Waiting...Waiting...Geez!

My normal midwife is on vacation to Ireland/Scotland with her husband. And my second favorite midwife came down with the flu, so the office called this morning to reschedule my appointment for today. The only person who has an opening is a doctor, so I take a 2:45 appointment since I need this Group B Strep Test this week. (They test you for a bacteria, if you have it, they have to give you antibiotics when you are in labor, but it's really not that big of a deal, you just have to be tested as close to 36 weeks as possible.) This is the first time since I was confirmed pregnant that they actually have to go "down there" and the doctor is male, which is a first for me, but I decide I'm fine with this.

Timeline
2:40 - Arrived at the office, check in, pee in cup

2:45 - Escorted to room with instructions to undress the bottoms and put sheet over lap, told doctor would “be in right in”

2:50 - I could hear him in his office talking to someone…..still talking….still talking….

I read an issue of Parenting magazine. Cover to cover, kind of.

Did I mention there was annoying country music on the loud speakers??? That must have been the last straw. I mean, I am a hormonal pregnant person at this point, and there is plenty to be done back at the office! And I'm not a totally patient person to begin with.

3:25 - I poke my head out to find a nurse that might be able to help me. She wasn’t standing there, but the doctor saw me peek out from his office. Now I understand if doctors/midwives get called away to the hospital to deliver babies and they aren't able to see you on time. But when I can hear him talking in the other room - give me a break!

3:30 - Are you kidding me? I get dressed and I'm ready to leave. They can do the stupid test next week! He's so inconsiderate! So I walked past his office and he then said, "Sorry, I’ll be right with you"…so I stayed. He sent in a student to hear the heartbeat, which is always a thrill, but of course she is new so she can't find it. Good thing baby was moving around so I wasn’t laying there thinking there was no heartbeat!

3:33 - Doctor enters! Explains that he’s always late because he likes to talk and be very thorough, talks to whole time, asks if I have questions, which I don’t, because I have to get back to work! Then goes on to explain that in 8 days I will be considered “full-term” so it could “be any day now”. Which the midwives just don’t say, because they are realistic, and don’t want to get you excited. Their line is that most women carry their first pregnancy an average of 41 weeks and 1 day, unless of course they are induced, which leads to a 50% chance of c-section, which is why the U.S. has such a high c-section rate. They encourage you to be patient! Nature will take its course. If it happens before that, woo-hoo you get to meet your bundle of joy a few days sooner.

3:45 - Return to checkout desk and ask nicely to be scheduled with my midwife next week, the nice girls both roll their eyes and say "Yeah, we know. He's always late. Always talking. Behind schedule." I'd like to find the woman that called me this morning and scheduled my appointment!

Moral of the Story
Before I started seeing midwives three years ago, this tardiness was always my experience at the OB/GYN. But I figured it was for an annual exam, it only happens once a year. That's just how it is. Hence, I always feel grateful when I go to a midwife, and I'm in an out in 20-30 minutes, they're usually with me for 15-20 of those minutes and we have a conversation, I don't feel like I've just been lectured, it's all hunky dory!

This is why I chose a midwife, people! Not because I want to have a home birth. Not because I want to have a natural delivery with no drugs. They can do all of those things. If you are reading this and you know someone that has a misconception about midwives - please set them strait for me!

Thanks! ;o)

P.S. Maybe I'll post some belly pictures this weekend - something I'm much happier about!