I have had 3 children with Clarissa. My personal experience is that she is extremely senstive to the needs and wants of her patients. She has always been calm in every situation even in one of my births where things looked like they could go wrong during the labor. I think that in some cases where things have gone wrong with others it is only natural that she will be viewed negatively because we all expect the best outcome, sometimes it doesn't happen and i can't speak for anyone else.
I DO know that when the nurses at the hospital could not explain how to get my baby to latch on when breastfeeding she stayed after hours to help me and make sure i was okay. When i realized i was going through postpartum depression she directed me to do what i needed to get help. In one of my births she congratulated me for not asking for meds becuase she had to give them to 6 other women who asked for them for the labor that day. The only time she gave meds was the first time and it was a muscle relaxer for the long labor i went through and needed a rest from. She has always discouraged it when it was not needed. My husband's aunt even retells of her labor when she asked for meds and Clarissa kept trying to convince her not to have them. She eventually did because she insisted.
I birth my children "sunny side up" as she calls it, which ob's will want to do c-sections for. I'm thankful for her knowledge and ability to handle my difficult births and think that it is wise that she delivers in a hospital in the case that something does go wrong. As far as i know she has always had a back-up doctor, the reason why she called me in early to check my progress because that back up doc was going on vacation....she didn't want him to make me have a c-section if i went into labor right before he had to leave. Since that was my first time i didn't realize i was having real contractions and i had a healthy baby girl. There is alot more i could say but not enough time or space....Thanks Clarissa.
