Hannah Welling

Review of Naval Medical Center Portsmout...

Visited the ER after a homebirth (at 11am) to have...

Visited the ER after a homebirth (at 11am) to have myself and baby evaluated and was threatened with CPS when i informed our nurse my child and I will be going home when the pediatricians still hadn't come to "discharge" us from ER at 1am the following day. So as a brand new mother just given birth, still bleeding, hadnt slept, hadnt eaten.... Portsmouth Naval ER staff thought it would be best to threaten taking my child if i didnt sit down, shut up and wait. The ONLY good thing about that visit was the patient advocate who assured me i was safe, my child was 100% healthy, I was well within my rights to leave and apologized that I was caught up in the bureaucratic bs that is NMCP.

On another visit..... Admitted myself during a long battle with mental health only to be locked in a filthy room with no air, guarded by two men who were talking loudly about getting drunk and having sex, never had anyone come speak to me like a counselor, ultimately ended up saying whatever i had to say to get out and go find real help at another establishment.

Editing my review after another pregnancy/pediatric experience. Birthed my daughter recently and had to transfer her from home during labor to help resolve a minor complication. Had a very respectful and gentle birth team who respected my body and desires.

****Only complaint of this stay was the night shift pediatric senior resident who threatened CPS when I disclosed we intended to discharge early (naturally, as a homebirth transfer) if mom and baby were healthy.*****

****This is the SECOND TIME this has happened to me. Happened once through the ER with my second child and again with my third.*****

Took this seriously unethical, manipulative action directly to the pediatric ward doctor and was satisfied with how he addressed this issue. It is still extremely concerning NMCP PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS clearly feel it's okay to use the threat of CPS as a way to manipulate parents into following hospital policy, regardless of if the child is 100% healthy.

POSITIVE:

Several days after birth, baby developed jaundice and required admittance for treatment. I never suspected the pediatric ward nurses, corpsmen and doctors to be so kind... so thoughtful... so understanding. Relieved my anxiety as an individual and mother, especially after my past experiences with their ward's residents. Treated my daughter as if she was their own. Entire staff was interactive and playful with my two older children, making the stay easier on mom and dad. Absolutely wonderful experience.