Delivery and Your doctor

atack · July 2017

So, today I asked the question since nov/dec are typical holiday travel dates: what happens if your on vacation? Now I know many of you probably go to centers with multiple doctors, my place is just my doctor and I LOVE him. He's 71, still working, I trust him completely, and literally calms me down with every little thing. Needless to say his Vacation starts Nov 28th for a week. I'm due 12/1! He is so sweet and considered moving it or inducing me right before he leaves! We'll see if that needs to happen, so my question then have you guys started thinking that far along. Would you get induced? Have you gotten induced? Share. What's your delivery plan?

Last time, I went within 2 days of my due date with both kiddos.

jlemons-2 · July 2017

I was induced with my last and I would never want to do it by choice. I will do anything to (safely) avoid an induction. I don't know who will deliver my babe, but I'm confident we will be okay.

anewadventure · July 2017

That's tough. Have you guys talked about who would be delivering you in his absence? So you have all the information you need to consider your options?

Personally, induction was a nightmare for me. For some it goes smoothly. Once you're past 39 weeks it is allowed even if it isn't a medical emergency but I'm all about baby growing as long as possible. If this was your first, I'd say there is a good chance you'd still be hanging out when he gets back around 12-5, but it's your third. How confident are you in your due date? Were you tracking at time of conception to have a solid feeling of your actual O date?

I know many ladies in the group will face this situation in a group practice, where you will possibly have your baby delivered by a doctor with whom you are not familiar. No one likes to consider it but especially with where our due dates fall around the holidays, vacation is definitely going to be a thing.

flowerpower5838 · July 2017

My doctor is the only one in her practice. With my first, my doctor was going on a mission trip to Jordan the day after my due date and brought up induction prior to her departure but I declined. I ended up getting induced anyway for unrelated reasons, though. Had I not, I would have rather let baby come when he was ready than based on my doctor's schedule.

Definitely inquire to see who would be in charge of your care in his absence and try to meet him/her. My doctor had another peer for whom she covered and vice versa if the other couldn't be there for some reason. It just so happens that the other doctor is my friend's doctor and she LOVES her so I felt fairly comfortable knowing she might deliver my child.

mdcd44127 · July 2017

I'm in a hospital group practice, and I believe my old OB (who I absolutely couldn't stand and left at 9 weeks) might be one of the doctors in the rotation. With my luck, she's going to be the one to deliver my baby.

whiska · July 2017

Same as @djd0404 I'm in a hospital group practice at an academic medical center. Very good chance it will not be my ob delivering, but you never know. I work with one of the docs in the practice on a clinical trial for ppd, and I'm just crossing my fingers it's not him working that night cause that might be a bit awkward

Tennis11785 · July 2017

This was something I considered when picking my practice, so I'm at a practice where there are 4 doctors and they ensure one is "on call" at all times. I haven't asked specifically about the holidays, but that's a great question to ask (if only one or two doctors are going to be around, I might try and make extra appointments with them to get familiar/comfortable with them).

Something else along this line that I'll throw out there. I haven't looked up any studies on this yet so I don't have facts to back me up. But when my sister in law (who is in the medical field) was pregnant with a late December due date, I remember her saying that there are more inductions and scheduled c-sections during December than any other month of the year. I don't think doctors were flat out saying they were scheduling things because of the holidays, but the increase in numbers leads one to believe it could be a contributing factor. She was very concerned she was going to get "forced" into one of these situations.

It's a tough balance because you want to believe your doctor when they say you need a c/s or an induction. But if not having these interventions are important to you, it might be a good idea to research/be your own advocate, discuss your wishes with your doctor, and make sure you really pay attention and know what's going on with your own health.

MJDsquared · July 2017

Mine is also a group practice. I had actually intended to see the OB that my mom went to there because she loves her, but she wasn't accepting new patients so I just randomly accepted one who was. Luckily, I love her. They give the option of rotating your later appointments among the doctors in the practice so you can get to know them in case one of them ends up delivering your baby (she did tell me the percentage of times that your own OB delivers your baby and it was pretty high, but...holidays).

rainbowdashh · July 2017

My ob that I see at appointments will probably not deliver this baby (though it might change because of my situation). Kaiser has the doctors rotate their days at the hospital and overnight they use midwives and have an ob for emergencies.

I've been induced 2/3 deliveries. Both were very uneventful and smooth and I'm going to push to be induced again this time so my anxiety isn't sky high, so baby can begin treatment asap, and so hopefully my ob can be the one working in the hospital that day. That said, I think I might be in the minority in my experience.

atack · July 2017

So I am dreading the hospital my doc delivers in which is why if he's not there I probably wouldn't even go to that hospital. So am induction is on my mind. I know I went into labor with both and both had to have their waters broken when it didn't happen and I was over a certain point. My second delivery they put me on some pitocin I think, everything was fine with that delivery. I guess I'd need more info and probably will try and up my activity level to help induce it naturally.

anyone use raspberry leaf tea and have it work?

acgonzalez22 · July 2017

My OB's office only has 3 doctors and I adore them all so I am okay with whomever delivers.

I was induced with DS and had a great experience. With that said, I was in pre-labor for 3 weeks before he came and went in that morning at 4cm. I was only on Pitocin for about 30 min before my water broke and he came 3 hours later. So I'm not sure if already being 100%effaced and 4cm dilated had more to do with the pleasant experience.

KayLee77 · July 2017

I wouldn't personally want to be induced, unless its medically necessary. I haven't ever been but I hear it's rough. We have a group of Drs in the practice and meet them all near the end of the pregnancy. My other two kids were born around thanksgiving and I didn't have my Dr deliver them since they went on call when I went into labor. I doubt I will have my Dr, but that's ok since the whole practice is great.

Who would deliver you if you go into labor when he's not there? Do they have someone specific or is it's who ever is at the hospital? If they have someone specific covering for him, see if you can meet that Dr and see how you feel with them before making that decision.

atack · July 2017

@acgonzalez22 your situation was like my second. I had a little pitocin just to get it moving once I had been in labor for some time and not progressing.

@KayLee77 I am trying to avoid the issue anyways. I have no clue. I'd probably go to a closer hospital (this one is 40 min away) and just whoever is on duty. That's how much I want my doctor though. The struggle is real. My mom got induced with my brother 24 years ago with this same doctor because he as heading on vacation. It wasn't like weeks early just a day or two before her date.

I dont know what what I'll do yet! We'll see!

ngarciabyu · July 2017

Would it be possible to meet with some doctors at closer the closer hospital? I know you love your doctor so you probably want to be under his care. But maybe you will find a practice you are really comfortable with and avoid the whole debaucle altogether. Sounds like besides the doctor himself, the delivery situation wouldn't be something you're happy with unless it goes exactly as planned.

ETA: I also suggest that just because I had a good friend who induced a week early because of dr vacation. Labor was slow to progress so the doctor went home to get some sleep and was going to come back and check on her. Her labor ended up progressing really fast at some point so they paged her doctor to come back but he didn't actually get back in time and the on call doctor delivered her baby anyways. So I just think about things like that.

dkizz82 · July 2017

I go to a single dr as well. I was a little worried about this with DD but he ended up having to take her because my BP wouldn't stabilize. Now I'll have a planned c section with my own dr.

clyon14 · July 2017

I was induced with ds. It was pretty smooth and I'm actually pushing to be induced with this baby. My due date is December 30 and I'm really hoping my body and this baby will be ready at 39ish weeks. I love my doctor, but I honestly don't care who actually delivers my baby just as long as we are safe. My doctor didn't even really deliver my son in the end. She was there through all of the delivery though and another doctor had to use forceps (spelling) to help get him out. I can really only speak to my experience though. I also don't think it's ever to early to start preparing for the birth. My advice is to trust yourself and your decisions.

Jellybelly119 · July 2017

I saw my doctor for 5 minutes of my delivery with DS. I couldn't have cared less who was there; the nurses did all the work anyway!

I know that wasn't your question. My answer would be no; I wouldn't choose induction to ensure I'd get my doctor for delivery because I'd rather avoid unnecessary interventions. I'd definitely talk to him though and get some information on who would be covering for him while he's gone!

Edit: 5 minutes was an exaggeration. It was probably 25 minutes, then when DS was born I assume he stayed and did some things but I really don't recall seeing him!

moonlady-2 · July 2017

I would not want to be induced in order to have a certain doctor be with me. I would only do it if it is medically necessary. I want as few interventions as possible. If there is a problem, that's a different story.

I'm going to a midwife clinic that is also part of a hospital. I love it because for each of my appointments I meet with one of the 6 midwives so by the time baby comes I will know them all. They have been so great with easing my PGAL anxiety, spending extra time to ease my concerns and I actually feel like they care. I am confident that things will be fine no matter who I end up with.

ameliabedelia-2 · July 2017

I felt indifferent about my doctor but am forever in love with the hospital/nursing staff. I spent 99% of my time with the nurses. The doc (who was part of a multi-doctor practice), was only in the room for about 5 minutes when I actually pushed. I would much rather feel confident in my baby being ready and the hospital than compromise on those to accommodate a doctor's schedule.

ChelK3 · July 2017

With my first, my Dr. was going out of the country the week of my due date. I opted to get induced a week early so she could deliver him and I don't regret it one bit. This time I'm hoping to go into labor naturally just for the experience, but there wasn't anything I disliked about getting induced. Everything went so smoothly. I came in to the hospital super early in the morning and didn't deliver my son until 8 o'clock that night. I know people say pitocin is the devil, but I felt like I progressed at very steady rate and the contractions didn't seem all that bad, but I guess I didn't have anything to compare it to.

NME44 · July 2017

I'm in the minority with @rainbowdashh. I was induced with DS and felt it was fine. It was definitely much less painful than my natural labor with my sunny side up DD, and I actually only ended up with an epidural during DD's delivery, not DS's. I would be induced again if I go over my due date bc A: my babies get big. DS was 8 lbs, DD was 9 lbs, and I don't particularly want to find out if I can naturally birth a 10 lb baby... and B: I get nervous late in pregnancy. Classic case of knowing too much.

as for the doctor delivering the baby, my doctor still hasn't delivered one of mine. Maybe this time, who knows. But I trust her choice in partners. (Ironically, the same doctor delivered both of my babies, and I'm a little bummed that my doctor changed practices and now that doc definitely won't deliver my third

)

kaylawing · July 2017

I just wanted to echo that I feel the nursing staff makes the biggest difference. I labored for a long time and dh and I still talk about each of the nurses we had and how helpful they were. The doctors were fine (my Ob didn't deliver my daughter) but it's the nurses we remember and made our experience so wonderful. So, I don't think I'd choose induction because of a certain doctor's schedule.

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