"How do you know how far along you are if you haven't had an ultrasound?"

[smeep]

Yes, I was asked that. A couple weeks ago I went to the ER for bad cramping (everything is fine! I just had an infection) and the doctor, upon finding out I hadn't yet had an ultrasound (we chose not to have any and my crunchy midwife could care less since it's not medically necessary), actually asked me how I knew how far along I was! I told him that I know my last period, that my periods are almost always 28 days and never vary by more than two days which is rare, and that I have always ovulated on CD14. He seriously couldn't wrap his brain around my ability to know how far along I am. We did an ultrasound to make sure everything was fine and when he came back, sure enough, he said I was 18 weeks and a couple days...exactly what I told him.

Sheesh. How would we have ever survived without ultrasounds?!

[WifeofAnt]

I think people actually knew what they were doing before all the technology got in the way. Machines have lowered the required skill level to the point where some people don't know how to function without them.

[nova22]

Originally Posted by WifeofAnt

I think people actually knew what they were doing before all the technology got in the way. Machines have lowered the required skill level to the point where some people don't know how to function without them.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. OT, but the same is true with parenting books, I think, if you read way too many - the more help you have, the more you lose your natural instinct.

[finnegansmom]

I've always wondered if it's a man thing - like men have no concept of being on a cycle so the thought that a woman would know hers well enough to know when conception is, is totally foreign to them. Not saying other woman doctors would not be doubtful, but it seems to be more men doctors who have said things like that, that I've read about on here.

If I ever have to go to the ER, I'll print out my FF chart and pictures of my OPKs and bring it with me.

[smeep]

Originally Posted by finnegansmom

I've always wondered if it's a man thing - like men have no concept of being on a cycle so the thought that a woman would know hers well enough to know when conception is, is totally foreign to them. Not saying other woman doctors would not be doubtful, but it seems to be more men doctors who have said things like that, that I've read about on here.

If I ever have to go to the ER, I'll print out my FF chart and pictures of my OPKs and bring it with me.

Honestly, I only recently started paying attention to my cycle. With DS1 I just happened to remember when it was (coincided with something). With DS2 I had NO idea when my last period was because I had never EVER tracked it in the entire 11 years I had been having periods at that point. I did get an ultrasound to date that one because I was so clueless. But about a year and a half ago I started tracking my cycle and charting to avoid and that's when I realised I was pretty regular, and I've been watching it ever since (though I stopped tracking ovulation a while back).

But that's besides the point. The point is, I KNEW my cycle with this one so I KNOW when I conceived.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by finnegansmom

I've always wondered if it's a man thing - like men have no concept of being on a cycle so the thought that a woman would know hers well enough to know when conception is, is totally foreign to them. Not saying other woman doctors would not be doubtful, but it seems to be more men doctors who have said things like that, that I've read about on here.

If I ever have to go to the ER, I'll print out my FF chart and pictures of my OPKs and bring it with me.

I don't know about that, I've actually had more women doubt than men. When I was pg w/ #2, I was still nursing #1 and my cycle was kind of irregular. I was charting so I would know what was going on, and the month I conceived her, I know I O'ed b/c of my temps and cervical mucus, even though I hadn't had a period for 3 months. When I tried telling the nurse at my OB's, she was VERY doubtful and insisted I MUST be 3 months pg and NOT 7wks. The same was true for the female OB, she just didn't understand that BFing could change my cycles so much and that I could be so aware of my body. Of course the dating u/s confirmed all I had told them, to the day.

[nova22]

Originally Posted by finnegansmom

If I ever have to go to the ER, I'll print out my FF chart and pictures of my OPKs and bring it with me.

Pfffft, good luck with that...a lot of doctors that I've dealt with (male and female) will sometimes look at my chart to humor me, but for the most part they trust their own expertise over what I know of my cycle.

I think there is a big issue in general with people not trusting that women have a basic understanding of what's going on with and in their own bodies!

[finnegansmom]

Originally Posted by nova22

Pfffft, good luck with that...a lot of doctors that I've dealt with (male and female) will sometimes look at my chart to humor me, but for the most part they trust their own expertise over what I know of my cycle.

I think there is a big issue in general with people not trusting that women have a basic understanding of what's going on with and in their own bodies!

Oh I know, my old OB, a woman, rolled her eyes - "just tell me when your LMP was"....but I knew I ovulated on cd21. I wasn't going to be a week "ahead" from the get go. Oddly this time I did O on cd15 so my LMP matches up perfectly to ovulation but my new midwife is more "let's make your due date as late as possible so there is no induction pressure" anyways.

It's like when I was pregnant with my first and under a ton of stress and had a day when I started having contractons around 20 weeks or so. I went in and told her, I've been having painful, sporadic contractions on and off for a few hours. So the first thing she says is "let's hook you up to this machine to see if you are having contractions". Umm? I just told you I was.

There is so little trust towards patients, you know? Just because I'm don't have a PhD doesn't mean I'm stupid.

[smeep]

Originally Posted by finnegansmom

There is so little trust towards patients, you know? Just because I'm don't have a PhD doesn't mean I'm stupid.

With the way they practice these days, I have to stop myself from assuming that because they have a PhD it means they ARE stupid.

[sewingsparklz]

Originally Posted by smeep

With the way they practice these days, I have to stop myself from assuming that because they have a PhD it means they ARE stupid.

Oh, that is so funny! I can't believe you said it out loud!

[Mrs.Music]

This is why I love my midwife. She trusts me when I come in, say hey I'm pregnant and this is how far along I am. No I can't give you an LMP to put on your paperwork because I didn't cycle between babies, but here is when I ovulated so I think I'm due on this day.

[smeep]

Originally Posted by sewingsparklz

Oh, that is so funny! I can't believe you said it out loud!

I'm dead serious, though. The other day I interviewed at a high-end baby boutique and he was discussing how I'm working on my certification as a lactation educator and how he thought that was great and then he mentioned that they're going to have a "doctor" (now it could be IBCLC, I don't know for sure either way because he's not hip with technical terms regarding all that stuff) come in and give classes every other week about nursing. My first thought was, "Doctor? Oh, no! God I hope this person knows what they're talking about, I wouldn't even know how to begin to tell him that they're spouting a bunch of BS if I'm working here and see that." Seriously, that was my first thought.

[outlier]

Originally Posted by smeep

With the way they practice these days, I have to stop myself from assuming that because they have a PhD it means they ARE stupid.

Most MDs don't have PhDs. Very few, in fact.

[MrsBone]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Music

This is why I love my midwife. She trusts me when I come in, say hey I'm pregnant and this is how far along I am. No I can't give you an LMP to put on your paperwork because I didn't cycle between babies, but here is when I ovulated so I think I'm due on this day.

This is my midwife too. I don't know when I ovulated, but I have an idea when my LMP was(not exactly sure). This happened with the first baby too, and I just went in and told her that I think my LMP was around March 19th, but I wasn't sure..she said "okay, let's just go with that"

[WifeofAnt]

I wonder what look you would get from an OB telling them your LMP was years prior...

[babymango]

WifeofAnt: I did that... I was on Depo Provera (no flaming please, I didnt know better!) for over 7 years and had no bleeding the whole time. I guess I caught the first egg with DS, in october, and went to see the doctor in december. He asked me for my LMP, and for fun I gave it to him... Dec 1st 2000. First, he looked confused, like "how can you be 3 months pregnant if you're period isnt even late yet" Then he realized that Dec 1st 2000 was 8 years before, his jaw dropped. He asked me about a million times if i were sure. Really? LOL Cause I think I would remember having to use pads once in a while... And after 8 years, who really cares about the exact date? It could have been july 24th, what difference would it make??

[Arianwen]

^ LOL!!!

We're so used to machines n junk, I find it weird to think when my mom was pregnant with me, there were no ultrasounds, heck I don't think dopplers existed either. Check this out, when she was having trouble in labour, they XRAYED HER to check where I was (sideways breech.) XRAYED! :

[lyterae]

I had to go to the OB to get an ultrasound scheduled (I'm currently 18 weeks) and they revolve around when your LMP was! I gave her my due date, told her what day I ovulated and still she couldn't seem to wrap her head around it.. It was a "well, I guess that means your LMP was on "x" date". I gave up trying to explain to her that I have NEVER ovulated on day 14 of my cycle, and this particular cycle I hadn't ovulated until CD39! So aggravating.

[WifeofAnt]

I just gave everyone a fake LMP until my first appoinment (and then he wanted a dating ultrasound). Turns out I was right and I knew exactly how old my little bean was. I find it easier to lie than explain while they stare at their little due date wheel.

[misskira]

I find it strange that drs think of the cycle backwards. Like a period must come BEFORE ovulation. No. It's the other way around. A period usually comes AFTER ovulation. And of course if the baby is made, no period comes at all.


The question I get is "how do you know you're really pregnant?!" because my CNM doesn't schedule the first appointment until 10-12 weeks. "you mean you haven't had a blood test and ultrasound to confirm pregnancy?" well, no. I had sex during ovulation time. I didn't get a period. I still don't have a period. My boobs hurt. I have morning sickness. Aside from the positive pregnancy test I took at home, all those are pretty good indicators. and then "what if something goes wrong?" comes next. Like have the bloodwork and us will prevent me from having a mc or something.