. |
Anonymous
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I haven't yet given birth, but am aiming to labor without meds at VHC. I've chosen a midwife (Karen King) and am working with a wonderful doula (Heather Wilson). I think a supportive care provider is key. I wanted to surround myself with people who would help me achieve my goal. My doula is at VHC often and has positive things to say about the staff there.
I'm no expert, but I feel confident that I'll be in good hands and feel very supported already. Hoping that bodes well 
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Anonymous
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That is so funny - I also will be giving birth at VHC in a few months, have hired Heather Wilson as my doula, and am working with Karen King as my midwife! I am not doing the Bradley method per se, but will be trying for an unmedicated birth.
I feel like everyone I've met has been supportive thus far, and it certainly doesn't seem like this option is uncommon there. I would be very surprised if it became a "struggle against hospital protocol"-- esp. if you are with Karen. And at least we know they are getting more experience based on our small sample here! |
Anonymous
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I am also planning to deliver at VHC in a few months. I had my DD there almost 3yrs ago and tried to go as natural as possible. I did not have a doula or midwife however and probably would have helped go unmedicated, but I didn't get any grief from the nurses/staff when I told them my goals. I told the nurse when I arrived that I didn't want to be asked if I wanted any medication or an epi. They respected that and never asked me if I wanted pain meds or pushed them on me at all.
My water had broken and was in labor for about 30 hours, so by hour 20 I was getting so tired that I was worried I wouldn't be able to push. I decided to get an epi and it was probably the right choice for me at the time, but the nurses never pushed anything on me. I am going to try for natural with #2, but don't feel I can afford a doula, so I will just do my best. Good luck to all of you. |
Anonymous
| Thank you so much for all your responses! I am going to Dr. Fauzia and she is open to natural child birth and actually recently had a patient go without meds. I'm more concerned with the nursing staff and just standard protocol - for example giving you an IV when you arrive. I'm not going to be a total pain, but I would rather go with a hep lock. It's definitely reassuring that the nurses won't push meds on you once you make it clear you'd rather not be asked. What about a birth plan - did any of you take one/will you take one and were the nurses responsive to it? |
Anonymous
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I am one of the PPs. I am not planning to take a birth plan per se, primarily because Heather (my doula) and my husband will be there and communicating it will be her/their role, and because a formal "birth plan" (like I've seen in books) is just not really my style. But if I didn't have a doula, I might write down a short list of what I'd like/not like to do during delivery if not medically necessary -- my husband would have a copy, and I've also heard that you can post it so nurses can review (and probably as motivation!). Same purpose achieved. Of course, if you are doing the Bradley method, you and your husband will be in a great position to articulate your objectives, but it can't hurt to have one as back-up.
Also, I've read on these boards that some nurses seem to react negatively (or at least not positively) to having a birth plan thrust upon them. I think those experiences were at Sibley, but I can understand that reaction depending on how the situation is handled. So that's another reason why I would probably try to handle the "birth plan" distribution gracefully -- I want the nurses on my side! 
For those who can't afford a doula, I've seen postings on this board for a student doula who charges less. And who knows - in this economy, maybe some doulas will be willing to discount their services in certain circumstances. |
Anonymous
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I just gave birth at VHC last week. We did it without a doula and I opted for a 'wait and see' approach to an epidural. I was super impressed by the nursing staff who totally respected my decision to wait and decide. They didn't push the epidural at all on me but responded quickly when I decided that I wanted one.
I did have to have an IV put in on arrival but they were fine with me having a heplock until I needed fluid (when I wanted the epidural). The nurses were all great and let my husband and I labour in peace. They checked on me but were not intrusive at all and pretty much left us to it. They encouraged me to walk the halls which I did until I got tired of having contractions in front of strangers (including two "helpful" grandmothers to be who told me I was doing a great job!) I did have to have fetal monitoring but I was trying for a VBAC so negotiated with my OB (Dr Tchabo) to only be monitored 20 mins out of every hour. The nurses encouraged me to stand rather than lie in bed if I could and helped me find positions where the fetal monitoring still worked but I could be more comfortable. All in all if I wanted to have a natural birth the nurses would have respected that. One more thing to be prepared for though is because VHC is a teaching hospital, I had a few interns and medical students come in during labour to check and ask me questions. That was ok for a while but it got a bit annoying, particularly when one student kept asking me questions during contractions. The nurse then told him to stop and wait until I was ready again to talk! Finally, the private rooms are fantastic. I ended up in an old room but because I had an emergency c-section in the end (it was a long and complicated labour!) I got moved to a renovated room. It was huge and so very comfortable that I could have stayed for ages (oh apart from the food!) Good luck!!! |
Anonymous
| We are planning to conceive in 2009 and I have been already been reading about the Bradley method, natural birth and assisted birth. Without knowing I have been leanining to give birth at VHC and have already looked to meet with Karen King. This log only confirms that I am going in the right direction about the medical care that I am looking to have when ready to have my baby. Thank you sooo much for your comments. It is such a relief to hear good things....don't know about you but people always mention horrible stories about birth and delivery when you plan to have a baby.....thank you a gain and please share your experiences if you can on how your deliveries were. |
Anonymous
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PP, I delivered naturally at VHC with Karen King and a doula. It was great. No problem with the nurses or the staff.
Be sure to ask that they find a squat bar for the bed after you check in. It can take a while to get one and you might really want one at some point. |
Anonymous
PP here - gave birth in Feb without a doula or mid-wife with Dr Elliott. Labor went much faster with baby #2 - yeah! Went in for an induction due to having another potentially big baby (he was an ounce more than his sister at 10lbs) in order to have a better shot at a natural birth. My nurse was Marnie and she was AMAZING!!! Pit started mid-morning, water broke at lunch and baby born at 530 au natural. I had continuos monitoring but still labored in a rocking chair the entire time (and a little on a birthing ball but I felt too unstable). good luck to all |
Anonymous
| Not that I can add anything (haven't given birth yet), but I too chose to go with Karen King and Heather Wilson. Apparently, both work very well together and have worked together quite often in the past. I'm also taking Bradley which Karen was supportive of when we told her which childbirth education class we chose. Also, I find Karen to be incredibly helpful in each office visit and takes the time to answer questions, etc., despite time constraints. Good luck everyone! |
Anonymous
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I had a "natural" unmedicated delivery in March with Karen King, and Heather Wilson was my doula, too. Both were really great. I feel SO fortunate that everything went as planned and I was able to succeed with my birth plan, no matter how intense the contractions and pushing got!
As you will see if you work with either of them, Heather (like most doulas) has a standard birth plan that she works with you to tailor as appropriate. I had a couple of minor tweaks to it. Then at your 36-week appt or something like that, Karen asks if you have a birth plan, and I handed mine to her. We went over it. Again, mine was mostly the standard stuff you would expect when hoping for a drug-free birth. She had a couple of questions and comments - no big deal. She definitely follows your birth plan to the extent possible. She later told me that she was tempted to suggest an episiotomy because my pushing interval was taking forever (I just wouldn't tear naturally - my tissue was stretching, but not tearing, due to my perineal massage beforehand, she thought!). But because my birth plan said "no epiosotomy unless absolutely necessary," she waited a bit longer to give me more time, and I finally pushed my baby out. Oh yes, that hurt, but totally worth it. I love VHC. The L&D nurse assigned to me (Melissa) was amazing. She and Heather hadn't worked together before, but they were such a great team - one on either side of me, with my husband at my head. After laboring in various positions at home and then at VHC, I ended up pushing on my back, with my feet against the squat bar. The squat bar was nearby. Before I got in the hospital bed, I labored in the shower and on the toilet at VHC. (I was about 6-7 cm dilated when I got there.) Incidentally, I think once the staff sees Karen, they know this may be an unmedicated birth. No one ever asked me about any drugs, and they couldn't have been more helpful. The post-partum nurses were more skeptical when I said "no pacifier" after my baby was born! Good luck. |
Anonymous
| Hi, Anyone know what level NICU VHC is? Thanks- |
Anonymous
| I think the NICU is a level 2- it is definately not a level 3. Only Fairfax, Georgetown and Washington Hospital Center are level 3 in this area- I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. |
Anonymous
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I'm so glad i found this post! I, too, am birthing with Karen at VHC, but my doula is Claudia Booker (Heather wasn't available over Xmas when i'm due).
I am really glad to hear that the nurse staff has been so wonderful for those of you that have already given birth. Thank you for sharing your stories! (and the tip about the squat bar was great, too...i'll be sure to ask for that). |