Kirsten, I was told the same thing at the (public) hospital I'm booked into - ie. that it is hospital policy to administer Syntocinin. However, when I persisted they told me that I could actually sign a form in advance saying that I am choosing to reject medical treatment (or something to that effect - I haven't actually seen the form yet).
An option I've also discussed with my doctor, is that of allowing the cord to stop pulsing first, and THEN having the Syntocinin injection (as apparently if the baby is breathing ok the cord usually only pulses for a few minutes anyway - can anyone confirm if this actually the case??). Mind you, apparently if bub isn't breathing well, the first thing they will do is cut the cord and whisk bub to the respirator or whatever... Isn't that when you ideally want the cord to keep doing its job??
Last edited by amberdee; June 21st, 2007 at 08:51 PM.
Thanks for your help everyone!
I'll definitely be discussing it with my doctor at the next appointment- it just seemed a bit unnecessary. Not to mention that it's my body and I'd prefer to decide if a needle full of stuff gets whacked into it.
It's my strong preference that things be allowed to happen in their own time, and that intervention should come only when NEEDED- eg, if I'm about to bleed to death, stick me with as many needles as necessary to stop it!- so I shall write that down on my birth plan and make sure everyone has read it, including DH.
Thanks again!
Kirsten
A bit off topic, but I have read that if you get the injection to make the placenta come out that the babies cord needs to be cut straight away?? Not sure if you were planning on doing that or not. This time I am not getting the cord cut until after the placenta has stopped pulsing(or however it works) and that was a big factor in me deciding about the injection because I want things to be as natural as possible(which is why I am having a homebirth this time). My independant midwife has actually said that she wouldn't give the injection unless something was happening, e.g. bleeding. I wonder why they are so quick to do it in hospital, maybe it is a time factor thing for the doctors and they like to know it is all over with or something.
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