Interesting appointment (Need advice!!)

kimandjared

So I went for my 1st weekly appt today and had my internal. I am not dilated but he said the baby's head was low. It hurt like a mofo!!!! But he said everything looks good.

After we asked all our questions he said he wanted to tell us something about the hospital we are delivering at. He said he wasn't happy with some of the policy changes and felt it was his duty to let us know He never went into detail and said it was nothing that would make him step away from the hospital, but it was something they were doing to help save money, etc etc. He even mentioned the other hospital is only like 10 minutes away. This is not something I wanted to hear so close to my due date! Needless to say DH and I just went with it and didn't ask any questions. 

DH just called and wanted me to call the hospital to see if they could go into detail on the policy change to see if it was worth looking into delivering at a new hospital or if it was not that big of deal. I called and the charge nurse explained that my Dr isn't happy about their new pitocin (I think that's how it is spelled) policy and is not giving his patients the correct information. Apparently they are changing the way Dr's can prescribe pitocin and they are no longer allowed to give it in high dosages. She said after studies they have seen it to be more harmful than helpful to give it in high dosages. They are still giving out pitocin, just not in high dosages.

 So would this influence whether you deliver at the same hospital or go to a different one??

RadicalDreamer143

I think I might be more worried about why my OB would want to continue administering large amounts of pitocin after those studies you mentioned.  However, that's something I would talk about with him if I were you.

Jennicap

I would ask for the links to the studies and no it would not change my mind on hospitals. THOUGH you need to find out what your doctors policy is for interventions and emergency c/s. If you are on a lower dose of pit and you are not contracting as well as you would on a higher dose (per your doctor) will your doctor give you more time to labor or will he rush you to have surgery? Honestly if my doctor was that concerned about a pit policy change I would switch doctors but thats just me and my hopefully med free intervention free birth!

bridetobe101505

That is a tough situation for you to be in. ?Who should you trust? ?I think it's odd that your doctor told you about this (causing you too worry, even just a little) but who knows whether the info the charge nurse gave you was correct or not. ?I would discuss again with your doctor. ?When would he induce you (using the Pitocin?) if you went overdue? ?Using Pitocin is safe and will get the job done eventually. ?And it may not even be an issue if you go into labor on your own, but those are all things I would think about.

Good luck and sorry that you are having to worry about this right now.?

knedell

Um, this would influence my choice of drs more than my choice of hospitals.  To me, the lower dosage rules on pitocin are a positive change, and one that has been a long time coming.  My dr goes out of his way to not induce first time moms bc of the snowball effect that induction can have toward c section (esp common in first timers).  I am very anti pitocin, so anything that limits its use sounds like a great policy to me.  Just my $0.02.

Nate&Mel

I would stay with the same hospital. Hospitals don't just change policies for fun, there is a lot of research and time put into it, and generally they are approved by a good portion of the practicing physicians. I would discuss it more with your MD and find out exactly what his concerns about the new policy are, but it sounds like the hospital is doing the right thing.

mrsmcphail

I would ask dr. next week his specific objections to the policy change.  My DH gets annoyed sometimes with his hospital b/c there are a zillion policy changes and the pharmacy/nurses will call him b/c there isn't a prewritten rx that matches what he writes for.  If it's an annoyance thing on his part, I'd get over it.  If he feels that it is a policy about hospital budget that is compromising patient care, I'd check my insurance and see about switching hospitals.  Honestly, it could also be that his practice is trying to switch to having their hospital privileges only at another hospital and they're trying to influence their current patients to move (not cool IMO, but you're pretty late in the game to switch OBs based on something like that)

edit: I agree that hopefully since it has to do with LARGE pit doses you should be hoping to avoid that anyway unless your doc sees a reason for induction.  After all, he did go to med school and knows more about delivering babies and we all got our degrees on webMD! 

nikll34

annecoxrn:

I, personally, am not a fan of pitocin. So if the hospital is using research to guide their practice - I would be MORE inclined to stay at that facility.

You have to do what makes you comfortable.

This. I would be more worried about the OB more than the hospital. Since it's a new policy, and it's in effect, he can't give out those higher doses so he is probably just bitter about it. 

tlmommy2b:)

Sounds like the hospital is doing the right thing. Honestly not so sure about your doc. Seems a little underhanded to complain about the hospital to patients, not mention unprofessional. Whatever issues he has he should keep to himself and deal with especially if "its not worth leaving over". He shouldn't be stressing out his patients, especially the ones who are pregnant!

kimandjared

Thanks everyone! I needed to hear how others would take this information. I am hoping to go into labor without needing induced, but I guess with your first you never know. I too have heard that pitocin in high dosages can do more harm than good, so that does make me worry a bit about how my dr handles things. I have an appt with him next Mon and I plan on bringing up some of the questions you all asked. Thanks so much for the help!

katie.i.do

yeah, i'm kind of siding with the hospital on this particular one...since in an ideal world i would rather not be induced with pitocin, so i appreciate their more conservative approach to using it if they think it could  be harmful at high doses.

 you should ask your doctor more questions about his position on this issue, about why he is against the policy change specifically.

AmandaToo

IF you're getting the right information from both parties, which I'm not sure of, I'd also side with the hospital.  However, at your next appointment, you might want to discuss your wishes more formally with your doctor, or create a birth plan if indeed you think the hospital is right or if you are concerned you might have to deliver with a doctor who is a stranger. 

Hip2Bsquare

It would make me feel better about the hospital and less about my doctor. However, I am trying to go natural.

It sounds like he would want you to go to the oher hospital so he can use his old methods.

Iheartkevi

Good for you for calling the hospital!  I would think it's a good thing that they limit the dosages of it now.  I wanted a natural medfree birth, but being 11 days late I got all the interventions (including pitocin) that I didn't want at first.  The pitocin affected my LO too much and we ended up stopping the use of it and I still had a vaginal birth with no problems. 

 Some OBs like being able to up the pitocin as they wish so that they can speed up the labor to fit their schedules.  I'd stick with the hospital you're at and talk to your dr. if you have any more questions.  He sounds like he's just upset he's not in control of it anymore.  

Good luck and positive vibes that you won't need it at all!

mrs.oz

The way it sounds, you're not even sure that it's the pitocin policy change that your doctor is upset about.  You never heard that from your doctor's mouth, correct?  This is second hand information.  How do you know there isn't another policy change that he may be talking about.  First, I would ask your doctor about his concerns since you said he didn't go into detail.