>I know one where the laboring mother can open the door to her room, then step out on to a patio that is separated from the street only by some large bushes.
Oh man, I'm trying to picture walking by those bushes and hearing the screams behind them.
>There is no feeling that the place is ready to lock you in and call social workers over a bit of dark humor.
Not all hospitals, I guess. Ours has a really nice maternity ward and we got along well with the staff, and we had already met all of the doctors prior to delivery. Had one incident where they didn't want to admit us and sent us home for a few hours, but apart from that it was a positive experience.
I don't think it normally is screaming, especially since labor would not be induced. (that creates extra-strong contractions when the tissue hasn't yet softened up) Typically it would be weird patterned breathing and loud statements like "GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME" or "I WANT THIS OVER WITH".
Lots of my friends have had horrid hospital experiences. One had a doctor brutally cut her with a scissors, from her vagina almost to her anus, cutting across all sorts of tendons and meaty bits. (this can cause anal incontinence) She later learned that he was trying to get out of there to not miss his golf tee time. My wife had a similar situation due to the doctor wanting to deal with his flooding house; thus we did our later births elsewhere. Doctors are definitely humans with their own priorities.
Hollywood has perpetuated the stereotype of screaming mothers. I work in a hospital and visit the labour and delivery ward quite frequently. Have never heard screaming.
Oh man, I'm trying to picture walking by those bushes and hearing the screams behind them.
>There is no feeling that the place is ready to lock you in and call social workers over a bit of dark humor.
Not all hospitals, I guess. Ours has a really nice maternity ward and we got along well with the staff, and we had already met all of the doctors prior to delivery. Had one incident where they didn't want to admit us and sent us home for a few hours, but apart from that it was a positive experience.