Thinking of Letter Writing

A friend gave birth the other day - it was a little scary and I'm glad I didn't know the story until well after the fact. The OB broke her water when the baby wasn't fully engaged resulting in, surprise, a cord prolapse. Luckily, this powerful mama pushed that baby out before she had a chance to think and everyone is fine. I got VERY made at the OB, initially, but my friend assures me that the situation was more complicated.

Still, it got me thinking about my son's birth... I haven't cried over my c-section in at least a month, but I found myself breaking down last night after reading my friends birth story.

I've already written to my midwives with very specific suggestions for what to do next time a mama PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) goes for induction. One of the midwives was very respectful and promised that she'd look at future situations differently as a result of my letter and experience. The other midwife, well, I haven't heard from her, but she did tell me at my last appointment that I shouldn't dwell on the past - I should just move forward. So much for empathy.

I'm wondering now if I should extend my letter-writing to the OB who performed the surgery and the GP into whose care we were transfered when my blood pressure went out of range of the scope of the midwives' practice.

I respect both of these doctors and I don't believe they were being cavalier in their pronouncement that I needed a c-section, I just think they were following business-as-usual in a hospital where the c/s rate is 40%.

I'd like to tell them how I feel post c-section and what I wish they would've done to help me make an informed decision (my husband and I did, ultimately, consent to the c/s, but it's been a case of "if I knew then what I know now..." in the months since my son's birth).

I will probably write these letters since I can't think of a reason not to. Both doctors are reasonable and compassionate and I fully expect to hear back from the OB (who offered to provide his services for free when he found out I wasn't covered by the provincial health plan) and possibly the GP.

Anyone think it will make a difference?