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October 2013 Moms
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For next time, choosing an OB

knottied2a666e3e38a2a87knottied2a666e3e38a2a87 member
in October 2013 Moms

My OB and I have been butting heads during these final few weeks.  As a FTM, I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for and I figured my wishes would be pretty well-received anywhere I went.  I chose this doctor because they offered sliding scale care in a good location when I didn't have insurance.  After I got insurance, I didn't switch because I thought it would be a hassle so far in.  Anyway, I can clearly see that this labor and delivery will not be how I wanted at all, and I'm already thinking about how I will choose a new doctor.  Besides interviewing doctor after doctor, and asking what their policy would be in this or that situation, is there an easier way to narrow it down?  Is there some website somewhere you can take a survey about your wishes and end up with doctors who will accommodate you?  And for fun, anyone ever switch doctors this far in?

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Re: For next time, choosing an OB

  • StefMurphStefMurph member
    I called labor and delivery and spoke to the nurses about doctor bedside manner, etc and that's how I chose my ob. I was a little hesitant at first because she isn't a talker like I am, but after seeing her in action during my delivery, I'm so glad she was my doctor. My husband and I both were impressed with her swiftness during my emergency c section. While she was taking care of closing me up, I could see her make eye contact with the NICU nurses working on my baby and she was making sure baby's stats were good. Doctor also carried on a conversation with me as I was laying in the OR. She came and sat with my husband, baby and I after she finished her paperwork just to check on us.
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  • yesthisiskim0401yesthisiskim0401 member
    I found my OB through a close friends recommendation. The two OB's in the practice are wonderful and I am so glad I found them!! Ask around.

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  • Jenball717Jenball717 member
    I had a doctor before getting pregnant who I really clicked with. Then he moved out of statw when i got pregnant. I stayed with the same practice, as all my friends had raved about the services there and just read up on all the docs via their website. I got a gut feeling about one and scheduled an appointment and have loved him since my first appointment. He has been super supportive and laid back and encouraging. Had he been a flop, I would have tried another doc in the practice or looked elsewhere.
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  • hartsl01hartsl01 member
    I would speak to close friends and ask who they see. I actually found my ob a few years ago when I moved to a new city and needed a Dr. I went to the hospital's website and read a lot of patient reviews and found my OB that way.
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  • CousinVickiCousinVicki member
    i would absolutely switch if your Dr is being a douche . didnt you say they ignore your issues anyway??

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  • huntjulhuntjul member
    I switched providers at 36 weeks. Most wont accept a transfer after 37 weeks, though you can ask. I had no problems switching. Next time if you're not high risk consider a midwife. They spend more time with you, push less interventions, and typically allow you more say/opinion/options in your care. Beyond that, getting a recommendation from a friend or two or the Internet can help, but keep in mind everyone's birth experience and desires are different.
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  • kjenkins346kjenkins346 member
    I changed OBs at 36 weeks and wish I had done so earlier in the pregnancy.  I found my 2nd OB (not really just OB since it's a OB/midwife team) from the pediatrician that we recommended by a friend (they are in the same practice).   Now I find out that the OB and midwife scheduled to be on duty during my C-section aren't ones that I've even met before so fingers crossed they are easy to work with as the rest of the group.

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  • kimbo1216kimbo1216 member
    I wasn't happy with the OB for DD1. So I ended up switching my gyno care to the on call doc that delivered her. When I got pg this time, I called that doc (even though I wasn't thrilled about delivering at the same hospital) and found out they were no longer accepting OB patients. Weird. But whatever. It was a sign I should move on.

    So instead of looking for a new OB, I picked a new hospital. Once I did that, I was looking up reviews for OBs or MWs that delivered there. I made an appt at a well reviewed all male practice that wasn't super convenient. Then I spoke with someone that worked there and she rec'd a practice to me. I looked it up and it had great reviews and was life convenient. So I canceled the other appointment and never looked back. I LOVE my new OB and am so glad I changed!

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  • MangoMama82MangoMama82 member
    I did something similar to Kimbo. I picked my hospital first, and then went with an OB/GYN group affiliated with the hospital. My mother recommended the practice as well, so I felt very confident it was a right fit
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  • atcwagatcwag member
    I switched OBs @ 39w5d "by accident".  There are 2 Drs in my practice and it just so happened that the other Dr. was on call for the week I ended up needing to be induced.  Then, unbeknownst to me, even though I delivered in the middle of the day, my OB didn't deliver me.  I never really got a reason why, other than "she's not here today".  I may have been annoyed if I really liked her, however we had some differences of opinion late in my pregnancy.  I will be switching to the Dr. that delivered me next time around.  I was very happy with how he handled my extremely rough induction and appreciated his patience when Brock had some heart decels towards the end of labor.  I'm 100% sure that my original Dr. would have taken me for a Csec.
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  • jessielmejessielme member
    I recommend midwives. The best way to go about it is to ask questions about procedures at nearly every appointment. We started with the only OB group in town and everyone seemed great and cooperative - but each week as I asked more questions, we started getting answers we weren't comfortable with. We ended up switching to the midwife practice in town and they were much better. They also deliver at the hospital but here's the kicker - I had a very difficult labor with my son and his arm was stuck, the midwives were very patient and I delivered him on my own with a 3rd degree tear. The OB doc that stitched me up was the one that had given us answers that made us switch to the midwives. He pretty much told me he would have given me a c-section that night if I had stayed with him.
    So the bottom line is if you're not comfortable, you should consider switching. And consider midwives too. They're just more comfortable not giving interventions.
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  • Amjoy25Amjoy25 member
    My doctor was my doctor before I got pregnant...and I found him by word of mouth. Deft ask around.

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  • knottied2a666e3e38a2a87knottied2a666e3e38a2a87 member
    Basically, my doc and my friends are all kind of crunchy for my pregnancy tastes. The things I want aren't cool anymore.
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  • sarah_nortonsarah_norton member
    My gyno left the practice right after I got pregnant, so I just had two choices with my insurance. But the doctor I chose had great reviews and I knew lots of people that loved her And she works in a practice with two other OBs that trade on call hours so
    They just have you see all three, but I really like them all. So I'm glad about that:)
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  • jessielmejessielme member
    crunchymama11 said:


    cjrobbin said:

    Basically, my doc and my friends are all kind of crunchy for my pregnancy tastes. The things I want aren't cool anymore.

    What exactly are you wanting that your dr is too "crunchy" to do? I think knowing this might help us to understand your concerns better.

    Lol. What she said. ^
    I assumed the opposite, that you were looking to avoid interventions. Not that your OB has become too crunchy! I've never heard of that one....
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  • knottied2a666e3e38a2a87knottied2a666e3e38a2a87 member
    :)  Right.  Well, for example, she refused to sweep my membranes...ever...after I finally got the nerve to ask at 39 weeks.  I was allowed one ultrasound, at 20 weeks, and was told that the harm ultrasounds could cause to baby outweighs our need to have any kind of idea how much baby might weigh, what position he is in, how my fluid levels are in the final weeks/days.  I don't think she's crunchy for philosophical reasons, I think it's because she's bound by the constructs of Medicaid, or scared, or something.  I have private insurance now, btw, but she doesn't seem to care.  There have been other issues too, in that she dismisses every (well-researched) complaint I make, and has specifically said she won't honor parts of my birth plan.
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