Were you happy with your choice?

[BellyBelly]

Following a discussion on ante-natal care that I have been part of, I thought I would run this poll to get an idea out there of what women thought of the care given to them by their Obstetricians.

When we get pregnant, most of us automatically think that we need to quickly choose an Obstetrician and hospital and book in as soon as possible, without thinking about what we need to do to find the right person for us, other options or our birth intentions (birth plan). Often we don't even know what we want at this early stage. Some of us relinquish all the power to our Obstetricians, thinking they are the experts and will do the best for us and 'I shouldn't argue with him as he knows what he's doing.' So there isn't much in the way of decisions to be made as far as we are concerned.

So for those who have already had a baby under the care of an Obstetrician, when you reflect back, what did you think of the overall care you received from them? From bedside manner to allowing you to voice your opinions, thoughts and discuss your choices appropriately, without applying pressure before or at the birth.

[Mumma2three]

Im talking about my OB with DD. I had a very well known Syd OB, whom is very highly regarded. I have to say I had a shocking experience. Not only did he have sooo many patients that each meeting was extremely impersonal (obviously no time to pull up records before appointment, AND he was friends with my parents), but he decided I was diabetic (after only the 50mg test, never let me do the next one and I had to ***** four times a day for the pregnancy and go on a special diet). This time there's no sign of diabetes and I know I didn't have it last time. Because of that he said I had to be induced. THANK GOODNESS DD came the day before. And finally, he arrived to catch the baby and then didn't even get all the placenta out and 6 weeks after I was in hospital having an operation to remove it. Luckily it didn't cause more damage.
So my experience was not good particularly from the highest charging and one of the "best" OB's in Sydney...
This time IM going team midwives!!!

[misty]

well, my ob is also my GP and she is good. living in a regional town the options aren't that wide, but i have never had a problem with her. having said that i seem to have a much more laid back attitude about the whole birthing process then anyone else i have met and as i result i find going to the docs to be an annoyance and a time and money consuming activity, that is rather needless. maybe because i have been around many pregnant women and don't veiw pregnancy as anything out of the ordinary or needing to be worried about? next time i will probably just go through the midwives at the hospital and not use an ob unless a problem arises.

[*Yvette*]

I've never had an Obstetrician except at the twins birth, and he only made it for the second baby.

As they told me there had to be an Ob at the birth for twins, I agreed to induction by arm so I would get a "good" Ob who I knew, but he didn't end up being there anyway, so the ARM was a waste of time & I wish I hadn't agreed to it. The bloke who was rostered on was a good bloke, and respected my wishes, but really wasn't needed.

As a mother of 5 including 3 month old twins, I much prefer midwife care. I would allow an Ob to be present as backup for something like twins, but with my own private midwife & the understanding that the midwife is in charge!

Obs are there to deal with things going wrong medically, and midwives are there to deal with normal birth. Unfortunately, Obs are losing the skills to deal with things like breech birth, a normal variation in my opinion, and are over relying on C/section, inducing without good reason etc. Ask yourself, do you really need one? Does he or she treat you with respect? Are you belittled for asking questions or fobbed off? The 3 main Obs I saw with the twins pregnancy, the "good" ones (don't even get me started on the bad ones I dealt with) all still had the attitude that I did not have the right to question anything they said or seek explanation or clarification.

Obs should be required to train under midwives! I'm serious, they could learn a lot.

[**Helen**]

I was extremely happy with my OBGYN. During the birth I found her a lot better than the midwives. One of the midwives actually asked my dr if she could turn off the epidural so that I could experience the birth. 8-[ , I don't think so. I was going to be cut and have forceps. Needless to say the dr stuck up for me and put her back in her place. She was extremely nice and helpful after the birth. Due to extensive tearing and me not feeling as though I was ready to go home, she was willing to sign a paper at the hospital so that my private medical would cover me past the 5 days.
Couldnt be happier. Dr Lisa Turner Hobart TAS.

Love

[Adnil]

Now that its all over (at least for a while) I will say that I am happy with the OB I chose. But there were times along the way when I wasnt. he is a very straight shooter and offended me a couple of times (although I admit that I was pretty easy to offend with all those pg hormones LOL).But as I got to know him I found it easier to relate to him and ask heaps of questions even if he seemed in a hurry - once I asked he was always happy to answer, he just didnt always volunteer the info. Being in a small town there are not a lot of choices. He is the most experienced of the OBs in the area and I have a lot of trust in him.

[kazz30]

I was very happy with my OB and am seeing him with this pg aswell. He allowed me to make my own choices when it came to pain management etc.., Rob and I felt a lot more comfortable with him more so than with the couple of the midwives. He explained to me when he was going to cut me and I never felt a thing. He is/was very caring. Overall a great doctor. Although I wish he wasn't so expensive to see, but in the long run he is worth every dollar.

I would highly recommend him to anyone.

[kylie]

I had a fantastic OB for my first 2 pregnancies, unfortunately he wasn't there for my first birth and his fill-in was a bit dodgy. He wasn't there for my second birth either, it was just my midwife and me for the whole labour/birth. My OB was very open to active birth, delivering any position I wanted, etc. He didn't use dopplers, just fetascopes, etc. This time I am going for a homebirth though

[BellyBelly]

Keep the feedback coming girls. Sad to see that those voting for bad experiences haven't commented. I hope you don't feel like you will be judged or critisised - it's important to talk about this stuff.

[kerry]

I am not voting yet because I am yet to do the whole push the thing out routine but I would like to comment... At this stage in my pg I am totally rapped with my OB. He is fantastic.

Anyway this was meant to be a quick post and it has turned out huge... it may not even be practicle for this thread... sorry if its a waste of time etc and if so could one of the mods please remove it.

Basically... My OB is fantastic, if he had a fan club I would be the president... He is supportive of everything I need and want in regards to the birth .... He is against intervention (even with normal women) ... he is open to alternative medicines.. accupunture, chiropractor, active birthing, aromatherapy and herbal medicine. He has gone out of his way to make one of the scariest times in my life happy, enjoyable and safe.

OK I will admit he is also a GP and has been one of my GP's on and off (see others due to hours/days of week & knowledge of specific medical conditions) for 16 years so there is a pre existing relationship. When I m/c at Easter he was brilliant, caring and compassionate. When I fell pg again 1 1/2 months later he was actually excited for me and also concerned enough to suggst councelling re-garding the recent lost baby as it would be hard dealing with the joy and loss at the same time.

At 6 1/2 weeks pg I got a uti which within 24 hours had progressed to a full blown kidney infection and reactivated a dormant aquired kidney disease I had had low grade chemo for 3 years previously. so it was straight back to my renal specialist (of 6 years) who informed me that:

a) I only had about a 40% chance of going to term and delivering a live, healthy baby.

b) Even if I did deliver I live baby there was an 85-90% chance I would never live to see my child.

c) I would be a fool and a moron if I didn't terminate the pg... In fact he told me I had to terminate the pg, the greatest risk was to my life not the baby so if I wanted to kill myself and leave behind a motherless child then I should just ignore him. (while I have no objection to termination at all I also know that it not something I personally could never do)

d) If I decide to continue with the pg I would need to have a kidney biopsy every 4 weeks throughout.

So I rang my OB's office hysterical for an appointment and he got me in that afternoon. He went through everything with me and said that he would do some more tests and talk to some other doctors. 3 days later I am back in his office and he hands me 3 referals to 3 different renal specialists and says after discussions and seeing my history/results they all think that my normal doctor has lost it. So off I go to see 2 of them... both say there are risks in my pg that other women don't have and that because I am pg they can't give me the medication I need to treat my infections.. what they can do is put me on a course of low grade anti-biotics which wont harm the baby and should prevent the infection/disease getting any worse. Yes if I termninate I can avoid further damage and be better in a few weeks but (to quopte my new renal specialist) what is the point in being physically healthy if the burden of guilt I would feel destroyed my mental health? Also both say that the mortality risks to me are higher than normal but not as extreeme as I have been told.

Back to the OB.. yep I'm having this baby... yep it could be risky, but not as risky as the first idiot said, My OB and Renal Specialist have organised all their monitoring so that I see the RS before the OB and he emails him a report with any concerns. In addition to this, I have also developed GD (14w diagnosis), SPD (to the point where I have cervical stitching) and some depression.

So how my Ob has be wonderful:
Kidneys - found me a supportive RS who he consults with freely and regualarily. Is more than willing to accomodate requirements that I not have a c/s unless absolute emergency as it will need to be under a general aneasthetic which will highten severely the dangers to me. By this if bf is breech the OB has every intention of delivering naturally.
SPD - Refered mne to a chiropractor who's treatment has meant that I can still walk and haven't ended up in a wheelchair. (My pelvis is unstable and has seperated to the point where it is bordering on dislocation. Because of this and a hypermobility condition I am unable to have an epi due to the high probability of joint dislocation, hence the need for a general if s c/s is required)
Depression - Put me on to some tissue salts to help with the depression/anxiety.. these are cheap and natural. available from the chemist or healthfood shops and perfectly safe for the baby. The imporvement is amazing.

In additon during an early visit when my XP (then DP) told him that I was "totally psycho and emotionally off the rails" my OB countered with "What do you expect, she is pregnant has serious health concerns, is still dealing with a m/c, working full time and the 2 of you don't have a fantastic relationship atm. Maybe she needs more support and less critism?" Since the split with the XP he has asked at every visit how things are going.

He feels more like a friend than a doctor and always does wondrs for my sometimes flagging confidence. Although he does tend to scare me whe he askes how my 'baby elephant" has been behaving.

[*Jessica*]

I had an ob but as a public patient so he wasnt present at my birth (didnt need to be anyway, my midwife was AMAZING) and I remember when I was overdue wishing Aidan would come out as we were running out of money for our expensive and useless ob appointments!

When I had my pregnancy confirmed at the GP I was given the impression I HAD to have an ob. Next time I plan on having 100% midwife care at my local (brand new!) public hospital.

[Gemma]

When I had to choose my ob (I went private), there was a list from the GP and I chose one from there. The GP wasn't much help and I couldn't ask friends because we weren't telling until 12 weeks.

Anyway, my ob didn't say too much during my visits but he was always available to speak to if I had any questions. He was very busy and had constant appointments so it was a bit like a process line. He was away during labour but was back on Sunday night. Unfortunately my birth didn't go to plan (see birth plan) but when I had to have an emergency caesar at 3am he was at the hospital very fast. He did a fantastic job and I felt great the next day. Actually, I have not had any problems with my scar of anything else since Amy's birth.

A BB member had a bad experience with him during her caesar because she wasn't told what was going on. During my surgery, my anaethetist gave a running commentary and my Ob didn't say anything. I almost changed Ob's based on her experience but glad I didn't.

I will be using him again. He may not talk that much but he is an excellent Ob and I am really happy.

[Tracey]

My Ob is based at a GP & I go see him for everything, I saw him when preg with Maddy, although he missed her birth & I was very satisfied with the midwives delivering her, he also was not there when I had Indah, but I had a midwife wjhom had been working at the hospital & delivering babies since 1978, so I was happy with her!

I don't pay much to see him approx $7 a visit & I had both kids at a public hospital, he was really gentle, kind & caring when I M/C as well.

I think if/when we gto again I might just go midwife care, but I am pretty happy with the OB & choices I made to see him, but I guess really if nothing is going wrong or there's no reason, well then the midwives are the ones that have delivered both mine anyways!!!???

[Lee-Ann]

My OB was fantastic! He really took great care of me during my pregnancy and I really liked his bedside manner.

I only had the midwives during my delivery who were absolutely FANTASTIC! My OB came to stitch me up afterwards and checked in on me the next day. All in all I had a very good experience and considering I went as a public patient I felt very well taken care of and had a really lovely stay in hospital (even the food was good!).

I'd give my OB a 10/10!

[visitor1]

I didnt have an OB...just seen a GP/OB and the hospital OB's....but i will say my midwifes i had were the best and my GP really looked after me well.

[Jodie259]

I have the most wonderful ob. Mind you, he is one of the top ob's in Melbourne, and I was extremely lucky to get into him the first time.

He has a great bedside manner, and has been incredibly helpful and understanding throughout my pregnancies.

One of the things I particularly loved is that I occassionally send him emails asking questions between visits - and he always replies within 24 hours... and I know he is an incredibly busy man.

I'm off to see him tomorrow morning - and I look forward to my visits to him.

[Tobily]

Hmmm....how can I put this.

HELL will freeze over before I allow anyone with a medical degree or surgical qualifications NEAR my labouring body ever again. It just will not be happening.

I guess you can tell what I voted

I was initially very disappointed with my obstetrician and unfortunately as time goes on and I think about and process it more I have become quite angry about it.

I originally decided to go with a private OB for my second baby (first baby was born public) because I'd had some complications with my first baby who also arrived 4 weeks early.

I really wanted my gestational diabetes kept "on top of" with my second baby because I wanted to do all I could to avoid him being born as early as his sister. I didn't feel that my GD was managed very well with my first bub in the public system - seeing different careproviders at every visit, no one remembering you etc. I ended up on insulin at the end with her.

In making the decision to use a private OB however, I failed to take other things into account - like how much more likely I was to end up with unnecessary interventions and a c/section by choosing this model of care.

Which of course is what happened in the end