Finding an ob-gyn before starting TTC?

[preppy]

My H and I just moved to a new state, and I need to find a new ob-gyn. We also want to start TTC in the next year or so, so unlike previous ob-gyns where I was just looking for someone to do my annual, I want to find someone I can stay with long term and hopefully go through my future pregnancy(ies) with.

Any tips on what to look for or what to ask when trying to find a new ob-gyn? I realize that different things are important to different people, but just have no clue what to ask at all. We don't know anyone in the area yet so I don't know anyone who can give me a personal recommendation.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

[berbles]

It really is personal preferences. For me, I like my docs (any of them, not just obs) to make me feel comfortable and heard. I like being able to crack a couple jokes and get a response. Docs who are all business, get-in-get-out types are not for me. I'm also the kind of person who does research and understands just enough medical stuff to make me a PITA, so I need my doctor to respect my opinions and not talk down to me/dumb-down info.

[lola]

I love my GYN because I'm a terrible worrier and she doesn't make me feel stupid about that, but she also is generally able to keep me calm about things. She's been great as we've had zero luck GP, and has been very proactive with the testing/etc.

It's a feeling that I think only you can get. Assuming s/he's a OB/GYN s/he's got the training necessary to do the job. The biggest question is do you feel comfortable with her/him.

[preppy]

Dec 16, 2012 19:23:34 GMT -5 lola said:

I love my GYN because I'm a terrible worrier and she doesn't make me feel stupid about that, but she also is generally able to keep me calm about things. She's been great as we've had zero luck GP, and has been very proactive with the testing/etc.

It's a feeling that I think only you can get. Assuming s/he's a OB/GYN s/he's got the training necessary to do the job. The biggest question is do you feel comfortable with her/him.

That has me thinking that I should ask how proactive they are/how long they wait if you aren't having success TTC.

I unfortunately realize this is such a personal choice. All I know is I want an obgyn and not a midwife. That doesn't narrow it down that much.

[ilikedonuts]

My big thing was I wanted a doctor that was not in a practice with others and who was on call pretty much 24/7. Pretty tough requirements to fill.

Even if you don't care about those two things, ask how your potential OB handles nights and weekends. And who is on call on certain days, etc.

I also agree that you need to be completely comfortable with your OB. I'm a complete spazz when pregnant due to my history of miscarriage. I call my OB way too much and never once did he ever make me feel bad about it.

[ilikedonuts]

Dec 16, 2012 19:46:45 GMT -5 preppy said:

Dec 16, 2012 19:23:34 GMT -5 lola said:

I love my GYN because I'm a terrible worrier and she doesn't make me feel stupid about that, but she also is generally able to keep me calm about things. She's been great as we've had zero luck GP, and has been very proactive with the testing/etc.

It's a feeling that I think only you can get. Assuming s/he's a OB/GYN s/he's got the training necessary to do the job. The biggest question is do you feel comfortable with her/him.

That has me thinking that I should ask how proactive they are/how long they wait if you aren't having success TTC.

I unfortunately realize this is such a personal choice. All I know is I want an obgyn and not a midwife. That doesn't narrow it down that much.

Most insurances won't cover any real fertility testing until its been a year. I'm sure there are OBs that will help you work around that to get it covered though. That's definitely a great question to ask though. You can just ask for a general idea of how they handle it.

[littlemisschatty]

So far, I like my doctor. I still have to meet all 5 doctors in the practice. Food for thought: this practice was recommended to me by a friend bc they deliver at the best hospital in the area. That made me happy!

[preppy]

Dec 16, 2012 20:24:42 GMT -5 littlemisschatty said:

So far, I like my doctor. I still have to meet all 5 doctors in the practice. Food for thought: this practice was recommended to me by a friend bc they deliver at the best hospital in the area. That made me happy!

Hm that is a good thought about finding the best hospital. Maybe I should be asking what to look for at a hospital then find someone who delivers there. I could be going at this the wrong way.

[pamela]

I started with a hospital I was willing to deliver at. Then asked coworkers/ladies at work for recs. Not totally happy with mine right now, but he's not awful (although some of us nurses are). I cared about the facilities at the hospital and their overall support of natural births. Because really, your OB is only there for the end of delivery, not really the labor. The nurses at the hospital matter more on that part.

[lola]

Dec 16, 2012 19:46:45 GMT -5 preppy said:

Dec 16, 2012 19:23:34 GMT -5 lola said:

I love my GYN because I'm a terrible worrier and she doesn't make me feel stupid about that, but she also is generally able to keep me calm about things. She's been great as we've had zero luck GP, and has been very proactive with the testing/etc.

It's a feeling that I think only you can get. Assuming s/he's a OB/GYN s/he's got the training necessary to do the job. The biggest question is do you feel comfortable with her/him.

That has me thinking that I should ask how proactive they are/how long they wait if you aren't having success TTC.

I unfortunately realize this is such a personal choice. All I know is I want an obgyn and not a midwife. That doesn't narrow it down that much.

If you're not AMA and you don't have any issues that you're aware of going it, plan on it being a year before any OB/GYN recommends any type of fertility testing. This is for good reason. Hopefully you won't end up having to deal with it at all, but in the event that you go a few months with no luck remember that it can take totally healthy couples up to a year to conceive, and sometimes longer.

Don't borrow trouble worrying about this too early on. The process can be lengthy, keep it fun for as long as possible!

[SallySparrow]

I started by choosing the hospital where I wanted to deliver. I was in nursing school at the time, so I had access to kind of a behind the scenes look at the L&D facilities in my area. Then I asked some of the nurses who worked at the place who they recommended. Then I google searched for any reviews. Then I had a preconception meeting to make sure I liked him, and I did. He listens, he's had a ton of experience, he has an adorable accent. The last one wasn't a requirement, just a perk.

Good luck picking someone!

[Cheesecake]

I chose where I went based on the fact that they're supposed to be the very best doctors in the general area where I can still get to the practice fairly easy from home or work without having to take half the day off.
I really don't care as much about nice or anything, as I care about good.
The only thing I do care about besides good, is that they're willing to really explain things to me, and not like I'm a 5 year old, but use the real language so I can look things up myself as well.

The practice I'm at now is at a local hospital and has a couple of professors and other highly experienced ob/gyns working there. Who you see is dependent on what you're in for, so you see multiple people within the practice as doc nr 1 is the professor of fertility whatnot, and doc nr 2 is specialized in (high) risk pregnancies with kidney issues (and those are the 2 I've seen so far).

So far I've "liked" the fertilty doc best, she was super nice, but the kidney guy was very thorough and explained everything super well, so that was a great experience as well.

[preppy]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I am going to start with a hospital search, look up reviews from women who have given birth there, then narrow it down by the local docs who deliver there.