Going to a new OB practice

At 22w5d there is lots of movement all day and all night long, which is reassuring since the baby doppler is either in some dumpster in Newark, NJ or in some giant warehouse in the middle of nowhere.  So I went and saw one of the docs in my new OB practice today.  It's tough going to a new practice because they weren't there with me through my Trisomy 18 diagnosis and termination and all the emotional turmoil that went with that. They weren't with me through the paranoia that characterized the successful pregnancy after that.

I saw Dr. R today.  This practice rotates you around to all eight of the doctors before you deliver because you could get any of them for the delivery.  Kind of a Russian Roulette of OBs really.

This practice doesn't do the glucose (gestational diabetes) test until 28 weeks. The range for this test is 24 to 28 weeks.  I asked Dr. R why they do it at 28 weeks and he said it was arbitrary. I asked if they catch more cases at 28 weeks and he said that actually the opposite was true.  So, personally, it seems to me that it would be better to test towards the beginning of the range in order to catch more cases and then start treating those cases earlier.  But I'm just a patient.

At this practice they start twice a week non-stress tests at 32 weeks for women 40 and over. I never did those before even though my previous successful pregnancy delivered when I was 40.

I asked them when the cut off was for travel.  I've already forgotten what Dr. R said to that. I guess I was a little nervous and a little uncomfortable and maybe felt a little rushed.  I mean, Dr. R kept asking me if I had any questions, but when I asked them he didn't have thoughtful answers.  But because I forgot about the travel answer,  I'll need to ask again, maybe when I go back next month and see Dr. D or maybe I'll just phone them so I can go ahead and schedule my next business trip.

One good thing.  Since my last pap smear was last June I didn't have to have another one.  And when I expressed a preference to NOT have a speculum during the internal exam, he said he didn't have to use it.  That was a nice thing.

But in spite of the fact that this new practice is perfectly respectable and fine, it's just not comfy the way my old one was because the history is not there.  I'm glad to be in our new house in our new neighborhood, but that doesn't mean that adjusting to these new things are instant.  There are some things that are different and will take getting used to, including the new doctors.

Comments

[Aurelia]

Ohhh, I don't envy you changing Doctors in the middle of a pregnancy...I get nervous and picky as it is.

Luckily you don't have long now, and since you are a veteran you'll be okay. :)

[Jennifer]

I moved to a new state a year after treatment for cervical cancer and it was hard adjusting to new doctors, new ways, etc. But I love the rotating dr. practice b/c then you are familiar with the doctor in the delivery room even if it isn't your dr. I ended up switching to the dr. that delivered my now 21 month old son! And I'm due in October now with my second.

[magpie]

Will you actually see all 8 doctors if you only have 17 weeks left?? I used a practice with 4 doctors, and ended up with all 4 of them in on the delivery in one way or another.

Good luck!!