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Detroit Babies
OB Recommendations - How did you pick?
Hey ladies!
I post on TN periodically but this is my first post here. I am in need of an OB. My GYN no longer provides this service.
There was a post here a few weeks ago and based on your recommendations I looked into Somerset OB, Generations, Michigan Women?s Health Institute and Women First. All of these are group practices with five or more doctors and I?m having a hard time getting over the fact that whichever doctor is on-call will be the one to deliver you. I completely understand why this is ? it would be nearly impossible for a doctor to be on call 24/7 ? but FIVE doctors? You?d barely get to know any of them during your pregnancy. And on top of that, so many of them are men and that makes me a little uneasy as well - I've never had a male GYN. I do realize that I?m likely asking for something that doesn?t exist and that I'm a nut job, so at the end of the day I guess I just want the doctors I?m most confident in and I have no idea how to figure that out. I?ve just been looking at the ?credentials? of the doctors on their websites but all of their credentials seem pretty comparable.
So, how did you pick? Do you have an OB that you feel strongly about recommending? I think I want to deliver at Troy or RO Beaumont.
Any advice and/or recommendations?
Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: OB Recommendations - How did you pick?
My practice has five doctors and my primary is a male - he's AMAZING and has the best bedside manner. When you're pregnant you will do a rotation with the doctors for each appointment, they will make sure you meet with all of them at least once, that way you get a feel for all of them.
I would be comfortable with any of the doctors in my practice delivering our child - three are men and two are female. They all have the same bedside manner, they don't make you feel rushed, they don't think any question is stupid and they are always quick to call you back when you call with questions.
Don't rule a place out just because they have male doctors or because you feel there are too many doctors. Go in for a consult on a few you're interested in and see how you feel with the doctor you meet with - go with your gut. If they make you feel rushed and not important, move on to the next practice.
I also feel that basing a practice on where they deliver is low on a priority list as well because this doctor is the person you'll be seeing during and after pregnancy - the hospital is only a tiny percentage of what makes the practice up.
Thanks Tarah! Very different perspective than what I was thinking - maybe I needed that. May I ask what practice you're using? You can PM me if you'd rather.
Congrats on your BFP!
I go to a practice with 9 OBs. Yes, 9. Prior to getting pregnant, I had seen a few of them through annuals, so I have been trying to see the rest during my pregnancy. I picked this place based on where I used to live. After going through some issues years back, I decided I really liked the practice and stuck with it, even though I don't live so close anymore. They are always great about getting back to me and getting me in if I am freaking out about something (happened a lot in first tri), so I like it even more now.
As much as I would love for my "favorite" doctor to deliver our baby, grand scheme of things, I am OK with any of them delivering the baby. They have all been really great and helpful and I know I will be in great hands regardless. From what I understand based on my tours and things, the nurses really make your delivery. The doctors come in at the end and take all the glory! Haha. Also, you could be laboring for a very long time and your doctor that was on call, may not be by the time you actually deliver. So I am not trying to get too caught up with who will be delivering our baby...as long as it is healthy and all goes well, I will be happy.
Also, I have actually preferred some of the men doctors over the women. They have all been kind of funny and knew how to lighten the mood a bit. The women have been a bit more business like and "in and out". So don't discount men completely until you have met them.
In terms of a hospital, I can see having a preference. I was glad I have an option to deliver out of certain ones because after going the tours, both DH and I couldn't stand one over the other. One felt very baby factory-ish and the other was much more warm and comfortable.
The practice I go to has I think 7 or 8 docs. I mostly saw mine, but I did see a few of the other ones. I was really laid back though, I really didn't stress out about not seeing them all. I will say, I did want my doc to deliver me though, and she did, but I would have been ok with any of the other docs delivering me. They are all perfectly capable.
I guess I must be in the minority because my doc was there for my first push, was there for every push after that, and did everything. All my nurse did during delivery was count for me. She did everything during labor though. It was absolutely wonderful and I can honestly say I had the best delivery experience (labor not so much, but only b/c my epi failed).
Also, there is only 1 male OB at my practice, and I have to say, I LOVE him. I saw him at 36 weeks and again at 3 weeks PP when I had mastitis. He was absolutely wonderful and had the best bedside manner.
BFP#2: 8/14/11 M/C 8/30/11 6w1d
BFP #3: 10/26/11
Beta #1 @11dpo: 22 Beta #2 @13dpo: 90 Beta #3 @17dpo: 480
Missed m/c 12w3d 12/28/11, d&c 12/30/11
dx Homozygous C677T MTHFR
My OB delievers out of Beaumont RO. I got a rec from a friend of my moms who had a good experience with her and was happy with the delivery of her three children (all under 10).
I went in and was happy with the office, nurses, and the dr herself so I decided to stay. Her name is Laura Gruskin she works with a NP who helps with standard apointments at her office and she teams up with Mission OBGYN for deliveries out of RO Beaumont.
I was very happy with her and with my last pregnancy she had to have me see a few specialists and they all commented on how smart she was, or how good she is at what she does or how we were in good hands. I was happy that she had such a good and well known reputation.
https://westoaklandobgyn.com/default.htm
Mommy's little helper
Congrats on your BFP!!!!
I also go to a practice with 5 doctors. Some I like more than other. My primary doc is a male and I think he is fantastic. We saw all of the doctors at one point or another during the pregnancy.
In all honesty, when I was actually in labor and minutes away from delivery, I really didn't care who was delivering the baby. They had a student in there that was right along side the doctor to learn and gain experience and I really did not care at all. All that mattered at the moment was a safe delivery- fast! lol.
Congrats!
I saw the midwifes at my practice and there were only 3 of them. Out of those three, I ended up with one that I had only met once. I felt that those odds were better than going with some of the bigger practices. There were complications in my delivery, and one of the Dr's ended up having to take over. I had never met him or even heard of his name for my entire practice...and I could have cared less at that point!
In the beginning I was feeling much like you, and putting lots of stock into my personal experience and relationship with a doctor. I can tell you that when you're in labor, you won't really care who it is that is going to get that baby out of you.
The doctor that delivered my son has since left the practice and I followed him to his new one. There are 4 or 5 doctors there. When baby #2 comes along I hope to see my doctor for the majority of the prenatal care since he is the one I have a strong relationship with. Whatever happens happens with the delivery part, but I'll feel better having a strong relationship with one person for the gestational period. For me, that is the more important part.
Congrats!
I go to Michigan Women's Health Institute in Clawson and my doctor is male (Dr. Brickman). We are delivering out of RO Beaumont. I am about to start rotating through and he said while there are 7 doctors (I think) in the practice that only him, Dr. Charfoos and Dr. Goldberg (who are both female) will be on call for delivering me so the other don't deliver at RO Beaumont. I don't know if the others deliver at Troy or Henry Ford or what but I only have to deal with 3 and mine is male anyway.
As for a male doctor in general, I have only seen Dr. Brickman since I started seeing an OB/GYN in college and he was the doctor of one of my friends. I do have other friends that I have made in the last couple of years who go to the same doctor's office as me and while they see female doctors they all love Dr. Brickman too.
GL no matter what you choose but I have been very happy and the MWHI in Clawson.
Congrats on your BFP!!
The practice I go to has 4 docs and 1 PA. I had to rotate through all of the doctors during my monthly/weekly visits. I prefer the PA for everything and got her as much as possible but knew she wouldn't deliver my baby.
As luck would have it none of my docs were available when I went into labor and had another doc from a sister practice...and she was amazing. And honestly, anyone could have delivered the baby at the end, I just wanted him out!
I delivered out of Troy Beaumont and had a great experience. The nurses and nurse's assitants were helpful and comforting, and they also took care of DH when he stayed with me for a few days. They made sure he was feed and knew where the good coffee was
My only complaint, which is probably the same for every hospital, is they always come into your room to have you fill out paperwork or take medicine, or what not I just wanted some damn sleep!
Ditto this!
***
I go to Michigan Women's Health Institute. They have 8 doctors total (they just added a third female doc, Dr. Zukman, who is super duper nice!) and only five are currently delivering (the three female docs, Dr. Brickman, and Dr. Leach). They deliver primarily out of Royal Oak Beaumont, but now have priveledges at Henry Ford West Bloomfield.
Congratulations!!
First- I disagree with the comment about the hospital not really being important. It's a hospital's staff that is caring for you during delivery and caring for your newborn baby. In the grand scheme of things, you spend more time in the hospital that you do with your doctor. That being said- either Beaumont is a good choice. Royal Oak is more of a teaching hospital though than Troy. It's also much bigger (ie traffic there is crazy!) Royal Oak does have a really good NICU- hopefully something you won't ever have to consider. Troy has a "speacial care" nursery, but any critical cases would be transferred to Royal Oak.
I did the big group practice with both my pregnancies. I was happy the first time around- not so much the second time. I felt comfortable with all the doctors, but I was high risk so there's certain things that needed to be monitored. It just gets hard when you're rotating through 7 doctors for any one particular doctor to really know your case well. I felt that the communication between the doctors was lacking. For a normal pregnancy, it's probably ok. In my case, I'd get conflicting information all the time. Looking back, I wish I would have just stuck with 1 doctor for the majority of my care and let the others just fill in as needed.
As far as male ob's, I guess it's never bothered me. I thought their bedside manner was better than the female obs. The females I saw seemed to be all business. There was actually a study on the news once that found that male obs tend to be more compassionate. Since they can never experience childbirth, they are kind of in "awe" over what we go through. Other women ob's they found, tend to get the attitude of "been there done that"
DD1, Kathleen 9/15/2007
I chose Women First in Royal Oak. They have four doctors, all female. That was a big part of my choosing them. I used Angie's List and also just did internet searches for reviews of the doctors there.
Women First will only deliver at Royal Oak Beaumont. I thought that was great at first because it's the closest to my house and it's a good hospital. However, I am considering a natural birth and wanted the option of laboring in a tub. Troy Beaumont has labor "jacuzzis" but Royal Oak does not. Sounds like Royal Oak L&D is due for a makeover/remodel, according to my OB, but Troy is already an updated facility.
HTH!
First of all, congratulations on your wonderful news.
I go to a west-side practice (Women's Healthcare Physicians in West Bloomfield), and really like them. They do require that you see every one of their 5 OBs by the time you give birth. I actually thought of it as a huge advantage. There is a lot less chance that you will give birth with an entirely unfamiliar doctor--because in my humble opinion, that would suck a lot more than having one of five you sort of know. Also, I have seen four of them by now, and any one of the four can see me if there is an emergency. The only downside to this is that the older male docs tend to discount what the younger female docs scare/threaten me with.
As in "Dr C said that you would need to get out of the car every hour? Oh, come on, that's WAY too strict! I'd say once every three is more like it!" I actually find it sort of amusing.
As far as a male doctor v. a female doctor. Can't help you there, I've been going to male gynos since I was in college. The only thing is -- this week was the first time any one of them got to see me sans pants. :-) (And she happened to be a girl, too.) Obviously, whoever delivers my baby will see me that way--but at that point, I doubt I'd care.
I had already been seeing my OB for about five years as my gyno, so it wasn't really a question of selecting one. But I love my OB. He's a guy, but even though I was a little hesitant about that at first, I don't feel weird with him at all. It's Doc. Donald Taylor out of Troy (on Big Beaver). He's awesome because he never seems to be the type of doc who is into fear mongering (there's a LOT of them out there who are, even if they don't intend to), he's very open-minded if you don't want to do *exactly* everything the medical establishment suggests, and his office is friendly. Highly recommend them. And yes, he delivers at Beaumont (Troy or R.O.)
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=787&q=dr.+donald+taylor+troy+mi&aq=f&aqi=g-s1g9&aql=&oq=&bav=on.2,or.&fp=1c7afc48e3bea206
I attend Women First also. I have had a pleasant experience thus far. I am actually excited to deliver at Beaumont Royal Oak. There were many updates made throughout that we discussed during the visit. Also, Royal Oak has a NICU area (if needed - hopefully not), whereas I was told Troy Beaumont does not. Good luck!