Barcelona Mum

'L'

Not everyone's expectations for the birth of their child goes to plan. One woman's experience (whom we have called 'L') is outlined here. 'L' initially wanted a natural birth in a well-known clinic in Valencia but ultimately opted for a mainstream hospital in the Spanish capital. Here she tells us what happened during what was evidently a traumatic experience, and also has some advice for others intending to go down the same route.

Firstly, can you tell us why you decided to move to Spain and why specifically you chose to live in Madrid?
My husband & I both have a connection with Spain from our childhood. We always knew in our minds that one day we would move to Spain & give work/life a go there. We started off in Barcelona but after 4 months of looking in a quiet job market & the opportunity of work in Madrid we decided to move across to the capital - somewhere new for both of us.

When you found out you were pregnant, what research did you carry out into having a Natural Birth in Spain?
I researched natural birthing in Spain before leaving the UK & knew of one natural Birth Centre close to Valencia/Alicante. Shortly after our arrival we visited the Birth Centre & arranged medical insurance which would cover the birth there.

How did you rate the information available to you?
The internet can be a friend & a foe. It can be a useful starting point for research but when you enter discussion forums you don't know the source of the information & whether the people giving advice have the same criteria as you.
With no sister or recently pregnant friend living close by, I was a bit in the dark about the number of check ups involved during pregnancy & would have appreciated more advice about this.

Initially you had chosen a birthing centre in Valencia to have your baby, why was that?
I chose this place because I have a good friend who birthed her twins there & spoke highly of her experience. We also had family living nearby.

Why ultimately did you decide to choose to give birth in Madrid?
We were advised at the Birth Centre to find somewhere in Madrid for the check ups & also thought it wise to have a back up plan should the baby come early or any complications arise. In the end we decided to give birth there because it meant less moving around prior to the birth & because we were led to believe by the head of the team that we would find a respectful team on board.

What information had you found out about the Hospital before you decided to go there?
The Hospital advertises itself as a Hospital for the 21st Century & claims to have a respectful approach to birthing. I also met & spoke with several people who gave birth there & were happy with the experience.

Did you have any doubts about the Hospital before you went?
My biggest doubt was that it was the policy of the Hospital not to assign you a gynaecologist & that therefore you would not know who would assist your birth on the day. The head of the team said it was a homogenous team & that I should have no concerns. I have since found out that if I'd had a different insurance I would have been assigned a gynaecologist or if I'd paid an extra 2000 Euros I could have chosen my people for the birth.

What kind of ante-natal care did the Hospital give you? Were you happy with it? How did you rate your gynaecologist?
No birth preparation workshops, but lots of routine check ups. I know now that I didn't need to have as many scans as I did & that too many scans aren't good for the baby. A private hospital is a business! My gynaecologist was helpful at the time although it turns out he promised more than he could deliver, such as saying I could give birth in the room whereas instead on the day this was not an option & I was moved to a 'box'.

Could you tell us a little bit about what happened prior to the birth itself? When did you go into labour, were you early or late and did you feel calm at this point?
My waters broke early one morning. The hospital protocol is to put you on antibiotics after 12 hours so we went in that night via 'urgencias'. We were met by a nurse who immediately scared me saying I had to go on antibiotics straight away as there was a risk of infection & if my baby became ill they would have to do an emergency c-section. I have since found out that the antibiotics were totally unnecessary since I was not carrying streptoccus B & that in the UK my temperature would have been monitored & I would have been given the choice to choose antibiotics or not. I wish we'd turn around and left the Hospital at this point but instead we went up to the room & shortly afterwards I was on a drip with antibiotics pumping through my system.

In your own words, as much as you can, can you tell us about the birth itself. What happened, and how was it different to what you were expecting?
We slept in the Hospital that night. I awoke around 7am with contractions. The doula we had hired to support us arrived at 11am. My contractions continued until 7pm that night at which point the gynaecologist on duty came to see us. He was very loud mannered but said he had worked at a natural birth centre in Italy & knew the kind of birth I was hoping for but was just coming to check whether we had any requests. I knew there was a hospital protocol so didn't think to say, no routine episiotomy etc. & instead asked that he take his time with the baby etc. He left & the Head of the Team who was around came in & said he would be happy to do my birth. So the other gynaecologist came back in to say he'd be there to watch. Shortly afterwards, my contractions came to a halt & never got going again. The Head of the Team went off for the night since he was not on duty but not before saying that he was leaving me in good hands. At 10pm the gynaecologist came back in & said they were going to move me to another room & put me on oxytocin. I asked if I could stay in the room & think about the oxytocin but they said there was nothing to think about. At that point I remember thinking that all I wanted to do was go to sleep & start again in the morning but knew that in a hospital this was not an option. So I was moved to a white 'box' room & this is when everything started to get out of hand...I prefer not to go into detail but can say that I was treated like a body rather than a person & the priority for the team was to get the baby out with no regard for the fact that I was a woman giving birth to a baby. I have never been treated with such disrespect in my life! At no point was I nor the baby in danger & the procedures as I understand them were unneccessary & jumped the hospital protocol.

After your daughter had been delivered, how was the post-natal care at the Hospital?
No widwife came to see us post birth, just a paediatrician to check on our baby's health & a gynaecologist to check on my episiotomy for each of the days we were in hospital.

How long did you stay there for?
48 hours

What were the repurcussions at the centre for the staff involved in the delivery of your daughter?
The gynaecologist who attended our birth has been fired.

How do you feel about what happenned now?
Sad that such a special day was taken away from us & angry with the team. Do not believe everything you see or hear when talking to a Doctor!

What steps have you taken to come to terms with the birth?
We have moved back to the UK to seek professional help & I am seeing a clinical psychologist & a herbalist to help treat symptoms of post traumatic stress & post natal depression.

What advice would you give to other mums-to-be thinking about having a Natural Birth in Spain?
Do not underestimate how important it is to be near family & friends during pregnancy & birth. If you can, pay to have a good team & choose your team wisely. Remember that in Spain pregnant women become public property & everybody has an opinion. Too much information can be overwhelming.