Giving birth to a child is supposed to be a happy occasion. In many cases new mothers an infants are subject to mistreatment by physicians and hospital staff. High-profile examples, such as Serena Williams whose own health care team ignored her when she said she had the symptoms of a potentially fatal blood clot, to other cases that didn’t make the news. The birthing process has become one of trauma, not elation. In reality, new moms and those about to give birth should be given extra attention by medical providers who also need to be more compassionate and sensitive to their needs. There’s a time and place for questionable behavior, and it’s not the delivery room.
An Example from Pennsylvania
A woman in Pennsylvania publicly shared her traumatizing birth experience. Already two weeks past her due date, she arrived at the hospital unsure of what would happen next. Other than being told the birth of her child was imminent, she asked the nurse about the procedure they were prepping her for, only to be given a snarky response. From there, things got worse. After her child arrived via C-section, she was only allowed to see him for seconds. The infant was placed in the NICU, where nurses gave him formula, despite the fact that she wanted to exclusively breastfeed. She felt her wishes were completely ignored by the birthing team.
PTSD After Giving Birth
The negative birth experience described above is just one of many. Some women are so traumatized during the birthing process, they actually experience PTSD. It isn’t the fact that the birth itself was painful, it’s the failure of the medical team to listen and respond compassionately to their patient’s concerns. Instead, they are acting callously, rushing through the process to move on to the next delivery. Furthermore, as in the case of Serena Williams, completely ignoring valid medical issues.
What Can Be Done
If the medical professionals aren’t paying enough attention or are treating you harshly before, during, and after you give birth, then you do have some recourse. You can file a complaint with the administrators of the hospital, talk to a doctor or nurse who will listen, or contact an attorney because you may have a valid medical malpractice case on your hands.
Have you suffered from a traumatizing birth experience? Call me today and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
