Anyone switch OBs late in pregnancy?

Temp174496125006552

I am 29.5 weeks and am toying with the idea of switching practices. 

I loved my last practice (especially all of the MWs) as well as the hospital, but they closed their maternity ward shortly after Ben was born.  So, I've had to find a new practice and am delivering at a different hospital.  The new practice is ok, but I'm not feeling very warm and fuzzy about their stance on NB (they don't have MWs, which sucks).  They say they are supportive of NB, but based on my last few appointments, I'm not sure that all of the OBs really are. My next appt is with the head OB (who I haven't met yet) and I plan to address my concerns with her.  After speaking with her, if I don't feel confident that they will be supportive of our labor plans, I'm seriously considering switching to a different practice, even though I'm due in 2.5 months. 

Just wanted to see if anyone else switched, the reasons why...and how everything worked out for you.  Thanks for any info/advice!

redheadinlove

Lots of women on this board have switched very late. I've heard women switch at 38 weeks for the same reason you are thinking about. 

AliciaS1411

I'm 32 weeks and I just switched from my OB to a midwife and a birth center. It can definitely be done. I really want a natural water birth, and with my OB and their hospital, water birth wasn't an option. They were extremely conservative in views on labor and delivery also (I couldn't walk around, HAD to have an IV and be strapped to monitors in bed, no exceptions) so I knew I had to switch. 

flyer23

I switched from an awesome hospital-based midwife to an even more awesome homebirth midwife at 36 weeks. That was a tough choice because my original midwife really was great... but homebirth was just fantastic and I'm so glad I made the switch.

One of my friends just switched at 38 weeks. She showed up to her 37 week appointment and her OB told her excitedly that her induction was all scheduled... for her EDD. After she had explicitly said that she didn't want an induction a few weeks earlier. She had clashed with her old OB on a few other things earlier in her pregnancy, so she finally decided to make the switch. She couldn't be happier with her new OB and says she wished she had switched a long time ago.

pinksweetpea2

With my first I switched from a hospital based MW practice to a homebirth MW at 25 weeks.  It was the BEST decision I ever made.

 

Celyn

I switched when my OB told me, at 22 weeks, that my son was breech and I should schedule my c-section.

stahlop

flyer23:

One of my friends just switched at 38 weeks. She showed up to her 37 week appointment and her OB told her excitedly that her induction was all scheduled... for her EDD. After she had explicitly said that she didn't want an induction a few weeks earlier. She had clashed with her old OB on a few other things earlier in her pregnancy, so she finally decided to make the switch. She couldn't be happier with her new OB and says she wished she had switched a long time ago.

I had a friend that this happened to as well.  She switched from her OB to a home birth MW at 39 weeks.

I switched from an OB to a home birth MW at around 30 weeks.  I just didn't think I'd get the natural birth I wanted at a hospital.  Best decision I made because my baby was posterior and I'm pretty sure that I would have ended up with a c-section at the hospital, which obviously wasn't necessary. 

Temp174496125006552

I'm definitely still interested in laboring at a hospital (the base of both of Ben's lungs collapsed during delivery, so I'm nervous to deliver elsewhere)...but glad to know that switching OBs late in the game doesn't seem to be a big deal. 

Thanks for the input, ladies!

MrsMandaK

I switched last month when I was right around 22 weeks. I feel very good about my decision to swtich for many of the same issues that you are dealing with. I liked my old group, but there are a LOT of them and I just couldn't trust that I'd end up with a NB-friendly OB on delivery day. Now I'm in a group of 5 mid-wives (within OB's who I'll never see unless I turn high risk for some reason). and I love them! I say trust your instincts and move to a new group if you feel it's best for you.

bearinabeesuit

I switched practices at 33 weeks for the exact reasons you are considering. It was kind of a pain insurance wise, but I would do it again in a heartbeat! 

katiem1025

I'm 27 weeks and just made the switch today-although I won't be able to get my first appt with my new caregiver until I'm almost 32 weeks (I'll keep going to my current doc until then). If you want to switch, I would recommend making the call now. My new provider said they don't take new patients past 32 weeks so you might want to make sure you aren't too far along for wherever you are thinking of switching to.