Would you find a new OB?

Saraevh

Would you find a new OB for the rest of your pregnancy if ...

Alright so my OB has been out for a month so far due to a wrist injury. Fine. Life happens. I was originally told he'd be gone for 6-8 weeks. I made my next two appointments (one I had today with one of his partners who I didn't really care for) and then I have another one in two weeks but I am going to see if I can schedule it with a different partner because I didn't really like the one I saw today. They let me schedule with my actual doctor for October 7th, BUT now today the doctor I saw said they aren't sure if that's when he's going to be back anymore. 

I am 27 weeks ... I should be 31 weeks when he was originally supposed to come back, but now who knows when that will really be. I realize that he will most likely be back in time for me to deliver (as long as this kid isn't too early), however I don't really like not having a doctor. I understand his partners are picking up his patients but I don't know them, they don't know me, my questions are always answered by the nurses (who I don't really care for either) and I'm feeling anxious about not being established with someone as I start my third trimester. 

Do you think I should just wait it out or find a new practice/doctor?

ELF4321

In my experience, most multi doctor practices require you to see each of the doctors and share delivery on call duties, so you never get to know who will be on call when you deliver anyway. If you do switch, make sure your new doctor doesn't share on call days also, or you could go through all the trouble of switching and end up in the same situation.

That said, I did switch practices late in 3rd trimester because I realized that I just didn't trust 4 of the 5 doctors who could have delivered. I switched to a midwife group and have no regrets.

TJ1979

If I were unhappy, I would switch.  But like @ELF4321 said, make sure you know what you are getting into before switching.  My OB was on call 3 out of 4 weekends, and of course I went into labor the one weekend of the month that she was off.  I had never met her back up.  Luckily she was amazing! 

Saraevh

Each of the doctors do *most* of their own deliveries. Mine claims he does 99% of his ... he delivered my daughter when he wasn't on call, came to my son's delivery then left because he thought they called him too early (floor doctor ended up delivering ... that's a whole different story!), but I know there are no guarantees he will deliver this baby either way. They don't share nurses either. I guess while it would be nice if he delivered this baby, whoever delivers isn't as important to me as who is following my pregnancy (imaybe that doesn't make sense, but for some reason I feel better seeing the same doctor every time and chancing the delivery???).  I don't know what to do!  

JBDamonM

I actually know what you mean about seeing the same dr. every time and chancing the delivery. I LOVE my OB and this is exactly how I felt.... Although fortunately for me I liked all of her partners except for one.

Personally I would try and find another one. The way I see if it sounds like your current practice already has a few strikes against them (the nurses, the partners and now your current dr. being out indefinitely).....I know many people who have switched late in their pregnancies, so while it's not ideal - I think you'll be ok.

THat being said, you could wait another couple of weeks and the call your original practice and see if there is an update on your OB's return date.

Mrs.AmyDylan

I switched at 32w to a birthing center. All kinds of weird stuff happened, not returned phone calls, the woman who was supposed to be my doc kept sending someone else to my appointments, I was just getting a really bad vibe. Hysterical crying when they couldnt find my glocose test results to my DH finally convinced him that a non-hospital birth was a better option. 

 I absolutely 100% made the right decision. I was getting such a bad vibe from my OB practice (which wasn't really my doctor because my usual OB/GYN dropped the OB side). In a post-birth discussion my MW and birthing assistant said I would have had a high-intervention birth since my water broke at 38w and I was GBS+. So instead, I had a beautiful, natural water birth.

 So unless the future brings multiples or a high-risk pregnancy, I will never darken the door of a traditional OB practice. 

RoseHQ12

I would probably change if I wasn't clicking with the support staff, in addition to the other Doctors. If he may not be back by the date you thought he would, who's to say that won't happen again. This way you have time to find & adjust to a new OB.

imoverit

Go with your gut mama. You want to feel the least amount of stress as possible. GL with your decission.

Ruthie04

I think this is a really personal decision and I'd switch if you felt u comfortable. That being said, I probably would just stay out of laziness and apathy . My doctors rotated me around like crazy and it was only in the last few weeks that I even saw the same OB. It was the same way with my MFM's office. And, when my water broke another OB from another practice ended up delivering me since the practice shared on call duties and the OB that saw me that day had a family illness. I really wasn't bothered by it, but my RE practice was huge and my actual RE didn't do a single one of my IUIs, ERs or ETs. I guess I just got used to so many people being involved in the happenings of my lady parts.

So, I'd switch of you think it will help you feel more comfortable. But, to answer your question- no, I don't think I'd switch.

IBackBevo

That is a tough one. My only fear would be ending up with someone I liked even less.

CarrieB.

No good advice... But in sorry you are dealing with this. As you know, I have been really frustrated in dealing w my OB's practice too.

itsmevkb

Hmmm.........if it were me I'm probably stick it out and wait for Bear to come back.  Although I'm totally not buying that he delivers 99% percent of his patients given that he's only delivered one of my four and the only reason he delivered Sully was because it was an induction.

I'd stay because he knows my history and I wouldn't want to even begin to try and explain all that to someone else.  Sure, they would have my chart but would they even read it, you know?  And, even if they read it, they wouldn't know what all really happened.  It's one thing to read baby had high heart rates and it's another to have been there knowing the anxiety I felt.  It's one thing to read about two miscarriages and it's another to have been there with me through them.  It's one thing to read that I did clomid, IUI, IVF, IV intralipids and it's another to have been the one talking me through a lot of it and encouraging me.  So, for that reason, I'd stay.

Have you thought about seeing an ob at a different clinic but still with Aurora?  Do you not like Dr. Carlson?  I think you know my opinion on Dr. George.

Saraevh

I totally get it, @itsmevkb.  That's why I'm hesitant to switch.  He has always told me he does 99% of his deliveries, buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut he could have just been blowing smoke up my @ss too  You know how he is sometimes. Though he has been at both of my kids so far ... but he didn't actually deliver Jack because he left in a huff, but that's a whole different story.  But maybe he would have been at more of your kids' deliveries if they didn't fly out of your vagina so fast you barely even make it to the hospital yourself (hehehe, I'm kidding    

Anyway.  I saw Saikie yesterday and was NOT impressed.  He couldn't get me out of there fast enough (I think I was maybe in the room a total of 3 minutes if that) and he seemed like he didn't even want to sit down to answer the one question I had.  He seemed veeeeeeeeeery laid back.    

Dr. George isn't part of their group anymore!  Yay!  They just got a new one, I think her name is Dr. Rider and then there is Dr. Berg who was there when I was pg with Jack too.  I canceled my appointment in two weeks with Saikie and changed to Carlson.  I guess I'll give him a shot.  He circumcised Jack but I think I said about a total of 4 words to him so I don't really have much of an opinion.   

I'm just really struggling with GD this time ... more than I did last time.  I can't seem to get it in control enough for it to not keep spilling into my urine and I sorda feel abandoned, ya know?  Like I don't have a doctor and I have no one but his nurse Sue answering my questions and sometimes I wonder if she even has a brain.  Then Saike was confusing me yesterday and kept asking me why I wasn't on insulin, then going back and saying never mind I didn't need it, yada yada yada.  

  

I'm just frustrated.         

mdiblasi10

I hope everything works out! I can understand being torn with staying or leaving. It's a tough decision. Hopefully you like the new doctor you are seeing. Maybe you can mention your concerns about the GD to him so he knows how you are feeling?