Disappointed in OB appt today

This was my first one after finding out we were having twins. I posted yesterday on what questions to ask. Thanks to those who gave me suggestions!!!

Anyway, had my 2nd ob appt. today and I must say I left more than a little disappointed. I was hoping I would get treated a bit differently due to having twins. Guess that isn't the case with my dr! Just did the normal weigh in, urine and check bp. He did listen for the hb's and we heard both but one was much slower than the other this time. When I had my u/s they were 160 and 165. I don't know the rates 'cause he didn't tell me but I could tell one was much slower. I said to him that it sounded like my hb and he seemed to dismiss it. He asked me if I was interested in genetic counseling so I said yes. I go on Monday for my NT test as I'm almost in the 2nd tri. At least I will get to see my babies on Monday! He also said he doesn't treat my pg any different than a singleton until 28 weeks when I'll see him weekly. If I go in to labor before 34 weeks he'll send me to the hospital where I'm going for genetic counseling which is an hour away! So anyway, my next u/s is Monday the 15th and my next appt is Nov. 6th.

Should I be concerned? I don't want to stress out too much. And probably the book I'm reading isn't helping as far as thinking I should be treated differently (Dr. Luke's book on pregnant with twins, etc) Anyone else reading that? I need serious help to keep from stressing out!

Amy

 

You just described exactly how I felt with mine. It will be interesting to see what other ladies think. I was fortunate that I had an uneventful pregnancy (except for the weights) but I always felt like I wasn't being monitored closely enough. Good luck!! :hug99:

 

First, congrats on your pregnancy!
While it may seem odd, if your pregnancy is healthy and progressing normally, there is no reason for them to make you have extra appts, etc.

I think its great that my doctors don't treat my pregnancy like its completely different just because I'm having twins. Starting at 20 weeks, they started me on growth scans every 4 weeks, which is the only major change. Unfortunately, I got off my schedule when they sent me to a peri for a second anatomy scan, so I have been having appointments every 2 weeks anyway.

At first it seemed really weird, but now, I am just glad I don't have a lot of appointments to go to.

 

That seems weird to me. This is my first pregnancy ( so I don't have anything to compare it to) but I am treated so differently as compared to my singleton friend Moms. I have already had 3 u/s and I have another one next week then a level two only one week after that! I like that I am treated differently, carrying two babies seems like a big deal to me! Switch Docs if you don't feel comfortable. I would be out of there especially after him dimissing your question about your heartbeat vs. one of the twins. It is part of a Doctor's job to put you at ease and in my opinion do whatever they can to make you feel safe and informed.

 

I can relate. I'm reading the book, too. Almost done with it. Keep in mind that book is written by someone who works at a clinic SPECIFICALLY designed for multiples. So they are going to know anything and everything. Most of the stuff in the book though has not happened to me, so I don't trip if my doctor covers it. If you feel like you are being provided inadequate health care go see a peri. I haven't found that neccessary yet.
I don't trip that often on my two little ones because I have nothing to tell me I should...and hopefully that remains!

 

Hopefully they will keep a closer eye on you as you get further along, they may not feel the need to right now.

That said I did see a peri along with my regular OB. He was recommended by my OB, only because I was having twins-I was not high risk for any other reason. The peri treated me differently. They did a growth u/s at every visit, I loved it.

My regular OB just did the normal check ups, however they did do an u/s at every visit to detect the h/bs.

If you would like you could see a peri along with your regular OB.

 

I went through infertility and saw the RE, so I knew seeing the OB would be a different experience altogether. I wasn't treated any differently than a singleton pregnancy....Every ob appt was urine, weight, bp, and check the h/b's. That was the extent of it. At 20 weeks, we had our growth u/s and every 4 weeks after. That was through the perinatologists-but I didn't see a specific peri. The sonographers just showed them the results of the scan, and then the peri would meet with us quickly and go over questions if we had any. Also-by 30 weeks I was seeing her weekly...They will start treating you differently if you have PTL or something to be concerned about. But if everything is going well-no need to be treated differently. Of course for me, waiting for 4 weeks for appts was torture! But if you ever feel like something is off, definitely call the Dr.

I think towards the end you are treated a tad more differently...I have 3 appts a week...I go for a NST, a BPP and I see my OB. That's been since 32/33 weeks...I'll have my last ones this week!

Good luck with everything!

 

FWIW I hated Dr. Luke's book with a firey burning passion....I hated the attitude and tone of the book that said "if you don't do EXACTLY what we say you WILL have small sickly babies"...

I saw the OB once a month and the Peri once a month throughout my pg and once I hit 28 weeks I went to the OB twice a month and then at 32w I started NST's...otherwise I was treated like any other first time pregnant mom...

 

I saw a peri, because I felt uneasy about my OB office. They had me coming every 3 weeks, until they found that my cervix length was gone at 16 weeks and I had an emergency cerclage. Then I was there every 1-2 weeks.

I know many, many ladies have a perfectly normal, problem free twin pregnancy. I did not, so I always recommend that you get your cervix length measured via T/V U/S starting in the second trimester, regularly (at least every 2-3 weeks). That saved my pregnancy, and not all docs do it.

 

Sounds very normal to me, similar to my experience. My doctor only does u/s at 20 weeks and then every 4 weeks (so nothing extra before 20 weeks, just the regular check-ups). I had 4 weekly appointment until 16 weeks, then 2 weekly until 28 weeks and then weekly as well. NST's started at 36 weeks. She did do an internal at every visit to make sure I wasn't dilating though.

I had a very uneventful pregnancy, both times. My first was late, large, very smooth ride and the twins were also pretty easy. There was no reason to treat me differently, however my doc said there are more things to look for (so that's why she does more regular checkups and the extra u/s) and she encouraged me to call whenever I felt like it but twin pregnancies are not high risk in general.

You're doing fine!

 

At the beginning of my pregnancy I felt the exact same way that you do! To be honest, I think that being on this board and reading about how everyone else was seeing a peri and having all these tests and such didn't help when I was first pregnant and had no idea what to expect. (in my mind, I know not everyone sees a peri, but at the time I was very worried about me not seeing one).

My doctor didn't treat my pregnancy any differently than a singleton until 20 weeks. Starting at 20 weeks I've had a growth u/s or BPP every 4 weeks, and then at 28 weeks I started having them every 2 weeks, and now I have had a lot more tests than my friends that are pregnant with singletons. So I really had nothing to worry about, it's just that it's hard to not worry when you don't know what to expect! My doctor says that with a low risk spontaneous twin pregnancy, there is not a lot of difference until the 3rd trimester.

I think the bottom line is you have to trust in your doctor and in the care you are receiving. If you don't trust that your doctor is giving you the care that you need then I would find a different doctor that you trust!

 

I did see my OB more frequently, but I know that it is not unheard of to follow the route your doctor is taking. For me, I liked that I was getting an u/s at each visit to check the heartbeats; that way there was no mix up between my own hb and the babies. It also helped my doctor to catch my shortening cervix early and to be proactive in my treatment.

If you are uneasy, can you still shop around?

 

I love my Dr, he told me on the day we found out we were having twins that we would be seeing our babies A LOT. He does an ultrasound every visit, to check the heartbeats, take a quick look at the babies and check my cervical length. He told me from day one that he completely understood any fears or concerns I had with this pregnancy and to call or come in for ANYTHING. I also go to a high risk peri once a month starting a couple weeks ago.

I can understand the idea that there is no reason to assume that a twin pregnancy can't move along as smoothly and similar as a singleton, but there ARE a lot of extra factors tied into a multiple pregnancy and I think that Mommy's reassurance counts for a whole lot during pregnancy

 

I never saw a Peri and I went to the OB the same as other pregnant women. The only difference with me was that I got more ultrasounds. I never even went to once a week appointments.

That being said, if you don't feel comfortable with your dr there is no harm in changing to another. There is nothing to feel bad about - you are the most important thing.