So for the past several days I have been agonizing about how to approach my decision to switch practitioners. I had my appointment scheduled with the Ob/Gyn today and I was dreading the confrontation. The only thing that made it easier to stomach is that it wasn’t my usual obstetrician, who I have probably seen for a total of 30 minutes across the course of pregnancy thus far. So I was going to be telling someone totally new that I was making the switch.
I really worried about what I was going to say – how I would tell them that I thought I’d be better taken care of by a midwife, that my interests and desires would probably be attended to more closely, that I’d have more time with the practitioner – and I was afraid of what their reactions would be. But surprisingly it was quick and painless. The doctor, who was actually pretty attentive and spent more than the obligatory 30 seconds with me, and even asked me if he had answered all my questions, asked if there was anything else he needed to know today. And I said, well, I’ve made a tough decision – I’ve decided to switch my care to a midwife. And he responded, oh, ok, where are you going? And I mentioned where, and he said, well just let us know and we can send your chart wherever you need to. And that was that. It was so surprisingly simple that I felt strange even with that response.
As a pediatrician, I always feel really bad when people decide to switch care. Of course I know that they have to do what is best for them, but I always asked what is making them make the decision and I do feel that I try to be as personable with them as possible, and I do feel a bit of a loss when they go. So I don’t know how anyone in the OB office or my own obstetrician would feel. The doula we are interviewing let us know not to worry to much – that I am one of many patients for them and this likely happens frequently enough for them not to be phased. I think she was right!
Now as to more specific reasons about why I am making the switch – I’d like to first have some experience with the midwife – which is coming up in the next few weeks, before I go into that discussion. But for now things are feeling pretty calm!