OBGYNs--plural

Yep, one of my pregnancy tests

I said I'd do a post about my OBGYN experience, so now seems as good a time as any.  Any moment now you'll be ready to press COMMENT and call me crazy.

Well, let's go back to the day I found out I was pregnant.  I'll skip the how I got pregnant part since we've all heard the birds and bees story.  Plus, I'm not going to get raunchy just yet people, we just met, buy me a drink first!  Notice I did not say WE got pregnant, since afterall Papa Lusty never carried a baby in his belly (or had morning, afternoon or evening sickness) or at least not to my knowledge.  To his credit, AML jr., in all her glory, has plenty of Papa Lusty's traits.  For example, she often laughs at farts, mostly her own, but she already clearly has her father's sense of humor. 

I am the child of a retired surgeon, so I am very picky about doctors.  When we moved to South Florida, I chose an OBGYN that my parents recommended, I didn't realize he was no longer delivering babies until the end of my annual exam.  When I found out I was pregnant on March 17, 2010 I took half a dozen pregnancy tests.  That's right, one, two, three, that wasn't enough, but six was just right.  I immediately called him to ask for a recommendation for an OBGYN who would in theory deliver the baby and he recommended his ex-wife.  I made an appointment, they wouldn't see me for a few weeks because I was only about a month pregnant at the time.  I had never been so eager to get a blood test in my life!  And here begins the OBGYN saga.

OBGYN 1
Group practice of popular, intelligent female docs, 2 hour wait times, air shut off at 1pm and 99% of the appointments available seemingly were after 1pm.  I kid you not, for the three months I went to this doctor, their air shut off after 1pm, like clockwork each time.  Did I mention this doctor also forgot to give me a due date on my first visit and if not for me reminding the office twice, would have forgotten to schedule me for the Down Syndrome testing?  Screaming kids, pregnant, hungry, tired women, 2 hour waits and no air and a forgetful admin staff--recipe for disaster, or in my case a recipe for I'm getting the hell out of here asap.

OBGYN 2
Single male practitioner, good credentials, very nice. For some reason my dad forgot about this doc when I originally asked for a recommendation (is that a bad sign? eh).  Lovely office, organized and pleasant admin staff and virtually no wait. Saw him once, then we decided we were moving to Tampa.  Ugh, how frustrating.  

OBGYN 3
At this point I was moving to a new city where I knew few people, except for my brothers who shockingly had no advice in the OBGYN department.  Through a friend of a friend I found a doc who sounded great on paper (single male practitioner, excellent credentials, very experienced).  His office was old and not decorated at all, the admin staff was sassy, the waits were about a half hour, and the doc was very bright and nice.  He won me over though with the following traits: he had mini schnauzer pictures all over his office and posters of Jackson Hole, WY (my first dog's breed and where I got married).  You heard me right, he had me at his dog and vacation choices.  This is the doctor who delivered by baby and during my emergency c-section was telling jokes and talking baseball.  After AML jr was born, he gave me a kiss on the forehead while I was still on the operating table and told me I did great.  I responded by saying "No, you did great.  I couldn't have done it without you."  Well, let's be honest, I couldn't have done it without him AND the epidural.

The moral of the story is simple here.  If you are thinking about getting pregnant or are pregnant, choose a doctor wisely.  The right fit for your mother, sister, or best friend might not be the right fit for you.  Make a list of what's important to you.  Male or female doc?  Is he/she board certified?  What docs are covered under my insurance?  Who will cover for the doc should he/she be out of town when you go into labor?  Which hospital(s) is the doctor associated with, if you have a specific hospital in mind where you want to deliver?  And beyond the facts, find someone who makes you feel comfortable.  In my case, I wanted someone smart and laid back and who would be calm under pressure, similar to my dad when he was a surgeon.  It also didn't hurt that we had similar interests and I felt he treated me as he would his own daughter.

Choosing a doctor is not as fun as choosing a pair of shoes.  However, don't feel bad about trying out a few different docs until you find the right fit.  Your doctor may not match your little black dress, but he/she should match your needs.  

Note: If you live in South Florida or Tampa and want the names of these docs, email me.