Emily Johnson

Review of Shawnee Mission Medical Center

I've thought for a while about how to word this re...

I've thought for a while about how to word this review. Had I left this a year ago I would have given four or five stars. I had just had the most positive birth experience at SMMC. However, as I reflected on what caused that birth to be so special I came to the conclusion that it was due to the support I received from my midwife. In all actuality, my experience at the hospital was not that pleasant. From the tour to the day of delivery little things occurred that cause our experience with this hospital to be less than ideal. Since the hospital is now insisting they have never and will not ask hospitalist to support independent midwives (with the mission of seeking choice in childbirth for mothers) to deliver there I thought my review should be specific to just the hospital.

When my husband and I arrived to our tour and stated our wishes we were treated somewhat coldly. I couldn't figure out why this woman was being so short until our marital status came up. My husband has a hyphenated last name. When I stated we were married the lady seemed surprised. She even mentioned our different last names. After she realized we were married her disposition grew warmer. It was so obvious that my husband and I spoke of it in the car after leaving. We chose to blow it off.

On the day of delivery my husband and I arrived to the hospital after laboring at home for as long as possible (discussed and approved in hospital tour) Because this was our first rodeo I told him to park the car and walked in alone. I had never felt more uncomfortable and judged in my life. In active labor I understand what I must have looked like but if SMMC wanted to be the hospital for natural childbirth then why did so many people ask me why I waited so long to get to the hospital. Additionally I sat in check-in for over ten minutes dealing with paperwork that I thought had been handled during the tour.

When my husband and I were finally moved to the deliver floor I sat in the waiting room for over 20 minutes in active labor waiting for a nurse to come get me and take me to a room. My midwife was on her way but had not yet arrived. Once I was finally taken to a room I learned I had been assigned a nurse that had zero respect for natural childbirth. I tried to explain that I had a birth plan and that I wasn't getting an IV (I was negative for group B strep and it wasn't medically necessary) but she did not care. I explained that I wasn't supposed to be hooked up to electronic monitoring of my contractions. I could feel them just fine myself. Again she didn't care. There was no kindness and zero bedside manner. Once my midwife arrived my husband witnessed this woman roll her eyes and ignore my midwife multiple times. I was so thankful when another nurse was finally assigned to us. Our second nurse was an absolute angel.

Once my daughter was born we saw several nurses. Many were nice but there was one that yelled at me about my daughter's latch as I struggled to figure out how to BF. I begged for a lactation consultant for my entire visit. One finally came in about an hour before I left and handed me paperwork. My husband was out of the room when she came in. When he found out that she didn't even help me feed the baby he found her and insisted she help me.

Overall, the birth of my daughter was beautiful, but again with the exception of one nurse during the delivery and a few in maternity care, SMMC doesn't get the credit. My midwife does. It is a shame other women who come to your hospital wishing for a natural birth experience will be fooled by your slick marketing of calling labor and delivery a "birth center". If their experience is anything like mine they be assured that their wishes are not problem then in the moment they'll be bullied into intervention they don't want. That is exactly what I was experiencing until my midwife walked in the room and fought for my voice to be heard. Without allowing midwives who advocate for options in birth you are limiting the experience women will have and that is ultimately why one star is the deserving rank.