Dumb things said at the OB

AMShark · October 2014

This has been bothering me for a while, so I just wanted to get it off of my chest.

My first visit to my OB as a PG lady was a bit of a culture shock after my super supportive RE's office. I really like all of the doctors that I've met at my OB's practice, but sometimes, the other staff can be lacking. (They just don't compare to the friendly ladies from my RE office).

On my first visit, when I was getting my weight and blood pressure check, a staff member (nurse or PA?) was asking me questions. When she asked me, "Have you ever been pregnant before?"

I responded with, "Yes. I was pregnant earlier this year, but there was an early m/c and I had a D&C in June."

Her response? She waved her hand as if shooing a fly and said, "Oh, that doesn't count!"

REally?!?! Good to know. Maybe you should update your survey to ask about live births, you insensitive goat.

Alright - anybody else had any culture shock after transitioning to the regular old OB like the normals? Anyone else hear something really dumb at their OB?

gsancho · October 2014

That is so insensitive! I don't have any gems to add since I won't go to the OB until next week...but I'm a bit nervous about it.

pblge · October 2014

I think I might win the stupid. I've had two nurses (in an OB clinic!) tell me, "I don't know what IVF is." But, we shall see--I try to never underestimate humans' capacity for idiocy, including my own!

The "doesn't count" thing is MONSTROUS!! That may win the insensitive!

southernyankeegirl · October 2014

Wowwww... my RE had terrible bedside manner, and most of the nurses were horrendous, too (though mine was a gem, and the office staff was great), so it was actually a relief mostly to go to the OB's office. Everyone there is MUCH nicer on the whole.

My last OB (I'm rotating through all 7 of them) befuddled me when I was mentioning that I had a whole bunch of Braxton Hicks the night before that worried me.

She said, "Well, if it's more than 4 in an hour, you should go to the hospital and get checked out."

I said, "The last doctor said 6 in an hour - there was definitely more than 4 in an hour last night, but I wasn't quite sure if I hit the 6 mark or not."

And she blinked at me and repeated, "Well, if it's more than 4 in an hour going forward, you should go to the hospital and get checked out."

Thankfully DH was there to be the voice of reason: "She's telling you she DID have more than 4 in an hour within the last few hours. So what exactly does 'checking out' entail, and can we do that please?"

BeckyP005 · October 2014

That's just awful!!

pblge · October 2014

southernyankeegirl said:

Thankfully DH was there to be the voice of reason: "She's telling you she DID have more than 4 in an hour within the last few hours. So what exactly does 'checking out' entail, and can we do that please?"

)

) Hope it was all okay!

IFinTN said:

The bitch nurse hooking me up for my tilt table test said "well I guess God blesses some of us too much" complaining about how many kids she has. This is AFTER I told her we did IVF.

Jesus. That's bitch slap territory.

southernyankeegirl · October 2014

@pblge - Oh yes, everything was fine, and the ultrasound tech gave us an extra long 3D glimpse at our munchkin after ensuring that my cervix is still locked up like Fort Knox! But I love how DH cut through the nonsense - leave it to a prosecutor, huh? ;-) I'm usually SUPER assertive but I just hate complaining about anything pregnancy related for fear I look like a drama queen FTM. I blame my PAIF brain.

mrsrichey11 · October 2014

WTF! I would have started crying if that were me. What an insensitive jerk! I'm so sorry

Grateful&Thankful · October 2014

What a biotch!!! I would be so upset! My OB has some nurses I can't stand! One nurse told me when I first got there that there's no way I know exactly how far along I was. I politely told them I did IVF sooooooo..... The nurse still tried to argue the point & I just ignored her until the doctor came in. Whatever!!!

poohniki · October 2014

That is just horrible. Sorry she was an insensitive prick. Maybe we should email their office about pregnancy and infant loss awareness for the month of October?

My OB that I had for many years told me that on the east coast (I'm in nj) they practice medicine differently and he wouldn't follow any of the recommendations from my reproductive immunologist in Chicago. And then while I was there I had my blood drawn for the harmony test. Two weeks later they call me back and said it was inconclusive because there wasn't enough blood. But if my husband comes for a blood draw as well, they could use his DNA to determine which is baby's and which is mine. All well and good except we used donor sperm. How about reading a file every once in a while?

indianaalum · October 2014

wow, that really sucks that they don't know how insensitive that could be to a woman who miscarried..you would think they would especially be careful in an OB/Gyn office, but I guess not.

Sorry that happened to you

Robeano · October 2014

Wow, so many of these comments hurt my brain! Sorry you ladies have such dumb/insensitive OB's and nurses.

Ecarabeo217 · October 2014

Wow....after reading this (besides feeling the need to apologize on behalf of OBs all over the place) I am feeling extremely grateful for my office staff!! My girls know better! Sorry you've all had to deal with such idiots

MKateG · October 2014

Ugh ppl make me sick! I hate that do many nurses don't know what IVF is, in nursing school my teacher just briefly mentioned ivf and then said were not going to go over this because it's so rare none of you will probably ever come in contact with someone that uses this treatment. UMM REALLY EXCUSE ME...I had a meeting with the main nursing portrait and told her that I and three other students were very offended by that statement being that we all were affected personaly by infertiliy and nursing school should raise awareness not add to stigmas.