Sitting in the nasty basement waiting for the storm to pass and pushing for the Indiana Midwifery Licensure Bill

Posted on Apr 02 in 2008 pregnancy, Life in Evansville, home birth advocacy, personal storiesby TalinaPrint

I am sitting on a rubbermaid bin in my basement. The pets are all corralled in the laundry room and the weather radio is playing the weather coverage. We are under another tornado warning… N is at work this time so I am sitting this one out alone.

This morning we had a “meeting” with my OBGYN about the blood glucose test, we also broke the RhoGam shot news to her and basically she argued with us and said that the RhoGam shot wasn’t optional.

She had nothing to tell us about statistics or research on the benefits of the shot, just that it was a routine preventive measure that everyone needs to get. I told her we weren’t provided with enough info about the benefits and risks so we did our own research and came to the conclusion that the risks do not out weight the benefits. She refused to accept that we’ve done our research and we don’t want it. She provided us with a very general, “for dummies” pamphlet about the RhoGam shot.

Amazingly she had the lab tech draw N’s blood right then and there, just to see what his blood type was… as a means of convincing us to get the shot. We asked about this at the beginning of my pregnancy and she said his blood type wasn’t that important and that a blood draw wasn’t necessary. I am dreading receiving the bill for that blood draw, since it is not covered by insurance till our deductible is met. At least we’ll know N’s blood type though.

We’ll know N’s blood test results on Monday but we are not going to continue prenatal care with them. We are still declining the shot and we did get out of the second blood glucose test… She fed us some bull about the Glucola test and gave vague diet modification ideas that weren’t helpful… She wouldn’t give me a prescription for blood glucose test strips like I asked. Again she gave the “well it’s not really necessary” line.

I just don’t want to deal with the added stress of seeing this OBGYN anymore. Especially since after our little discussion she took it all out on my belly! She wanted to do an external examination, measure my belly and hear Tater’s heartbeat. While she was checking Tater’s position she was quite rough and actually she really of hurt me! I was crampy and having BH contractions while she was being rough and the pain continued for a good half hour after the visit. I told her about the pain and she said, yeah that is normal…

NO! It is not normal, when Pamela examines me I don’t cramp or hurt, ever! I am just done dealing with her and her demeanor. It stresses me out, it’s a waste of my time and we don’t need her anyway. Once we get N’s blood test results back we are just going to cancel our future appointments and go our separate ways, thanks goodness!

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Oh, and for those of you in Indiana who are also interested in homebirth options I have some great news! A midwife licensure bill went to the House Health Committee (Midwifery Licensure Bill 508) and just passed through the committee! This is good progress and gets us pretty close to getting midwives legalized here! For more information on the push for Indiana midwives checkout this page.

Now we are gearing up for the third reading in the house (the full house hearing) and those people in Indiana who are in support of midwives or who want to preserve a woman’s choice of birthing options need to speak up and let your views be heard about this today. Your representatives MUST hear from you so that they know this issue matters to their constituents, so contact them today! You can find out who to contact on this page: http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/

Here are some things you can mention when you contact them:

• CPMs are professionals, well-trained, skilled in neonatal resuscitation and other life-saving skills.
• Homebirth in low risk pregnancies is safe, especially when a trained and skilled midwife is attending it!
• Homebirth is legal and having midwives regulated will provide a safety net for the consumers who choose homebirth.
• Women deserve the right to choose the best birthing option for them!
• Not licensing CPM’s eliminates a vital option and backs women up against a wall.

Sign up for Inmwsupporters@yahoogroups.com or join Indiana Push for Midwives for alerts and action emails.
Idaho got their bill passed this year, and the governor signed it Monday.  That makes the 26th state.  Let’s make Indiana the 27th.  It is within our reach now!

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6 Comments

• Starr says:

  April 2, 2009 at 9:06 pm

  I cannot believe your OBGYN what a B****! There is no reason for her to act like that she is supposed to be there for you, when I was pregnant I started out seeing a midwife but I soon became a high risk pregnancy and had to see a OB and HE was great! You just really have to put a lot of trust in this person and she obviously doesn’t give an F, sorry for the language but I mean come on thats crazy! Do you plan on seeing another OBGYN or just handle everything at the Farm from now on? Good luck with the storm stay safe!
• Hyphen Mama says:

  April 2, 2009 at 10:26 pm

  I have no idea what kind of exam would cause so much pain! I’ve had 2 kids, was treated by a midwife for both (only saw an OB while the kids were being delivered because I ended up having to have a c-section), and I’ve never HEARD of a painful exam to check baby position. I’m so glad you aren’t going back. I hate bullies. HATE THEM. And ones that you have done your homework and they try to make you feel stupid because you know more than they do. That’s a lot of anxiety you don’t need. Just make sure to keep close contact with Pamela!

  I hope you’re riding out the storm okay!

  And by the way…regarding N having to move all your stuff by himself… maybe when you get to the new house, the only things that need to be moved upstairs are the lighter things. Who cares if the heavy dressers, etc are downstairs for a while until both of you are well enough to move it up? Could be months. Really though, hurting your backs could cause years of pain that isn’t worth it. If you have friends that come over to see your house, and you’re afraid they’ll comment on the dresser being in the livingroom, hand them a pair of gloves and ask them to give a hand in moving it upstairs. Or they can keep their trap shut. And make sure to use a 2 wheel dolly (hand cart), even if you have to go buy one. You both are going to need strong backs for playing with Tater for the next 18 years!!

  Hyphen Mamas last blog post..Lemons…..Lemonade….Hopeful Yet Pessimistic
• Krystal McCarthy says:

  April 3, 2009 at 2:38 am

  What a bitch….

  Krystal McCarthys last blog post..The Mean Girl in Me
• Donna B. says:

  April 3, 2009 at 1:33 pm

  I have had two gyno exams that hurt, but at least I wasn’t pregnant during either of them! (I’ll spare y’all the details

  The doctor that did the first told me it was going to hurt, that he was going to be as gentle as he possibly could, and explained in detail why he thought the exam was necessary.

  The second (years later) was a female. We got through the necessary conversation just fine, but she made no mention that it was going to hurt so bad, I’d end up in tears. Her saying that it wasn’t possible it could have hurt that bad and I that I was just being a wimp made me furious. Which made me cry harder. I hate it, but I always cry when I get really, really angry.

  I’d have been in tears of anger if any doc had ever done what you describe. Pain is NOT normal during a routine external exam. I’m glad it didn’t last long.

  Don’t you just hate the cheesy pamphlets written at a 6th grade reading level?

  Donna B.s last blog post..Sunday Cruising
• witchypoo says:

  April 3, 2009 at 3:40 pm

  I know who you won’t be consulting for the next pregnancy.

  witchypoos last blog post..Giant Cocktails
• Karen says:

  April 4, 2009 at 2:20 am

  I just hate when doctors don’t answer your questions. When I am paying my good money for a service, I want to know why I am getting a lab test, why I have to have it done, what it is for. I deserve to know and I also have the right to refuse it if I think I don’t need it. good for you!

  Karens last blog post..Cactus Ranch Trailer Court

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