**So sorry this is long!**

I picked my doctor based on my neighbor's recommendation. I knew I wanted an OB that was connected to one of the best hospitals in the area. She had had two different docs with her two pregnancies, and gave me the name of the doctor I'm using. My neighbor's husband is a pediatrician, and works with *so* many OBs, that I doubly trusted their advice as her hubby really knows "who is who" in the world of baby docs.

Here is what I will say. I *really* like my doctor. I'm 16.5 weeks, and saw him for my first appointment at 7.5 weeks. He spent over an hour with us, answered every question, and then told us answers to questions we hadn't even thought of. I told him I'd had some trouble with his office staff (his receptionists suck), and he apologized, and said he'd look into it as that shouldn't be happening. We left feeling like he was a bit quirky, but also that his 'quirkiness' was a good way of assuaging tension during ups and downs of a very emotional process (pregnancy!).

Here's the thing, though-his office staff SUCKS. Often when I call with questions, the receptionists refer me to a packet of information that they gave me at my first appointment, and hems and haws before agreeing to leave a message with a nurse. The packet has information in there, but when I'm calling, it's because I have a specific question that relates to MY pregnancy, not pregnancies in general. Often it takes two calls to get a nurse to call me back. The nurses have been mostly helpful, but with a recent issue (Placenta Previa, diagnosed by the Perinatologist during our NT scan so my doc hasn't talked with me yet), the nurse left me a voicemail saying I am not allowed to fly without even looking at my ultrasound. She then talked with a doctor, and gave me the go-ahead.

What I want to know, is.....does this sound typical of OB offices? Are they all like this? At the end of the day, it's the doctor in the delivery room with me, and I like him and trust him. However, I see him so infrequently, that I find myself frustrated more often than not and I know that isn't good. Do you think it's worth looking for another OB? I would feel like an idiot switching practices if what I'm experiencing is "par for the course" with OB offices. However, if many of you chime in and say that you typically receive better care/attention/"service" from your docs, maybe it's worth looking into. I'm 16.5 weeks, so it isn't too late to switch, but if I'm going to I should do it soon. Thanks to anyone who read this whole thing and chimes in.