I am a bit concerned about my Dr. visits. Every time I go, this is the routine: I leave a urine sample, they check my weight, blood pressure and then I see the Dr.. The Doc then comes into the room, and checks the heartbeat. He isn't very friendly at all, hardly talks to me but tells me everything is going perfectly. Should he be doing more? I am at 33 weeks now and have only had 1 ultrasound which was at 20 weeks. I am just a bit confused as to if he will start to do more at my appointments or if this is the norm for everyone? Will he be doing more to me as the pregnancy advances?
I don't know that I would feel comfortable having a person who knows nothing about me delivering my baby. My dr takes time to visit and make sure we are clear about why questions I have and we have discussed her style of birthing so I know it's what I WANT. As a first time mom, you should know you have choices. I highly suggest you research things like perineal massage, episiotomy, etc. and visit with physician about these things. The way a dr. Delivers a baby can determine overall delivery and recovery. I wouldn't want a man who didn't care about me delivering my child. Expect more, girlfriend!!!!
I am a bit concerned about my Dr. visits. Every time I go, this is the routine: I leave a urine sample, they check my weight, blood pressure and then I see the Dr.. The Doc then comes into the room, and checks the heartbeat. He isn't very friendly at all, hardly talks to me but tells me everything is going perfectly. Should he be doing more? I am at 33 weeks now and have only had 1 ultrasound which was at 20 weeks. I am just a bit confused as to if he will start to do more at my appointments or if this is the norm for everyone? Will he be doing more to me as the pregnancy advances?
I don't know that I would feel comfortable having a person who knows nothing about me delivering my baby. My dr takes time to visit and make sure we are clear about why questions I have and we have discussed her style of birthing so I know it's what I WANT. As a first time mom, you should know you have choices. I highly suggest you research things like perineal massage, episiotomy, etc. and visit with physician about these things. The way a dr. Delivers a baby can determine overall delivery and recovery. I wouldn't want a man who didn't care about me delivering my child. Expect more, girlfriend!!!!
Are you delivering at a birthing center of some sort where you're guaranteed to have your midwife deliver your baby? Most practices have more than one doctor and often times your actual OB doesn't deliver your baby. I love my OB and saw her every visit. However, the day I went into labor she wasn't on call. A doctor I had never met delivered my baby. This is just something to thinks about.
I have not had my urine tested since the start of my pregnancy, until the other day when I needed to go in for a quick fetal monitoring because I had a belly ache/cramp that didn't go away (my bet was that it was trapped gas.. Baby was completely fine.)
I also have not been weighed since the start of my pregnancy and I believe this is because to look at me I am within normal weight pre-pregnancy and have steadily put on healthy weight throughout (I am tracking my own weight because I'm interested and conscious of how much I might have to lose after the birth.)
Doctors are funny.. Some of the best doctors have the most attrocious bedside manner (think Dr. House) and other equally great doctors are more chilled out and love to get to know you and take time to build rapport (which helps calm patients on the day, as they are so far out of their comfort zone but they have a familiar face there who is convieniently highly trained in exactly what to do!)
If you are uncomfortable with any part of your care, yeah you should probably reconsider.. However in saying that, you are quite far along now and your Doctor might be an AMAZING obstetrician.. He just may not have the same personality type that you do in order to bounce off each other. You picked him for a reason to begin with right? So there must have been a reason for that?
I think the best thing is to start asking him questions. Maybe he thinks you are totally chilled out and go with the flow and so he doesn't elaborate on details. If he knew you wanted to know more and still completely dismissed that, then I think I personally would move onto another doctor that I was comfortable and on the same page with. But that's just me. My OB and I get along REALLY well, she has two kids which makes me happy that I know she has gone through what I'm going through, I know where she studied and the awards she has received so I am fully comfortable in her obstetrics skills, and I know that on the day we will be in it together. I also know that if I was worried and asked "why don't I get on the scales every time I come in" she'd have a good, considered answer that she as a doctor stands by. So I don't stress.. She's earnt my trust over the last 7 months so I'm happy. I think you need to try and build that trust with your OB and midwives as much as possible between now and the big day.
I have had it done monthly at every visit. I'm not sure if it's necessary so it could be a personal preference depending on your doctor. My doctor is very old fashioned so I have been doing them every time with blood pressure, measurements, weight and fetal heart rate.
I think she mentioned checking "proteins" for UTI's in the urine sample... I had one and they caught it. Here I was thinking that I was peeing more frequently because I was pregnant and had pressure, but nope! I had a UTI lol. Boy, did I feel stupid.
The main purpose of urine tests is to check for protein in the urine which is a sign of preeclamsia. But so is high BP so as long as they check your blood pressure each visit I'm pretty sure it would be okay. My OB checks both each visit though.
I don't know that I would feel comfortable having a person who knows nothing about me delivering my baby. My dr takes time to visit and make sure we are clear about why questions I have and we have discussed her style of birthing so I know it's what I WANT. As a first time mom, you should know you have choices. I highly suggest you research things like perineal massage, episiotomy, etc. and visit with physician about these things. The way a dr. Delivers a baby can determine overall delivery and recovery. I wouldn't want a man who didn't care about me delivering my child. Expect more, girlfriend!!!!
I hear what you are saying about my doc. I did do a lot of research on him prior to booking him for my pregnancy. He has an incredible reputation when it comes to the actual big day. All the moms say he is a total advocate- many even said he saved both their life and their babys. I most definitely will be discussing the episiotomy and the perineal massage with him, but at the right time. 33 weeks seems early to me. I think he may also change as we get closer to the DD. Thanks for the advice though.
I will be giving birth at our local hospital here. I have heard that women often don't have their baby delivered by their OB...just depends on the day/who is available. After hearing all of your great advice, I realize I need to step it up in my assertive communication with my Doctor. He really may not know I would like him to elaborate more. I need to be my own advocate, even if his style is intimidating and honestly rude. I find comfort in knowing that he is an excellent doctor according to others- just terrible bedside manners.
Re: Is this normal?
I also have not been weighed since the start of my pregnancy and I believe this is because to look at me I am within normal weight pre-pregnancy and have steadily put on healthy weight throughout (I am tracking my own weight because I'm interested and conscious of how much I might have to lose after the birth.)
Doctors are funny.. Some of the best doctors have the most attrocious bedside manner (think Dr. House) and other equally great doctors are more chilled out and love to get to know you and take time to build rapport (which helps calm patients on the day, as they are so far out of their comfort zone but they have a familiar face there who is convieniently highly trained in exactly what to do!)
If you are uncomfortable with any part of your care, yeah you should probably reconsider.. However in saying that, you are quite far along now and your Doctor might be an AMAZING obstetrician.. He just may not have the same personality type that you do in order to bounce off each other. You picked him for a reason to begin with right? So there must have been a reason for that?
I think the best thing is to start asking him questions. Maybe he thinks you are totally chilled out and go with the flow and so he doesn't elaborate on details. If he knew you wanted to know more and still completely dismissed that, then I think I personally would move onto another doctor that I was comfortable and on the same page with. But that's just me.
My OB and I get along REALLY well, she has two kids which makes me happy that I know she has gone through what I'm going through, I know where she studied and the awards she has received so I am fully comfortable in her obstetrics skills, and I know that on the day we will be in it together. I also know that if I was worried and asked "why don't I get on the scales every time I come in" she'd have a good, considered answer that she as a doctor stands by. So I don't stress.. She's earnt my trust over the last 7 months so I'm happy. I think you need to try and build that trust with your OB and midwives as much as possible between now and the big day.
I think she mentioned checking "proteins" for UTI's in the urine sample... I had one and they caught it. Here I was thinking that I was peeing more frequently because I was pregnant and had pressure, but nope! I had a UTI lol. Boy, did I feel stupid.