I want to have no meds at my birth but my doc is against it it is to late to change docs what should i do?

Question

i am 33 weeks pregnat and in good health i have done my research and i am also afraid my due date is wrong it took me 3 months to get a doc to say i was pregnat please help me

Answer 1

Bottom line: if your doctor is showing no support for your wishes now it is going to get worse, not better. There is no medical reason for trying to push a woman to accept pain medications. My guess is if he is pushing for this now then he is already planning interventions that make for a faster and therefor more painful labor - such as induction and augmentation of labor (pitocin, cytotec), routine rupture of membranes, confinement to bed, etc. Dismissing your wishes is a sign of condescention and is disrespectful.

You can try looking for a new doctor but many will not accept you this late in pregnancy. It doesn't hurt to try. If it were me, I'd find a midwife and plan a home birth - but then I'm a midwife and trust birth! If you aren't ready for home birth consider a nurse-midwife who delivers in a hospital, if there are any in your area.

You could call midwives and ask for names of doctors they may know about who are more supportive. You could also hire a Doula, but if you do, make sure you get one who is not afraid to stand up for you. Your doula should work for you and be your advocate, not the hospital's.

Whether you find a doula or not, some major guidelines to getting the birth you want:

1. Take independant childbirth classes - NOT the ones taught at the hospital.

2. READ READ READ! Good books: Gentle Birth Choices (Barbara Harper), Journey Into Motherhood - Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth (by Sheri Menelli), Active Birth (Janet Balaskas), Birthing From Within (Pam England), Immaculate Deception (Suzanne Arms)

3. Make a very good, clear birth plan. Go over it with your doctor and make him sign it and put it into your chart. If you preregister at the hospital take a copy and have them put it into your chart. Take a copy of it with you when you go into labor. Make the nurse(s) read it.

4. Never forget it is YOU delivering the baby, not the doctor. Your body is designed for having a baby - trust it. The doctor or midwife is your employee, not the other way around. YOU are in charge. You pay them a lot of money!

5. Don't let yourself be induced! The best way to go into labor is when the baby is ready, which happens naturally. (you can read about risks of induction at:
http://www.midwiferyservices.org/infoforparents.htm#induction )

6. Don't rush to the hospital too soon. This is the first and biggest mistake (other than induction) that moms make. You don't need to be there until active labor is well established. If it is your first baby the SOONEST you should go would be when contractions are every 5 minutes and lasting 60 seconds and have been that way for an hour. At that point you are usually about 4 cm. dilated. Unless you live a really long way from the hospital you can wait until contractions are every 3 minutes. Contrary to what you see on TV babies don't just suddenly fall out! The first takes a long time. If it is your second you should go sooner.

7. If you show up at the hospital and you are only 2 cm dilated - go home! (It's not a prison - really!) They used to just send women home automatically if they were only 2 cm. Now they will admit you, give you an epidural, then add pitocin. Everything you don't want.

Good luck - I hope you get the birth you want. Every woman should.

Claudine Crews CPM, LM

Answer 2

Bottom line is that it's your choice if you want to go natural or not, not your Dr's. Stick to your guns or you'll regret it later. While in labor, it's the nurses that do the majority or the work anyways. The doctor will check on you once in a while, and show up when the baby is being delivered. Talk to the nurses about your request. Have a birthing plan prepared before you go to the hospital and share it with the nurses (you can have them photo copy it and put it in your chart so when shifts change and a new nurse arrives, they'll have your plan too). Don't be afraid to be specific about what your want and what you don't. This is your body and your baby. Don't let anyone talk you into doing anything your not comfortable with.
Good luck with everything and congrats!!!

Answer 3

Its your pregnancy, your child, your decisions. Change docs if you like or you can just tell yours that youre paying him to do his job, which is to deliver your baby the way you want it to happen. Don't let your doctor make your decisions, only you as the mother know what's best. Also, you may want to get another docs opinion on how far along you are.. although it's best to figure it out through a sonogram before 3 months, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for a professional to give you an EDD.

Stand strong for you baby!

Answer 4

It is never to late. Maybe you should look for a midwife? They tend to be more supportive of natural childbirth.
An early ultrasound should have been done to confirm dates. Yes they are only an estimate and can be off by around 2 weeks if done around the 20-24 week point.
If you find it difficult to find a new doc, just don't sign anything, nothing can be done if you did not agree to it (at least in Canada it is that way).
Congrats on your bundle on the way and good luck!!

Answer 5

Are you leaving something out? Why in the world would a doctor want to put you on meds during labor. You tell him that he had better give you a darn good reason. There is no problem with changing doctors before labor. In fact, if your Dr. is busy when you give birth, he just may let the hospital send in any OB/GYN that they have handy, or he may have a partner that may be available. Unless you have something unusual going on, you won't even need your history. If you do need your history, make time to hurry your doctors staff along, they may not make the copies fast enough.

Answer 6

You are paying for your doctor's services. He works for you. If you aren't 100% happy with him, then it is never too late to switch. (When I say never, I mean NEVER! I fired a doc in labor with my first!)

Call around and talk to childbirth instructors, La Leche League Leaders and doulas. Someone should be able to refer you to a doctor (or a midwife!) who is supportive of unmedicated birth and experienced in supporting mothers who want to have an unmedicated birth.

RUN AWAY!
It's YOUR body and YOUR birth. If you and baby are both healthy then there is no reason you can't do it your way!
(And be sure to send the doc a letter stating why you left his practice.)

Answer 7

As long as there is no medical need to administer meds (like having to have an emergency C-section or needing meds for an existing condition,) you should be able to make your own decisions about what type of childbirth to have. Under these circumstances, a doctor can't force you to have medications. Let your doctor know you know what your rights are. If he (or she) persists, you need to get a doctor who will listen to you. Congratulations on your pregnancy and best of luck.

Answer 8

It is absolutely NOT too late. Even if you were in the hospital right now waiting to dilate, it still wouldn't be too late. You can decide up until you're a few centimeters dilated. Your doctor is being a bit unprofessional. Anyone is entitled to change their minds.

Answer 9

You can change doctors. What reason did the doctor give you for not doing a natural birth?

Answer 10

it is you delivering your baby , you have every right to refuse meds( as long as does not effect you or your baby).I think if you can you should try and change Dr's , it is so important to have a Dr that respects your birth plan as much as possible.as for your due date , do your ultrasounds math up? usually due dates are just estimates .good luck