Doctor, Doctor, Maternity Doctor

Being in a small town, there aren’t many options for choosing a maternity doctor. I felt like I was VERY picky in choosing a doctor, but I also felt that I had a right to be picky about it as it was important for me to have good care for myself and our baby during pregnancy.

When I had reservations about delivery in my town, the first maternity doctor I saw said “why, did you hear something bad?”. IMMEDIATELY my alarm bells went off. I didn't feel like this was the right fit for me. My husband and I also mentioned to this doctor that we wanted to do genetic testing (NIPS test) and he shrugged it off saying something along the lines of “you’re young, it's fine”. I wanted a doctor who understood my wants and needs and supported me in them. So….on to the next!

I really liked the next maternity doctor I saw, but whenever I had appointments booked with her, they would be canceled the day before because she was on call at the hospital. I wanted a doctor that I liked AND was reliable with our appointment times.

The third maternity doctor that I went to in town, I liked her, she was reliable, and I felt like it was a good fit for me and our baby - FINALLY. I knew her previously and used to work for her, which is why I initially hesitated about going to her. Looking back, I wish I had just done it from the get-go because we already knew each other and had a relationship. Another reason why I was hesitant to go to her was because one of my friends worked reception at the clinic this doctor was at, and my friend didn’t yet know we were expecting.

This doctor understood why I didn’t want to deliver in town and wasn’t hesitant to refer me to a delivery doctor wherever I wanted to deliver. She understood our concerns with wanting to do genetic testing and told us how to go about this. She ran extra tests for me when needed and was thorough in her work.

Little one about 2 months into my pregnancy!

While some people may think I was too picky in choosing a maternity doctor, I think it is so important to choose one that you like, trust, and who listens to YOUR wants as a mama-to-be or mama, because ultimately you are doing what YOU want and what YOU think is best for yourself and your baby. This is YOUR birth, your story, your baby. Do I have any regrets with doctor-hopping? The only one would be not finding the doctor I jived with sooner, because it took me about two months!

What did you find to be the most important quality in the doctor you chose for your pre- and post-natal care?

Remember, mama, this is your journey and you get to decide how it goes. You are doing an amazing job!