The Tour Group that Never Spoke
Almost about two weeks ago today I took part in a tour of the mother/baby and Labor & Delivery rooms at Vassar hospital. As part of the total grade for a Birth class that I am attending one requirement was to get “informed” of statistics and birth cultures at local hospitals. I took the liberty of telling the hospital that I was pregnant (3 months) and wanted to view the hospital as a possible birth site, and my findings were infuriating to say the least!
When I arrived at the hospital I met the other women and men who were taking the tour in the lobby. Our group was greeted by the tour guide whose first statement to the group went something like this: “I am here this morning to show you around the labor and delivery birthing center, and to answer any questions that you may have, but I am not a medical professional so I cannot answer any medical questions you may have”. That definitely set the tone for how this tour was going to proceed. As we moved through the tour the guide had pointed out the “lovely photographs on the walls” and “the great view of the Hudson river” that you get to enjoy when you deliver at the hospital. She also added in that the phone is completely free for the mother’s first night after having the baby and that if you have your baby on a Sunday you and your husband can watch football for free as well.
Besides feeling like this tour guide was trying to sell me the hospital rather than a positive birth experience I also noticed something else that felt off to me: not one person on the tour asked a single question. I had many questions and going into the facility as a “pregnant woman” who was interested in delivering in their hospital I demanded some answers. At first the tour guide tried to answer some of the questions, for example I asked what percentage of people within the last year who labor there had received some type of augmentation of labor. The women seemed quiet confused and said that she would introduce me to someone better equipped to answer my questions.
I was then introduced to the head nurse for labor and delivery, who at first was very warm and inviting of my questions, though she soon became defensive and hesitant in answering them. The answers that she gave me as a “consumer” of the “product of birth” were astonishingly different than those listed on their state mandated report of statistics. One example: I had asked the woman what percentage of women receive an unplanned epidural when then come in with a birth plan specifically stating that they do not want one. Her answer to this was “unfortunately around 20%-30% of then NEED it”, after researching public records actually statistic the actual statistic was closer to 60%!
I do not mean to speak badly about this hospital or any other, I just wanted the truth, and this is what I got. It makes me angry to think that one of the women who holds a specialist position in the labor and delivery room did not answer my questions correctly. It infuriates me to think that she may have lied and makes me very disappointed to think she just may not have known!