I'm back from getting blood drawn and waiting for my nurse to call with my beta. In the mean time, my mind is (of course) already moving ahead to that first u/s. So I have a question for you ladies about where it is best to do my early pregnancy monitoring.
My current OBGYN is located in a small, downtown office right by my apartment. It's a new relationship - I only went there to get my annual / PAP when I was doing my ODWU at C.CRM. I have to say I don't love my OBGYN - she's okay, but she's a little bit bitchy and has been kind of nosy about my IVF (asking me how much it cost, questioning why I went out of state, etc.) But she would be very easy to set up appointments with and convenient to get to, and the office generally seems like a good practice. However, I would never ultimately deliver there, because I want to go somewhere that has a sophisticated MFM practice, just in case (heaven forbid) anything should go wrong.
I could also try to find an OB at a hospital where I might ultimately want to deliver, so I can develop that relationship early. But the big hospitals are all far uptown and will likely be harder to get an initial appointment at. Also, since C.CRM will be continuing to provide primary care for the next however many weeks, I wonder if I should wait to go there once (if?) I "graduate" from their care.
Does anyone have thoughts or recommendations? I have never gotten this far (obviously!) so just don't know what the best option would be. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
I will be posting that beta number later today as soon as I get it - fingers crossed...
My recommendations: Stick with your RE for your first ultrasound IF you're doing an early one. My reasoning is that they are much better prepared to do ultrasounds right there in their office. At OB/GYN offices you usually have to go to a separate wing or even a separate building and have an ultrasound technician do the ultrasound and then you have to wait to see your Dr. to get any info, the tech isn't allowed to say anything about the ultrasound. Mine didn't even say "oh there's the heartbeat" for me.
ReplyDeleteIf you're waiting for a normal first ultrasound around 10 weeks I would say get an appt with wherever you are going to deliver and wait it out for whenever they'll give you your first appt, I say that for continuity of care, it's obnoxious to have to explain to the new Dr. that you've had an ultrasound with another physician and why etc etc.
It's almost better to wait for the later ultrasound (even though I know you're dying for one) only because the early ones don't show you much and give you very little information. This is all just my humble opinion of course as I did one pregnancy with all the early ultrasounds, lost that pregnancy, then did the 2nd pregnancy with nothing until my first appt/ultrasound at 10 weeks...in hindsight I preferred my latter experience.
Good luck with the beta!!!
I don't have any suggestions - however one of my biggest regrets in the past is staying with an ob- for the main reason she was located close to my apartment. Every-time I left I'd make an excuse for her lousy behavior - because I could walk there and skip a bus/subway ride. My advice is find someone you truly like - it look me a couple appts. but I did find a good practice. They have been awesome so far in helping with my infertility and PCOS.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say ask your RE for a recommendation, but then I realised he's hardly likely to be familiar. Do you have a former RE in-state where you could call and ask for a recommendation for an ob/gyn? I know it would feel pretty weird to call up about that, but if they're at all human, I'm sure they'll be happy to help!
ReplyDeleteThis is what I did when I reached the point of needing an ob/gyn, and they recommended me to somebody who had done IVF herself, so she absolutely knew what it was like.
I'll ditto Blythe in picking somebody you like and have faith in rather than somebody who's convenient.
Hmmm...not sure what to tell you except that if you don't feel comfortable with your current OBGYN, I wouldn't stay with her just for convenience sake. It's an important relationship and if you're not feeling it, I would find someone new.
ReplyDeleteAsk your friends, or join a local Mom's community online and get input on OB's others used. I started with my current OB a few years ago, just before I started TTC, based on recommendations from friends who had delivered with her (and at the hospital I prefer). You can keep going to your local RE for all of your CCR.M related monitoring and u/s.
ReplyDeleteYou will need to start seeing an OB around 8w or so, even though you will still be monitored by CCR.M possibly until week 14 (I was).
Please report in on your beta results!!
You are going to be seeing your OB a lot. I would stay with your RE and then transfer later. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI went to my local RE for the first u/s as it was the most important. I paid out of pocket but it was worth it. The Dr. does it and you don't have to worry about a tech doing it and asking you why you are going it. Besides 6 weeks is so early to do an ultrasound you don't want someone to mess up what they are reading. That happened to me at 5 weeks. The next u/s I just went to a radiologist place what was the 8-9 week ultrasound. The baby grows a lot in those 2 weeks.
ReplyDeleteA piece of advice from an NYC resident -- I would look for and set up an appointment with a new OB right away. If your doctor is wearing on you now, wait until you spend alot of time together! (I unfortunately, like some other commenters, learned this the hard way. It is a big regret.) In NYC, you have to get into a good practice early. I would not wait to graduate from CCRM. CCRM deals with so many people from NYC, I am sure they have ideas. I have heard good things about NYU, but other than that you are going to have to come uptown for the very good hospitals. GOOD LUCK. I am excited for you.
ReplyDeleteyou need to make an appt now. the good nyc obs book up.
ReplyDeletecornell and mt sinai are both popular places to deliver. some obs at cornell that people like: leonard, hotchkis, dobrenis. high risk ones: sharma, kalish.
mt sinai has stone and edelman both mfms very highly recommended.
columbia also good but don't know any one specific there.
in terms of NICUs - i think columbia and cornell have best in the city. a consideration...just in case there are any complications or early delivery issues.
call now. some may already not be taking new patients with your due date. crazy but true.
good luck!!
mo