Doctor out of town

kwoodall1 · April 2015

I just found out that my doctor is going out of town for a week when I will be 38 weeks (I'm 34 week now). The practice I used is run by a husband and wife team and they are going on vacation together, therefore there will not be a doctor from the practice available that week. I called today to find out what their plan is, and they have another doctor from another practice that is on call that week in case patients go into labor. I also asked what they would do about my 38 week appointment. They said they would just see me the week before and if there was a problem I could just go see this other doctor at the other practice. I can't decide if I am unnecessarily worrying about this or if there is a legitimate concern with what they have set up. I really don't love the idea of having an unknown doctor potentially deliver my baby. I would love to hear any advice. Thanks!

ldmw · April 2015

You're worrying about nothing. You can't control it and there is no reason to stress over it. Doctors have lives too. Trust me, when it's time to deliver your baby you won't care who the doctor is!

bean8213 · April 2015

ldmw said:
You're worrying about nothing. You can't control it and there is no reason to stress over it. Doctors have lives too. Trust me, when it's time to deliver your baby you won't care who the doctor is!

All this.

scubakate · April 2015

We just found out that my doc will be out of town the week of my EDD, we're going to ask tomorrow what the plan is. But like PP said, when it's time, as long as there's someone between my legs to catch, I don't really care.

Chichi93 · April 2015

Yea mine was out of town all this week [I'm 37 weeks] but he's back now. Woo!

sunnyday016 · April 2015

Sounds like they have a solid plan in place for coverage. Docs deserve vacations too.

OlgaN15 · April 2015

Mine was out of town this week so I just didn't have my 36 week appt. I can understand the slight anxiety, but you will be just fine.

jennygirlmt · April 2015

The weekly appointments aren't really necessary unless there's an issue, and if that's the case the you have someone to call.

And the doctor spends such a small amount of time actually with you during labor, you won't notice or care. The people who make it or break it (for me at least) are the nurses and you meet them for the first time then too.

toddabunny · April 2015

In the UK you don't get to meet the person delivering till your about to give birth, my midwife that I see every two weeks won't be there either, it will be whoever is on shift at the hospital.

auburnmamma · April 2015

I agree with everyone else. You won't care. The doctor comes in to catch. The difference makers are the nurses.

ladyteach0505 · April 2015

I disagree with the popular opinion and understand what your concern is, OP. I know the OB is supposed to be a baby catcher but a friend of mine had a baby a month ago and had to have emergency surgery for bleeding. (She actually goes to my OB and said she felt much better knowing it was him doig the surgery.) I definitely would prefer doctors I know and trust if only for that reason.

THAT said, what the hell can any of us do about it? I think you can be upset but at the end of the day they're still going on vacation. I've actually talked to all of the on-call docs at one point in time or another so I at least know them. I have one I don't like and I'm not sure what I'll do if he's on call. But it's given me time to think about
It. Maybe you can meet this doc ahead of time.

sunnyday016 · April 2015

I had an emergency c-section with my son and I certainly wasn't concerned about who was doing it. It saved my son's life. That's all that mattered to me.

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