Things to Think about When Choosing an Obstetrician

Recently I was doing a Non-Stress Test (NST) on a patient in our antepartum testing center. Her amniotic fluid level was below 5cm, so I was waiting for the physician to call back with orders to send her to labor and delivery. Turns out her physician was not available, and the "on call" MD was a physician that the patient didn't know.
Cindy(not her real name) looked at me and remarked, "I thought MY doctor would always be the one to deliver me."
This was not the first time a patient had this reaction. Which prompted me to write this blog.

Things to think about:

1. If your OB is a single practioner:  Does he/she do all their own deliveries?
    ( Meaning being available 24 hours, 7 days a week.)
    My experience tells that this is RARELY the case.
    Some OB's have very small practices ( less than 10 pts/month)
    so this may be possible.

2. If your OB is a single practioner and does share call with other MD's,
    who are they?
    How does the call schedule work?
    Do they share your doctor's standard of care?
    How does your OB communicate with them ?
    Since the "on call"  MD is not physically affiliated with the
    private practioner, most rely on the "Prenatal Records"
    to provide the information. 
    If you have a birth plan, special requests,etc.,
    ask physician to attach a copy to your prenatal forms.
    This information is then delivered to the hospital L & D Unit
    where you plan to give birth.
   
    A good idea is to ask for your own copy of the "prenatals" @ 36 weeks.
    If you are ever in a situation where you can't get to your
    planned hospital having this information in your purse
    will be valuable.

3. If your physician practices within a "group," you still need to ask
    how the call schedule works.
    Usually your MD will deliver your baby if you give birth
    during the business day.( 8am-6pm )
    Then the "on call" doctor takes over.
    Some OB/GYN groups share call with other OB/GYN groups.
    That means you may know the doctors in your group,
     but may have to spin the roulette wheel on the others.


    The hospital I work at has several group practices
    and single practitioners. Poor MD/Patient communication continues
    to be an issue.

    My recommendation: Never Assume Anything! Always Ask!
    It is your right to know.

The 'Middle Wife"

My husband's friend e-mailed the following story. I don't know the author, or it's origination, or even if it's true. But it sure is HILARIOUS!


"The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher


I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself,
but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade
classroom a few years back.


When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions
with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually,
show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes,
pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any
boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school
and talk about it, they're welcome.


Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid,
takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow
stuffed under her sweater.
She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and
I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'


'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put
a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine
months through an umbrella cord.'


She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to
laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her
in amazement.


'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh,
Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around
the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a
hysterical duck walk and groaning.)


' My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have
a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in
bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)"


'And then,pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)


'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push,push,' and breathe,breathe. They started counting,but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden,out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said came from my Mom's play-center,(placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out the middle wife spanked him for crawling up there.'


Then Erica stood up and took a big, theatrical bow and returned to her seat.


I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show and tell day, I bring my camcorder,just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.