I'm sorry you had to go through that! I was not considered a young mother at 27, so I was not subjected to that.

If it makes your friend feel better I did have to pee in a cup at each and every prenatal visit for both my beasties. I am not, nor have I ever been a drug user. That policy might just the particular practice she went to.

I can see why they have concerns, because there are *some* young mothers who just can't, won't or don't get their shit together by the time the baby comes. However, that does not mean all young mothers,or young parents are like that. I'm sure there are plenty of us "normal" aged mothers who are worse off than most young mothers.

Methinks they should extend the same "courtesy" to all parents....not just young parents.

What!?!? I have never heard about that. Ok I was 23 when I had my first but still. I did have to do a pee test every visit but I didn't ask because my mom had issues when she was pregnant.

I have never had to pee in a cup for any of my prenatals. It's strange because I hear horror stories all the time about how awful hospitals can be and how they don't let you deliver the way you want or have much say in what happens but I have not had any of those issues with my hospital or Dr's office. I go to Group Health and Overlake hospital in Bellevue Wa. 

Up here we have to pee in a cup every time to check for protein in our urine.  Young mother, old mother, doesn't matter, it is just a health check.

Thefinder said:

Up here we have to pee in a cup every time to check for protein in our urine.  Young mother, old mother, doesn't matter, it is just a health check.

Protein! That is what i was thinking of. Sorry, all day training at work has fried my brain

Not only have I never heard of that, it's certainly something that could be legally refused.  Is this policy linked to the hospital or local child protective services?  It's outrageous and there is not supposed to be any involvement with a family in that manner unless a report has been made. 

It's a clear (to me) civil rights violation.   I understand having that fear, because I had my son (first) young and I was given all sorts of grief in the hospital when he was born and my mother had to tell them I was going home with her for them to let me leave with my baby.

Now, to be clear, there was drug use in my past but not beyond the point I had discovered I was pregnant.  I had been something of a partier and when I discovered I was pregnant I told the docs that I'd partaken before learning I was pregnant.  I had to pee in a cup for every prenatal visit but I just assumed it was because I was being seen at a military hospital (my father being in the Air Force, I was still an AF dependent due to my age and status as a student)...  so they knew that there was no drug use during pregnancy. Still, when he was born, they started yelling at me about my "drug problem"and threatening to call CPS.  It was horrible.

I was terrified from day one that they'd try and take him from me somehow. 

But yeah, that is not normal and not okay!

OMG I had my DD at 17, i turned 17 two months before she was born, and in  no way was i ever discriminated against at the dr or either hospital involved in her birth!!! Id be looking into that if i were you!!! Horrible! 

I was 19 when I had my son. I had to pee in a cup every visit for protein. I was never talked to by anyone or had any visits. Wait now that I think about it, are you on state funded insurance? My ex lost his job and insurance when I was pregnant with my daughter and so the state picked me up. When she was born they sent someone out to check on living situations and make sure she was being taken care of. No drugs or any problems with my daughter.

@gisleyandhank I was 27 and had to pee in cup every visit and had the first home visit too and when I asked why I was told that since I was on Medicaid and WIC while I was preggo that it was a standard practice to ensure that we had a safe home for the baby so no it isn't an age thing its a since you are on assistance we have the right to be nosy asses (u wouldn't be in SC would you)

I was 15 when I had my 1st. I had to speak with a social worker because I was so young, but I never had any homevisits or anything else after that visit with her at my obgyn. Peeing in a cup here, I'm told, is to check for proteins or sugar in the urine. I saw all women, all ages peeing in cups so I assume it was normal practice? Your situation doesnt seem that way.

Well now I wish I hadn't been so naive when I had my first, I might have done something about all that. Both my friend and I were in Western Oregon, but different hospitals. I didn't have insurance, Medicaid or otherwise. Very strange that no one else has ever heard of this. Ugh, it makes me mad to think about it.

u weren't even on assistance, ugh that is age discrimination pure and simple. it is illegal.

Wait peeing in a cup isnt normal at every visit... Social worker yes cause my sons issues.. But i had my first at 16 and second at 22....

I had my dd at 17, didnt have to pee in a cup but did pee on a stick to check sugar and protein. No home checks but they did offer at home support which I declined.
I know with state insurance they did drug test mothers and babies at birth, but I never experienced this as I have private insurance.

I didn't have to go through the drug screenings, but they did have me pee in a cup to check for proteins.

I hyad my first DS when I was 16 and my second DS when I was 26, no one has ever done a home visit...but we lived with my parents when I had my big kid so IDK, although I wasn't married for either of their births.  As for the peeing in a cup at each appointment?  That is to check for protein.  It is standard practice here where I live.

Sorry, I just saw the tag now, @Love, and the ladies are right about the pee tests, they're standard for protein when the woman is still pregnant. After the pregnancy is over, if there's no reason to suspect diabetes or a UTI or something, then there's no reason for further pee tests. The cure for pre-eclampsia is delivery.

Here we get a visit from a home nurse about a week after the baby is born so she can weigh the baby and make sure everything's going as smoothly as possible. After that, you're on your own pretty much forever.

As for discrimination against young mothers, I have absolutely no doubt it exists. It sucks that health-care providers, especially, would make that assumption rather than using their observation skills to see how the mom interacts with and cares for her child. People suck.

And I'm sorry you had such a shitty experience, @Thefinder. Just what you need when you're adapting to new motherhood!

With both of my kids I got a call from HealthyStart about a week after I got home. They provided home visits where they weighed, measured, gave you children's books, provided tips on getting your baby to sleep through the night, that sort of thing. It was something I could opt out of but I really appreciated it. This was completely different then the thing while I was in the hospital. They checked out my house before I could go home with baby and they never mentioned it beforehand. And I had an easy normal birth at full-term so it didn't have to do with our health, either. This is really creeping me out now, I wish I'd had a support group like this to refer to 5 years ago when this went down. I talked to my Dad about my concerns at the time but he wasn't happy with me being pregnant at 19 so he thought it was justified.