Meet the doctor

I mentioned a while back that I got twice lucky and scored a spot with both a family doctor who delivers babies and with a midwife. We met with the doctor on July 18. I had googled her in advance and read great things, overall people loved her, the only complaint I could find was that she wasn't always on time and you could spend up to an hour waiting for your appointment.

This rang true for us. We had an appointment at 10:15 and I don't think we met with the doctor until after 11. DH was freaking out because he had a lunch meeting downtown but also didn't want to miss meeting the doctor. Needless to say, when we finally did get in to see her, she was great. She did a pretty intensive history on us, our ethnic backgrounds, difficulties in family pregnancies on my side, our lifestyle and habits, etc. She also educated us on the types of testing we can do for chromosomal disorders. Overall she said we have no risk factors for chromosomal issues but that it doesn't mean that it can't happen, you just never know. We also talked about when I could do the testing given we are going out of the country during weeks 11-13 (fortunately I can do it right when I get back!). Then DH left to get to his meeting and she did a pretty complete physical on me. Weight - 122lbs, BMI 18.6 (in the normal range!) and blood pressure 90/50. She also did a breast exam (I don't really get why, but whatever), checked my breathing, listened to my heart, took a urine sample and did a pap. I talked to her a bit about her feelings about vaginal birth vs. cesarian and about pain meds and her answers were pretty much exactly what I would have hoped for. During the exam she also helped me feel my uterus, which, at the time she said was about the size of a tennis ball, right on track for 9 weeks. I was so, so, so hoping that we would be able to hear the heartbeat or get an ultra sound that day but no such luck!! Just knowing that everything seemed to be moving along well did give me some peave of mind.

Another bonus is that her office is in the same building as my family doctor and there is a lab and an ultra sound clinic in the building as well, so after the appointment I was able to run downstairs and book my ultra sound appointment (August 13!) and drop off my samples (from the pap and for urine test).

She delivers on average 4 babies per month, so the likelihood that she would be there for our birth is very good. She had a great bedside table manner, I didn't feel rushed at all and she seemed like an interesting person. We were also able to relate on another level because her husband is a CA.

All in all, a great appointment! I left feeling extremely relieved that I was fortunate to get a great doctor. Honestly I considered cancelling the midwife appointment because DH was nervous about the whole midwife thing (aka not a doctor) and because I was so happy with the doctor.