I met with my family doctor over 10 days ago, and asked to be referred to an OBGYN for my prenatal care. I specifically asked not to be referred to either Dr. who provided my care last time - and I told her why. I gave her a list of 3 names - she said she'd get back to me in "a few days". I've heard nothing, yet.
I fear that one of the reasons things went they did last time was because there wasn't an opportunity for me to build rapport with the OBGYN. We met once at 36 weeks (when he agreed to do the c-section, before meeting again when I was in hospital and in labour (and he was giving me the tale about pediatric appendectomies and no OR or anasthesiologist after I had already spent 2 days in hospital patiently waiting). It's a lot easier to lie to a patient when you don't really know that patient.
Perhaps it would have been different if I had been referred earlier in the pregnancy - maybe at 20-25 weeks, that's not the OBGYN's fault, but rather my primary maternity doctor's. It wasn't like I hadn't asked to be referred earlier, I had, repeatedly. But I trusted, and waited. I thought my primary maternity doctor "got me" - I thought she understood and was supportive of my wishes. At our last prenatal - she reassured me that the baby was not going to "come out that way"...
So understandably, I don't want to be referred to somebody who I will have to rely on to refer me again. It's going to be hard enough for me to trust this time around...
Why is it that only women who desire vaginal births are given any reasonable chance at continuity of care?
If you are an OBGYN (on Vancouver Island or in Vancouver) who is supportive of maternal request c-section, feel that you can actually make it happen and willing to take on a somewhat anxious pregnant woman (who likely has some degree of PTSD and trust issues) with an EDD of September 20,2011 - please drop me an email at awaitingjuno (at) gmail (dot) com.
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