OGOA - Karen | Imamother

amother

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 1:35 am

For those who 1- do not take epidural, and 2- if you had Karen Carola for delivery:
Can you please share your experience? Especially if you've had other deliveries without epidural and a different doctor. How do you compare your experience to the delivery with Karen?

As soon as I got to pushing, Karen put her hands into my v-na and stretched it. It was excruciatingly painful. I don't know why she did it. It's my fifth delivery and the first time a doctor put their hands inside! I have much more to say about this delivery. My baby is just 3 days old so I'm too overwhelmed to write it all down now. But first wanted to shout out to everyone who's using this practice to just be prepared that if Karen shows up to delivery, tell her to take her hands out! And not touch you. I always pushed the babies out just fine besides for this time since the pain of her hands were far worse than contractions. As soon as a contraction started, she put her hands inside to stretch it.. I also got many more stitches than ever. And she didn't numb the place normally so I was screeching while she was stitching me up. I had to keep asking her to numb it more. I'd think she's an intern by her performance.

amother

Ghostwhite

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 1:41 am

I'm sorry about your experience! It sounds traumatically awful!

I've used OGOA for all my children and have been using them as a practice for about 15 years now. I have nothing but praise for everyone in the practice - I've never had a delivery with Karen though.

Don't know if it's in your interest to find out, but is there a chance your baby was mal-positioned and she needed to turn the baby?

amother

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 1:50 am

Also the only thing she kept saying while I was pushing is "DON"T LET THE BABY GO BACK UP! DON"T LET THE BABY GO BACK UP"
It's for sure a phrase she sing songs to every woman while pushing.. because I was pushing beautifully and baby was making progress with every contraction. But NOT EVEN ONCE did she tell me that she sees the baby progressing! At one point I asked her "So, all of my pushing until now was as good for nothing since the baby is going back up?!" then she said for the first time: "no. you're doing good." Literally by the next push she already called the nursery to come. And a push later the baby was out. WHY DIDN"T SHE TELL ME that baby is coming closer?! and only 'not to let baby go back up?' I'm really mad. Horrible.

amother

IndianRed

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 2:03 am

I used that practice for three births and had only one good experience. Because I’m more complicated I never had a midwife alone, they always came with a dr. So the dr did all the stitching. But they have very old fashioned methods and I’m glad I left. I feel for you, I’m sorry it was so painful.

amother

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 2:05 am

amother IndianRed wrote:

yeah, I'm not going back there either.

cupcake123

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 7:51 am

Idk if this was it but I used Dr Giovine and he did the same thing - Stretched me while a pushed.
It's kind of like a Perennial massage and it helps against tearing. It hurt so bad when he did it to me also but I appreciated after when I had hardly any tears.
I actually would want the Dr to do that again next time for me as well.
I'm sorry for your bad experience.
mazal tov!

amother

Daphne

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 10:19 am

Didn’t use them, but perineal massage is to prevent you from tearing. I never bother, because I very unfortunately had an episiotomy with my first and I tear down the scar with each baby no matter what they do. Your experience sounds unpleasant though.

amother

Moccasin

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 10:28 am

She delivered my baby 5 months ago (time flies).
I may have posted this here bef.)
After she broke my water, she couldn't find the babys hearbeat, bef she had me change position, she already told the hosp. That they should clear an OR for me and tells ne that they may need to do a c-section.
I delivered with lots of ppl in the room, this wholebthing took 10 min at the most. She even had my husband put on scrubs for the o.r. very odd.
Baby #6 , I never had this bef. Bh I pushed twice and baby came flying out.

amother

Moccasin

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 2:11 pm

amother Moccasin wrote:

It was my first time using this practice.
I chose them out of convenience, and local hospital, which bh the hospital was great.
other then this I've never had any issues.
I'm unsure if I would use them again.

amother

Daffodil

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 3:16 pm

that sounds traumatizing op
I gave birth a few months ago and she was my midwife.
She was telling me to hold my legs and push and I didn’t feel the need to push at all. (I didn’t have an epidural) I didn’t have any stirrups to push against and it was very hard, I had to hold my own legs. I was very traumatized after, but there was 2 nurses there and they didn’t do much to help me either.
I really liked the hospital but I don’t know if I would use the practice again. Unless I take a doola to advocate for me.

amother

Linen

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 6:11 pm

Omg this all sounds so crazy!! I used their practice for my last two babies and bH had very pleasant experiences. The first one I gave birth with Andrea (she retired) and recently I gave birth and had Katie. She was totally amazing bH.
I had an issue during the last pregnancy and Karen actually gave me her cell phone number to call at any time. It doesn’t match up the way you all are describing her. Wow. I feel bad you all had a bad experience.

amother

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 7:02 pm

amother Daffodil wrote:

had similar experience with legs! What's her business with how I hold my legs?! My legs were in plain stirrups last time and I pushed amazingly. Now when I wanted to squeeze the bedrail while pushing, she authoritatively told m; "No, don't put your hands there, hold onto your legs!"

amother

Sun, Jun 25 2023, 7:03 pm

amother Linen wrote:

during OB appointments I also thought she's nicer. I saw a different creature during labor.
Katie is the most adorable and nicest!