What is Bait and Switch? The good ol’ Bait and Switch is something that’s occasionally mentioned in natural birthing circles, but not everyone is aware of the term, or even that something like it happens.Essentially, the Bait and Switch is where a care provider tells a newly pregnant woman exactly what she’s been looking for. She can have a natural labor, or epidural, or deliver at 44 weeks if she needs. She can have a VBAC, no IV and have no external fetal monitoring. In other words, she gets precisely the birth that she’s been wanting.
Then, about 38 weeks into the pregnancy, her care provider looks over her chart and says “hmm… I think we have to schedule your cesarean (or other unwanted procedure) right now.”
To read more see here... what are your thoughts? Anyone been a victim of getting snagged by this type of fishy practice?
4 comments:
Actually, I was blessed with a FP that was a bait and hook I guess... to continue the metaphor. She told me before we conceived that she practiced like a midwife (in a state where assisted homebirth was/is illegal) and she did. She knew I did my research and asked tons of questions, I waived tests I didn't want without problem or found alternatives of my choosing. When it got close to birth time, she signed my birth plan for the hospital record and faxed over orders not to put in a "just in case" IV or give me abx since I waived the strep b test. And she was there through my whole 3 hours and 20 minutes of pushing suggesting position changes and mirrors to help me rather than pitocin or section. She didn't even mention vacuum until after the three hour mark, and was totally fine when I said no.
I know that I'm one of the lucky ones - and I'm thankful for that (and for her) daily. Now that we live where homebirth is legal, that's our plan for any future kiddos.
I ran into this at my first Dr. appointment after finding out I was pregnant. I had been searching for a VBAC friendly doc for months before conception. When I went to him for my first prenatal he said he would "let me VBAC if all the stars lined up perfectly." I am grateful that he was honest with me so early about his support of VBAC. Needless to say I found another doc who WAS truly supportive of VBAC!
i just recently came across this w/ an aquaintance that has phoned me for advice. her doc was supposedly supportive of her vbac, he in fact gave her mom 2 vbacs, but is now giving her lame excused why they need to schedule her c/s..
My CNM practice for my first pregnancy was bait and switch. They all agreed to my birth plan initially: no IV, no fetal monitoring, no pain meds. Once I got there in labor, the CNM who was on call completely changed her tune -- she wanted me on an IV immediately and threatened to withhold care if I didn't agree. She insisted on 15 minutes of fetal monitoring per hour or she would withhold care. She pushed and pushed the drugs. When I told her "you agreed to my birth plan" she said "yeah, but I'm here now and you have to do it the way I say."
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