Anyone have luck with a DO (vs an MD) for their OB?

Vegasbb

I'm moving next week to a small town and I'm stuck finding a new care provider late in my pregnancy. The midwife situation isn't great, so it's beginning to look like it will be an OB. 

The practice I'm likely going to end up with has 4 MD's and a DO. I realize they are both doctors and it likely doesn't matter, but I'm praying the DO *might* work out better. Anyone go to a DO and have a positive experience?  

pugznploons

mine is a DO.  He is great, very NB friendly but able to do a c-section if an emergency arises.  He is part of the family practice I go to.  

meganroselee

I'm a MD but have lots of DO friends. The way each practices runs the gamut. Theoretically, they are supposed to be more holistic in their approach but functionally, I think the only way to know if you and your practicioner are a good match is to meet and talk with them. GL!

AmyRI

I'm in my second pregnancy with the same DO as my OB, so I have no MD for comparison.

However, I did have a great experience with the DO. She is very natural-birth friendly. She avoids induction is possible, has only suggested an epidural once (woman was not dilating and was facing a c-section if she couldn't relax and get baby to descend, the epi did relax her and she was able to deliver vaginally - I was very happy to hear this story!), and says how proud she was and happy she was there to deliver my DS the first time around.

She was slightly sceptical of me saying I didn't want any pain meds in the beginning. She has lots of moms say that, and very few make it without meds. She does make sure that all her patients know the options for pain meds just in case - either by taking the hospital class or just discussions with her about it. But she in no way encouraged the meds, just wanted everyone to be informed.

While she has the attitude of a midwife in general, she is still hands-off for the most part like OBs tend to be. She wasn't there for laboring like a midwife might be, but that was ok. The nurses at the hospital and DH were the only support I needed. During delivery when she was there, she was wonderful and supportive. I regrets whatsoever and I hope she's there to deliver this LO.

catsinawindow

Vegasbb:

I'm moving next week to a small town and I'm stuck finding a new care provider late in my pregnancy. The midwife situation isn't great, so it's beginning to look like it will be an OB. 

The practice I'm likely going to end up with has 4 MD's and a DO. I realize they are both doctors and it likely doesn't matter, but I'm praying the DO *might* work out better. Anyone go to a DO and have a positive experience?  

I had an MD and a DO with DS's pregnancy.  The MD was actually more natural-birth friendly than the DO.  Also, my brother is in a DO medical school and has made a few comments about how he can't understand why I wouldn't want to get an epidural.  I told him I'll need to school him before his OB/GYN rotation so he doesn't end up being complained about on the internet ;-)

So yeah, IME, there's no difference between MDs and DOs in terms of natural-birth friendliness.