I feel like every time I go in, they weigh me, have me pee on a stick to check sugar levels in my urine, check my blood pressure, listen to baby's heart beat, ask me briefly how I am, and then tell me to come back in however many weeks.
I almost feel like it's a waste to even go, since it's the same routine every time, never anything new, and I feel like I just expected more from doctor visits. I don't know.
yep thats all they do. I look forward to my appts tho cuz it gives me time to talk to my dr and ask any questions. this is my second pregnancy but this pregnancy has been so different then my 1st all the way around. I always have questions to ask and just getting my questions answered and hearing baby's heartbeat make me feel so much better each time. things can change dramatically in between visits so those visits are always so important even if it doesn't seem like it.
It is what you bring to it. Do you know your provider's c-section rate? What is their preferred method of induction? What is their stance on vaginal exams during labor? What is their stance on going past 40 weeks? Do they routinely do episiotomies.... There are million more questions to ask to make sure you have chosen the proper provider for yourself, based on your own birth philosophy. It is best to not find out that you guys have completely different views, once you are in labor and they want to do interventions you are not comfortable with or the opposite, they do interventions because you asked, but generally are more into safety over interventions.
Quoting louzannalady:It is what you bring to it. Do you know your provider's c-section rate? What is their preferred method of induction? What is their stance on vaginal exams during labor? What is their stance on going past 40 weeks? Do they routinely do episiotomies.... There are million more questions to ask to make sure you have chosen the proper provider for yourself, based on your own birth philosophy. It is best to not find out that you guys have completely different views, once you are in labor and they want to do interventions you are not comfortable with or the opposite, they do interventions because you asked, but generally are more into safety over interventions.
Not all those questions are related to the OB. First off, it's likely that the provider will not know what their c-section rate is, but will tell you that they only do c-sections if indicated. Meaning, they only do it if needed. ALL OB's use pitocin with or without cervedil for cervical ripening if needed for induction of labor, because none of the other stuff is proven to work. Sex, castor oil, breast stimulation, you name it, they aren't as effective as pitocin. Any OB stance on vaginal exams during labor is "as needed to ensure that labor is progressing well". Also, that isn't totally up to the OB, it's also the decision of the nurse and the patient. No MD is going to tell you "I routinely do episiotomies even if they aren't needed" because they aren't stupid and they would lose business. Common sense answers most of these, but a true knowledge of labor and delivery helps as well. True knowledge means knowing more than what it takes just to have a baby or reading what to expect when you're expecting cover to cover.Also, "safety over interventions" is a true oxymoron. Yes, interventions are over used in the US especially, but mostly, they exist to help solve problems. That's why the fetal mortaltiy rate isn't 4% like it was before they existed.
Of course, the poster isn't asking what questions she should ask at the intial visit, but rather "Is this a normal visit and are we covering enough to ensure that me and my baby are healthy." To which the answer to that question is yes, you're good.
How early did you start to swell
- NoelWinters
on Jun. 20, 2012 at 4:46 PM