On Call Doc

Cleto2007

So my doctor told me today at my 39 week check up that she is not on call on my due date, Christmas eve. Now i know i cant depend on the due date, baby is going to come when baby comes. Would i be loony to try and meet the ob that is on call that day?? My doctor and I have a plan set and i really want to stick to it. Thanks in advance. Aww

Cleto2007

msspeedymarie said:

How many doctors are in the practice? Is it just your OB and the other who take turns, or are there several? My office had like 7-8 docs, and in my last few months I met them all, by design of the office, because there was no way to know who would be on call when I went in.

If there's just the one, def arrange to meet him/her. But if there are many, meeting the one on call on your due date only is pointless, as you are highly unlikely to deliver on your due date. 

Eta if you and your OB have a plan, write it up and bring copies with you, and make sure your birthing partner knows your plan so they can advocate for you.

I want to say there is five, but not sure. Im going to have to check with my OB again but i believe she is always on call for her patients, except when on vacation and what not.

Good idea on writing the plan up. No plan for a c section as of right now. Biggest thing is if i have time for epidural im going to take it. If not i want a water birth as long as i dont have a need to be hooked up to an IV. Tested neg for strep B so hopefully no other need for IV arises.

Thanks for the advise!

ashiscute

unconventionalatbest said:

All the doctor does is catch the baby.  You see them for ten minutes tops.

This wasn't accurate for either of my deliveries.  They were in and out the whole time I was in labor and there the whole time I was pushing and for about an hour after stitching up and whatnot.  

OP- If you know who the doctor is then I'd try to meet them and definitely have a copy of your birth plan.  If it's just another one at the practice and you don't know then I'd just go with the flow.  I go to a practice and it's sort of luck of the draw on which OB is on duty when you go into labor.  I hadn't spent a substantial amount of time with either of the OBs who delivered for me and felt fine with them during labor.  

duckie23

I probably would not go through the trouble of setting up a meeting with the OB on call that day, given the slim chances of actually delivering on your due date. If you DO go into labor that day, you can give him or her a copy of your birth plan. 

Your doc is not going to be on call every day (not just on your due date), so would you try to meet all the OBs in the practice?

janda426

I'm really surprised that they haven't been scheduling you to meet EVERYONE in the practice but since there's that many it's too late now. Just go with the flow.

Cleto2007

With my first, my water broke on a Friday, and I didn't deliver until  Sunday. The nurses in "the birthday suits" (our L&D) called my doctor on Friday night, who told the nurses to give me my first dose of antibiotic for Strep B and then send me home since I was not progressing. I had to be back by 7am Saturday morning for my next dose of antibiotics.

 My doctor was there  Saturday morning when I got in and she never left. I ended up having to be induced because I was not progressing on my own.(maybe this is why she stayed?)  Baby was born Sunday afternoon.

I feel like I should know how my L&D works, so I defiantly have some questions to ask. I live in a town of less then 3,000 but its the largest town in a 30 miles radius so we have the only hospital with labor and delivery. 

I have an appointment on Tuesday (if I don't go into labor sooner) and I will defiantly be asking questions.  Thanks all for the advice, ill update if I make it to the appointment