Would you switch OBs if.....

mrs. remy

You really liked everything about them but they did not end up delivering your baby? Here is the deal....I have been seeing her for a couple of years now. Her staff is great with handling insurance and scheduling, never really had to wait long, she's always returned my calls, and generally very easy to talk to and a nice person. Her and another doctor make up the practice, but I always saw her.

She made the comment on my due date that if I delivered in the next few days she had some surgeries scheduled, would be out of town, etc....whatever, I really didn't think much about it. When I got to the hospital in labor four days later the other doctor in the practice was just ending her shift, and the on-call OB ended up delivering Sean. I was slightly miffed about it, but obviously more important things were happening so I just shrugged it off. 

I'm just wondering how common this is. Did your OB deliver your LO (or if you are pregnant, have you discussed this with them?) Part of me is saying it is not worth switching over. I spent much more time with my awesome L&D nurse then the OB who just came in for the delivery. But part of me was kind of disappointed that I had developed this relationship with her throughout my pregnancy and then she wasn't there for the end result. So I don't know if I should check out another practice for LO#2, when that time comes.

jnealet

Probably not.  I had a bit of a different situation because I was a planned c/s but honestly most of my office appts were with the NP, so I didn't see my ob for months on end. 

I choose to see the NP though because she always had more time and sat and listened and comiserated with me, the ob was a bit more "doctory" and had no sympathy.  I needed sympathy while I was pregnant.

 If I had gone into labor, there was a chance that she wouldn't have been on call and I would have seen another dr who I have never met.  I knew that going into the pregnancy and I understand my obs need for time off.

lauranne

I probably wouldn't switch.  Things come up, and never happen as planned (especially with childbirth!)  I have two obs, and they both performed my c/s because it was complicated (this was not planned).  Because there are two obs at my practice, I was told it would be one of them delivering, but they couldn't guarantee who.

macsbxcrement

I probably would not switch either.  

When I delivered my daughter, I had saw my OB just days before and she told me she was not on call the next couple of days and if I went into labor, someone else would deliver her.  Sure enough, that is exactly what happened.  It did not bother me at all.  I had a great L & D nurse and since I spent so much time with her and the dr. was only there a few minutes it was not a big deal.  However, I will say the dr. that did deliver her was wonderful. Great bedside manner.  I still stayed with my OB at the time.

I am now pg. with #2 and there are 3 OB's in the practice that I go to.  I dont *have* to see them all but I am encouraged to do so, just incase my OB is not on call when I go into labor.  However, if none of the 3 OB's are on call when I go into labor I once again have to deal with whoever is.

I will be delivering at the same hospital as with #1 so if the L & D staff are still as fabulous, I am ok with whoever delivers this one. 

 

weezie825

I would not, and I was in a similar situation.  In fact DD actually had to be caught by the attending physician for the L&D ward, because the on-call dr covering for my dr couldn't get down stairs and scrubbed up fast enough.  The NICU team barely made it in time.

As PP said, you actually spend much more time with the nurses.  And, if your dr was just at the end on his/her shift when it was time for you to deliver, would you really want a tired dr catching your LO?  I would prefer the one who was "fresh."

But, in the end you have to do what makes you most comfortable!

mrs. remy

yeah, I probably won't switch. I do like her. reading back i worded that kind of weird. I realize her schedule isn't going to coincide with when a baby decides to come, I was just kind of pondering the idea of going to a practice where you meet all the different doctors and that way you know one of them will be delivering your baby. I also like her because they have an in-office ultrasound machine so I got to confirm my pregnancy and see the heartbeat at 8 weeks right there in the office which was nice.

Kaybee44

My situation is completely different. My practice has 4 doctors all of whom I met during both my pregnancies. Now with C, I had one doctor who was taking care of me almost all day but then towards the end, a different doctor came in. My practice had about 10 women there delivering that night so the original doctor. I was happy to see the doctor who did deliver C. She's one of my favorite despite the fact that I met her only twice during my 2 years with the doctor's office

My practice has the option of meeting with the doctors and MWs. The MWs don't deliver babies but are there to cover early appointments with patients since the doctors also see GYN patients. 

No, I wouldn't switch. I was just happy to see anyone who could deliver my kids

mommyaug06

NO I would not switch. I have different OBs with both pregnancies. However the same OB (my original) ended up delivering both girls!

Cooper81

It's hard to say because I go to Chesapeake Womens Care in Annapolis and they have quite a few doctors (maybe 5 or more?) and I met all of them while PG.  There is always a doctor on call and their office is a quick walk across the street so I imagine if they needed an additional doctor (during normal business hours) they could have one over.  I ended up having the same 2 doctors (one's I'd really liked) during the entire time in the hospital.  If you were really uncomfortable with the doctor that was on call, I might switch to somewhere where you know you are going to at least meet all the doctors at least once, but if your overall experience was good, then I don't think I would.

jcsntms06

I probably would not switch. My practice has 3 OB's that deliver and 4 doctor's in the practice. So I saw all of them several times before heading to L&D. I remember telling DH that I didn't want this one particular doctors, well that doctor delivered Annabelle. LOL

mrs_sherod

Nope...I think the janitor delivered LO...I'm kidding.  At the end, I really didn't care.  My favorite OB was there when I arrived, but her shift was over and she left.  Some random guy I hadn't even met delivered LO.

I can understand your apprehension though.

mrs. remy

mrs_sherod:

Nope...I think the janitor delivered LO...I'm kidding.  At the end, I really didn't care.  My favorite OB was there when I arrived, but her shift was over and she left.  Some random guy I hadn't even met delivered LO.

I can understand your apprehension though.

LOL! The on-call doc who delivered my LO was kind of impersonal, but she was ok. She just kind of marched in the room and was like "ok, we are going to give you pitocin and break your water." I managed to buy a little more time with her but I like to think my OB would have been a little better about working with me and not trying to rush me along. I have heard some bad stores about other on-call docs people have gotten though, so I guess its just totally up in the air. Like I touched on before, I think the worst thing would be getting a bad L&D nurse, since they are pretty much there with you the whole time. I'm just rambling....not even pg with #2 yet so I still have plenty of time.

autumn bliss

mrs. remy :

 I was just kind of pondering the idea of going to a practice where you meet all the different doctors and that way you know one of them will be delivering your baby.

This was one of the bigger reasons I chose the practice I go to.  I wanted to know who was delivering my baby.  I saw all three docs at my practice, but when the time came, my most favorite one delivered Amelia and I am very grateful for that.  I would have been okay with one of the other two docs, but I would have felt leary about some random on call doc I had never met.  I know that doesn't bother most, but it was important for me to have met the person before.  I had the best rapport with this doc and laboring and delivering with her was like hanging out and talking to a good friend...she made the whole experience very positive for me and my husband. 

Good luck with your decision!

 

daisyterp

mrs. remy :

She just kind of marched in the room and was like "ok, we are going to give you pitocin and break your water." I managed to buy a little more time with her but I like to think my OB would have been a little better about working with me and not trying to rush me along.

This is what I would have a problem with- but just because I hate doctors who rush labors by forcing interventions like that.  

With DD I went to a practice with 8 OBs- I ended up w/ a scheduled induction and was happy that the OB on call that day was one who I had seen several times throughout my pregnancy and I had told him over and over that I had a phobia of CS.  I think he allowed me to labor as long as I did because of those conversations, but I could be wrong.  I know that a lot of docs would have wheeled me into the OR at at least 2 points during my labor with DD.

The problem w/ a large practice like that though is that I could have ended up delivering w/ a doc who I had only met once and not had as much of a relationship/history with- also they have a lot of scheduled inductions/cs, so I didn't have much of a choice as to when my induction would be.