Ft. Drum first OB appt.

BachBaby

I was wondering if anyone knows, what they do at the first appointment here. I would like to know going in if I am going to hear a heartbeat or just do blood work and answer questions. 

Temp76535187505890

If I recall correctly, my first appointments were just with the nurses to go over paperwork, what to eat, what meds I could and could not take and things of that nature. Have you already done that appointment? None of the bloodwork is done there if you still need confirmation bloodwork done they'll refer you back to Guthrie to have it done. I failed to see if you had a ticker but if it's prior to about 10-12 weeks, you wouldn't hear the heartbeat with just a Doppler, you'd need an ultrasound for that. Some of the practitioners there will do the readily and some are more stingy.

BachBaby

I did my courtesy pee test this morning. I will get my results back tomorrow. Which will be positive haha. Then I am going to get my doctor and set up an appt. I was just wondering because my husband is deploying soon and I wanted him to be able to hear the heartbeat before he leaves. 

Temp76535187505890

They may or may not do a dating ultrasound but that's up to the doctor/midwife you see and thats about the only way youll hear the heartbeat this early . I didn't with my first but did with my second but that was only because of circumstances where I wasn't sure of my LMP. Of course all of this is speaking with experience at the Drum OB Clinic. I don't know what the civilian doctors in the area do.

amamommie

I will be moving to Ft. Drum in a few months and I'm curious about the OB care there too. I've heard that there is not a hospital on post. Where to the ladies deliver? Do you have a choice about your practioner? Were you happy with the care you received? Any help would be appreciated :-)

Temp76535187505890

This may be old info as we left Drum last summer. I delivered one child there and you are correct, there is only the clinic on post. However, they do have a fairly robust OB clinic co-located with the civilian hospital in Watertown. Last I knew, there was something like 3-4 OBs and about the same number of midwives. You can choose to see only one practitioner if you would like but you never know who will be on call the day you deliver. I chose to do a round robin with all of them so I could at least meet them once. I was happy with my care although I'd say I was just "meh" with the delivery at the hospital. Not great but not horrible either. There are times when the OB clinic stops taking new patients because of various reasons so there is a chance you could be referred to a civilian provider. Some of those providers are in Watertown and some in nearby Carthage. Some people prefer the Carthage hospital over Watertown but I have no experience there so I can't say.

KatB12

Since you have already done the pee in the cup after that you have to go to gutherie to pick a doctor. Like pp said you either go to Fort Drum OB at samaritan hospital or a private. I had the option since they were almost full for the month I was due. I didn't know any private docs and they also said that fort drum ob has sick call. Meaning from 7-8 you can go there with no appointment for any sickness even non baby related which I liked. I had a good experience with them, since then my doc has left. But he made it a point to be at our birth even though he wasn't on call. The other docs were good- there was one midwife I didn't like and I heard that from a few others- I don't know if he is still there and don't remember his name.

The first app is just filling out paperwork, making sure you aren't touching cat poop, giving you lots of pamphlets. They probably won't do a heartbeat check till 10 weeks. So probably your next app will be that. HTH.

KatB12

ama- that is correct no hospital on post- just an clinic with pharmacy and a urgent care now- but that just opened- all in the same place.

You will most likely deliver at samaritan hospital which building wise is connected to the fort drum obgyn. People also deliver in carthage but usually if you have a carthage doctor. Samaritan is about 10-15 mins from post. Carthage is farther out about 20-25 mins. You would either get fort drum ob or pick a private depending on what month you are due and how close they are to their cap for that particular month.

eta- sorry should have said depending on where you live carthage can be farther- we don't live on post.

LinnyAnne10

I went to Women Way To Wellness out of Carthage for my OB care. they were pretty good. I also delivered at Carthage. 

I had a great experience there.. and according to my friend who delivered at  Sam. I had a much better care than she did. She now also goes to Carthage now. 

The drive honestly is about the same to Carthage Hospital as it is to Sam in Watertown..