Birth Journeys Quote Directory

UNID Emotion Example Quote URL
1 Curious “I definitely preferred doing a one-on-one with someone. It was interesting to not have the same person for each visit, so it was always a different person, but they did do a great job of having all of my information on the records that everybody had at their fingertips, and so everybody knew. And I guess it was kind of good because you never know when you’re going to go into labor and that way you can have a wider range visit with all of your potential providers for who’s going to deliver your child”
2 Curious “I felt under-informed and had lots of questions at each appointment. I wanted classes and a lot more education. I also appreciated when a nurse explained exactly what they were looking for with an NST… I really wish there was a better resource for good information other than bombarding with questions at each appointment.”
3 Time Consuming “Appointments were definitely time consuming and took a fair amount of effort to get to. I did Centering, and these sessions were in the middle of the work day. I don’t have parking at my job, so I would have to take a bus to the park & ride and get my car, and then drive to the appointment. Sometimes the bus schedule would be off, so I took Lyfts a few times to my car. Afterwards I’d usually work from home because it would take so much time to park and ride the bus to go back to the office. I’m really lucky that I have a flexible job and an understanding boss, otherwise I don’t know how I would have made these middle of the day appointments work.
4 Time Consuming For non-Centering, individual appointments, there would often be really long wait times as well. I would bring my computer and try to work in the waiting room, but it was definitely a huge time suck. When I could, I would schedule these first thing in the morning so wait times wouldn’t be as long and I could drive there before work.”
5 Time Consuming “I attended all of my appointments. This was my first baby and I had a lot to learn. I trusted my healthcare team to provide me and my baby the best care throughout my pregnancy. It was extremely difficult to schedule and attend appointments as I was a public school teacher and I would have to take a half-day off work for every single appointment, even simple checkups that lasted 15 minutes. But I still attended every appointment and would not consider skipping any appointments.”
6 Time Consuming I loved the telehealth appointments. I liked them because I didn’t have to drive so far to sit a hour at the office. I didn’t have to find a sitter for my other kids and I didn’t have to be exposed to other people especially during Covid.
7 Time Consuming “ There seemed to be a lot of appointments, but I was lucky to work very close to my doctor’s office and have an office job where it is easy to miss a bit of work for appointments. The appointments were typically very brief. I usually spend more time in the waiting room than seeing any of the medical staff.”
8 Impatient “I chose [my physician] because I’m comfortable with him and his practice, I know that my wishes will be honored although they’re not always possible, and I like the staff at the practice in addition to the physician. I’m always able to reach somebody and get answers quickly and appointments always occur on time. Timeliness of appointments is very important to me.”
9 Impatient “I missed my last visit which was a week before I was being induced, I think I was just ready to get everything over with and didn’t feel like I needed to go since he would be here in a week anyways and I was a little late on scheduling my postpartum visit.”
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11 Tired/Exhausted I missed one appointment postpartum and that was because I was so tired there was no way that I was going to be able to function and make it to that appointment. I think they, like, call me and I was still sleeping or something.
12 Tired/Exhausted Support is needed, as well as understanding. I was very stressed at times as far as how I could care for my older child while I was in the hospital with my second (5 months) ago. The hospital had restrictions related to Covid, which led to me being by myself with my newborn all night after laboring all day because my husband had to go be with our son. Support from friends, family, etc is so important. As it is from health-care providers as well. Sometimes it’s good to just hear that your stress is validated.
13 Tired/Exhausted “It was difficult being in such a poor mental state and being so emotional to navigate all of the issues we had to deal with. And of course, it was difficult caring for a newborn and my husband working full time to get to appointments. But I went to all. It was exhausting finding people who actually knew how to help after seeing so many who didn’t. None of the doctors I saw locally had any helpful knowledge of breastfeeding problems.“
14 Bored “I was always angry during [group maternity care sessions] because this was my second child and the information wasn’t new to me, and I understand that the other parents, you know, I felt like they were getting a lot of really good information from me and whatnot, but, like, I wasn’t getting paid to be there, you know what I mean? Like giving them information and sitting in there and listening to their idiotic questions and being a resource for them while not being compensated in any way was just not good. I did not enjoy that experience at all.”
15 Bored “This was my fourth pregnancy to result in a live birth and I didn’t have a whole lot of questions because of that. My appointments were pretty boring, but that’s exactly what you want your appointments to be during pregnancy.”
16 Routine “Due to COVID-19, every other appointment has be via telemedicine/virtual, which was frustrating at first, but it has actually made things easier. I’ve found that many of the appointments are basically just measuring weight gain and blood pressure and giving me a chance to ask any questions I may have. It saves me a 3 hour round trip drive to be able to do this over the phone.”
17 Routine “My pregnancy appointments seemed pretty standard. Although in retrospect I really feel like they could have better prepared me for my scheduled induction since I was a First Time Mom.”
18 Routine “I went to all my appointments. The first few, until 12 weeks, my partner went with me. When COVID 19 happened, that ended and I went alone . My first appointment alone was very upsetting but it soon became the normal for me”
19 Informed My care provider seemed specially trustworthy to me because I had already established medical care with them long before my pregnancy. I felt comfortable with that office and the doctors who operate it. They answered any questions that I had and always treated me with respect, which made them more trustworthy to me. I did not have an experience at that office with someone who I felt was untrustworthy. However, I did have an unfortunate experience at the hospital where I delivered in which I felt that the nurses were not trustworthy. My room was very close to the nurses station and on my second night there, I overheard them gossiping loudly about another patient who was having trouble breastfeeding but was not ready to give her baby formula. They were being very judgmental, and it made me feel uncomfortable about asking them questions or having assist me with my own breastfeeding concerns (and I had plenty of issues breastfeeding!). I even felt that one of the nurses was angry/annoyed when I asked her to come in to address a breastfeeding issue I was having. I was very happy when their shift was over and different nurses were available to help. It definitely soured an otherwise good experience at the hospital.
20 Informed “Some appointments felt more helpful than others. As the baby got closer to arriving, the appointments talking about what to expect from the birthing process and how the baby was progressing felt more helpful and helped a little in anticipating what was to come during labor and signs to look for.”
21 Informed “ I am always told approximately how long appointments will last (so far that has been accurate), what to expect (blood work, vaccinations, meeting with a nutritionist/social worker/etc), and I always receive a reminder text a few days prior to the appointment.”
22 Cared For/Loved “[My healthcare providers] don’t hide details from me. They are very supportive. I had a scare about possible preterm labor and they gave me a hug and reassured me that everything would be okay.”
23 Cared For/Loved “The doctors were all very supportive of the questions I had and emphasized the need to focus on myself and not just the baby during and after the birth.”
24 Cared For/Loved “[My practice] are great about scheduling appointments and checking in on me. When I got exposed to COVID-19 and had a test done, it took me almost two weeks to get my results. The only reason I even got the results is because my OBGYN called the office and demanded the results. I am VERY satisfied with my doctor. They also allow my husband to come to my appointments (that was one of my fears about being pregnant in COVID. My husband is my support person and I want him to be with me at appointments).”
25 Cared For/Loved “I choose [my practice] because they treat you like family. The doctors give you details of everything. They explain everything very well. They were very patient with me also.”
26 Cared For/Loved “My OBGYN office has been the best. I have attended all appointments and the fact that they truly care about your health and the health of your baby makes going so much easier. During and after pregnancy they were there for me and listened. At times they’ve even been a shoulder to cry on when your emotions are on a roller coaster. They make you feel like family and not just a patient. It actually makes me sad that after my last postpartum visit I won’t see them all as often.”
27 Cared For/Loved “I have used the same OB/GYN office for many years and I really like and respect the doctors there. They have seen me through all parts of my life as an adult woman so far. I started going there for my yearly checkup when I first moved to the area as a newlywed. They were the doctors I went to when I experienced an ectopic pregnancy when we first started trying to conceive. They were the doctors that walked me through infertility, and miscarriages, and four successful pregnancies. They understood how anxious I was during my rainbow pregnancies and they never complained when I needed to come in and reassure myself that baby’s heart was still beating.”
28 Cared For/Loved “I have seen this provider long before I was pregnant. She helped me through some health issues with compassion. I have seen this same provider for both of my pregnancies…This specific provider was so personable. She hugged me at the beginning and end of every appointment (until Covid, of course). She listened to every concern I had with open ears and an amazing heart.”
29 Cared For/Loved “My husband’s mother has also helped me with the kids when I have appointments. If I didn’t have family nearby, I don’t know what I would do.”
30 Relieved “I kind of fell into my healthcare provider by accident because they were close by, but I’m so happy I found them because they’ve been excellent.”
31 Relieved “I made it to all of my appointments. Attending these appointments gave me peace of mind knowing that my body was progressing the way it should and my baby was growing and healthy. Appointments following birth have also been important in a similar way. There were some changes with my body following delivery and having a follow up visit with my physician regarding that helped to calm any uncertainties.”
32 Relieved “I went for my 33 week visit, and I got there at 2:45 for my 3:00 appointment. Checked in, updated information and sat down. I was the only one in the waiting room, so I kept waiting and kept seeing patients leave, well it’s getting close to 5 and I had to be called back. I see staff start to leave, they turned the tv off, locked the door, and turned the lights off while I was sitting in the waiting room STILL HAD NOT BEEN SEEN!!! I called my sister who works for [clinic], and I switched the next day to [clinic] where I received the best care possible! They ended up doing NST‘s daily until I had the baby, they monitored me, did more scans, more blood work, listened to me and realized I had pre eclampsia! “
33 Good/Very Good “[M]y doctor was wonderful. He was very understanding, answered every single question that I had without judgement and made me feel valued. The best healthcare provider will understand and cherish the beautiful experience that it is to be pregnant/ give birth.”
34 Good/Very Good “I almost left the practice at one point because they said I asked too many questions and needed more appointments… but ended up SO happy with my providers at delivery.”
35 Good/Very Good “I had a very positive experience with my team overall. They were attentive throughout my entire pregnancy and easily reachable about my questions and concerns. As it got closer to my due date, they spent the time asking what I wanted and were very agreeable to the plan of care that I felt was best for me and my family.”
36 Good/Very Good “I was very happy with the majority of my care time, and definitely made a point to try to see providers that I felt most comfortable with. And the providers who ended up being at my birth were great — they really listened to my birth wishes and supported me, and I was able to have an unmedicated birth like I wanted.”
37 Safe Having a baby during the pandemic wasn’t bad the hospital was quiet there wasn’t a lot of activity in the halls and no extra visitors were allowed so it was nice
38 Safe I chose — because I knew for a fact that without a doubt this hospital is one of the best in the state. So I chose them in order to receive the best care.
39 Safe “ I did have to delay one appointment due to exposure to COVID-19. I had to wait for a negative test result before I was about to attend my OBGYN. My OBGYN makes me feel safe at appointments so I have felt comfortable attending. Everyone is wearing masks and they clean everything between patients.”
40 Safe “Due to Covid circumstances and being a high risk patient, I was nervous about exposure and contact from office visits. The office had great procedures in place that gave me the piece of mind I needed. From calling ahead, to an empty waiting room to virtual visits at times the staff have taken all measures to keep us safe. Additionally allowing face time calling to share with spouses was a plus.”
41 Grateful “I was happy with most of the doctors on my team. They showed genuine concern and made me feel comfortable. The doctor who delivered my baby had an incredible bedside manner and made me feel aware of my options.”
42 Grateful “When we decided to become pregnant the first time I talked to several friends about different OBGYNs in our area. I then made an appointment with the one I thought would be the best fit and was able to talk to him and ask questions. I immediately knew I had made the right decision. I’ve never felt more comfortable with a doctor. He made all my fears disappear and talked to me like a person and not someone above me. I love all the staff at the office and I am truly happy they were able to care for us during two pregnancies.”
43 Grateful “My team never fails to make sure my lab work is monitored the way it needs to be and adjusted. I have been very pleased with how well they communicate with my endocrinologist.”
44 Grateful “I choose my care provider team because I had them during a previous pregnancy and they were a top notch care team. I was very pleased with my care team and the care they provided. I could not have asked for any better care. I was high risk and they went above and beyond with the care I received.”
45 Hopeful “My sweet little girl has only 1 artery in her umbilical cord, so very scary. I have gestational diabetes due to pcos. So far everything is going well. I’m healthy and the baby is just struggling with energy. They put me on metformin and I hope this helps. I can’t wait to see my lil girl born. We named her Peace because right now everyone needs hope for a more peaceful world where we all can coexist.”
46 Comfortable “I met the entire team of physicians over the course of my pregnancy. It was nice to know that I wouldn’t be surprised or caught off guard with the doctor in the delivery room.”
47 Comfortable “When you are pregnant, you see your providers like your family almost every month then it turns into every week. I consider mine like family, also so concerned and caring about me and my family.
48 Excited “Choosing my maternity health care provider had more to do with availability after discovering I was pregnant and scheduling my first appointment with a doctor within my health plan network and didn’t feel like I actually chose someone that I researched. It was my first pregnancy and I was excited and nervous and just trying to figure out what to do and see how quickly I could be seen to make sure everything was okay.”
49 Excited “Between my anxiety from my previous pregnancy ending in a miscarriage, and then the complication that developed during this pregnancy, I was very eager for each of the appointments because I found them reassuring—I really wanted to hear that heartbeat.”
50 Scared I went to all my appointments the first few until 12 weeks my partner went with me when COVID 19 happened that ended and I went alone . My first appointment alone was very upsetting but it soon became the normal for me.
51 Scared I think the most important thing would be taking the time to get to know your patient and giving them lots of information. My biggest complaint with our OBGYN was I never established any relationship with any of the doctors. They want you to see a different person every time. When it came down to having my baby of course I got a doctor I’d never even met before. I felt like she made very little effort to establish any rapport with me and honestly was sometimes down right rude when I asked questions. I didn’t really trust her and honestly I feel like my feelings were validated when exactly what I told her was going to happen happened. The induction stressed my baby from the very beginning. I wanted to go to C-Section which seemed like the plan until all of a sudden she was like let’s wait it out. Then 8 hours later my blood pressure dropped to the point I was incoherent, the baby was struggling and I’m being rushed into the operating room half conscious for c-section. I felt like I had very little control over anything that was going to happen to me and having a doctor I’ve never met make those decisions didn’t provide me much comfort.
52 Scared Maternity care can be intimidating. Even to me as a mother baby nurse. My first delivery was scary, via urgent c-section. My second delivery was less scary. But I will always remember how scared I was the first time. And I know many mothers feel that way. Reassurance is so important, as is validation of concerns. Anything that makes a mother feel in control of her body and empowered in her delivery is important. I have not always felt that way in my own deliveries, and wish for that feeling for other moms.
53 Important/Necessary “I have made all of my appointments. The ones in the last few months have been a little harder as i have to travel 1 hour and 13 min to all my appointments but I know that me and my unborn child need it.”
54 Important/Necessary “Because I’m a maternity health care provider myself, I understood the importance of consistent prenatal care and postpartum follow-up; however, I also understand I’m very privileged in that I had few barriers to attending my appointments.”
55 Important/Necessary “I was generally happy with the midwives at the practice, and made a point to meet them all because I couldn’t be sure who would be working when I started laboring.”
56 Important/Necessary “I feel it is so very necessary to go to all appointments as they are taking measurements, making sure mentally and physically you are doing ok thru the pregnancy and this gives you time to get to know who is going to be helping with your delivery.”
57 Happy/Joyful “In the rural area where I live there are not a lot of options. At first this made me nervous, and I was unsure about the quality of care I would receive, but everyone has been incredibly kind, thorough, and supportive.”
58 Happy/Joyful “With this being my second baby, I knew the birth experience I wanted to have. I delivered my first out of state so I started from ground zero when I got pregnant. I like to think of myself as moderate in my views towards medicine. I am not totally crunchy and natural and I am not totally “go to the doctor every time something happens and get meds.” I knew I needed someone who could give me the emotional support I needed without pressuring me to go a route I wasn’t totally comfortable with. I liked the midwifery route but wasn’t totally convinced I wanted a natural birth. So I posted on a Facebook moms group about midwifes that are open to epidurals and don’t pressure you to deliver natural and one of the most recommended midwifes actually was 10 minutes from me! I headed over to see [provider] and felt an instant connection with her. I loved that the practice had OBs and midwives and seemed like such a tight knit group of caretakers.”
59 Happy/Joyful “Pregnancy was great. In spite of having gestational diabetes, I delivered a beautiful 6lbs 12oz baby girl last October.”
60 Happy/Joyful “ I’m happy with [my providers] because I feel like they really listen to me as a patient and person and care about me and my future baby. I’m empowered to make choices that I probably would not be able to at another provider.”
61 Anxious “I chose my initial OB care as I had been getting my routine gynecological care through them for years.
I was very disappointed when I learned they had lost Dr C. and Dr N. was on maternity leave, thus not knowing the other providers I was very wary.
My first visit was as expected, confirmation of pregnancy, lab work etc. It was when I got the results of the lab work and got called back in for an ultrasound that made me start to worry if I made the right decision to come to this practice. The ultrasound tech while performing the ultrasound kept making faces, and comments and it was over in a matter of minutes, and she left the room. I was alone, had no idea what was going on. The midwife came in and told me there was a sac but no fetal pol, meaning no baby had formed and that I had more than likely miscarried and they wanted to do labs to confirm, so we did and the lab work confirmed that the HCG was not rising like it should and the provider told me to be prepared. There was no sympathy, the provider was cold, stand-offish, and sent me on my way with a list of things to watch for.
Fast forward a few weeks after having what seemed like a miscarriage, I went for an ultrasound and labs again and there was a baby, with a strong heartbeat and I was shocked and scared and happy and all the emotions one could feel. The provider at that point still told me to not get my hopes up for a viable pregnancy. The next 12 weeks (making me 23 weeks when I went back) I worried, I stressed, I bought a at home Doppler to hear the heartbeat daily because I was convinced the baby wasn’t going to make it.
They did the anatomy scan, and it was a boy! We made it to the 2nd trimester but was told I wasn’t out of the woods yet. Again, I was crushed and worried. I didn’t go back to the doctor until 32 weeks for glucose test. In between these weeks I called multiple times about excessive swelling in my hands and feet and face, feeling dizzy, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, random bruising.
I was told time and time again it was a normal part of pregnancy. I went for my 33-week visit, and I got there at 2:45 for my 3:00 appointment. Checked in, updated information, and sat down. I was the only one in the waiting room, so I kept waiting and kept seeing patients leave, well it’s getting close to 5 and I had to be called back.
I see staff start to leave, they turned the tv off, locked the door, and turned the lights off while I was sitting in the waiting room STILL HAD NOT BEEN SEEN!!! I called my sister who works for another hospital, and I switched the next day, and where I received the best care possible! They ended up doing NST‘s daily until I had the baby, they monitored me, did more scans, more blood work, listened to me and realized I had pre eclampsia! I was induced at 38 weeks, my son was out of room, his pinky toe was broke when born because it was stuck between two of my ribs, he had breathing problems, body temperature problems, but he was alive and is almost a year old.
I owe it all to my doctor for listening to me and taking me on as a patient at 34 weeks pregnant.”
62 Anxious The ultrasound tech while performing the ultrasound kept making faces, and comments and it was over in a matter of minutes and she left the room. I was alone, had no idea what was going on.”
63 Anxious My OB took care of me not only physically, but emotionally. I was concerned about losing my job, and thus my insurance, at one point during pregnancy. I sent my provider a message through the patient portal asking about options if I lost insurance. She immediately called me with suggestions and information. Knowing that I was worried and need help, and responding to that, built my trust in her.
64 Anxious “I was not happy with my care. The practice never felt right for ME. I loved one of the midwives but was not 100% comfortable with the others. The practice felt overwhelmed and disorganized.”
65 Anxious “During my first pregnancy, my provider at time told me, at 37 weeks pregnant, they were switching to another hospital which was 35 minutes from my home. I was very upset at the way that was handled (I received this information via email), and did not want to be that far from the hospital for the birth of my second child.”
66 Anxious “Because you see a PA, the doctor later looks over their notes and changes things without knowing why something was being done. You meet no doctor ‘til delivery and there is no relationship formed. This was my 3rd child and because I knew doctors the other times I was more comfortable. While the doctors were fine at delivery, it was rather weird going through your whole life history while in labor.”
67 Anxious “ I liked most of them but the unpredictable nature of my condition occasionally led to physicians offering conflicting advice, which was very confusing. My husband and I conducted a lot of our own research and continued to ask questions. There was so much uncertainty around my situation, with the risk of death for me and/or the baby hanging over us on one hand and a possible outcome of a scheduled c-section on the other. It was very stressful.”
68 On trust My dr that I trusted the most was— she was great understanding and would actually talk to me! I was able to tell her about being depressed and upset about my previous pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage. Also all the nurses were great!! They always take care of you and call back ASAP when you call them
69 On trust A trust worthy maternal team means that all your concerned or questions were always handled thoroughly. During the end of my pregnancy I began to itch terribly. I thought I was losing it when I went to my appointment. Dr.— listened to me and gave me many things for relief . My care team was there any time I needed them.
70 On trust I think the biggest thing that makes a health care provider seem trustworthy is the ability to listen without judgment and provide information in a simple way. Most of the doctors at the practice I go to were very open to the questions I had and did not seem to pass any judgment with my questions. They were able to calm my nerves and really convey that they cared. And not just in the doctor/patient relationship, but they really seemed to try and understand how I was feeling, especially my nerves. I always left the doctors office feeling like I was prepared to go into childbirth. The time I felt untrustworthy was the first night in the hospital with the nurses. I was trying to breastfeed my baby at the 2:30/3:00 mark and she would not take the nipple. I called the nurse to ask what to do and she advised that if she didn’t want to feed at that moment it was fine and to let her sleep. When it was time for the next feeding, the shift change occurred and the new nurse came in and scolded me for not feeding her earlier. I tried to explain that the other nurse told me that I shouldn’t wake her but it didn’t matter – to the new nurse, I should have known. After that, it was hard to trust what was being told to me.
71 On trust I think a care provider is trustworthy if they take the time to listen to my concerns and then make comments or take actions that validate or support my concerns. Someone who is not trustworthy will “hear” my concerns but not listen to them. They show that they weren’t fully listening to them by making comments that go against my wishes or trying to use fear tactics to get you to do something they want you to do.
72 On trust A time when a provider did not seem trustworthy is when I expressed my wishes for an in medicated birth and they said they supported that but then followed up with how patients “my age” need to be induced by a certain point in their pregnancy and might require other interventions. Basically saying that they would support a natural birth but would not necessarily help me achieve it…and could essentially prevent it.
73 On Discrimination I’ve faced discrimination based on my weight. Practitioners are very pre-assumption due to my weight and sometimes rude.
74 Reassured “I made it to all appointments as they are very necessary I feel. Not to mention I always look forward to the relief I’m hearing my baby’s heart beat.”
75 Reassured “ It was especially scary to me back in March to see stories of hospital births in which the mother’s partner was not allowed to accompany her. The birth center has promised that would never happen. Even though it takes about an hour and a half to drive to the office from my house, I feel like it is worth it for the care that I receive.”
76 Reassured “Because I knew I would be having a repeat Cesarean section, I wanted more personalized care, so I chose a smaller practice where I would see the same provider at every visit. I’m so glad I made that choice, because I felt like my provider really knew me, my worries and fears, and my history. When I ended up having complications after delivery, I felt that they were taken seriously and addressed swiftly.”
77 Reassured All of the midwives showed me that they were trustworthy because they would take the time to talk about what I was actually experiencing in my pregnancy and ask questions that they knew supported my birth plan.
78 Reassured “I was low risk and wanted an option that did not necessarily involve (but had the option of, if needed) MD’s and the straight biomedical model. The midwives were incredibly knowledgeable and more apt to speak about breastfeeding and non-pharmacological interventions and strategies for labor and delivery. The midwife that delivered my daughter was absolutely amazing. She was a cheerleader, an encourager, full of energy and optimism. She was a true God send and was exactly what I needed to help me power through labor and delivery. The nurse that assisted was as equally amazing: reassuring, knowledgeable, calm, professional. I was so thankful and impressed by my birthing experience.”