if you had a scheduled c/s…

[boogiemomz]

Did you get to choose the doc who would do the c/s? We decided with all my docs that I should have a c/s with my health/surgical history and risk factors. Of course part of me was disappointed, I had a beautiful delivery experience with DD and am nervous about how different a c/s will be, but I get that it's best under the circumstances. And I was trying to look on the bright side that everything will be relatively controlled, planned, we can get family here to help just at the right time, etc… AND I could pick the day and the doctor who would do it. I know you want to time it just right for baby's health, so not like there are 2 weeks of wiggle room, but I definitely expected to have some say in who/when. Well at my OB checkup yesterday, they said they would "put me on the schedule" for 39 weeks and let me know who would be doing it (docs schedules aren't out yet). I asked the RN who would be the best surgeon to do it, and she said "oh they're all very good." I've met 3 docs in a practice of about 16 and I very much DON'T like one of them. I also wouldn't be as worried under normal circumstances, but my abdominal anatomy is very, very irregular and I have a belly full of gnarly scar tissue from multiple abdominal surgeries, which make it a higher risk c/s (and me more nervous). So I was pretty disappointed when they just said they would plug me into the calendar wherever it makes most sense for gestational age, regardless of who is on. The practice is so big that I likely won't have even met the person they schedule me with, I'll just have to make appointments in the last 7 weeks with that person. Don't people who schedule elective c/s do it to have more control over the schedule (among other reasons)? I'm just bummed that it seems to be totally out of my hands.

[specialp]

I'm not sure what is typical, but I did. The hospital wouldn't let me schedule it until I was 35 weeks even though we knew from the beginning when it would be due to risk factors, but all I did was go in to register, tell them my doctor and which day I wanted.

[HannaAddict]

The OB practice is who schedules it here (they deal with the hospital) and unless my primary OB was going to be on a long vacation, they will schedule you with your primary and you decide. You discuss it with your OB and they will adjust their schedule if needed. You also get to say who you would like to assist ( they have two full docs for each C/S) depending on the schedule. Never heard of not knowing who would do it when it is scheduled. But as other posts on this board have made me realize, I'm lucky to have great doctors in our city. If also request the first slot of the day, bright and early, so everyone's fresh and no delays.

[cuca_]

I've had 4 c-sections, two of them scheduled, and was able to chose the doctor. I think it depends on the practice. I had a primary OB that I saw in the practice and then saw some of the other OBs in order to be familiar with them in the event one of them had to handle the delivery. This came in handy, since I had. 2 emergency csections. With one of my scheduled csections my OB was going on vacation, so I chose to have another doctor perform it, rather than scheduling it for an earlier date.

Is there any way that you can talk to the OB about it rather than the nurse? Can you call him/her an request that she perform the csection if at all possible.

[scrooks]

I go to a smaller practice than you describe. I always see my doc during pregnancy (unless she is out of town). Both times I had scheduled csections my doc and I discussed dates based on her schedule. She wanted my sections after the 39 week mark but before I hit 40 weeks. We would pick the date and her staff would do all the scheduling with the hospital. That is what was typical for me. I have a friend who recently had a csection and her practice was similar to the one you describe. She too was worried about just getting the doc on call and I think in the end she was able to choose the date and the doc based on availability. She was extremely happy with her doc in the end (this was her 3rd section...first with this practice).

[cono0507]

One of my sections was scheduled. The doctor I wanted to do the section told me which days she was on call during the week I would be scheduled and I just chose a day she was on.

[kdeunc]

2 of my three sections were scheduled. DS2 ended up being delivered before his scheduled date by the only doctor in the practice I hadn't met (who was great by the way). DD was scheduled with "my" doctor. She only delivered one of my babies. I talked with her about scheduling and her nurse then put me on her calendar. My practice has 6-7 docs and 3 midwives.

[BunnyBee]

My scheduled c/s was with my doctor in a practice with 7 or 8 docs. She does surgery two days a week. I had a choice of a Tuesday or Thursday. Can you change practices to one that makes you feel more comfortable? If they know your history, it seems like they should be more concerned with putting you with the most competent surgeon in the practice, even with doctor egos involved.

[hillview]

Yes. I in fact moved my scheduled C-section with DS2 to a day that my OB could do it.

[westwoodmom04]

I had my scheduled csection set up with my ob but went into labor two weeks earlier. Then I had the ob on call for the practice. I wouldn't stress too much about it because who knows if you will make it to the appointment.

[carolinacool]

My primary doctor actually went out on maternity bedrest herself halfway through my pregnancy. I was switched to another doctor and I did schedule with her. I did cycle through to meet the other three doctors on staff. I ended up having a C-section three days before my due date because I developed Pre-E, so the doctor on call for the practice delivered DS. I guess in the end it doesn't matter a lot, but I would be upset if I couldn't pick my primary.

[TxCat]

This is something that is totally and completely practice-dependent - every group is run totally differently and it's impossible to generalize based on others' experiences. Some practices are still "old-school" where the OB delivers his/her patients, and others are a pure rotating call system, where you get whoever is on that day, and most practices seem to be somewhere in the middle of these two models.

[KpbS]

In between my 2nd and 3rd C-sections (different practice, different town) the recommendations changed to 39 weeks and my OB would not schedule me any sooner due to malpractice liability. So I scheduled with my doc for 39 weeks but if I went into labor I would get whoever was on call that day.

DS2 was an emergency C and the OB on call wasn't at the hospital when I arrived (small town, small hospital). I wouldn't have picked him due to personality but he did a fantastic job and one of my friends who worked in LD at the time said he is whom she would have chosen if she had been in the same situation.

I hope you get someone you like and the procedure goes very smoothly. Hugs! :hug:

[sarahsthreads]

I didn't have a scheduled section, but I hear you on not liking one doctor in the practice. I really did not like one midwife in the group, and guess who ended up being on call when DD2 was born? But! She was truly awesome, and I secretly kind of hoped she'd be the one on call when DS arrived. (She wasn't, but it was a moot point anyway since he decided to be all dramatic about his entrance into the world and the OB resident delivered him via emergency c/s.)

I hope you wind up with someone you are comfortable with, and I hope you have a great birth experience despite it not being exactly what you had hoped for!

Sarah :)

[boogiemomz]

Thanks for all the replies. I can't change practices b/c this is the one exclusively high-risk practice in town that is on our insurance. I guess at least I can wait and see what the docs' schedule looks like, maybe I'll get lucky and one of the docs I'm okay with will be on the schedule one of the 1-2 days they want to do it. They also won't schedule before 39wks because they get a "slap on the wrist" from the hospital. I'm okay with that, want baby to cook in there as long as possible. May need to come back for more advice if they try to schedule me with someone I don't like!! Though I also appreciate all the stories of the doc you didn't like delivered and it turned out great anyway. Thanks again!

[JBaxter]

I scheduled an induction ( not Csection) but I asked for a specific Dr. The Drs in the practice had certain days they were at the hospital. What I would do is when they call to schedule you I would ask which Dr if you dont like that one ask if you could bump a day forward or back.