I have to start seeing a mfm but I’m not particularly happy about it. It feels like they’re an imposter, coming in at the last minute after I’ve lived with diabetes for 19 years and trying to boss me around. Which I know is a tad childish and ridiculous because their end goal is a healthy mama and baby too.
I don’t mind having a few extra tests done to make sure everything is fine, but I’m worried they’ll push me into a bunch of interventions that I’d rather attempt to go without and/or save as last ditch effort kind of things. I’m stubborn as the day is long, and will also have people both on my side, and who can give unbiased opinions. But I’m guessing my regular ob and endo will both defer to the mfm…
So what’s your experience? What should I expect at my first appointment?
My MFM has not told me anything that my OB has not. They’ve pretty much
just said “yeah everything’s good.” They agree with the plan my OB has,
which includes once or twice weekly NSTs starting at 28 weeks, weekly
growth scans starting at 32 weeks, and being induced before 39 weeks.
No experience yet, but I feel exactly the same way you do! Just remember that it is your body - they cannot force you technically, to do anything you don’t want done. For your NSTs, if the baby isn’t responding, he or she may be asleep and apparently clapping helps wake him or her up. If they’re measuring amniotic fluid levels, make sure you are well hydrated before going in so they don’t ding you for low fluid. If your blood pressure is elevated, push back and ask that they be measured once again the next day to see if it was a fluke. If you can pass these tests, hopefully they won’t push you into an emergency delivery situation and a bunch of interventions. Good luck!
Background: First pregnancy, at nearly 23 weeks.
After becoming pregnant, my primary referred me to the high-risk MFM clinic and they are the only physicians I’ve seen. This works well because I was told in the past that I would also have to start seeing an endo if I were to get pregnant. (I’ve never had one in 28 years of being T1.) My pregnancy has been totally routine. . . No morning sickness, no pain, cramping, etc. Mostly, my appointments involve them asking if I have any concerns, checking baby with the Doppler, and discussing blood sugars. Records are uploaded to Tidepool from my Dexcom and Omnipod, then they make suggestions for rate adjustment. So far, I have been in agreement. Mainly, trying to rein in persistent evening highs. Between appts, I can upload data and they e-mail recommendations.
That said, I still do have paranoia that I will be told I need to have interventions or induce, as my due date gets closer. They usually tell me to return in 3 weeks. I’ve been pushing it to 4, without argument. I did choose to cancel the recommended fetal echo appt. I will find out on Tues if they make a fuss about that.
Well so far so good for me. The first mfm appointment went well, a ton of paperwork though, and I opted out of genetics and other screenings. The US tech did a pretty complete US and checked the hb, which was fine, nt was fine as well, and then they sent me in to (wait forever) discuss with the actual doc. She went over my meds & insulin & how I was already under the care of an endo and have been for quite some time. Basic stuff. Then she said I had to do a 24 hr urine collection (so fun!) for baseline readings, and told me to come back in 7 weeks. Off I went.
So overall, not nearly as bad or invasive as I was expecting. I’ve seen my ob twice since then (well, an ob and a midwife) and things are still going well. Eh, except my blood sugars have been stupid this past week because I needed a break from my pods and levemir absolutely SUCKS! I think I’m about to put a pod back on anyways and see if it helps.
Anyways. The next mfm appt is the 16th and we’ll get to see if we’re having a little boy or a little girl! Everyone is so excited! I’ll be almost 19 weeks by then so hopefully baby will give us a good peek!
