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| - If you plan to use a doula or have any sort of birth plan this is not the practice for you.
I actually can respect the fact that is their policy, I read it in the initial paperwork when I signed on with them.
After a couple months of not feeling totally at ease with the experience of childbirth I elected to go to a birthing center for classes and then found a doula which finally gave me the one on one attention I craved. While I was still planning to deliver in a hospital and continue my care with Essential Women's health, I knew I needed to be in communication with the doctors to see if we were all aligned with the direction I wanted to go with my childbirth (Natural and Unmedicated as long as myself and the baby are healthy.)
When I spoke to Dr. Schoenhaus (around 29weeks) she assured me that as long as the Doula worked with the team and didn't interfere with care, it would be fine. I felt reassured with my plan, but given the odds of having Dr. Schoenhaus was 1 in 8 I knew I had to keep asking other doctors.
My next visit was with Dr. Herpolsheimer (31 weeks) who expressed the same message as Dr. Schoenhaus and assured me that as long as everything and everyone was healthy, he would support my plan, also as long as the doula didn't interfere with care. He even asked me to have my birth plan prepared so we could discuss. Now that I had heard some positive affirmation I was starting to feel much more confident about continuing with the practice and actually getting excited for the day of delivery.
At 32 weeks however I met with Dr. Pack. When I mentioned the Doula, immediately I was met with resistance. The interaction was fine, while I don't agree with Dr. Packs opinions on Doulas, I can respect his opinion, however I do not think anyones method of care should be forced on any patient. My experience with the other doctors in the practice left me feeling like we would work together during the day of delivery, unfortunately with Dr. Pack all that I was left with was concern that if he was my doctor come delivery day it would be his way or the highway.
The fear that had subsided with my education of childbirth and the support I now felt with my Doula was now back. So as I left I thanked Dr. Pack for my care thus far, but let him know I would be switching practices.
What is concerning about all of this, is not Dr. Pack and me disagreeing on my method of care the day of, but rather that the other 2 doctors I saw assured me everyone in the practice felt as they did which is clearly not the case.
I don't write this to complain, I write this in the hopes that other soon to be mommys will be better informed of this practices specific beliefs and can make an educated decision on where they receive their care and how they want their delivery to go.
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