[starsandstripes]

I posted this in my DDC too, but thought I'd get some opinions from the large family group too. Have you guys used the same OB for all of your pregnancies?

K...I haven't made an appointment yet. I'm just barely 4 weeks along and most of our OBs won't see you until you are 8 weeks along. I feel like the biggest OB hussie....lol. Thought I'd get your opinions

Babies 1,2 and 3 - used the same OB. Awesome experience...but my OB was getting older so for baby number 4 I changed OB's.

Baby number 4....experience was "ok", but I felt a little neglected in that we did have some complications in the end that were overlooked, but everything ended up ok. Then we got pregnant with number 5 and went in for a regular check up at 18 weeks and my doctor couldn't detect a heart beat, but said it was "normal". I knew that wasn't true (and I was just 100 lbs soaking wet, so I knew it wasn't right" and I felt "off". I asked for an ultrasound (crying mind you because I was worried to death) and she said "we are all booked in ultrasound this week, but we'll get you in for a high risk appointment next week". Well......over the weekend, I started bleeding hemorrhaging and had to be rushed to the ER....where they CLOSED OFF the ER because there were only two doctors and there was me and a gunshot victim....that was all the two doctors could handle, so they locked down the ER! I was in and out of consciousness....obviously lost the baby (baby had gone previously) developed a yucky infection from the baby being in the womb for several days deceased. In the end, I ended up with an emergency surgery, two blood transfusions and no baby It was DEVASTATING. So we changed doctors.

Baby number 6 (5 alive) we found a fantastic doctor (the one that actually took care of me in the hospital with the last) and the delivery went well.

Baby number 7 and 8 (6 and 7 alive) we had to change doctors because of insurance purposes (our insurance no longer covered that doctor). What can I say...I LOVED LOVED LOOOOOOOOOOOOVED this doctor! She was THE BEST doctor I've ever had hands down! After number 7 though she stopped delivering babies So...here we go again.

BAby number 8 found a doctor, hated her. She told me that if she had as many kids as I, she'd line them all up in the front yard and "hose them off" at bath time. Really?!? Cause we are trying to be professional right??? Changed doctors in the middle of the pregnancy and found a doctor that again I LOVED......but he made comments every now and then and I just almost feel "embarrassed" to go back to him.....even though, I truly did like him! One of his nurses made the comment that "8 was enough" (nicely of course....we were talking about long term health), but the decision to have as many children as we want is OUR decision. We can most definitely take care of them all emotionally AND financially. Do we have any time for ourselves....no, but we actually LIKE our lives this way. We just love children, and our family size is OUR business. (as long as we can provide for them emotionally and financially...which we have no problems with either way).


SO>....after all that.....should I just bite the bullet and schedule with the same doctor since I liked HIM so much? I can't believe I'm an adult...almost feeling ashamed to call him! LOL! It's so stupid! We wanted this baby so badly...just like all of our others and we planned it. I have a couple of other doctors in mind, but I almost feel like "what if they can see that I change doctors like every time and have this huge conversation about me being like the biggest OB tramp or something" LOL!!!!! It's my choice....right???? I guess I'm just asking for advice....or if I'm just putting WAY too much personal thought and feelings into this

OH and one other thing. OUr hospitals know us too! LOL! We were the hot topic of conversation at the last delivery. Nothing bad was said...but before we left the nurse said "are you going to have any more" and we said "we aren't sure, but probably not" because we thought we may be done with Evan....but decided later we werent. She said Oh ok well let me give you a hug because we won't see you again. Then we show up a year later....lol. Eh, maybe I'll just change hospitals too. Am I a total nut?? LOL! Big families just aren't quite as common here as some other places I think we are one of the biggest in our small town, although I do know of two more with 8-9 kids too. I wonder what doctors they used? haha!

[UrbanMomma]

I think you sound normal and a lot like me. I had a homebirth MW I loved and she lost a baby and quit practicing and I ended up in care provider limbo. I despise the mw I have, but everywhere I go they act like I have leprosy not that I am pregnant. Unfortunately I have had to sections too so I feel like I get treated like crap everywhere.

With my last baby I had a different mw, different hospital, but they almost killed my daughter so I switched again this time. I don't like these people any better. I swear when the baby was transverse she was **** near giddy!!! I think it was the high point of her year.

I hate feeling like I have to go in at the very last minute to avoid the mw's that I don't like, but thats what I am forced to do. I went in last time around a 9 and will again this time (if baby flips).

So the best advice I have for you is, go where you don't absolutely hate them and they don't act like you are contagious. If that place exists for you. Then hold your own and don't be bullied or let them talk to you any kind of way. Like I told my mw, I know me best.

[Momtothe6thpower]

I've had 3 (and 6 births) but it feels more like 4 because my current OBGYN's partner has delivered more of my babies than he has, haha! I totally get what your saying though.

If...IF...I had another I would want a home birth so I would switch again for that reason. AND...I would interview mw's until I found one I was 100% happy with. I believe that you should have a caregiver that you are comfortable with.

[Repti.Mom]

I've been at two different practices with many different doctors. I just switched to this practice and have only seen one actual doctor here, because the other doctor pulled some BS about not giving me any birth control because he was dumb. Anyway, I guess I'll see what the docs are like here! Do you have the option of meeting all the doctors that deliver at the hospital and picking who you like best?

[sarahlorrain]

I had the same OB for the first three. I loved her so much, but then she stopped doing OB. I joked that the only reason I wasn't having anymore was because I couldn't have her. But then we had our little surprise so I chose a local doc who has delivered probably more than half the babies in our entire county. I really like him and will use him again when I get pg again. I'm pretty laid back about who I use because I feel like I know my own body well enough to know whether or not something is wrong so if I feel the doctor dismisses any of my concerns I'll just go somewhere else.