At 03:11 PM 1/19/98 -0600, Kay Jones wrote:

I am writing to you: Recently I was to coach a good friend of mine through her labor and birth. She very much wanted a natural birth and had written a very specific birth plan and had planned on signing waivers to release the hospital and docs from any legal action if

Wait 18 years, then her child can sue the hospital.

anything went wrong. When we went to the hospital, the midwife on duty threw down her birth plan and told her that her child would be delivered on HER terms (the midwife's) or not at all. She literally forced me to leave my friend, and then had her physically restrained to insert IV's

Not very assertive, are you folks?

and apply monitors which my friend had NOT consented to, and in fact had specifically said she didn't want. Then, later, during the actual birth, the midwife let my friend's vagina tear horribly instead of giving her an episiotomy as she said "You want a natural birth...do it yourself" Then, my friends new baby was taken from her, and she didn't get to see the baby for three hours after the birth. The baby was subjected to tests and proceedures that my friend had specifically requested not be done, and the baby was given a bottle in spite of the fact that my friend wanted to nurse her baby. Anyway, my intent is to open a page to expose these so called 'medical professionals' for what they are.....butchers! What happened to my friend was pure and simple assault, but she has not much recourse, as this happened in a military hospital.

You go to a military organization and expect otherwise? Meat is meat baby.

Her husband, like mine is in the Army, and they are not very high ranking soldiers, so the risk of reprocussions (sp?) to them is very high if she takes action.

Kiss hubby's career goodbye Ms. Jones, you've already complained too much. I know that is the norm for most army

hospitals, and I would like to open a *safe* arena for women to read and be warned of these people, by NAME and rank, and location, and also a *safe* place for them to post their horror stories with warnings also. Many people are afraid of being sued...I could care less tho my husband is a bit paranoid... do you see what I am trying to say here? Can you help me? Please let me know as soon as possible :) Thanks!

You need to look into anonymous posting more than Eternity services, if you are afraid of personal retribution. And you need a lawyer to advise on libel law. But I don't believe you're subject to the UCMJ as a wife. ------------------------------------------------------------ David Honig Orbit Technology honig@otc.net Intaanetto Jigyoubu "How do you know you are not being deceived?" ---A Compendium of Analytic TradeCraft Notes, Directorate of Intelligence, CIA http://www.jya.com/cia-notes.htm