How involved are your OB appointments?

digwriter · January 2015

All of these posts about being dilated a certain amount and babies being head up or head down, and I'm over here like "I managed to pee in the cup without getting any on my hands". My appointments are seriously 10 minutes long and consist of peeing in a cup, blood pressure, weight, fundal height measurement, doppler, and out the door. My OB doesn't even ask how I'm feeling. Internals don't happen till week 38. Is my office just weird?

michelle142 · January 2015

10 minute appointments - weight, BP, doppler, fundal height and they poke around to feel baby's position. MW also asks if I have any questions or concerns (I don't usually).

Internals start at 36 weeks.

Angeldcf · January 2015

Not necessarily. MWs are more involved about your overall care- emotional, family dynamics, etc.

With my ob: I pee in a cup, vitals, measure fundal height, Doppler baby heartbeat and asks if I have any questions (I try to write stuff down prior) & make appt for 2 wks. Usually 15min tops. Internals start at 38wks I think.

This is my 2nd kiddo, low-risk pg, I'm a nurse and I obsessively read every single pg book I could last time so more straight-forward this time around.

digwriter · January 2015

I'm a second timer also, but honestly it was exactly this hands off with my first as well. Could also be that my OB is always overbooked.

MommyOfAMiracle · January 2015

My visits are the same as yours and PP's.

I go in and pee in cup. I get my BP taken and when doctor shows up, he asks me how I'm feeling, confirms how many weeks I am. Listens to her HB, measures and then that's it. I don't think my physician does internals until 37 weeks. Which is OK with me. I'm not ready to be poked and prodded yet. I'm leaving in about 30 minutes for my 10 minute visit.

digwriter · January 2015

Oh I'm perfectly fine with my quick appointments. I just jet over on my lunch and come back to work, no time lost. I just find it odd that people are finding out about their dilation already. Pretty sure I have one of the earliest due dates and my OB isn't even close to checking that yet.

Could be as one PP said, that maybe it's midwife vs OB?

mands1125 · January 2015

Nope mine is the same and quite frankly I'm fine with it!! I know some people like that extra detail or warm fuzzy feeling they get from midwife care but it just doesn't interest me. I read all the books and a faithful Bump user (lol) that I don't really have questions.

Beth.1212 · January 2015

That sounds really similar to my appointments, though they do always ask how I'm feeling and if I have any questions.

Unless they're necessary for health reasons (ex. checking to help rule out preterm labor or other problems) I don't plan on having internal exams till I'm in labor

kerrigrooves · January 2015

weight, pee in cup, BP by nurse. Dr: reviews stats, confirms DD, doppler, fundal height. The last two we did U/S for breech position bc I am trying a VBAC, @ the last one (35 wks) she did an internal and group B strep test.

Going to meet the office midwife on Wed. in case my Dr is OOO when I go into labor.

mishka29 · January 2015

My apts could be that fast but with my my MWs the time slots are longer so you end up talking about things - both baby and non-baby related. I do my own pee test and weight before heading in. They also don't do any checks unless you request them and even then not until a certain point. I think they would also try to steer you away but if you insisted then they would.

aggiebug · January 2015

Another 10min appointment girl here. I know they could tell position when the palpated my belly last time to find the heartbeat but no internal check.

Internal checks and weekly appointments start at 36 wks (holy shit that is end of next week)

jeanzcarol · January 2015

I'm in Germany and every appointment is at least an hour. Pee in a cup, blood draws, weight, BP check. Then with the doc I always get an internal with a vaginal ultrasound to check cervix length. And then an external ultrasound for measurements and positioning. Sometimes they'll do some heart rate and contraction monitoring. Then we talk about anything going on with me physically.

I get annoyed taking off all my layers of clothes in freezing Germany because dressing is such a treat, but I actually love all the care and attention on this baby.

I switch to a midwife's care starting in 2 weeks (6 weeks out from due date) and she will come to my house and do everything but ultrasounds. But likely those appointments will be even longer.

eta: can't type on my phone

CoachAP · January 2015

Mine go the same as yours, OP. I will be getting swabbed for the Group B strep at my next appt (35 weeks) but last time they saw no need to do an internal until about 38 weeks to "see if there was anything going on". They basically said they have to reason to before then so I am happy my appointments are so uneventful...

racheltherose · January 2015

My visit with the actual doctor is like that, a few basic questions, review everything they did that day and let me go. Because I'm high risk, I also have NST's and an ultrasound at every appointment so all in all I'm there about an hour and a half/two hours.

cloe111479 · January 2015

Mine are much like yours. Pee in a cup, weight, BP.. how are you feeling? Feeling baby ok? Measure me. Hear Heartbeat and then any questions. I may ask one or two but.. that's it.

She doesn't check for position until 37 weeks because as she said -- they can flip a million times before that. Internals start i think 37-38 weeks at mine too.

Dannylion24 · January 2015

Up until today my appointments were just like you described; blood pressure, weight, pee cup, measurements, and heartbeat - barely even a 'hello & how are you?' from the OB. Today, however, I am 36 weeks (due 2/2) on the nose and they did the swab for strep B and also caught me offguard by doing a cervical check. My last OB w my third baby didn't do any internals until my due date, so I wasn't expecting one this early. I found out I'm 1 cm dilated as of today. Fun times. So far, they haven't made any comments about where the baby is positioned, with past pregnancies he or she has always been head down fairly early. I feel like no news is probably good news on that front w this OB.

mommaa1615 · January 2015

Same here..ive never been in an appointment more then 10 minutes and also get worried hearing everyone talk about things. i do remember doc telling me they will start watching position starting tomorrow at my 34w appt. Im so paranoid im missing out on something especially since there is only 6 weeks left. glad its not just me!

sweetdreamz6700 · January 2015

My OB visits are also very short. I usually end up waiting 30min or more for a 10 min appt. Pee in a cup, weight, bp, check fundal height and then out the door. We'll see if this week brings anything new.
My MFM visits are a whole nother ball game...u/s of some variety, NST, weight and BP. I'm there anywhere from 1.5-2 hrs.

jennjilljo · January 2015

Our appointments sound similar but my OB gives me discussion time. Also she started internals at 36 weeks.

jaztastic · January 2015

My OB appointments are like that as well, (pee, weight, BP, fundal, doppler, brief chat) however essentially I have monthly U/S and thats where all my other details come from. Its not quite monthly or intentional, but because of my medical history I've had them quite often. As a matter of fact there was just talk to send me for another one.

thejollyrancher · January 2015

I have a MW. The appt are 45 mins long, but most of the time is spent talking about whatever tickles my fancy. This is my second uncomplicated pregnancy. I don't pee in a cup and don't get weighed. I do have my BP checked, fundal height measured, and Doppler on baby's heartbeat done at each appt, and of course we go over any testing that was done if applicable. I don't think cervical checks are done until much closer, like 37-38 weeks (I'm 32 w 3d), but I haven't asked and she hasn't mentioned it. She did check baby's position at my request last time (out of curiosity of what parts I was feeling, not concern) but she said she wouldn't have normally done that until much closer to DD.

I had a Dr with my first. I would spend about 10 mins with the Dr and it was a lot like PPs have described. I was usually in the office for an hour though waiting and doing tests, so I there is no appt duration difference for me (btw Drs and MWs). With my Dr, cervical checks started at 36 weeks.

I imagine there are other reasons/concerns at play when some women have their cervix checked on the regular at such an early gestation.

mahalo3 · January 2015

I pee in a cup, get weighed, am asked if I have cramps or discharge and feel movements, get measured, and dopplered. The end. I am getting my butt swabbed on Wednesday, which should be fun. and then I start going once a week, but I don't know what they will do at the weekly appointments.

sleepymama29 · January 2015

I just got done with my 10 min appt. weight check, bp, urine check, then she measured fundal height and listened to the heartbeat. I honestly waited longer to see MW then the actual time I spent with her!

AF9211 · January 2015

My appointments with the OB take 10 minutes...same exact as yours except I pee in my cup at home and bring it with me. I'm at the office for at least an hour though because they are always overbooked. I haven't dropped trou since my first appointment at 12/13 weeks. I will have my GBS swab tomorrow at my 36 week appointment and I assumed she'll do an internal to check things. Other than that my appointments are uneventful.

chicagojackie · January 2015

Angeldcf said:

Not necessarily. MWs are more involved about your overall care- emotional, family dynamics, etc.
With my ob: I pee in a cup, vitals, measure fundal height, Doppler baby heartbeat and asks if I have any questions (I try to write stuff down prior) & make appt for 2 wks. Usually 15min tops. Internals start at 38wks I think.
This is my 2nd kiddo, low-risk pg, I'm a nurse and I obsessively read every single pg book I could last time so more straight-forward this time around.

I LOVE midwives but this is not necessarily true. Several OB's spend a lot of time with their patients, 20-30 minutes and go over things, especially first time moms.

Anyone that is low-risk and doesn't potentially need an induction needs to ask about the indications for an internal exam, particularly if you have Group B Strep. The most evidence based practice for low-risk women is no internal exams until labor. You can find this information easily.

tlglass91 · January 2015

Over here in Europe they don't mess around. So every appointment consists of pee in a cup, vitals, a 30 min ekg on babe, internal exam, internal sonogram, external sonogram. Some appointments I just wanna rip my OBs hair out. I seriously have to clear my entire schedule on appointment days. I yearn for your 10 min appts lol.

krysmill · January 2015

Mine is about 20 min. Doing vitals, weight, measurements, doppler and Q/A! My Dr always asks how I'm feeling and if I have any aches/pains. I'm 33 weeks tomorrow. I'll be getting a growth scan at 35 weeks and an internal exam. She thinks I'll have the baby after the next 5 weeks.

t8keepr03 · January 2015

Mine are the same as others. Pee in a cup, take my vitals, check little ones heartbeat, measure fundal height, feel baby, ask how I feel. Takes about 10 minutes if I don't have any questions or concerns. I go every 2 weeks until I'm 36 weeks. I will be 33 weeks this week. At 36 weeks my OB will do the first internal exam as well as do the Strep b test. I will go every week after this appointment.

deux · January 2015

I see one of my two midwives each visit, and the actual check-up part only takes 10-15 minutes (I check my own pee and weight, then they do BP, Doppler, measure and palpate, they don't do internals until labor, if even then), but appointments are 45-60 minutes so the rest of the time is talking - about anything, birth related or not. I've spent a lot of time with them already going over my birth preferences. I want to feel like we all know each other really well beforehand, so I enjoy the visits. A lot of relevant things end up coming up in conversation that I wouldn't have necessarily thought to ask about.

CogDis · January 2015

I'm with a MW so my appointments are usually at least 25 minutes (and she has a full hour booked off for me, in case I need It). She always asks how I'm feeling, what new symptoms I have, how I'm sleeping and if I or my DH have any stupid questions or worries. She also goes through any recent tests in detail and explains my scores, where they sit on the curve and what they mean. It is very reassuring.

However, it seems that the amount of tests/exams I get are similar to yours @digwriter‌ . I don't get urine tests at all, but otherwise I get the same tests & measurements you mentioned. The only other test was a manual exam (via feeling my stomach) to identify the position of the baby.

I have a low risk pregnancy, so that's probably why.

CogDis · January 2015

Oh, and about the internal exams, I'm not sure what the MWs' normal practices are but in the very beginning I explained that I didn't want internal exams unless indicated as I knew they would unnecessarily add infection risk. I refused my "pregnancy pap" for this reason, too (I'd already had a pap done that year during my pre-conception testing but my GP doc seemed to dumbly think a second one was indicated because of the pregnancy, sometimes I think our over worked Gps in Canada are flying on auto-pilot. Lol).

digwriter · January 2015

CogDis said:
I'm with a MW so my appointments are usually at least 25 minutes (and she has a full hour booked off for me, in case I need It). She always asks how I'm feeling, what new symptoms I have, how I'm sleeping and if I or my DH have any stupid questions or worries. She also goes through any recent tests in detail and explains my scores, where they sit on the curve and what they mean. It is very reassuring.

However, it seems that the amount of tests/exams I get are similar to yours @digwriter‌ . I don't get urine tests at all, but otherwise I get the same tests & measurements you mentioned. The only other test was a manual exam (via feeling my stomach) to identify the position of the baby.

I have a low risk pregnancy, so that's probably why.

I sometimes wish that my ob did the belly palpitations. I'd like to know what position kiddo is in. Maybe I'll ask today.

mylazypony · January 2015

I'm 33 weeks and my midwife comes to me every 2 weeks. Our visits are about an hour. She weighs me, take my blood pressure and checks both the baby's heartbeat and mine. She measures me and feels how the baby is laying. She drew out how the baby is positioned directly on my belly, which was insightful. She inputs on this info on my client form that I have access to. We talk about how I'm feeling, what's next and birth prep, from my classes to the birth kit I need to get. It is more involved but this is what I wanted and why I switched to a midwife.

PikoPiko · January 2015

@digwriter, my OB appts are the same as yours. I only know how far I'm dilated because I had contractions over the weekend and the doc had to check if we were ready for labor. Like most pps, I'm getting the cervix check at the 36 or 38 weeks ob appt.

and oh boy, as a ftm, I didn't know how bad that check would hurt. I was spotting the day after.

mylazypony · January 2015

@fishes‌ my mw has the same relaxed bedside manor. She also is feisty and tells me to shut up you're fine! Tough love and jokes. Couldn't be happier with her.

arobs13 · January 2015

Mine are the same. I have an idea about positioning because i started asking about my 32 weeks appointment. they say there is lots of time for him to move around, but i like just knowing so i have an idea as to what body part is jabbing me in the ribs all day. if i didn't ask, i'd have no idea. i start internal exams at 36 weeks (GBS test) and they said they might check my cervix then since my husband is going to be out of town the following weekend for a wedding. i'm nervous something will happen early (even though doc says odds of that are low), but those types of checks at my doc don't usually start until 38 weeks.

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