Please don't induce a baby before it's ready to be born just so you can have your ob there. It really isn't a good idea and it is medically unnecessary to have this induction, thus putting yourself and your baby at greater risk of further intervention for no reason at all, not to mention your baby possibly having breathing issues from being born early. When it comes to the birth, your ob actually does VERY VERY LITTLE. They turn up maybe once or twice during your labour if you're lucky to see how things are progressing and then not again till you are ready to push this baby out. I'm with Paradise Lost on this one, I would rather have an Ob I didn't know and know that my baby was coming when it was ready to. I know it's upsetting when the Dr you've paid an extraordinary amount of money for decides to go on holiday at the crucial time but that's just the way it is unfortunately. I had the same thing happen twice myself and know how disrupting it can be to your mental preparation when you know you have to meet a new Dr and get used to them, but no way known should you fit yourself in around him and no self-respecting Obs will oblige your wishes for an early induction for a reason such as that.