A couple weeks ago, we made the decision to change doctors mid-pregnancy. It was a tough decision we mulled over for 3 or 4 weeks before deciding anything. There were several factors that contributed to this decision, but all (but one) had to do with the dr stressing me out:
1) She was stressing me out with my sugar levels. She walked into the first appointment with me back in November and flat out told me that because of my weight, she just knew I was diabetic with my pregnancy and would treat me that way throughout. She had me see a nutritionist (which wasn't covered on my insurance) and had me taking my sugars 4 times a day....making me maintain a certain number (140) when the book she handed me to record them in said that a normal level was 170 or less. That just frustrated me, making me feel like I was being held to a different standard, just because of my weight. (Especially when gestational diabetes doesn't JUST hit over-weight women....it hits women of all heights, sizes, and shapes.) When I brought her my numbers at Christmas, she said, "You're doing good, but you need to do better.".....and that was when my numbers were at or below 140, with one or two at the 150-155 mark. :( I had gotten to the point with my diet and my sugars that I was so worried over it I wasn't enjoying anything...the pregnancy, meals with my family, etc.
2) She had me stressed over my blood pressure. She basically (at Christmas) said that I needed to prepare myself that I'd most likely be on bed-rest by the end of this pregnancy because of PIH (Pregnancy Induced Hypertension)....said the same thing as with my sugar (because of my weight I was guaranteed to have it). Well, my bp's in her office had all been FINE with once exception...and that one had a bottom number of 82, which granted is 'borderline' but is still fine considering it was Christmas Eve, we'd been running and packing for travel for those hours leading to that appointment, and I'd had 3 cups of coffee that morning! LOL
3) We were very unhappy with the information we received from their office. Back in December, I was sick and had gone to a quick care place and gotten medicine. I called the OB's office and let them know what I was on and they said it was fine. I called them about a month later to let them know I was still not well and what else could I do? I told them what I was taking for it (same thing they had "okayed" 4 weeks prior) and they about had a come-apart saying I couldn't take that medication! Well, which is it!?! (Come to find out different doctors have different opinions on it...some allow it and some don't.) But this came from two different nurses for the same OB, so they should have known what she wanted to do. Add to this the fact that she sent me to my family doctor for treatment...not knowing at all who she was passing me off too! How did she know he would know what to give (or not give, more importantly) a pregnant woman? (When I was pregnant with the boys, they OB told me that if I got sick I was to come to THEM, not anyone else.) Terry was very unhappy with the miscommunicated information regarding the medication and said if you can't even trust them when you call in then how can you trust what they tell you when you're there for treatment. Very frustrating.
Anyway, we have decided to switch to the old office we used for the boys....it's a different doctor, which has me a bit nervous, but we'll just do what we can. Our concern is that we're jumping from the frying pan into the fire when it comes to doctors, because we know NOTHING about this new one....but we are just going to trust God that we're doing the best thing we can.
Last Friday, we had our ultrasound and all is well. Baby is 1 lb 4 oz and growing well. We tried to find out the sex of the baby, but it was all curled up for the entire US, to the point that she had trouble getting some measurements. So, we weren't able to find out what it is and will just have to wait. We have an additional chance to find out...the place that did the US will do a free 3D one for us in a few weeks. The catch is that the last best time to see boy/girl is at 28 weeks and the best time for 3D is 32 weeks. The tech told us to just split the difference (30 weeks) and hope for the best...but she warned us that it's going to still be very possible to not find out. At 30 weeks, baby will be getting cramped for space and will still be curled up with feet tucked up, so it may hide itself then too. So, we'll just have to wait and see! The boys are a bit disappointed (well, they're VERY disappointed!) but I just told them that God is trying to teach us some patience and remind us of His sense of humor! ;) This is, after all, how life was for ALL pregnant women before ultrasound machines were invented! :-)
Below are some pics from the US. The first is the crown (top) of baby's head; the second is the heartbeat (150 bpm); the third is a face shot with the face on the left and abdomen on the right....if you look between and above the two of those, you will see a clenched hand.
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with Sara.