Baby Update and Need to Vent!!!!!!

I had both a level two ultrasound and a checkup yesterday. The good news....

• I'm now 24 weeks



• Baby Stella is developing perfectly and weighs about 1 lb. 7 oz.



• I've lost yet another pound (total now is 19 lbs.) but the baby is healthy so the doctor didn't flip out especially since she caught me stuffing a banana in my face while I was waiting for her. She feels that for some reason my metabolism has really sped up during this pregnancy and the fact that I'm always eating is a good sign!

Now here is where the venting comes in. I'll try to cut the story as short as possible but there are a lot of factors that go along with it. Madison was a c-section and I was hoping for a VBAC earlier in my pregnancy. There are only 2 doctors in the practice that I go to that perform VBAC's so I've only been seeing the two of them. Both have been super nice but one has always seemed a little more like a doctor (the other one seems like a friend that I would have gone out partying with back in the day). Anyway at my first ob appt. I opted for the integrated screening for Downs syndrome which was not readily available when I had Madison. I was told that it included a blood test and an ultrasound at 13 weeks. At that visit I also had my 9 week ultrasound done. This ultrasound was done by a tech in my doctor's office and she warned me that the perinatologyst that I would be seeing for the integrated screening would try to schedule me for the 20 week also but there was no need because I could have it done right in my ob's office. I called the perinate's office and made my appointment. The receptionist who was VERY RUDE kept pushing me to schedule another ultrasound for 20 weeks, 24 weeks and 32 weeks. I told her that they were not necessary and she told me whoever gave me that information didn't know what they were talking about because they were necessary for my insurance to pick up the integrated. Before scheduling the next 3 ultrasounds (not a huge fan anyway because of the varying opinions on the affects they have on the fetus) I spoke to the doctor who was more like a friend (I'll call her party doc from now on). She told me to just go ahead and schedule them because she knew at least the 20 week was part of the integrated. I had the 13 week and 20 week done and was less than comfortable with the whole experience (perinatologyst and staff). It seemed more like a money making business than a doctor's office who was concerned about the baby's and my well being. At my next ob appt. I saw the party doc again. I told her how uncomfortable I was with the perinatologyst and asked her if I cold cancel the next 2 ultra's. Her response was that I was the only mommy-to-be that she ever met who didn't want to see her baby as much as possible and that the perinate has just been super busy so the vibe I was getting was probably just them being overworked. She asked me to give them another try. She also felt that it was important to keep a close eye on the baby through ultrasounds because of my lack of weight gain. I left the office that day feeling like an overly sensitive pregnant women who was overreacting to nothing so I just kept my appointments.

Did I loose you yet? If not fast forward to yesterday. My 24 week ultrasound was scheduled at 8:45. I was in an out in 10 minutes. Pretty much uneventful besides the tech's need to shake my belly in order to have little Stella open her hands so the tech could count the number of fingers she has. Like any mother I want a perfect baby but last time I checked the number of fingers a baby has is not life threatening so I really saw no need for the obsession. More concerned about shaken baby in the womb. Don't think its possible but the thought went through my mind. At 10:00 I had my o.b. appointment down the street. I got there early and was seen pretty much immediately by my doctor (not party doc). She asked me if I had my level 2 yet because there was no information in my file on it. I explained yes and that I actually just came from yet another one. She asked if there was anything wrong with the baby that would have made me need another one and I explained the whole perinate/party doc. situation. The anger in my doc's eyes was obvious and she kept saying over and over again how "frustrated" she was. Considering she is a professional I thought this choice of words got her point across clearly without crossing the doctor/patient line. She then asked me what the perinate discussed with me after the ultrasound and I explained that I hadn't seen him at my last two appointments. Just the ultrasounds and then I was done. This infuriated her even more because she explained that we are paying to see a specialist every time we go there not just to get an ultrasound. Basically the perinate is committing fraud (my words not hers) because everytime a patient goes to his office he is sending a claim into the insurance company for being seen when he really isn't. Ahhhhhh!!!!!

By the end of my appt. my doctor told me to go home and immediately cancel the next ultrasound that was scheduled. At this point there is no need for anymore and if the need arises her office is perfectly capable of handling it. Needless to say I love this doctor and will give birth on whatever day she chooses as long as she performs the c-section. She is the first medical professional that has made me feel like I was not an overly sensitive pregnant woman and that my intuition about the perinate was correct. I know your head is probably spinning because I've just rambled on and on. I wish I had a point to this story but the truth is I just needed to rant. Thanks for reading!