Hellobee Boards

@MrsCB: What you are or are not comfortable with is not silly at all! I would definitely ask about appointments and delivery. If you are not satisfied with the answer, I would consider changing practices. I am sure you are not the only patient to ever feel the same way!

As an aside, it may not be possible to avoid all men during the delivery process, as you may have male nurses come in and out of the room. But to the extent possible, let your comfort be your guide!

I think this is a pretty common concern... I'm sure they will be as accommodating as they can!

Not silly at all! I'd feel the same way. Definitely ask questions, and if you're not comfortable with the answers, find a different office.

@MrsCB: Honestly, your OB is virtually non existent during labor & delivery. The nurse is with you 99% of the time. Not sure if this is different with a midwife.
re: inductions. I know my practice was uncomfortable/not willing to schedule inductions unless I was over a week late or for the baby's safety.

I went with an all woman group. It just worked out that way, but I really liked them all and felt pretty comfortable with them. Luckily, labor and delivery happened when my OB was on call!

Does the male OB have a specialty that none of the other staffers cover?

I'm not even pregnant and I worry about the same thing. I want to have a midwife just so I can ensure it's a woman. I'm not comfortable at all with my doctor being male!

@MrsCB: Just curious, what would you do if at induction you ended up with a male nurse?

I know for my delivery, my nurses probably saw a lot more of me than the Dr. did!

When I first started working, I picked the cheapest health insurence and when I was looking for a OBGYN through that health insurence I was asked if I preferred female or male? I didn't think about it and said either was fine, but after a minute I said oh I take that back I would really like a female.

The person on the line started giving me a lecture how I just said a minute ago I was fine with either! I said well I changed my mind. She still gave me some very rude comments about my preference for a female but set me up with a female anyways. I was quite upset. So upset I even changed my health insurence when my enrollment period came around.

Now I have a female OBGYN but when I went into labor group of on call people one person was a male and he was the one that checked up on me when I came in. I was suprised, he was very nice and gentle! He was also very funny and had a med student following him and he was teaching her all the ins and outs of the delivery room.

He was also very comforting I was super scared of giving birth and he gave me a compliment that helped me through. He said something to the effect that wow I was a super women not being on meds even though I was 5 cm dialiated. For some reason that comment made me feel like I could give birth and that I was ready.

His shift ended before I actually gave birth, but I wouldn't have minded if he delivered my baby.

I think it depends on the situation. Definitely don't put yourself in a situation you are uncomfortable with. This is already a pretty stressful time in your life! You are not silly at all.

@MrsCB: how many midwives are there? just trying to see what your odds are of ending up with the male OB =) is there a group that is all midwives?

@MrsCB: it might even be lower than that if he is the OB covering all the patients from the midwives since anyone needing a scheduled section would need him to deliver, so he might spend more of his L&D time covering those & less covering laboring patients. trying to be optimistic =)

@MrsCB: My RE is the first male doctor (of any kind) that I've had since I was a kid! I used to go to an all female OB/GYN practice but I just switched this year to one with 3 female midwives & 1 female OB). I also picked them both because the name of the practice inferred they were all women. So there are at least two all female practices in the area!