https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 03 May 2026 16:35:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-41788 Tue, 27 Dec 2011 06:23:56 +0000 pastemoo 41788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Went to my PCM, and could not get a referral! Looks like I am switching to Standard after my anatomy scan, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-30950 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:05:07 +0000 pastemoo 30950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Navy_Mommy: Thanks so much for the feedback!<br /> I don't have an OB, and tried to switch to one and they said no! They switched me from one nurse practitioner to another, so my next option is see my primary care manager (1.5 weeks till that appointment) to get a referral out--OR if that doesn't work, switch to TriCare Standard and go the civilian doctor/civilian hospital route.<br /> My hubby's stationed at Quantico and the nearest hospital is Fort Belvoir. With traffic, that is well over an hour. Also--it means if I go after work the two of us would have to drive separately. Not good.</p> <p>AND How cool that your hospital is so close to you! I think if I had your experience, I would stick with it. But my experience blows so far (they waited several weeks to tell me that I'm a carrier for a genetic disease that hubby might carry. It's fatal by age 3-5, but by the time we get hubby's results it'll be way too late to do anything but carry to term and pray.)</p> <p>AND I've missed you on the boards. I was ellabee.</p> <p>@StbHisMrs: OMG What a horror story! I am afraid of something like that happening. Yet another reason to switch to Standard I guess!</p> <p>@zippylef: Is that the standard? I got appointments at 7 weeks, 11 weeks, 17 weeks, 24 weeks, and then we'll see from there. Only that first one was close as you say. But, you know what? I don't really want to go anyway.<br /> I really like your birth plan. I haven't been able to get in a word edgewise, so I'm hoping when I switch NPs and then maybe switch to Standard--I can actually *talk* to someone.</p> <p>Thanks ladies for all your input. I really appreciate it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15617 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:07:17 +0000 loveisstrange 15617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@navy_mommy- Yeah, we were so grateful. It's seriously one of the best things about DH being an EOD tech. It's a very small field, so it really is like a family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15577 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:14:56 +0000 Navy_Mommy 15577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. It's stories like that that make me appreciate the military even more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15574 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:12:37 +0000 loveisstrange 15574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@navy_mommy- I've missed you in the Spring 2012 babies thread, btw. I was sad that I never knew who you were before all of the drama went down. I always liked you on your pre-married username too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15572 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:10:52 +0000 loveisstrange 15572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@navy_mommy- DH's deployment changed. I think it must have happened after your departure from WB. After we got to the UK, we found out that another guy in the shop had volunteered to take the deployment for him because they knew I was pregnant. He now gets to be here when the baby is born, so I'm staying here with him to deliver. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15565 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:03:02 +0000 Navy_Mommy 15565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: Your birth plan basically sounds exactly like the one I have in my head...Not to be a creep or anything (because I'm bringing up stuff I remember from WB) but I thought you were going to be flying home to give birth? What made you change your mind? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15560 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:58:06 +0000 loveisstrange 15560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be delivering at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. (USAF base). So far, I'm satisfied with my care through OB. I'm 21 weeks along. My main gripe about the OB appointments is that you don't get one every month. The clinic here does them every 6-8 weeks at first, then every 4 weeks and then every 2 weeks. In the states, it would have been every 4 weeks, then every 2 and then every week.</p> <p>As for birth, I have not given birth yet (obviously) but I have been working on my birth plan and discussing my wishes with the doctor I have been seeing. I'm not really sure about other branches and I have even heard that Lakenheath is different because it's influenced by the British system, but they have told me that I have tons of options. There are midwives on staff here as well lactation consultants, which is nice. </p> <p>As for my birth plan, I want a totally natural birth, the ability to follow my body's instincts and undisturbed time with my baby immediately following birth. My birth plan that I have been discussing with my doctor includes things like: hep lock instead of an IV, ability to get out of bed and walk and move, the ability to shower during labor, I want to tear rather than be cut, spontaneous pushing instead of coached, not to be offered drugs at all, baby placed immediately on my chest and left alone for the first hour, etc. The military doctors have assured me that this is all possible and I have talked to a lot of women who have been allowed to give birth their way.</p> <p>As with any hospital, you are going to have people telling you horror stories. I would take those with a grain of salt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15545 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:45:26 +0000 Navy_Mommy 15545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StbHisMrs: Ahhhhh! What a nightmare! Another reason to be happy I can see the hospital from my back window! lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-15065 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:35:34 +0000 StbHisMrs 15065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My experience was 9.5 years ago but the major thing I'm sure still applies. I loved my ob, hated the pharmacy wait.<br /> I was ok'd to travel from Oregon to Washington a month before my due date, I went into labor while in Oregon. Tricare told the hospital I was at that if they did anything at all to progress labor they wouldn't pay a dime. I spent 5 days in a civilian hospital, dilated to a 4, they wouldn't release me and couldn't induce me. My water finally started to trickle, they "checked" me and it "helped" to finish breaking my waters ;). I bet that was a huge bill, we were there for 7 days!<br /> Don't travel within a month is what I learned, lol!</p> <p>Pediatrics was great, like I said I loved my OB/Ped </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-14295 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:02:36 +0000 Navy_Mommy 14295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One last thing, haha, another plus (for me at least) is I can literally see the hospital from my back window, haha. I keep telling people I'm just gonna walk there to help labor progress. Not many people live that close to the hospital! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-14293 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:59:21 +0000 Navy_Mommy 14293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yeah, I have Tricare Prime as well.</p> <p>And the only thing I've heard that I didn't think was normal is unless something goes seriously wrong, 24 hours after baby comes you are out of there! Most civilians I know have been there for a few days at the least. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-14289 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:54:58 +0000 Navy_Mommy 14289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you going to be using a doctor on a base or a civilian doctor?</p> <p>I'm going to the Ob clinic on base here on NAS Lemoore. They have 2 Ob-gyns and 1 midwife. Luckily for me, I really love the midwife, she's amazing. My appointments so far have been great and they're more than willing to spend the time to go over my concerns. My biggest issue is there are only 2 operating rooms in the hospital and if I needed an emergency c-section and both rooms were in use I would almost definitely have to be flown to another hospital. But that would be a concern at any smaller hospital, it doesn't matter that I'm on a military base.</p> <p>Everyone I've spoken to has had a great experience here, but that really depends where you are. Tricare has been great too, they actually rushed a referral so I could get an NT scan in time. </p> <p>I've also heard the lactation consultant here is great, which is another plus.</p> <p>All in all, Tricare really shouldn't give you problems. I've never heard someone complain about the maternity coverage they have, but your whole experience depends on the hospital you'll be using. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/military-ob-care-your-experience#post-14281 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:35:35 +0000 pastemoo 14281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What are you experiences with TriCare and your military clinic with your care during pregnancy and *especially* your care during giving birth.</p> <p>I have TriCare Prime and am seriously concerned that all my needs will get pushed aside and I will not be able to have a birth plan because I will be another gumball in the gumball machine.</p> <p>Experiences? Recommendations?</p> <p>Thank you! </p>