They should warn SAIF'rs about the first OB appt

TakYelgif · August 2009

Really there should be some type of general warning that you are not going to get the same treatment with the OB that you got with your RE. They don't have the time or the equipment to give you the gold standard of treatment that you are paying for at the RE.

I for one was shocked and I think I have seen every new person come on here after their first OB appt to complain about how shocking it was to not get an ultrasound, doppler etc.

I got treated pretty well at my OB and got ultrasounds whenever I requested them, but that was because I chose an OB that also provides IF services so his office is equiped with the right stuff. Even then I did not get the kid glove treatment!

Cherlyn · August 2009

I completley agree!! When I came home from my first OB appt, I was telling everyone I was going to find a new one because I didn't like them! Stick out tongue

They turned out to be just fine...but I was used to the RE treatment!

GuitaristsGirl · August 2009

You're so right. As exciting as it is to "graduate," it really sucks to loose all the technology and attention!

TakYelgif · August 2009

Lets face we all paid for the Gold Standard at the RE that is why we got treated so well, not the case at the OB. Plus they are seeing a LOT of patients each day they do NOT have the time the RE did.

kittylove · August 2009

Ah so true. But an u/s at the first ob appt is norm where I go. Plus I think if you are high risk then the OB should be giving you the star treatment.

TakYelgif · August 2009

Never said anything about being high risk however if that is the case then a referrel from the RE to a high risk OB is necessary.

Two*True · August 2009

It's nice hearing you ladies say this. I just had my first OB appt on Tuesday and was so disappointed. Part of me figured it was because no one could compare to my REs office, but I really didn't expect it not to feel just as personal.

Smudges*Mom · August 2009

I guess that I am far too used to military clinics. . . both REs I saw were military, so when I graduated and ended up at with civilian OBs, I was quite pleased! LOL! I guess that it is what you are used to. Pretty funny!

(BTW, my care with military docs has been good, but it is bare bones--my follie checks for IVF were cattle calls. Literally, show up at 6:30am and take a number! The earlier you got there, the better the number, so I'd arrive at 5:45am in order to get a low number. . . that meant getting up at 4:00am so that I could shower. And, you had to provide your own chaperone. My DH was not there with me, so I made friends with other ladies who were solo in line. Fun times!)

TakYelgif · August 2009

Don't get me wrong I was very pleased with the treatment I got with my OB it is just VERY VERY different from the RE.

cloverp · August 2009

I not only agree but I think the warning should just extend to your OB care up through 28 weeks...going every 4 weeks and spending a total of 10 minutes max with the doctor after having come off talking the nurses/doctors nearly daily was such a hard transition for me.

I got extra u/s' and appts when I would ask but I still felt very anxious about the time in between appts. Now that I go every two weeks, it feels better. I really think routine pregnancy care should be more frequent!

roaringrock · August 2009

I'm in the minority here. my ob was AMAZING! because of our struggles he treated me with a lot of extra care. after my SCH I got weekly u/s simply to keep from going crazy.

he was cute too!

Smudges*Mom · August 2009

Change in hard too--especially when dealing with a pregnancy that has been such a challenge to achieve. We all want to be treated with kid gloves. . . but, as you mentioned, OB offices are just not set up that way.

TakYelgif · August 2009

roaringrock:

I'm in the minority here. my ob was AMAZING! because of our struggles he treated me with a lot of extra care. after my SCH I got weekly u/s simply to keep from going crazy.

he was cute too!

That is rare I will say that my OB was much more acomodating with me because of my struggles and IF history, but again I think that is really beacause he also practices as an RE as well as an OBGYN. I was and still am pleased with my experience it just is still very different.

ABC-123 · August 2009

Totally agree! I remember being pretty upset by it in the beginning and then there was something awesome about being a 'normal' PG woman. Of course I am still bummed that I only got one u/s through my PG b/c my OB only does one if there is a medical reason. Boo (but happy I didn't have a medical reason to have one...).

epphd · August 2009

I agree - although even fertile newly pregnant women complain about how abrupt those first few appointments can seem. I think we forget that just because pregnancy is totally new and exciting to us, it's pretty routine to our doctors. That said, if even knowing that you still feel like you've been blown off, it's time for a new doc.

The hardest thing to adjust to is the wait between u/s. I went from having one every week to not having one from the time I was released from the RE (9w) until the NT scan (12w) until the big u/s (20w).

krissybegs · August 2009

I also agree. At my first OB appointment I was telling the nurse that I went through IVF and that my due date was 8-10. She looked at me with a weird expression and asked, "so what is the date of your last period so I can get your due date." I told her again that I went through IVF and that I could tell her the exact time the egg fertilized. She said, "well I have to do the wheel." I said, "fine, whatever and told her." Low and behold the due date was 8-10. She then says, "I don't know anything about IVF so you can just tell the doctor anything else about it." On the positive side, my OB was the best and I can't say enough about the care he gave me.

bmf8140 · August 2009

I know! I pretty much cried to my unfriendly obgyn saying I wanted to be monitored more closely since I had a miscarriage and she was like, "Well you can pay for an extra ultrasound." Period. Nothing else.

Germanwife2b · August 2009

One of the many reasons I went with a very personal midwifery group. But I didn't want extra technology (hence the choice of a midwife and homebirth) so I was super pleased with the low-tech but very hands-on and personal care I got from my midwives. I viewed my low-risk pregnancy as completely normal and was thrilled to be treated as "just another pregnant woman". Maybe I'm weird!

qtpa2t · August 2009

I agree the treatment is definitely different from RE to OB. That said, we're ultimately consumers for medical care, and I believe in voting with my feet. I switched OBs after a disappointing first appointment, and the second practice was world's apart different.

edhid1 · August 2009

Totally agree... I cried after my first OB appt because I felt like she didn't "care" about what I had been through. Bedside manner completely different. I loved my RE!! :-(

roaringrock · August 2009

oh how sad! I guess a lot of you have had bad experiences. I guess I was super lucky to have such an amazing ob. I actually got a lot more hand holding and attention during my pregnancy than during my IVFs (at cornell which is zoo-like at times.)

but like pps said, if you're not happy, switch.

yankee42 · August 2009

yeah, its a shocker im sure..luckily i got special treatment because i was carrying triplets at first..and went straight to the MFM..and ended up staying there for the entire pregnancy with the boy, and am there exclusively now..i get great care, and am VERY lucky

futrkingsley · August 2009

My first real OB appointments were weird but I got pregnant outside of treatment after 3 years of IF. My first OB (who referred me to RE years ago) was super hands on but I had a m/c. And my insurance changed while I was still miscarrying and the first new OB sucked ass. I picked one of his partners when I got pg again 5 weeks later. I had early spotting so I got more u/s up front than is normal and was treated somewhat better than if I'd never met them before or if I hadn't just had a m/c. But after the initial crisis they sucked (like past the first 12 weeks).

Aliki · August 2009

My first OB appointment is next Thursday--- I'll brace myself for a lukewarm reception but be hopeful for an attentive one!! Thanks for the warning, ladies!