Finding The Right Doctor When Pregnant With Twins & Higher-Order Multiples.

 

 

Finding The Right Doctor When Pregnant With Twins & Higher-Order Multiples.

3-10-2012

 

 

         WOW…I’m having twins! Now what?

There are many questions asked when you find out you are expecting. Boy or girl? Think it might be twins? how did you tell your husband? Have any names picked out?

 

Less likely talked about is who is your doctor? Who will delver you? Why is it so important to find a doctor you love when you are pregnant, especially with multiples? I had three reasons? My babies and ME!

 

Carrying and birthing twins can not only be physically, but emotionally draining. The thought of two new babies can seem overwhelming. Having a doctor you can trust and talk openly with helps exclude one problem from your life, as you will be seeing him or her much more often then you would in a singleton pregnancy.

 

 Make sure your doctor or perspective doctor: 

 

 

1) Has a good, no an excellent bedside manner & answers all of your questions.

To me this is huge. I need to be able to come into the office without my pulse racing and blood pressure raised, and feel free to ask my doctor anything and everything I want to without any fear, worry, or being rudely pushed aside for another patient. Having a doctor with a good disposition, who doesn’t rush you off so quickly, is very important. Like a partner, you want a doctor who will listen.

 

When pregnant with twins or more, it’s almost like you are forming a new, or cultivating an old relationship with your obstetrician. You want an OB that can help alleviate fears, and be a great source of comfort and guidance. Make sure this important relationship is a pleasant one, or else move on and start looking elsewhere as early in your pregnancy as possible.

 

 

2) Is receptive to your birth plan(s).

Now granted, there are times with twins that c sections are warranted just like in any other pregnancy, only slightly increased. I found that people expected me to have a c section since it was twins. With baby B breech, even the day I went in the nurses thought I was going for the knife. I didn’t intend on it.

 

If you desire to try a vaginal birth and are NOT pregnant with triplets and beyond, you have a great shot at it. If baby A is not head down, unfortunately, it can’t be done. But the vast majority of the time baby A will go head down, and hopefully baby B to, but all bets are not off.

 

Talk to your doctor, as some are willing to deliver twin vaginally with a breech in tow, others not. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a midwife for twins so I just made my wishes known to my doctor time and again at every appointment, and at the hospital. Don’t sit back and let others make decisions for you, but do be prepared for anything, and do do your research.

 

 

3. Reputation & research

If you haven’t started seeing a perspective new OB for your twins-to-be or just have..RESEARCH HIM! Look him or her up on the Internet for any positive or negative reviews. A lot of doctors have them. Do put stock in what others might say about a particular physician. (Love or hate, and do ask why?)

 

Search thoroughly, see how long the doctor has been practicing. You don’t want a doctor fresh out of med school, and you don’t want a doctor with a foot in the grave, pardon my bluntness. Years of experience, schooling, hospital affiliation(s), any patient complaints or praises are helpful in making your final decision. Again, with twins you will be seeing this person quite a bit more often then with only one baby.

 

 

 Beginning questions to ask your new doctor once you feel you may have found ‘the one’.

 

 

1) Where will you be delivering?

Most OB’s are affiliated with a certain hospital if they are delivering doctors. Increasingly, because of malpractice insurance costs, obstetricians in private practice are seemingly getting phased out a bit, and being replaced by resident doctors much more frequently then once was. I was not happy with this notion and discussed it early on. I also researched the hospital I’d be delivering at. You can find out all about a hospital right down to their private room situation and c section rates.

 

 

2) Is your doctor going to deliver you?

Sometimes you form this incredible, trusting bond only to find out down the line your doctor won’t be the person who will be delivering you. Make sure if it is important to you, and it is to most having twins or more, that the doctor you see will in fact be there for you on ‘D day’.

 

Sometimes there are multiple doctors within a practice and any of them might be delivering you. If this happens to be the case and you are ok with this…occasionally make an appointment with all of the other doctors there from time to time to form some sort of relationship with them prior. Voice your desires with all of them.

 

 

3) Ask about prior multiple experience.

My doctor told me he had delivered 178 sets of twins and only one of those needed a section AND vaginal birth, (my biggest fear), and only 4 others had had an unplanned c section, which sounded like incredible odds. Plus, he was not opposed to fighting to help me deliver twins vaginally, or opposed to helping me deliver a potential breech, which in fact did happen.

 

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Seeing a new doctor for the first time can be scary. We very often can draw a blank and forget what we wanted to ask and/or say come our appointment time. Bring a little note pad with you on your very first visit. (Every appointment if need be.) Have your questions listed so they all get answered, and write down anything you feel is important to you.

 

Make the best, most informed decision that you possibly can. A terrific doctor can make being pregnant with twins or more a much more enjoyable and less worrisome experience. Good luck to all of you!

 

 

“Twins are a blessing you can’t fully fathom until they arrive. So is a terrific doctor that helps keep them safe for 9 months, and aids in bringing them into the world.”- Mama P.