28 week check up

Baby girl is measuring on schedule.  Her heartbeat was strong.  I have only gained 1 pound since my last visit over 4 weeks ago (score!). Must be from me eating super healthy the past month. 

Unfortunately, the appointment also confirmed that this doctor's office is not the right fit for me.  I really like one of the doctors, but the one I saw today is the same one I had complaints about when I saw her last time. Let's call her Dr. Impatient. She's very short with me, and makes me feel like my questions bother her.  Today, I had four questions.  Here they are and what her responses were.

1. Heartburn - I described what happened on Easter.  Remember - some food felt like it was stuck for 4 hours and I kept spitting up acid?  I told her I spoke with the doctor on call and that she thought it was a hiatal hernia caused by the pregnancy.  Her response: with a very weird look on her face, Dr. Impatient said "that's not pregnancy related.  you need to see a gastroenterologist.  they might need to go in there and open up your esophagus."

My reaction: WTF?!  I explained to the doctors from our first appointment that I have extreme anxiety when it comes to medical situations.  That's part of the reason we are opting to go natural (no needles - eek!).  Could she said it with a little bit more compassion?  Something like "let's send you to a gastroenterologist to make sure nothing else is going on.  keep taking the zantac if it's helping, but I just want to cover all our bases."  I would have felt much more confident in that type of response.  Instead, I left the office feeling freaked out and thinking I have some major issue.

2.  Antsy.  I described that I've been having trouble getting comfortable but that I thought this was early to be feeling uncomfortable in every position.  Her response: "that's going to just get worse.  next?" 

My reaction: WTF?!  I get that I will likely be physically uncomfortable sometimes.  But I explained that my lower back is hurting all the time and she offered no suggestions.  I would've expected a doctor to offer ANYTHING, like try acupuncture, or try sitting in ______ position to relieve the pressure from your back.  But she said nothing.

3.  Gestational diabetes test.  I mentioned that since my blood sugar was just slightly above normal prior to getting pregnant, would I have an increased chance at testing positive for gestational diabetes?  Her response: "did you inform us of this when you first found out you were pregnant? [my general practioner sent over my blood results - so yes]  we should've been monitoring your sugar levels the entire pregnancy [that's your fault, not mine].  do you have any family members with diabetes? [yes - but it's been something that has developed late in life.]  you haven't been following a strict diet? [i eat healthy already so nobody suggested i change anything.]  Well, it doesn't look good for the test, I guess we'll see.

My reaction:  WTF?!  Well, at this point, I really wanted to cry.  Why hadn't they informed me of this when my blood results are in my chart?  Why didn't they suggest this from the beginning?  Why am I being blamed for this?  And she really didn't answer my question!  She just made it seem like I'm doomed!

4.  Hypnobirthing.  I asked what her experience had been like with patients using the hypnobirthing method?  Her response: "I didn't use it to have my children.  If you want to use that, it's fine with me."

My reaction:  complete frustration at this point.  I didn't want to push anything else because clearly she had her own agenda for the appointment, and I'm sure I wouldn't get open answers from her regardless. 

So yes - that was just about how the appointment went.  I left the office, called Ian, and started tearing up immediately.  This is not how I want my doctor to treat me.  I am paying them to care for me.  This is their job, what they have chosen to do for their lives.  I am a first time mother and would really like to be treated with respect when I have questions.  I don't call them with an abundance of questions (I've only called the office twice throughout the entire pregnancy).  I normally only have a couple brief questions, if any at all.  I don't appreciate being treated so negatively.  And also, they KNOW I already have anxiety.  Don't you think you'd take a little more time to answer questions with someone who has made you very aware of their anxiety issues?

Anyways, I left there and went and had my blood drawn for the diabetes test.  I am praying with everything in me that this test comes back okay.

I guess it's perfect timing that we have a consult with a midwife tomorrow.  I called a couple weeks ago, after this practice came highly recommended by several people in the area.  It's a group of 3 OBs, and 6 midwives.  They have privileges at the same hospital we want to deliver at.  Hopefully this consult will be fantastic and I can walk away from Dr. Impatient.