Laura Stuttler

This rating is for labor & delivery and the postpartum unit....and triage. Everything related to childbirth. I delivered in January and will never deliver there or maybe nowhere ever again because of such a terrible experience. I felt like the nurses were just herding women through like cattle with little to no care or empathy. Triage told me my water broke at 34 weeks when it hadn't and nearly started pitocin I went in with side pain which was repeatedly ignored and I was sent home with no reassurance or answers. I had to figure out for myself that I had a uti and call my OB and beg for medicine. I started having hypertension (I think from all of the stress) and ended up being induced at 37 weeks. My birthing experience was a nightmare. When we arrived, we waited for 20 minutes outside of L&D holding bags and standing on my feet because nobody would answer the door. The first nurse was knowledgeable and experienced, I wish I could remember her name and wish we would've had her the whole time. When it came time for the epidural, the nurse administering it put it in too far to the right causing me to have a lot of pain and had to do it again correctly. During my birth experience, we had four different nurses in a 24 hour time period. One of which was called in and made it very apparent that she didn't want to be there. My husband was ignored during the entire process and everyone acted like he wasn't even there. The nurses talked amongst themselves loud enough that we could hear them about concerning things like the baby's heart rate being too high and me having an infection. I tried to ask questions but they didn't give me any reassurance. I was told I was ready to push (and felt ready) around 10pm but my doctor scheduled SEVEN inductions for the same day and her presence and attentiveness was severely lacking. I got an infection from my water being broke too long and at one point my doctor told me "I think he will fit". She told me I was having an emergency but another patient had a bigger emergency and needed a c section and I needed to decide if I wanted a c section or for her to suck the baby out (which also could cause brain damage). It was at least an hour and a half before she returned after having that conversation. I ended up pushing him out but his head was severely swollen and the doctor said he had the biggest head she's ever delivered. I don't say that braggingly but that the doctor and nurses were negligent. After not being able to eat for over 24 hours, I was brought water and crackers. It took hours to go to postpartum and then after getting settled and finally having time to order breakfast, you have to wait two hours for the meal to be delivered. My husband got food poisoning from the breakfast and started throwing up. My first trip to the bathroom AS A FIRST TIME MOM, the nurse pointed to the bathroom and said everything you need is in there. I had to ask her to show me what to do and to help me since I could barely walk and my husband was sick. She acted like it was a pain to help. Throughout our stay, the room felt depressing and I felt I cared for. The least somebody could have done was to check to see if I was eating and drinking enough. We were under the impression that our baby would be in our room at all times except for the circumsision. This is far from the truth. I also needed help with breastfeeding and it was over 24 hours before I actually had somebody helpful to work with me. The first lactation consultant scolded me that I was doing it wrong but wouldn't help me with any techniques. There was a pump in the room but I didn't quite know how to use it or how much to use it and I didn't receive any help with that either even when asking. I was in tears so much during our stay at the hospital and it was a launching pad for my postpartum anxiety and depression. This is just a little bit of my experience there but I would never step foot in this hospital again.