My OB (who I love, and who delivered my son as well as the babies of pretty much all of my close friends) is moving to an office 45 minutes away and giving up delivering babies 6 weeks before my due date. He's older, so semi-retiring, I guess. I'm bummed that I miss it by a matter of weeks, but whatever. I understand. I should've gotten KU a month and a half earlier. He is in a large women's care center, so he asked who I wanted to transfer to, and suggested 2 doctors. Since I don't know anything about them, I just told him I trusted his recommendation. He chose one, and said if after seeing him, I wanted to try the other doctor I was free to change.
Today was the first time seeing the new doctor. For starters, I waited 30 minutes to be seen, where I was always seen promptly with my old doctor, but I understand things happen. Then when his nurse takes me back, she was says "You haven't already left a urine sample? I always have my girls just come back here once they've checked in and leave one and then go back to waiting room, that way it really saves us time. But you didn't know." Which of course I didn't because that is completely different than what my nurse did. She also said, "And if I see you in the hall way, I might just go ahead and take your blood pressure right then to speed things up." She kind of made me feel like those few minutes of things that she had to do was cutting into their time. So she tells me when I'm done in the bathroom to just go into the exam room. She never comes in ask me anything about how I've been since my last visit or to go over the little check list on my chart asking me if I've had swelling, headaches, dizziness, spotting, etc. as my other nurse did, nor does she tell me if the results from the urine test are normal or anything. But I realize everyone has their own procedures, and maybe they just don't do that.
Then the doctor comes in and is literally there for less than 2 minutes. He glances at my chart, asks me if everything is fine, if my last pregnancy had any complications, measures my fundus, listens to the heartbeat, and says "well everything looks good, I'll see you in 2 weeks. " Now he's nice enough guy, but this is the first time I've seen him. I guess I just expected him to ask me if I had any questions, or ask me a few more questions. My old doctor was chatty and he's sit down and usually tell me something he'd already told me before, but he'd take a moment to talk to me. I just felt like this guy was running out the door.
I din't leave feeling great about the visit, but I don't know if I should try the other doctor or if I am being silly. I know everyone has their own way of doing things, but I just felt like it was all so rushed and they were just ready to move on the next patient. And if they run such a speedy ship, why did I wait 30 minutes anyway? I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt (perhaps he delivered a baby this morning, and it put him behind on his patients and he was moving fast to catch up?) but for my first time seeing him, I just felt like he should've spent a few extra minutes with me, taken the time to ask me something, anything! Plus I really wasn't crazy about the nurse.
So am I being overly concerned or is this a case where I should be getting a better vibe, and should see the other OB? Is/was your OB just in and out in a second or did they take a few minutes to talk to you? It's hard, because I think the bar was set so high by my wonderful doctor before that I don't know if what I experienced today is just the norm with an OB visit. Any opinions?
Re: OB Question (Long)
Married Bio
My OB sounds a lot like him. Initially I was going to change doctors because I just didn't get an over all warm feeling from him. He was nice and polite but a man of few words. No chit chat and he is all business.
I ended up not switching doctors at the beginning of my last pregnancy and I am glad I didn't. I am really happy with him and I trust his judgement, even if he isn't super chatty. When ever I have had to meet with his NPs they always comment about his personality, and how he really is a nice guy but most people are put off my his quietness.
I feel like I have spent a lot of time over the last two years at my OB's office and we have started to form more of a personal relationship. He is big into fly fishing and fishes a few times a year in Homosassa, which is where my H grew up fishing. So when I see him he asks when the last time I was back there and if I have any upcoming trips back.
But, you have 10 weeks left of your pregnancy and I think you are cutting it close to "wait and see" if you like your new OB. I think if I were you I would schedule an appointment to meet with the other doctor and then decide who you like the best out of the two.
Baby Macy is here!
12/09 - Macy (daughter) | 4/10 - Began TTC Baby #2 | 12/10 - Chemical Pregnancy | 1/12 - Miscarriage at 14 weeks | DX - PCOS & Hyperthyroidism
Married Bio
Thank you for your opinions! I think I probably should go check out the other doctor, but a part of me wants to give the doctor I saw today another chance, in case it was an off day. I think I might try looking up reviews.
I know my doctor wouldn't have recommended someone to me he didn't think could give me great care, and it's probably a matter of getting used to someone new and their faster placed style. However it is the doctor that will be delivering my baby, so ultimately it is important to feel comfortable with him.
Kim, your nightmare of a birth story is definitely not something I want to experience.