Is my OB doing his job?

sadyy131 · September 2015

at 20 weeks my previous OB left practice, so I had to find a new one. My new OB, midwife and his staff are all extremely nice and helpful. But I can't help to wonder if they are being thorough enough. I see posts on here about babies measuring ahead or behind and whenever they do an ultrasound when I go to the doctors, the never check the babies size. They usually just take my weight, blood pressure, and look to see the heart still beating (they don't count the rate) and then send me on my way. They do ask me if I have any questions and don't rush me, but I feel like my appointments are so fast. This is my first pregnancy so maybe I'm just overthinking but let me know what you guys think.

LauraK33 · September 2015

That's pretty standard and means you're having a healthy pregnancy! Some drs don't start fundal height measurements until 30 weeks and some don't at all. If you have questions or wonder if they should be doing more, it doesn't hurt to ask though!

Gapeach83 · September 2015

Mine didn't even start checking fundal height till 24 weeks. Its not 100% accurate. Just ask next time if they are going to check it. No ultrasounds unless you are high risk is completely normal. My appointments are check pee,weight, bp, measure fundal height and heart rate. They ask questions then I am on my way. Usually see dr for about 10 min.

Lolitadds2003 · September 2015

My doctor's office does the same. My last ultrasound was at 20 weeks with the Perinatologist. Because everything was good I no longer see them just the OB who have said they will not do any ultrasounds. My concern is that I'm not gaining weight and my belly is smaller than average. I do have a history of a tummy tuck, so I expected that. Buy now I'm worried that my lack of expansion may affect here growth. I did have a 3D ultrasound at 28 weeks but no measurements were done. I plan to ask for another ultrasound at my next appointment.

Falchas · September 2015

Ditto LauraK, my OB during my first didn't use fundal measurements at all and my current OB didn't until 30 weeks. My appointments typically last 5-10 minutes. At my last, my OB and I spent more time talking about our favorite food trucks around our city then we did anything pregnancy related. I remember feeling the same way as you the first time around, it seems like such a life altering thing should involve more! But it's true, short appointments usually mean healthy pregnancy!

dogsombrero · September 2015

Honestly they don't take my fundal height every appointment because there is no standard with twins. The "measuring ahead or behind" is notoriously wrong because it's taken as an external measurement. Hence so much needless worry.

kestes946 · September 2015

Be so happy that so far things are healthy and normal. It's nothing to worry about and I'm sure your docs are doing a great job and know what they are doing. It never hurts to ask questions and get an idea of what they test for and do in a normal pregnancy. My OB office is extremely thorough to the point where it's inconvenient. For example, I didn't pass the glucose screening test this week because they wanted a 130 and I was at a 135 even though the national standard for most ob offices is 140 so I now have to drive 45 min on Saturday morning at 6:15am for a 3 hour test. Anyhow, I don't mind it because I want to make sure all will be healthy. It sounds like your office is doing a great job and hope you have a good rest of your pregnancy!!

dmiller1213 · September 2015

Seems pretty normal to me. They'll take my blood pressure and weight then I'll wait a few min for the doc. My doctor has only done a fundal measurement once and it's because I brought it up. He never tells me the babies heart rate, he only ever says "sounds great." He'll ask if I have questions, if not he'll send me on the way. Not much to talk about if there's nothing going on.

Cook3133 · September 2015

If you're having a normal healthy pregnancy your last appointments are going to feel this way. Its annoying I have to drive 30-45 min to mine for them to take a BP, weight,check babies HB, and ask if I have any questions. My office doesn't test pee at every appointment anymore. Although with all 4 kiddos and 2 different practices, they have measured me. Always on the outside and usually started around 26-30 weeks. The last few appointments take 5-10 min like pp said

bellie1223 · September 2015

I'm with everyone else, I pee in a cup, they take my blood pressure and weigh me, have never mentioned anything about weight gain, good or bad. I see the doc, she asked if we have any questions, she talks A LOT, so we usually meet with her for longer than I think is average (15-20 minutes), she listens to the heartbeat but does tell us the heart rate--you could probably ask about that, I think those dopplers tell them automatically. Last appt (24 weeks) was the first time she measured fundal height, didn't tell me what the number was, just said everything looks good. I sometimes feel like prenatal care in this country is a joke, but I suppose if you're having a healthy pregnancy, there isn't much else to do.

sadyy131 · September 2015

Thank you ladies! I was starting to worry after my appointment Monday but it's good to know that it's normal!

MercyC1130 · September 2015

Sounds similar to what goes on with me, too.I love my nurses, but my OB is not my favorite. My bf calls him the human mechanic. He's not warm and he's very cut and dry, in and out of the room, doesn't explain anything and I feel his answers to the things I ask are insufficient. I'm very disappointed but its the best I can do with my insurance situation right now.
However, I am very straightforward about questions and prodding for better answers to the things I want to know. That and my nurses are amazing. They are complete opposite; informative and warm, maternal and patient!
I think, especially maybe because I'm a FTM, that it's extremely important to learn and keep up myself with what's going on and research a lot about what pregnancy and birthing entails. I know people always say "but woman having been doing this since the beginning" and that is true. Obviously. However, the process and the medications and knowledge we have available to us as well as woman's lifestyles in general are vastly different then years past. It's important to know your options, because you have them(!) and to know what to expect and what to ask.
Sorry for random not necessarly related rant! I get frustrated with some around me when they tell me ridiculous outdated things (not to go in the water while pregnant, no wine, no digging in garden, what the baby is going to be based on this or that, ect) meanwhile its okay to light up a cigarette around me (but those same people are "experts" because they had children 20-something years ago).
Also, I feel like some doctors, like mine, view pregnancy as a procedure and nothing more. They feel they are the ones in control and attempt to standardize pregnancy and labor!
It seems like you have a healthy pregnancy, so like pp's have said, they aren't going to do too much "extra", but if you feel they aren't being thorough enough, be proactive!
To be clear, in no way do I think *I* am an expert! I'm a FTM who didn't really know how to change a diaper or where my coccyx was! I just want to be an expert of *my* body and my options.

Lolo427 · September 2015

Hellloooo FTM here. So my appointments are generally the same as yours; except now they're sending me out for NSTs twice a week and will let me know if anything comes up ( that's only because of GD). My doctor's office only took urine 1x at 8 weeks and hasn't since and I just asked point blank last appointment why; they gave me a long winded answer that was completely satisfactory. Point blank, if your concerned I would just ask and if your not okay with why, start a discussion off of that.

It sounds like everything's going super well with you though!

WeirdAlice · September 2015

When I go in they check my blood pressure (they usually don't tell me unless they see me trying to look, depends on the nurse), weight, urine sample, and send me to a room the nurse will check babies heart rate and usually they tell me what it is but not always (again depends on the nurse), then the ob comes in and asks if I have any questions and tells me what to expect next appointment. That's about it for the pregnancy part, I have a few other medical issues going on at the moment and even tho it has nothing to do with the baby he asks me every time I go in how my other appointments are going and if they have found anything new.

A nurse that i see almost every time we are there says that "no news is good news, usually that is when waiting for a phone call about test results, but if the dr doesn't bring anything up to you when your here then no news is good news applies then as well"

Other than that don't hesitate to ask questions. It's okay to ask what the babies heart rate is, or if everything looks good, just to be sure.

dramaphile · September 2015

My midwife is pretty quick with appointments-, I weigh myself, she asks questions and we talk about anything new going on. Then, she takes my blood pressure, checks my fundal height (just started that at 28 weeks) and the heartbeat via Doppler. I've only had to pee in a cup once, at my first appointment, and had blood taken at my first and most recent appointments (for GD test and other blood work). One ultrasound at 20 weeks. My office is pretty minimal with testing if everything is normal. Fewer tests is a good thing, it means everything on track!

rubirubi89 · September 2015

Im team no news is good news! I didnt even get to meet my OB until week 30 and thats because I asked! Before that I had only seen the Nurse practitioner; Very nice, smart lady by the way. I've literally had about a dozen ultrasounds and peed in about 15 cups.

MRSJESSICAX · September 2015

I see my GP every 2 weeks and he just checks my blood pressure, weight, fundal height measurements & listens to bubs heart beat. Also asks if i have any questions and sends me on my way. I just assume everything is going the way it should be

Elyse1384 · September 2015

When I was pregnant with DS, my OB checked my weight, BP and urine sample. Other than that, no ultrasound past the anatomy scan nor did he make mention of how far behind/ahead I was measuring when he began taking fundal height around the week 28 range. With this LO, I only had an additional scan to check the low lying placenta. Otherwise it would have been more of the same.

HopefulMNMom · September 2015

Sounds pretty normal! I just had my 30 week appointment and my OB checked fundal height for the first time. I can understand where you're coming from... I was wondering the same thing. It sounds like OB practices do things differently everywhere. Some do urine checks each time, some do cervix checks each time, etc. Good luck to you!

TacoSarah · September 2015

I pee in a cup, have my blood pressure checked and then they listen to the HB with a doppler and measure the fundal height and that's about it really.

jdal1206 · September 2015

When I was in MI (up to week 18) my OB checked BP, urine, weight and baby's HB like every visit, with blood draw tests at the very beginning...now we are in RI and so far I've had some blood drawn for additional tests that they didn't do in MI and the GD test etc...my OB checked my cervix the first time we met and had the 20 week ultrasound (we never had one in MI which everyone at the RI office thought was strange)...since about week 24 all they've done is check my fundal height, BP, weight and baby HB, they always ask if I can leave a urine sample but aren't upset when I can't or forget! So like PP's I think no news is good news, I'm not a medical person but it sounds like everything is healthy!

lyankowi · September 2015

Dr walked in this week and said wow your irons low, I hope you are taking extra iron. The nurses from his office had called a day after my labs were done to tell me to take extra iron and I had an appt a few days after that, he brought up the low iron two weeks later. I like my OB a lot but he should probably review my chart before walking in the room.
I think your appts go fairly normal. I feel a little rushed when I ask questions, you could also ask to see a NP, midwife,PA, etc they can usually send a little more time with you.

urby87 · September 2015

My office has you leave a urine sample at every appointment, as soon as you're checked in, then by the time you're back out in the waiting area they're usually about ready for you. Then a nurse weighs me, and takes me to a room where they check my blood pressure. They send the doctor or NP in, who checks the heartbeat and asks if I have any questions, if I've had any symptoms that could indicate a problem, and checks in with me about any other potential problems. I had several appointments where I was told to watch my eating and make sure I'm exercising due to my weight gain (which was 20 lb at 30w), but the last doctor I saw said I was on track for an average gain and wasn't concerned. My office rotates all of the doctors and NPs so you can establish a bit of a rapport with all of them. They started taking fundal measurements (exterior with tape measure) at 20w, I think. But I'm usually in and out fairly quickly. The appointments are scheduled for ten minutes, which usually ends up being about right. A couple more steps at my office than yours, OP, but it sounds like short visits are pretty standard as long as everything is progressing normally.

Is my OB doing his job?

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