Saturday, March 29, 2014

So I fired my OB

I will be 30 weeks on Monday and last week I fired my OB. Sensational title - I know, because I am still under the care of an OB just not the one I saw for the first 30 weeks of this pregnancy.
Since having E in 2009 and the conversation that followed with my community hospital OB I planned on having a VBAC. However, my community hospital does not support VBACs. But my OB gave me instructions of how to increase my chances of success. I waited the two years for my scar to heal completely. And then I transferred to the "bigger and better" hospital for care during this pregnancy, where they would support a VBAC.
My entire dilemma during this pregnancy was that I loved my community hospital OB. I met her when she delivered my son. She had this amazing way of keeping me calm when I really should have been freaking out. And then she was by my side in 2012 when I lost Tristan.
The practice at the "bigger and better" hospital had 6 doctors that I would rotate between. At first I thought I'd like it. And in the beginning I did. I had access to a great Reproductive Endocrinologist. Also, during those early weeks they had a small in office ultrasound machine that helped ease some fears. But then it turned into 6 different opinions, a lot of blowing things off that I thought were of concern, and not feeling like I could discuss anything with them. Add in a couple of insurance issues, "bigger and better" also meant way more expensive and therefore less coverage. I was paying more out of pocket for a routine pregnancy ultrasound than I was paying for my monthly car payment. I also had some non-urgent pregnancy issues that came up that took my 50/50 chance of a successful VBAC down to more like 20% chance of success.
So I was left with a choice. Do I stick it out with a practice that I wasn't comfortable with, to attempt a VBAC that my chances of success had been significantly lowered and not knowing who would be there to deliver and how they are during delivery? Or do I return to my favorite community OB who I am comfortable with?
At 28.5 weeks I pulled the trigger and fired my OB, then called my favorite community OB and re-established myself with her. I had my appointment this past Friday and I am so glad I did this. And while the local community doesn't "support VBACs" - it only means that they wouldn't induce me for a VBAC, but if I were to come in in labor and was far enough along, they wouldn't stop me just to do a c-section. That being said they do have to plan ahead, and they plan a c-section for the week prior to my due date in expectation that I wouldn't go into labor on my own.
But my favorite recent quote is "want to make a baby laugh? Make plans." We shall see what the next 10 weeks hold.

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