Are there any great OBs out there? Every option has to many cons :-( and mixed reviews

[Anonymous]

Did you start this thread yesterday?

Possible OBs - Please share your thoughts (AWC, GW, Fair Ridge, NGFW)

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/452142.page

I have read all the available threads, yelp reviews etc etc for these practices and it's all mixed data. I am a bit of a loss of whom to chose. I am a first time mom and have had poor experiences with my previous OB.. I don't need a lot of hand holding just someone that can answer my questions or address issues as they come up. I don't really have a birth plan or vision of what I want other than healthy baby and ideally a vaginal birth. I want a good doctor that won't do more than needed, so I guess lower intervention.

[Anonymous]

The mixed reviews will continue through every decision of parenthood - it is hard - but you need to pick what is best for you and accept that nothing is perfect.

Best wishes for your pregnancy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you will drive yourself nuts if you try to rely on unverified online reviews.

The most important factors are that the practice not have an ideology that you don't share -- so don't sign up with a militant natural birth outfit like Wisdom at GW. After that is convenience. You are going to be going to a LOT of appointments, so you need a place you can get to easily from home and work. After that, it's worthwhile checking online to see if there are giant red flags, like overwhelming negative feedback. Even that you have to take with a huge grain of salt. Eg, so many online complaints about Reiter Hill, but when you probe further, you find many perfectly happy patients who just aren't motivated to post online.

Anyway, if I had it to do over again, I'd pick a non-ideolgical hospital based midwife practice with a doula. I do think the midwife model of care has some advantages for prenatal and maximizing chances for a vaginal birth, but I'd also want to be in a setting where they were not hesitant to intervene as needed and gave no pushback on pain meds.

This made me giggle.

FWIW, other midwives practicing in area hospitals are often perfectly fine with taking moms who think they may want an epidural. They can deliver the baby either way. I used to be out at Loudoun Community Midwives, and half the mothers they deliver choose epidurals. They still have only a 9% c-section rate, and that includes planned c's for factors like breech birth. So don't avoid all midwives just because you're afraid they might scorn your desire for an epidural.

[Anonymous]

I'd appreciate it if people shared which practice they liked

[Anonymous]

I went to GW. I liked it. 2 vaginal births. It is what it is...a big and busy practice.

My main priorities were:
Best medical care possible (for me and baby) with reputation for being low intervention
Location

Things I didn't care as much about:
Having a relationship with my provider
Knowing who would deliver my baby
Very comfortable post-partum care

I had my babies and got the hell out of there. I was fine with my experience.

You're not going to get everything you want. Also it's 9 months out of your life and delivery is a few days. Just get that baby here safely in a way you feel good about and try to just go with the flow a bit. It's not going to be a perfect experience.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd appreciate it if people shared which practice they liked

You're in for a long pregnancy. Do you have real life friends you can turn to? Ask them who they used, if they were happy, and if convenient, go there. If you don't have friends, ask your partner's friends. Barring that, pick the most convenient practice and see if you like them.

I loved GW MFA through three deliveries, but I think it's nuts for someone in Fairfax to deliver there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you will drive yourself nuts if you try to rely on unverified online reviews.

The most important factors are that the practice not have an ideology that you don't share -- so don't sign up with a militant natural birth outfit like Wisdom at GW. After that is convenience. You are going to be going to a LOT of appointments, so you need a place you can get to easily from home and work. After that, it's worthwhile checking online to see if there are giant red flags, like overwhelming negative feedback. Even that you have to take with a huge grain of salt. Eg, so many online complaints about Reiter Hill, but when you probe further, you find many perfectly happy patients who just aren't motivated to post online.

Anyway, if I had it to do over again, I'd pick a non-ideolgical hospital based midwife practice with a doula. I do think the midwife model of care has some advantages for prenatal and maximizing chances for a vaginal birth, but I'd also want to be in a setting where they were not hesitant to intervene as needed and gave no pushback on pain meds.

This made me giggle.

FWIW, other midwives practicing in area hospitals are often perfectly fine with taking moms who think they may want an epidural. They can deliver the baby either way. I used to be out at Loudoun Community Midwives, and half the mothers they deliver choose epidurals. They still have only a 9% c-section rate, and that includes planned c's for factors like breech birth. So don't avoid all midwives just because you're afraid they might scorn your desire for an epidural.

I'm the "militant natural birth outfit" PP. To clarify - I completely agree with you that midwives can be a great option for women who want pain relief. But there definitely are some that are anti-epidural, especially Wisdom. You will get an epidural if you demand it at Wisdom, but having to deal with some lady trying to discourage you from getting pain relief when it REALLY HURTS is not pleasant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mud wives are generally not as safe

lol forever

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have been to multiple MD's so far and have found fault with all of them?
Maybe try some anxiety management as well, I am wondering if you have posted about this before on here and been kindly advised to try some personal health managemt too

No haven't gone to all just 1. No haven't been advised for anxiety. I'm not anxious really just want to make a smart decision

You sound super Type-A and neurotic. Generally when you've done as much research as you apparently have and are still flip-flopping it means no choice is that better than any other. So just pick something already. Focus on what you can control -- your mindset and breathing and prep for the childbirth you want.

[Anonymous]

Nope, there are no great OBs. We all used horrible OBs. You should probably have your husband learn how to deliver the baby at home. Actually, he'll probably screw up so you should just do it yourself. Then you can guarantee no c-section!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, there are no great OBs. We all used horrible OBs. You should probably have your husband learn how to deliver the baby at home. Actually, he'll probably screw up so you should just do it yourself. Then you can guarantee no c-section!

This is helpful,,,, OB is clearly upset, why not help vs being nasty about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, there are no great OBs. We all used horrible OBs. You should probably have your husband learn how to deliver the baby at home. Actually, he'll probably screw up so you should just do it yourself. Then you can guarantee no c-section!

This is helpful,,,, OB is clearly upset, why not help vs being nasty about it?

People have given helpful feedback that OP has ignored. OP probably needs to get off the internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, there are no great OBs. We all used horrible OBs. You should probably have your husband learn how to deliver the baby at home. Actually, he'll probably screw up so you should just do it yourself. Then you can guarantee no c-section!

This is helpful,,,, OB is clearly upset, why not help vs being nasty about it?

This at least OP's 10th thread asking the same thing over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd appreciate it if people shared which practice they liked

I think you will like Greenbriar OB/GYN (you didn't list it).

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh! Not this again!!

It's gotta be the same high anxiety, over thinking, glass half empty FTM poster.