So here's how my visit at the doctor's office went...

[3for3hb]

I first want to say that I really think it is a crime to get a pregnant woman all worked up especially if it is because you are incompetent.... :

I had my appointment with my backup MD today (for the first time because it's taken months to get in with her). Everything was easy going and fine until she measured me. And being 36 weeks and 1 day my uterus measured at 31 weeks... and she said she was being as generous with the measuring tape as she could be. So then she started taking a more in depth history and I told her how tired I've been feeling and about the flight out to my parents, and how "juicy" I've been (you'll understand if you read that thread), and how the past couple of days I've been overly hot and sweaty blah blah blah blah blah. And she told me that based on the measurement being so off, (she kept asking me if my dates were correct) she was really concerned about PROM. So then we talked about what tests needed to be done and about if they were positive and how I'd need to be induced. Anything I said seemed to confirm her suspicion that I would probably need to be induced and have the baby much sooner than expected. Which I sort of got excited about but then PROM... infections... hospitals... unfamiliar doctors and staff... I started thinking about all the reasons why I choose homebirth... BECAUSE I WANT TO STAY OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!!!
I left the office in kind of a daze, called dh and told him then called my midwife and told her that the dr. wanted me to see her asap to confirm her findings before I got sent to the hospital for more testing. Well long story short my MW was out of town so I had to go see her fill in. And she did all but one of the tests they would have done on me in the hospital (sterile spec, nitrozene, FERN etc)... and everything was normal. Apparently the MD had been measuring my uterus to the top of the baby and not the top of the uterus. And since the baby is so low and already engaged pretty far down in my pelvis that could really throw off someone who... I don't know how to say it... didn't really know what they were feeling for???
So in all, between my visit with the midwife and the doctor I was out for 8 1/2 hours, alone with my toddler screaming at the top of his lungs because he was bored etc etc.
I feel physically exhausted and a mess emotionally because I still have so much stuff to do before the baby gets here, and I want the baby to get here but I'm just not ready emotionally yet either... I'm just not there yet. but I will be
And yes, I know that baby's come when they are least expected.

Today just really threw me off kilter.
if you have read this far... thanks for reading my rant!

[MrsMoe]

So let me get this right? She was measuring you wrong and you had a near miss with medical intervention and a very early induction... because... she cant' measure your uterus VS where your baby is? This would really make me mad, to be quite frank with you...

[Kavita]

Glad the biggest problem you're having is, shall we say . . . incompetence! Glad you're okay and baby's okay! Hope you can get some rest and you can recover from this ridiculous and unnecessary ordeal!

[flyingspaghettimama]

What do you call the med student who graduates at the bottom of her class?

Doctor.


Urgh. Where did she get her degree, the school of "close enough?"

[flapjack]

Is it just me, or did your due date change somewhere in the last 8 months??

I think that ignorant nitwit should be struck off, frankly- every pregnant woman knows the fundal height measurement goes to the top of the uterus, so how the heck doesn't she?

[*Amy*]

Oh sweetie, how scary that must have been for you!! I would feel pretty compelled to go punch this person in the face, but that's just me. I hope you will find some way of letting her know she screwed up, big time.

At least you and baby are OK, thank goodness.

[DreamsInDigital]

Reason #867 why I am not seeing a doctor for pregnancy.

[3for3hb]

Thanks for all the !!!
Today I'm feeling much better but I'm nesting hardcore!!! I've been up since 6:30 am! I think yesterday made me realize that there really are certain things that need to get done around here before the baby comes because if not, then family ends up having to do them for me... they just won't do it right... and I won't be happy.

So today I'm getting stuff done!!! (while taking frequent rests, of course!)

[crsta33]

This is exactly why I'm afraid to go to see my midwife's backup doc. She's already worried he's going to want to order an u/s b/c she is measuring me about 4 weeks ahead of my date. I'm seeing her again Friday and we haven't discussed when I'm to see him. If I'm still growing at this astronomical rate, she's going to schedule the u/s herself.

I just feel like I'm being set up for a cascade of interventions and I feel so out of control of the entire thing. I haven't even been watching my diet as well as I should be (she's going to test my blood sugar and told me to up the protein and watch the refined sugar) and though I've tried really hard not to worry about it, I'm really disheartened that I'm going to gain at least 50 lbs with the pg (I did last time too).

Sorry, I shouldn't have made this "all about me." I'm glad everything is okay with you and I am so sorry that you had to feel so worried before getting the relief of someone who knew what they were doing.

Christa

[cjbeach]

Originally Posted by DreamsInDigital

Reason #867 why I am not seeing a doctor for pregnancy.

exactly...
just seems to me that my MWs have always been a little bit more "practical" and definitely more experienced.
When i was in labor with #2 my MW kept getting called out of the room by the NURSES to go help one of the new docs in her practice who was obviously (to the nurses) in need of some assistance from someone with more experience. It was kinda sad because MWs in the hospital i delivered at didn't get near the respect the docs did yet my MW was being asked to go help... (Btw, I had a pretty good rapport with the nurses because I was a nurse and they felt comfortable coming in and telling me things like "... we want her to go help out Doctor so and so who has no clue how to handle this birth.")

[Awaken]

Willemsmama, what a day! I'm so sorry you had to go through such a worrisome, long day and have your toddler along the whole time, I can totally relate. And I would be esp. mad that it was all due to incompetence!! You don't have to see this doc again, do you?

Originally Posted by cjbeach

exactly...
just seems to me that my MWs have always been a little bit more "practical" and definitely more experienced.

I know...sad isn't it- everyone sees doctors as the most knowledgeable, and those of us 'crazy' enough to 'only' see a midwife as doing something dangerous, when most midwives have seen and done way more than most OB's when it comes to normal births! Take breech deliveries, for instance! If my baby ends up breech, you better beleive I'd take an experienced mw at home and not an OB! Well, if I had an OB it would be automatic c/s since they don't know how to deliver them!