My experience there was awful. I really wanted to be as natural as possible, and was given no support from the nurses. When I informed them I’d like to try without the epidural, I was told with a cold look and a superior voice that, “You cannot imagine how much pain you will be in. It hurts more than anything else that you have or will experience. It’s unimaginable.”

When I asked for a second gown for my back, I was denied. They said I wouldn’t need it because I was on the pit. It’s just so nice to drag around a heavy IV, hold your gown closed over your butt, and pray that your father-in-law, mother-in-law, parents, and random family members or friends don’t get flashed.

There was a different nurse trying to get her digits in my lady parts every time I blinked. Never the same twice. Did I mention the one that MUST have had claws? She was hit, but it really was an accident. My arm just reacted.

My doctor must have forgotten I was a first timer. He came at me with a crochet hook. Never warned me. Just flipped up my gown in front of yet another strange nurse and jabbed. It hurt so much. I had sharp pains there for several hours. I think a couple of his first jabbs missed the opening.

Being on the pit and forced to late prostrate after your bag of waters was attacked, there’s a baby on your bladder, and your hooked up to more water that fills up said bladder is the pits. Your doctor says you can have as much IV meds as you want, but the nurses act downright hateful towards you every time you can have more. All they did was chew me out. Every 4 hours, but they waited 5.

When you say you’re probably allergic to Demerol, you’d think they wouldn’t give you something related to it, right? Having double vision and repeatedly vomiting isn’t fun.

I was a nervous wreck after the first 15 hours or so of strange people with their digits and very unwelcoming behavior, and soon I couldn’t tollerate any pain. After finding out after 15 hours I was only 4 cm, I gave in and got the epidural. Promptly after getting it, yet another strange woman appeared to put a catheter in me while I was semi-unconscious….in front of my family.

Then the hospital stopped checking on me. I guess they figured it’d take longer. I felt like I was having a bm for over half an hour before they discovered she was crowning. I had asked my mom to make sure I wasn’t “pooping”. I did not, even in my semi-conscious state, enjoy my mother checking out my privates. (Remember, I’m a first timer. I didn’t know the feeling of needing to push.)

Everything was in motion very quickly after that. About 10-15 people I had never seen before, mostly MEN, poured into the room as my gown was flipped up, and my legs were hoisted in the air. There was a tv (turned off) across from me, and I could see my reflection. I got to see what all of those strange men were seeing.

Now, I hear most first timers take a while to push. That would explain why the doctor didn’t feel like he needed to show up right away. I was really good at pushing they told me. So after one, she was very much coming out, and I was told to not push for almost thirty minutes before he showed. He didn’t believe them, but she was pushed out less than thirty seconds after he arrived.

The epidural had worn off, but he redosed me when he entered. Still felt EVERY SINGLE stitch sewed into my taint. Then the meds kicked in.

At this hospital you labor, deliver, and recover in the same bed and room. After several stitches down there, the patented ER mattresses are very uncomfortable to say the least. They give you meds for it. But you get chewed out when you ask for them. I was forced to wait till I was in tears from the pain before I could have my dose. You can have a dose every 3 hours. They made me wait 7 between them. I really think better mattresses would have eased a lot of that pain.

They didn’t get that IV out till I threatened to take it out myself after two days. I had started to untape it for them.

The baby nurses were very rough. I got to see one fumble and nearly drop my baby while she was giving my daughter her first bath. It must have been cold, because she’s never made a peep when I’ve bathed her, and she was screaming her head off with the nurse.

I was in there a week almost. I was in constant pain from the mattress, the food was awful, and for some reason I had to be supervised when I washed my perineum.

When I was finally discharged, the doctor told me I could have a bath. A nurse a few minutes later said no baths for two weeks. They need to keep in touch more.

When I was leaving, a nurse(mother of 4 and one coming) helped my husband to put my newborn in the carseat…wrong. Perfect ending to this whole fiasco.

I am terrified of having another, but I want more so badly. I really don’t know if I’ll every be happy about expecting a baby again.

There were many kind and competent individuals who helped me throughout my labor, c-section and recovery; however, the nursing staff was obviously understaffed and over-burdened. I was made to feel needy just asking for basic needs like pain medication, a bit of water, a bed pan so I could vomit! (It was my roomate who selflessly rushed to my side with a dish from the dinner tray so that I wouldn’t do it on my son! Then, a nurse on staff barked at me “You shouldn’t bother your roomate.”) I felt a lot of impatience from the nurses, even though I am one of the politest, kindest, non-confrontational types out there!

The atmosphere was awful, too. One morning I woke up to the sounds of construction (loud hammering) outside my door. I could see a filthy cart with rags and tools and paint cans on it.

There were multiple administrative screw ups during my stay which always held up the next step. I didn’t realize that so many different doctors and nurses and med students would be checking on me. It was a stranger every time. They were so brief and impersonal, and in my groggy state, I never had a chance mention a question or concern…

Scary, but I think these are all common complaints of hospitals.

I hope that my experience at NYM was an exception and not the norm. If you are planning to deliver there for your first baby, I suggest hiring a doula or midwife to advocate for you, so you will not feel so alone and unhelped, even especially after the birth when nurses are too frazzled to help you change your baby’s diaper for the first time (not easy after C-sec). Bring EVERYTHING especially if you may stay 4 days! Your own towels, your own pillow, your own night gowns, flip flops, food, bottled water, everything and anything to make you feel more comfortable.

All that said, the time surrounding the birth of my son was the happiest and most wondrous time of my life. We both came home perfectly healthy and I could not have asked for anything more.