Source: Facebook

This story has been updated. 

DeKalb Medical has suspended the privileges of a popular doctor following a vaginal breech birth of twins.

It is the second time in less than a year that the hospital has put restrictions on Dr. Brad Bootstaylor’s practice, See Baby. Moms-to-be who are close to their due date are upset and worried, according to comments left on a Facebook post See Baby published about the suspension.

The original post has been removed. Here is the full message along with screen shots from internet archives of the post before it was deleted.

It is with shock and disappointment that we are forced to announce the following: See Baby Midwifery privileges at Dekalb Medical have been temporarily suspended, effective immediately. See Baby was advised of this with 2 hours’ notice, by courier on 5/8/17 (yesterday). This lack of notice and due process by Dekalb Medical is (once again) a direct challenge to the community of which we serve. This has left us scrambling to provide care for our patients at this extremely vulnerable time in their pregnancies. This lack of notice from Dekalb Medical has essentially banned See Baby Midwifery from serving you and supporting your birth options.

We are working to resolve this issue promptly, as a meeting with Dekalb Medical on Monday 5/15/17 is anticipated.

This unforeseen suspension of our See Baby Midwifery service jeopardizes patient care, birth options and consistent operations. As a result, we will be seeking your support pending the outcome of this process.

During this time Dekalb Medical will be reviewing a breech/breech vaginal twin birth that Dr Bootstaylor appropriately managed in April (the outcome of which was 2 healthy babies and happy parents with a beautiful story to share). Dr. Bootstaylor, a practitioner with many years of safe vaginal breech birth and extensive experience, was able to provide this family an empowering healthy experience (of which they are willing to attest to).

In the meantime, See Baby patients should still contact the Midwife “on-call” when in labor, and she will carefully chaperone this delicate process. However, while privileges are suspended, Dr. K. Daus, who has previously cared for See Baby Midwifery patients and works closely with our Midwives, has kindly stepped in to care for our patients during this time.

In an effort to continue providing excellent care to our See Baby families, we will be temporarily offering assistance with Doula fees for births at Dekalb Medical. Please contact the office for
details of this offering (404-223-9306 Office Manager, Julia Modeste or Dr. Bootstaylor directly 404-275- 3121 – by text!). If your due date is in the month of May please look out for a call from the team to personally discuss your care during this time. We ask that all other patients allow us the opportunity to update you during your prenatal care, and of course expect more information regarding how we will move forward together, next week. We thank you in advance for your patience and support as we work to reinforce our ability to support you.

We understand the emotional upheaval this news might cause, and we will promptly share information with the community as it becomes available. As always, we appreciate your support and understanding as we come together to Bring Birth Back!

See Baby Grow. See Baby Play. See Baby Blog. — News regarding See Baby Midwifery Privileges at.._

[adsanity id=35969 align=aligncenter /]

Bootstaylor told Decaturish that the twins and mom are fine, saying they are willing to offer a public testimonial about the quality of their care. He said DeKalb Medical has been looking for a reason to suspend his practice there.

“It’s one of those things where the institution is watching our particular service and looking at anything that’s perceived out of their norm, for a smoking gun,” he said.

See Baby does the majority of its work at DeKalb Medical, he said.

Multiple messages left with DeKalb Medical have not been returned. The Facebook message says See Baby will meet with hospital officials on May 15 regarding the suspension. That was later moved to May 16, according to a subsequent Facebook post by See Baby.

Last August, a controversy erupted when DeKalb Medical temporarily suspended water birth at the hospital. The hospital also barred Bootstaylor from delivering babies using forceps, performing Vaginal Births after C-sections, or VBACs, and performing vaginal breech deliveries, his office said at the time. Those privileges were later restored.

When asked why the hospital has been watching his practice, Bootstaylor said it’s because his practice offers women and families options and choices. He said medical culture is “paternalistic” when it comes to delivering babies, and his willingness let patients have more of a choice causes them to question orthodoxy at the hospital. “It forces their patients to say, ‘Why you don’t do it this way? Why don’t we have a conversation? Why can’t I eat while I’m delivering?”

When asked if there had been any birth complications that led to DeKalb Medical’s decision last August, Bootstaylor said, “Yes is a short answer. It’s not an unknown complication. When you use forceps, which has been used for hundreds of years, once in a while you get a laceration around the baby’s ear and it heals.”

In the statement posted on Facebook, See Baby said another doctor familiar with its practice will take care of patients until the situation is resolved.

“We understand the emotional upheaval this news might cause, and we will promptly share information with the community as it becomes available,” the company said. “As always, we appreciate your support and understanding as we come together to Bring Birth Back!”