Prenatal visits - Anyone choosing to have less frequent ones?

[mrscookie]

This is my second pregnancy, and this time, I'm with an HMO (Kaiser), so I have to go to one of their facilities, which is not as conveniently located as my last doctor in my last pregnancy. They have the option of going with a midwife, but I think those are just glorified nurses and essentially follow all the same protocols as the doctors, just at a lower cost to the HMO. I don't think they're very crunchy midwives. 

I'm kind of inclined to not go in as often as they would want. They don't do anything in the prenatal appointments. When I did have awful morning sickness / debilitating nausea, they couldn't really help me (prescribing prescription meds, which didn't work - the only thing that does work is completely cutting out all acid out of my diet). At this point, they don't even measure you, and even if they did, that's highly inaccurate. I don't do weigh-ins, I self-report. They just check urine and blood pressure. I had my 20 week ultrasound which showed that my placenta is low-lying, which I think is not uncommon, but I'll go back at 28 weeks to check again. 

I don't intend to do a glucose screening. I'd rather get a glucose meter and check my levels periodically with what I actually eat. 

I'm not doing quad screens or amnio. 

When I go there, I feel like I'm in a factory and nobody would dare to deviate from the standard advice that you can find anywhere on mainstream websites. 

I just want to be left alone as much as possible until I give birth. (At which point I'll go the hospital and get an epidural, because I'm a chicken, and it worked out great for me that way last time. :))

[Right of Passage]

I'm with you. I had my last visit with Kaiser on 8-26, well my last on purpose visit. And mostly that was to tell them that their letter saying I was fat was a piece of poop. :P

I'll schedule another appointment if I feel the need, otherwise I'm UP'ing the rest of the way. :)

[mrscookie]

Wait, sorry if I'm slow on the uptake but... they sent you a letter saying you were overweight?? What does UP'ing mean? Un-prenatalvisiting? ;)

Originally Posted by Right of Passage 

I'm with you. I had my last visit with Kaiser on 8-26, well my last on purpose visit. And mostly that was to tell them that their letter saying I was fat was a piece of poop. :PI'll schedule another appointment if I feel the need, otherwise I'm UP'ing the rest of the way. :)

[Right of Passage]

I got a letter saying basically, in the "nicest" language they could find, "Hey you're really fat, so that means you don't know how to eat go see the nutritionist!" I told the nurse practioner that was rude and annoying and she was like "yeah, it is!" and that was the end of it.

UP=unassisted pregnancy

[mrscookie]

Wow, that's rather aggressively ... err... proactive about preventative health. 

Originally Posted by Right of Passage 

I got a letter saying basically, in the "nicest" language they could find, "Hey you're really fat, so that means you don't know how to eat go see the nutritionist!" I told the nurse practioner that was rude and annoying and she was like "yeah, it is!" and that was the end of it.UP=unassisted pregnancy

[naturegirl]

I am seeing my midwife less than is typical with this pregnancy (third baby). I, however, love seeing my midwife otherwise I wouldn't even go in this much. I am not having any U/S, glucose screening, etc. I did do an iron level test but that is it so far. She is pretty much hands off. Weight check, bp check and measure the belly. Other than that we just chat.

[GoddessKristie]

I've only gone in twice so far (at 19 weeks). My u/s is next week and if everything is fine there I may skip my next few appointments and only see her one more time this year. I have to pay out of pocket for everything that's done this year, so I'd like to save money and as long as everything is ok during the U/S I don't see a reason to go in for a while. I've had all the normal blood work done, plus my pap smear and I'm not having a glucose test done. I've been hypoglycemic for ages, so I am used to watching my blood sugar anyway. I don't see a need there. So far everything has been great, so I have no complications so far.

All of this, and I really like my midwives. If I didn't like them I wouldn't have been in as much as I have so far. I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to go into the environment you described. I hate it when there's a factory-like atmosphere! If you don't feel like there's a benefit to going in and you're taking care of yourself and don't have any complications, I see no logical reason why it would be bad to miss some appointments. 

[thelucc]

after 3 kids i know what to expect. i go to the major testing appts but other than that i'm more flexible this time around.

[contactmaya]

I feel the same way. I went in the first trimester, and each time was a nightmare. I scheduled myself the first patient, but the doctors always seemed to be late. I had some spotting, and only found answers on the internet, none from my doctors. Each time was a different doctor btw. I brought my kids- a nightmare, because we had to wait so long.

The last straw was the 12 week appt when the doc, who like all the others seemed fresh out of med school if that, caused me to bleed with a  speculum that was too large. Sent  me to emergency, who took forever, over an hour, to tell me that i had yet another hour to wait. Fortunately by then, i knew better not to worry about a bit of spotting since i had an ultrasound the week before.  Also, i knew nothing could be done if i was having a miscarriage. And another ultrasound was really not a good idea if i wasnt. The spotting stopped. (Thank Gd), and none since.

I skipped the next appt at 16 weeks. Only went for my 20 week anatomy scan which showed all was well. Since then, i have changed to a homebirth midwife, but she is pretty hopeless at returning calls. Weve had one appt so far, but really, im not in a hurry for appts at thsi point.

This is my third, and the fact is, by now, i realize that my body and my baby do all the work, and the prenatal care is really more useful for those with complications or first timers.  Im always in awe of the body and reproduction.

Basically, it feels like too much of a waste of time, and i expect higher standards, and docotor who know what they are doing and what they are talking about. I shouldnt feel like i know more because i google alot, if ykwm :-)