Too late to switch? Advice please!

[atripos]

Hello All,

I am 30 weeks pregnant with my second child. I loved my first OB, but we have moved since then and I had to find a new one. I took advice from my SIL (probably a mistake since she doesn't have kids yet) about who to go to, and based on that I picked a provider. And basically, I haven't really liked her or anyone in the office since. Every time I have an appointment, it's with a different provider (NP, PA, MD, midwife), so none of them really know me even though I have had like a million appointments now. When I call to ask for advice or with questions and leave a message, they only call me back about half the time. When I ask questions and they don't know the answers, they tend leave it at that (no real follow-up to find the answers - I end up looking stuff up on line). And different providers I have seen have given me contradictory advice. Also, based on what I have read, they are not recommending or even telling their patients about the latest guidelines (for example, that all pregnant women get a TDaP vaccination between 27-37 weeks because of the recent pertussis/whooping cough outbreaks). And they have a tendency to cite guidelines that don't exist (for example, saying that all pregnant women need to take 4000 IU of Vitamin D per day because it is an ACOG guideline, when I can find nothing in the literature to support that claim).

I have just been kind of letting it go because it always seemed like I was too far along to do anything about it, and I figured I was just being overly sensitive, and I felt weird switching to a new provider when I was so far along. Yesterday, however, I found that the my OB was taking care of an acquaintance of mine when she had a stroke after her pregnancy, and that basically the stroke was literally entirely the fault of the OB because she prescribed her the wrong medication at the wrong dose after she delivered her baby (several doctor friends have encouraged her to sue or at least seek damages).

So now I feel like I really need to change, but now I am REALLY ridiculously far along (I mean 30 weeks!!??!!). I just feel like a crazy person for letting this go on so long and really it's kind of embarrassing to call a new OB and be like, "um, hi, so my OB is awful, and I've known for months and just kind of let it go, but now I want you to be my OB?" I feel like they are going to say, "uh oh - red flag, problem patient here we come!" But I don't know what else to do.

What would you do?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I switched around that time. We moved when pg and I went to the first care provider I came across. I called it a baby factory- tons of Drs, tons of patients and a very impersonal feel.

I switched to a practice with a CNM. I met the OBs but she was my go to. It was such a relief to switch! Do it.

[123LuckyMom]

I agree! At least try to find someone else.

[Zukini]

I would switch and in fact, we did, at just about 25 weeks started looking for a new OB practice (and also switched hospitals as well). Be prepared to jump through a few hoops to make it easier for them to accept you. I brought as many of my own records with me in case the previous practice was slow to release them. I went in personally to get paperwork done to officially request records and get new patient information on file etc. The nurse at the new OB office vetted me via phone for medical history and details on the pregnancy before presenting my case to the OB. Took a few days but they called me back and accepted me. He took me at 25 weeks for my delayed 24 week regular visit and all my (numerous) visits afterwards.

My old OB wasn't horrible at all but the practice was crazy huge (hospital was a baby factory as well), and he ended up having to be out for multiple ankle surgeries (obviously can't hold it against him) to the point I never saw him the entire 2nd trimester. But I did not like the PA who was filling in, she was quite blasé about what was a very complicated pregnancy from beginning to very end. I would cry about my doctors visits, that's how bad it was. I felt like I wasn't being heard and also treated appropriately. We switched and we were 110% glad we did even through it took a little effort to make the actual change. I had my 6 week post partum visit today and he was like, see you in a year and I felt kind of sad. The last few months we really got to know each other.

Try and make the change! Good luck mama!

[BabyBearsMom]

I switched at 32 weeks with DD2, no regrets

[Katigre]

I switched at 32 weeks with my second pregnancy and have never regretted it - it was hard to do but I am SO GLAD that I followed my instincts.

[lizzywednesday]

I switched providers - with a "high risk" baby, to boot! - at 32 weeks through delivery. It was a nuisance for me because of DD's issues, but the care providers were the ones staffing the delivery unit where she was born, so it was better for me to have had appointments with them anyway.

Good luck!!!

[MamaMolly]

JMHO it is never too late. We moved and I found a provider at 32 weeks. Now, I also have to add the disclaimer that I delivered Lula at 36 weeks, and had the doctor on call at the hospital. It wasn't even a doctor from the practice I went to. Turns out my practice had a deal where they took turns being on call with 2 other practices, so you only got 'your' doctor if labor started between 8-5 on a weekday. Had I known this ahead of time I would have probably gone with someone else, but hey, I went with the first people who had an opening who took my insurance.

[basil]

If your practice is that bad, the other groups in town will know it and won't be surprised that you switched...

[klwa]

A lady at my work's DIL is switching at 36 weeks because of a move. You don't like that practice, so switch now! You'll feel better about everythgin if you do.

[alirebco]

I switched from an OB to a midwife/birth center at 27 weeks. Best decision ever! But they did what me to meet all 4 midwives at the center

[Indianamom2]

I had to switch at 30+ weeks with my second because my OB (who I loved) was moving across the country. In my case, I didn't have a ton of options and ended up with more of the "factory" approach practice, but as luck would have it, the OB that I liked the most delivered my son.

It may be harder to find an OB who will accept you at this late date, but in your position, I'd at least give it a try. Best wishes!!

[AnnieW625]

With DD1 I switched at 25 weeks (Jan. 1st) and the only issue for me was my insurance (Kaiser--all in one insurance and provider) was super slow about getting stuff over to my new provider, but at least they got my 17 week scan results over there so my dr. knew that I needed to have a second scan at between 30-34 weeks to make sure that my placenta previa had moved up. I did feel like I was constantly updating records though because the non vital records took forever to get to the new provider. Overall I was happy with the switch and we switched not because we didn't like the drs. at Kaiser it was because Kaiser wanted me to deliver at Hospital A, and wouldn't switch me to hospital B because I lived in the service area for hospital A vs. the service area for hospital B (I was 4 miles closer to clinic A, which was associated with hospital A and they wouldn't switch me to clinic B or let me treat with clinic A and deliver at hospital B). I would switch if you were not happy.

FWIW with DD1 my OB was on call until 2 am and I checked in at midnight. He got my measurements and said I was probably ready to go. He went off call and DD1 was born at 1 pm with the supervising OB for the med. large practice whom I had never met because he worked at another location. I was very happy with him. I wish I could say the same about the night lead nurse who IMHO was a bit crazy (and convinced me I should break my water instead of send me home; her replacement came in and looked at me 3 hrs. later and said "why are you here, you can live at 5 cm+ for a few days, but it was too late and I started pitocin). With DD2 my OB was on call as well, but came into check on me at about 8 am and told me he was going off call, he told me I'd have the baby in about 2 hours. Right after he left the head nurse came in and told me I was almost 9 cm dilated and I wasn't getting an epidural so I told the nurse to get a doctor and I wanted to have the baby after the next big round of contractions. I ended up having DD2 at 8:35 after pushing for 20 minutes and she was delivered by a resident I had never met. I came from a small city where there was one medical group and three or four OBs and you rotated in and out so I did think it was strange that I didn't have a doctor to call and tell him to go to the hospital, but in the end it worked out fine and I was just happy I delivered healthy babies.

[brittone2]

With my first pregnancy, I switched in my mid to late 2nd trimester to a midwifery practice from an impersonal, large ob/gyn practice that would have had me deliver at a hospital with pretty dated, non evidence based policies. It was a great decision and I never regretted it. I delivered in a hospital 45 mins away, but it was much more up to date with policies and evidence.

With my 3rd pregnancy, I saw the same midwifery practice that I used with my pregnancy with my DD. They were CNMs at a FSBC very close to a university teaching hospital. I really, really wanted a homebirth, but the various options I explored that I was fairly comfortable with didn't work for us (mw traveling too far and I have quick labors, etc). I had a great experience with the midwives I had been seeing at the FSBC, no complaints, but I had wanted a HB.

When I was like 36 or 37w, a local, experienced CNM who previously practiced at a local teaching hospital opened a solo HB practice. She had operated a HB practice years prior, then relocated, so she was experienced. She had privileges at the same teaching hospital, she was experienced, she had a good relationship with local hospital staff, etc. I had an uneventful pregnancy and we both felt comfortable with me switching into her care late in that pregnancy. We met, spent a lot of time talking, I saw her several times before I delivered, and that was actually more than I had seen some of the OBs and some of the MWs in previous practices. No regrets.

If you don't have any significant health issues in your pregnancy, I would explore switching.