Can someone please explain the difference between Drs. Malcolm De Souza and Robert Footer?

[Anonymous]

I delivered #1 with a big practice and would like a solo for #2. I've narrowed it down to these two doctors, but I can't seem to figure out the difference between the two in terms of philosophy, bedside manner, skill, office staff, technology in the office, etc. Has anyone dealt with both (in whatever capacity - I know they cover for each other)? FWIW, I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy with #1 and delivered naturally and would ideally do so again with #2.

[Anonymous]

Search the archives and you'll find lots of posts about these two OBs, even comparisons. My opinion: DeSouza is less intervention-happy and more patient. Footer is less intervention-happy than your average OB but DeSouza is better. I've seen DeSouza roll his eyes about Footer pushing women to schedule inductions or c-sections. So my choice would be DeSouza.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you could go wrong with either one of them. I'm a patient with Dr. DeSouza (he's awsome), but when I had a bout of bad food poisoning and was vomiting all day one weekend that Dr. Footer was on-call, he was very kind and called a couple of times to follow-up see that I didn't get dehydrated. I think both have excellent bed-side manners.

[Anonymous]

Footer is more in favor of C-sections than DeSouza. I was going to have a scheduled C-section with Footer, but I went into labor early and as it turned out Footer was out of town so I ended up with DeSouza. DeSouza told me that in his opinion I did not need a C-section and tried to convince me not to have one. I already had my mind set on a C-section so I explained to him why I wanted the C-section and he did the C-section, but even after I had my baby, he told me and also told my husband again that in his opinion a C-section could have been avoided. I love Footer and continue to see him, but if you are the kind of person who really wants a vaginal delivery, you are better off with DeSouza.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Footer is more in favor of C-sections than DeSouza. I was going to have a scheduled C-section with Footer, but I went into labor early and as it turned out Footer was out of town so I ended up with DeSouza. DeSouza told me that in his opinion I did not need a C-section and tried to convince me not to have one. I already had my mind set on a C-section so I explained to him why I wanted the C-section and he did the C-section, but even after I had my baby, he told me and also told my husband again that in his opinion a C-section could have been avoided. I love Footer and continue to see him, but if you are the kind of person who really wants a vaginal delivery, you are better off with DeSouza.

you went against your doctor's recommendation b/c "you already had your mind set" on getting sliced open. you sound nuts. i think the OP would be better not to listen to your crazy talk at all. crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Footer is more in favor of C-sections than DeSouza. I was going to have a scheduled C-section with Footer, but I went into labor early and as it turned out Footer was out of town so I ended up with DeSouza. DeSouza told me that in his opinion I did not need a C-section and tried to convince me not to have one. I already had my mind set on a C-section so I explained to him why I wanted the C-section and he did the C-section, but even after I had my baby, he told me and also told my husband again that in his opinion a C-section could have been avoided. I love Footer and continue to see him, but if you are the kind of person who really wants a vaginal delivery, you are better off with DeSouza.

you went against your doctor's recommendation b/c "you already had your mind set" on getting sliced open. you sound nuts. i think the OP would be better not to listen to your crazy talk at all. crazy.

I think you misunderstood. I followed my Dr.'s recommendation to have a C-section. My Dr. was Dr. Footer and he had recommended I have a C-section. He just wasn't there when I went into labor and DeSouza was covering for him. I followed Dr. Footer's advice and not Desouza's advice, they had different views.