Scared of being bullied

[Stefka]

This is probably silly but I am starting to get fearful that I am going to be bullied by hospital staff into things I don't want.

I would have preferred to go to a midwife led unit but there is not one in my area. I had to go to the hospital once early on in my pregnancy and the nurses were lovely but the Dr's were a bit harsh.

I am fearful of lots of intervention which I would rather not have. It's my first baby so not sure what to expect. I know I am being a bit silly but I just wanted to write this out somewhere!!

Stefka, I'm due on Oct 15th so just one day after you

Whereabouts are you? I recently moved hospital and I went on a hospital tour last week. Even though there were too many women in labour so we couldn't see the labour ward and the birthing centre, just meeting some of the staff and having a look around the building made me feel a bit more confident.

Anyway, I was just reading another chapter of the Ina May Gaskin book this morning and it had some really useful information about different procedures and interventions and the pros and cons. It gave me some new ideas of things to put in the birth plan (eg. I hadn't thought about things like when to clamp the cord and vitamin K injections etc).

I plan to just get it all written down, get my midwife to agree to it, get my DP to memorise it and make sure he's got a copy, and then just try to relax and hope for the best .

I am in central Scotland. I don't get to go to the hospital to see the ward but I do have some classes at another hospital so hopefully will find out some stuff then.

I will see if the library has a copy of that book - it sounds like I need to read it!

Yeah, I recomment the book. This is the one. I started another thread on here somewhere about natural birthing and I got several really good recommendations for books. I think they're useful whether you're planning to do it naturally or not. I just feel reassured knowing that I've read up on everything and I'm reasonably well informed. I know other people who prefer the ignorance is bliss approach but personally I'm a bit of a control freak and I know that I'll be really scared if I don't understand what's happening to me!

Shame your hospital won't let you do a tour. Good luck with the trainee doula. That sounds like a great solution.

Here's the thread I started with lots of useful reading recommendations from helpful MNers.

Stefka, I'm in Angus. I am part of Scottish Doula Network and am on the mailing list with all the other Doulas, if I can help please ask. You can contact me via my website contact form.

I'm originally from Angus myself!

Thanks for the link to that thread - I am going to have a read of it now.

The thing is Stefka, not a lot of Doulas are on the list yet, I still have to organise myself onto even! But if you contact me via my website and give me details of where you are and when edd is I can put out a request to all the Doulas on SDN to find out if there's anyone avaialble. Although you might find that the one you emailed alreasy is perfect for you!

Best of luck!

i think we all have that fear but when your there ready to give birth you just listen and do

some come across as harsh but they are just being proffesional have a birth plan and make sure they are aware of it and follow it make sure your partner knows the birth plan so if things do seem to be going opposite he can remind them

it is perfectly normal to worry but doctors are always more abrupt than midwives and no doctors are in there unless emergencies so relax and enjoy

Doula? Home birth?