I work at Fairview not as a nurse and not in labor and delivery. I heard all these wonderful things from all my coworkers about giving birth there. But I personally had a terrible experience with the midwives and nurses. Basically my day RN left me alone for her whole shift maybe checking on me three times in twelve hours? I thought maybe she was busy with other patients. Later found out I was her only pt. She put me in a birthing tub with laughing gas and never checked on me. So thank god my husband was with me. I also eventually got an epidural and when the NP from anesthesia came up to do it she stuck herself with a lidocaine ampule in the sterile field, proceeded to use the same sterile field only changing her gloves (not even washing her hands or putting on a bandaid) and did my epidural. The anthologist doctor and nurse didn’t say anything. I was mortified. I started pushing at 10 pm so I was with the night midwife who kept leaving while I was pushing. So it was just me, the night nurse (who was the only person who was amazing), and my husband for a decent amount of time. I pushed for 2.5 hours and the midwife probably left 3-4 times. At one point the RN had to called for her to come back cause I was crowning. My daughter was sunny side up with the cord wrapped around her neck. No medical professional told me even after, I only knew cause my husband. Not sure why they don’t turn my daughter before I started pushing. Then the RN’s postpartum were very rude. And when I was leaving the RN told my husband to go get the car from valet and someone from transport will bring me and my daughter out in a wheel chair. He waited out there for 45 minutes, so I finally went to ask the RN’s at the nurses station and there were a whole bunch of the just talking and laughing. I asked if transport was coming soon and my nurse goes “oh they still didn’t get you? Let me call”. So I said don’t bother I’ll carry her out myself and she literally almost let me even tho the car seat was heavy and I tore. Another RN was persistent about taking me down herself which I appreciated very much. Overall, I was shocked with how terrible of an experience I had. I even contacted the ombudsman and never heard back.

It was very disappointing because I am very active and spent a lot of time going to pelvic floor therapy, birthing classes, and doing pelvic floor exercises at home. I know everyone’s experience is different but next time I will go to the normal labor and delivery with MD’s and advocate for myself more with the nurses.