frustrated with Doctor. Am I rightfullt so? (a bit long, but needhelp!)

That sounds normal to me. My appointments go like this: 1) get
weighted 2)pee in a cup (the nurses have a dipstick that checks for
UTIs and whatever else 3)have my blood pressure checked by a nurse
4)when the doctor arrives, lay down on the table so he can find the
heartbeat, and measure my tummy with a measuring tape 5) Ask if I have
any questions 6) Let me know if there are additional tests I need or
have the option of taking before my next appointment (AFP was optional
for me, my next one is the glucose test). That's really it so far. I
had 2 ultrasounds about 2 weeks apart--it would have been only 1, but
they couldn't get a good picture of the heart--my insurance doesn't
pay for another unless it is medically necessary.

As far as I understand, as long as most things seem to be normal
(blood pressure isn't too high, you're gaining weight at a reasonable
pace, all test results have been normal) that there isn't that much
more for a doctor to do. Remember that it's only been in the last 100
years or so that doctors have much role in childbearing at all--we're
not gravely ill after all, just pregnant

Congratulations on having a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy!

--Elit.
#1 due 9/20/2004

This is how visits have been with both of my pregnancies. I did have 2 sonos
when pregnant with DS, one at 16 weeks and another at 30 weeks because I was
having a lot of pressure from the baby being so low. I will only have 1 sono
this pregnancy unless something comes up. To the OP if you dont feel you are
getting what you want out of your OB then you should switch to someone you
are more comfortable with. Good luck.

Cherie
mom to Jakob (21 months)
baby girl (Grace) edd 8/6/2004

I must admit that the idea of having little baby pics is a very tempting
idea, especially for a first timer. But my idea was that she was seeing
the development of her little girl. She was not totally in the dark.

Naomi Pardue wrote:
He explained
everything, she had all these little pics of her baby's development,


So... what you are saying then is that you want to have lots of medically
unnecessary ultrasounds so you can have baby pictures? Sorry, but I confess
that I don't quite see the point. Those are VERY expensive baby pictures!

Naomi

That's actually not true. My sister had 3 pregnancies (2 children, since
she lost one of them in the 9th month) & in all 3 cases she had placenta
insufficiency. Actually the doctors (she was seeing 2 doctors at te same
time, to avoid having the same problem as with her unborn child) all
agreed that if a woman has placenta insufficiency once, she is at much
higher risk to have it every time.

JoFromOz wrote:

Placental insufficiency in one pregnancy has nothing to do with the health
of the placenta in subsequent pregnancies, let alone a pregnancy in another
woman. It is also not that uncommon for inductions to fail when a woman
isn't ready to go into labour.

I really think that your sister's placental problems have anything to do
with you. That placenta was formed when the fertilised egg implanted into
her uterus... The body doesn't make the same placenta twice

Jo (RM)

Welches wrote:

zolw wrote in message
news:E2Qqc.7387$zw.4579@attbi_s01...

yes, my sister has a condition called placenta insufficiency.
Apparently her placenta ages quickly. At the same time, she does not
get contractions or go into labor, even after induction. I have
already told my doctor about that (the first few appointments I
tried to give him as much family history as possible. I have an aunt
who would miscarriage every single pregnancy at 6 months. Never had
a child. My mom menopaused at the age of 38. So, I thought all that
may be real important for him to know), he just said ok. Didn't even
jot it down or anything.

I probably should mention it to him once more.

I wonder whether he might think it's appropriate to check (via u/s)
the placenta in 8th month. (apparently they can do this) Remind him
about your sister, and ask him whether it would be a good idea. Might
be a good idea to see if your insurance would cover this. Suspect the
aunt's problems were unrelated, and genetically she's probably
considered far enough from you not to be concerned-and you're past 6
months :-)
Maybe if you haven't insurance for it you might think it was worth
paying to check the placenta?
I don't know whether there is any genetic aspect in placenta
insufficiency-maybe that would be a good point to start-by asking your
doctor that.
Debbie

Donna Metler wrote:

Even so, she has a strong familial history of late-term pregnancy loss.



I don't believe that one incident (for which we weren't told
the cause) constitutes a "strong familial history". Every
first-time mother has her own anxieties but when the pregnancy
has been uneventful, she is better off going to the OB with
a list of carefully thought-out medical uestions and going to her
NG or RL friends with her fears.

gloria p

"zolw" wrote in message
news:147rc.5738$Vv.436243@attbi_s51...
That's actually not true. My sister had 3 pregnancies (2 children, since
she lost one of them in the 9th month) & in all 3 cases she had placenta
insufficiency. Actually the doctors (she was seeing 2 doctors at te same
time, to avoid having the same problem as with her unborn child) all
agreed that if a woman has placenta insufficiency once, she is at much
higher risk to have it every time.

I was thinking the same thing. I have a friend who has had two babies with
IUGR and nearly lost both because of placenta insufficiency.
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
EDD #2 10/24/04
remove "no........spam" to reply

"Puester" wrote in message
...
Donna Metler wrote:

Even so, she has a strong familial history of late-term pregnancy loss.



I don't believe that one incident (for which we weren't told
the cause) constitutes a "strong familial history". Every
first-time mother has her own anxieties but when the pregnancy
has been uneventful, she is better off going to the OB with
a list of carefully thought-out medical uestions and going to her
NG or RL friends with her fears.

gloria p
Two women with histories of pregnancy loss and one with a history of
extremely premature menopause. At very least, her doctor should be willing
to take that into account and reassure her that the problems faced by her
relatives aren't genetic and aren't likely to be expressed in her. The
impression I got from her posts was that the doctor hadn't really listened
or taken her concerns into account at all.

Donna Metler wrote:

"Puester" wrote in message
...
Donna Metler wrote:

Even so, she has a strong familial history of late-term pregnancy loss.



I don't believe that one incident (for which we weren't told
the cause) constitutes a "strong familial history". Every
first-time mother has her own anxieties but when the pregnancy
has been uneventful, she is better off going to the OB with
a list of carefully thought-out medical uestions and going to her
NG or RL friends with her fears.

gloria p
Two women with histories of pregnancy loss and one with a history of
extremely premature menopause. At very least, her doctor should be willing
to take that into account and reassure her that the problems faced by her
relatives aren't genetic and aren't likely to be expressed in her. The
impression I got from her posts was that the doctor hadn't really listened
or taken her concerns into account at all.


Sorry, I had only seen her original post which mentioned her
sister, not the subsequent one that mentioned her aunt.

It does sound as though she may have come to her appointments
with a lot of fears rather than specific questions which he
could have addressed.

gloria p

"zolw" wrote in message
news:K%6rc.121128$Ik.10319202@attbi_s53...
I must admit that the idea of having little baby pics is a very tempting
idea, especially for a first timer. But my idea was that she was seeing
the development of her little girl. She was not totally in the dark.

Hi, I liked to follow along with my little girl's development too, but I
did it by looking at drawings in books and on the internet of what my embry,
then my fetus, looked like at each stage of development, and read what was
going on developmentally also. I thought that was pretty cool.

I got one ultrasound of Meg at 9 weeks and regretted it. The OB took so
long, it made me nervous, and he had a made up reason for scheduling it
("dating"). I had told him I knew my dates perfectly.

I probably won't get any ultrasounds with my second baby. See
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasound.asp

As far as I know, not only have they not been shown to have a benefit in the
third trimester, they've never been shown to cause better outcomes when used
routinely, period.

-- Dagny
EDD 1/19/05

I must admit that the idea of having little baby pics is a very tempting
idea, especially for a first timer. But my idea was that she was seeing
the development of her little girl. She was not totally in the dark.


And neither are you. THere are scores of books out there that describe (and
illustrate) the normal development and growth of a fetus. Since we can assume
that your baby is doing fine, I still don't see why you need to have pictures
of your particular baby. You really WILL get to see her. When she is born.

(It's only been in the past 15-20 years or so that ultrasound has been even
remotely routine in normal pregnancies. Women did just fine without getting
frequent peeks at their developing baby.)


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

Oh yeah, I have mentioned my concerns & my family history to the docor,
but he brushed me off.

I also have a list of questions every appointment (written down, so i
don't forget anything), but he always gives me a quick "this is normal"
or "you're pregnant" answers. & if I try to push him to give me more
detailed answers, he usually seems upset that I want more details.

Donna wrote:

"Donna Metler" wrote in message
.. .


Even so, she has a strong familial history of late-term pregnancy loss. So
far, her OB has not addressed her fears, given her anything to watch out
for, or any support whatsoever. I have real problems with the "one

pregnancy

for free, then we worry" mentality.


It's entirely unclear as to whether the OP has ever *mentioned* any of her
sister's history and her own subsequent fears to the OB. In fact, I'm
getting the feeling that she has never said any of that, and is frustrated
that the OB hasn't initiated the conversation himself. That's a bit
unreasonable.

I write down my questions and bring them to each appointment, because I have
a marked tendency to forget what I was wondering about between appointments.
Or I call and speak with the nurse/midwife on triage. Perhaps the OP could
try that?


I've known too many women who had
concerns which were brushed off by their OBs, who ended up with problems.


Sure. OBs are, I would guess, more likely to be rushed, and therefore not
as willing to talk every visit -- but that's the nature of the beast. I'm
not excusing it, but I am saying that we, as consumers, have the right to
have our questions answered, but also the responsibility to ensure that our
questions get asked.

You wouldn't tell a waitress that you didn't want dessert, then be annoyed
when she didn't bring you a milkshake, would you? Ok, would you when you if
you weren't 9 months pregnant? grin

Donna