Hello, everyone,
As some of you may already know, I am almost 18 weeks pregnant with my first baby (about 4 full months along). Last Wednesday, my husband and I went to our obstetrician, who I had been seeing throughout my pregnancy. We were his very last appointment of the day, and toward the end of our appointment, he said, "Oh, just so you know, I will be attending a congreso at the time of your expected due date (April 17, 2013), so I will not be able to deliver your baby, and you will need to find another obstetrician."
I nearly shat myself right then and there, because of course this first pregnancy has been scary for me and I am experiencing the unknown in a country/language that is not my own. Our obstetrician (let's call him "Dr. F") gave us a single name of a doctor who he knew who was "great" who would be willing to see me "sobre turno" (because some doctors may not take me on since I am so far along in my pregnancy). To make a long story short, the earliest that I could have gotten in to see this guy sight-unseen to put all my eggs in one basket was Dec. 10, when I would have been 5 full months along. He practices at our clinic 2 hours a WEEK (the other places are too far out, like Pilar. My husband and I don't have a car). I had to put up a fight with the front desk to try to meet this guy for a few random minutes just to see his face and talk to him (no exam), but I'll be "on standby."
I've been trying to get over the shock and indignation of being dropped like a hot potato. I totally got the rug pulled out from under me in the worst way.
Please, this is super-important for me: If you are male or female,expat or local, it doesn't matter, I need personal recommendations for an obstetrician who meets the following:
1. Will be willing to take on a brand new client at 18+ weeks along
2. Accepts OSDE 210 (although I am willing to increase to 310 just to give myself more options)
3. Practices as close to Nunez as possible- Because of my full time job, it's very complicated for me to travel too far.
4. Has sufficient practicing hours in the late afternoon and beyond (at least after 5pm, because of my job).
5. Is someone that you personally know (or know of) who is recommendable and has positive reviews. At this point, I CANNOT take any chances and pull names out of a hat!
6. Will hopefully be able to get me in ASAP!
Nice, but not necessary:
1. General knowledge of English/open mind to non-native Spanish speakers (my Spanish is fine, but sometimes since I am dealing with very specific vocabulary, at least someone who will be patient and help me out if I have to describe a word or even draw a picture of it)
2. Can deliver at Sanatorio de la Trinidad San Isidro (the hospital where I would ideally like to give birth)
PLEASE- I would be very appreciative for any leads and/or recommendations!
Thank you for reading.
Hey Lauren -- tranquila -- everything will be fine. You're not even halfway through your pregnancy. I know women who have changed their doctors (here in Argentina) at 32 weeks because they decided they weren't happy. 18 weeks (now 19 or so I guess) is not far enough along to worry. What you want to make sure is that you're getting screenings at the right dates and if you don't have a new ObGyn by now, do the follow up to the screenings with the current one until you find a replacement.
CityGirl is right -- Trinidad no longer accepts 210, hasn't in a few years. 310 does open up a lot of choices. Curious as to why you want Trinidad San Isidro? From Nunez you're pretty much equi-distant to most hospitals in Capital, no?
BEFORE YOU UPGRADE PLANS -- Calculate the difference, find out how much it would cost over top of your plan to give birth at a 310 hospital -- go to OSDE and ask them what costs you would incrue if you paid out of pocket for the birth, vs paying the difference for 310 -- which you will have to continue paying for up until at least 1 month after birth, I can't remember exactly how long.
There are good hospitals on the 210 plan. Trinidad I know gets great recommends etc but you want to choose the place that has the best neonatology, not the best LCD tv and leather couch. (And btw Trinidad is not best neonatology -- Arcos is better, but they are definitely not 210.) Also, you have to consider how much they charge for your partner to stay there -- some of the places are ridiculous on this front.
There are Drs who work with 210 who will happily give you a rundown of which hospitals they will work at. My OBGYN is absolutely lovely and works with 210 -- Geraldine Voto -- she is in Pueyreddon right by Sanatorio Anchorena (where we gave birth, and which was actually the cheapest for the spouse-stay). She is on the list on the OSDE website, her aunt is Liliana S Voto, a world renowned MFM. They do many of the scans in their own offices (though with 210 you do have to pay out of pocket for some of these). Geraldine works until 8pm or later a few nights a week (I can't remember her exact schedule). Towards end of your pregnancy she gives you her mobile number, you can call her with any issues. AND the midwife she works with is wonderful -- something that is very important since on DDay it is the midwife you are going to be the most in contact with, not your ObGyn
Don't get too hung up on where you want to deliver the baby. You don't *really* get to choose what hospital you're going to deliver at, especially if you are on 210. What happens is that about a month or so before your due date you register for birth at a variety of hospitals -- go to OSDE at this point -- They give you a present for you and the baby that is a diaper bag, with blanket, change pad, different Johnson's products etc. They register you in the system, so that they have some idea as to how many births they should be expecting different facilities to have to handle. Then you can also register yourself at different hospitals that your OBGYN and your plan work with. IE for ours we registered with Anchorena, Instituto Diagnostico, and Otamendi. Everyone said there's NO WAY you're going to get Otamendi -- Otamendi isn't even taking their own Medicus first-level plans anymore. Then for 210 between IADT and Anchorena our OBGYN preferred the teams at Anchorena, and in the end we were very pleased (and it is basically right across the street from her practice, so no worries she wouldn't be able to get there).
On the day you go into labour, you don't call your OBGYN -- you call your midwife, they call around to see who has a bed and you go to the sanatorio they tell you to go to. So even if you registered on the list at Trinidad, if on the day your baby comes (which I can almost guarantee will not be your due date), they don't have any beds, you will have to go to another institute. Don't get your hopes up on anything going according to your plan for your birth! It almost never does.
So, bottom line: go interview a few obstetricians, get a feel for them, find out what hospitals they work with. After evaluating a few, decide whether upping your plan really is something you want to do. And, don't worry so much -- I know it's first pregnancy, but it will all work out in the end.
