What's the important factor for you when choosing an Ob?

[BellyBelly]

This poll is to see what couples look for when choosing an Obstetrician!

Here's a BellyBelly article about questions to ask a potential Ob.
Here's an article on choosing your carer for birth.

[Astrolady]

Both, Skill and bedside manner are very important to me.

love

[Rouge]

For me its recommendation, mainly because I want an OB that I know will want to help me in my decisions for pregnancy and labour. In my situation I intend to try for a VBAC so I need to find an OB who will be supportive of my decision as well as informative, I hate being left in the dark, or only being told "what I need to know" as far as I am concerned its my body its my child I need to know everything! And the least amount of intervention the better.

*hugs*
Cailin

I am going on recommendation, been told this guy is very casual, and really good bedside, low episitomy rate etc.

regards karen

Skill, bedside manner and location are all very important. You want to know you're going to be in good hands during the birth of your baby but you also want to know that you can ask as many questions as you like when pregnant without feeling stupid. Location becomes important when you get down to your two weekly/one weekly visits.

I think skill is the important thing, but it's something that's difficult for a new patient to assess, and we really need to rely on recommendation or go on trust. I booked an obs. in a practice recommended by a friend. I found after three visits that communication with the Obs. was causing me serious anxiety. As a result I had lost confidence, and felt that if complications arose I would not trust that Obs. to give us an adequate explanation of our options. What I discovered is that it's possible to accept that that are highly skilled, but still not to have trust in them. So I got another recommendation from my GP. She recommended one on the basis of skill and communication skills/bedside manner. It has made a huge difference to how i feel about my Obs. and about the pending birth.

[Karina]

I would say recommendation from others... because without that how will you know what they are like? Thats my theory anyway.

I chose recommendation from others - as I have no clue at all when it comes to choosing one

[Charlyfrog]

I chose recommendation from others, location, bedside manner and skill.

For our first littl'n, we chose our ob. purely through recommendation as we also had no idea where to begin and whilst the ob was skilled, I didn't feel like I received all the info I needed as the pg went along. (had a few friends pg at the same time and they were getting lots more info from their obs)
So as I've been there done that I now know what it is I really want and need so will be having a different ob. when the time comes for #2!

A different ob has been recommended to us from a midwife friend so guess you can say I have some inside info on this one! Teehee!! This ob is closer and is more personal which suits me to a tee!

[Trillian]

I chose my GP because of the recommendations I heard of his skills and bedside manner and he is truly a fabulous Dr and I wouldn't dream of seeing anyone else for my pg's. He is accomodating of your wishes and his skills in an emergency situation are second to none. I trust him with my life and the life of my child.

I'd say recommendation. That's what I'm using atm to decide on the path I'm going to take with my OB choices (even tho I'm a public patient).

[DoulaRelle]

I chose skill, but I have to agree with the others, recommendations are very important. I chose my Ob with just one recommendation, but luckily hit the jackpot, cause he actually matches all of the above options!

[Lucy]

In Darwin it was location.......there was only 2 OB in Darwin, and the other was a lot further out......

I am glad I chose him though...he was great.

In Adelaide I went with bedside manner and recommendation......that sounds slack, I know, but I figured his skills would be OK, I just wanted someone I could get on well with for all the ante-natal appts, knowing that I would most likely have a midwife for the actual births anyways.........

[JaZaHMum]

Initially I went with the referral from my GP. He delivered my girls and I'm booked in to see him again for my third. He is a quite, mumbly man but is apparently one of the top obs. He is very relaxed, and doesn't give out too much information,(i had to ask alot of questions) but when it came to the birth, everything went well.
It also helps that he is close by.

[~Debbie~]

i went location. I didnt know any one in Perth that had been preg when i choose my ob. So, i went firstly with recommendation from my GP, and then choose the one that was closest to the hospital where i was giving birth.

[Charly's mum]

I went for recommendation first, several people at work had used him Douglas Keeping. But I was willing to change if not comfortable. He was great I had some problems falling pregnant, he was fertility expert and I was very comfort with his bed side manner.