Switching OBGYN Practices While Pregnant

Why switch horses mid-stream? Well, for me, it wasn’t really mid-stream, I was about 9 weeks into my pregnancy and decided that I had to switch OBGYN practices after 3 visits that left me upset, uncomfortable, and less-than-confident in the nurses and doctor’s ability to care for me during my pregnancy and delivery.  Yes, it was that bad! I wanted to share my story and the relief that came with my decision to change practices for other women who might be in a similar predicament.

I have gone to the same OBGYN practice for more than five years with no complaints.  I showed up once a year for my annual pap and breast exam.  My routine visits were usually administered by the nurse practitioner with brief dialogue that was never too complex.  I had no reason to believe that this practice wouldn’t provide swift, simple, sufficient service to me while pregnant so once I saw the positive sign in the window of the digital pregnancy test, I made an appointment at the familiar office.

I won’t bore you with the nitty-gritty details of the visits I had at this office during the beginning of my pregnancy, but I will share the highlights that included the following:

–An average wait time of 45 – 50 minutes per visit
–Never meeting the doctor at my initial, 6 week, or 8 week visit
–Had the nurse practitioner not congratulate my husband and I, but rather ask us if we planned on specific genetic tests and informed us that we   should decide now what we would do if something were wrong with our baby
–Had the nurse practitioner and receptionist try to draw my blood since their contracted lab tech was out sick; neither could get the needle in correctly to the point that when they thought they reached a vein they wondered openly why no blood was coming out of the tube.  This was over a 15+ minute time frame.

After the unsuccessful blood drawing incident that included the nurse practitioner telling me that her inability to reach a vein was my fault because I was so uptight, my husband and I walked out of the office vowing not to come back.  Neither of us felt as if we were in the care of a competent practice.  I was devastated that I had to start from scratch and spend time finding a new OBGYN.  Worry flooded my already hormonal brain concerned that I wouldn’t find or pick the right doctor or that they wouldn’t have room for a new patient.  Knowing this was a decision I would have to feel comfortable with for the next 9 months, I quickly went to Google to find resources that could help direct my decision.  I highly recommend utilizing these links if you need to switch practices whether it is due to a recent move, difference of opinions regarding your birthing plan or any variable that is making you think that who is caring for you now may not be the best fit for you and your partners needs.

1) http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings – Not only can you search by name, city, and state; you can search by male or female.  Some women simply don’t want a man staring at their very private crotch! This site allows users like you to comment on the care you’ve received from a particular doctor.  When I looked up my former OBGYN I was thankful we didn’t waste anymore time in her office!

2) http://www.healthgrades.com/ – Another website that allows user reviews and also includes more detailed information concerning accepted health insurances, state licenses, and hospital partnerships.

3) www.thebump.com – Become a member to use their message boards for all sort of pregnancy concerns.  But when trying to locate a new OBGYN click on the tab that says “Community” followed by the tab that says “Local”.  Find your city and either put up a post requesting feedback on local doctor offices or read through older posts to see if any are available to help you.

4) www.dcurbanmom.com/ ­– Yes, this site is local to the area I reside, but I am confident if you do some research you can find a similar message board that can assist you with your obgyn search.  There is a wealth of information on this site and if you are shy to posting questions you can easily click on “DCUM Forums” and find the link for “Expecting Moms”.  Within this forum you can use their search tool with words such as “Fairfax OBGYN”.  You will be able to read several previous posts that provide response to similar questions.

5) Ask those who live in your area and have given birth – No one will be able to give you a better summary of their experience then the source themselves.  Ask neighbors, teachers, co-workers as well as other pregnant women you may simply bump into at the grocery store.  Find out about their experiences and ask the questions that are most important to you!

Making the switch to my new practice (Fair Ridge OBGYN) was completely worth it not only for me, but for my husband and growing baby.  The caliber of service, advice, and simple organization of this practice quickly assured us that we made the right decision to listen to our instincts and quickly evacuate the office that was providing us unsatisfactory service.  When expecting a baby, especially your first, the last thing you want to do is add another laundry item of “thing to research”, however the care of your body and baby outweigh the importance of the cheapest stroller or prettiest bedding.  So if you are feeling unsure or unconfident with your current provider, take some time to put some worthy research into a doctor that can make all the difference during this wonderful experience.

*In the interest of those who live in the DC Metro area, I will disclose the name of the practice I was using if you provide me your email address.  Although I was highly unsatisfied with the level of service I was provided, I do not want to publicly bash the practice and cause more worry to those women who are currently patients of this practice.