Growth Scan and Substitute Doctors

My good friend, R, was able to tell me today that Dr. H was out of the office until early September. A heads' up is always appreciated!

So I had the opportunity to meet with the substitute doctor. I am not familiar with her background, but since I was doing a growth scan and not much more, I wasn't too worried.

The results: We did lose a few days growth with my anti-Xa slumping. Not much, but enough to let me know that we came closer than I wanted to a repeat with how we lost Jackson.

I know from experience that my babies, once ahead of the growth curve, stay that way unless something starts to go wrong. Three weeks ago, Dash measured at 12w+3d, so exactly 3 weeks later, she should have been measuring at 15w+3d but that is not what happened.  Instead, she is right back at 15w+0d. I know that 3 days isn't really a big deal, but multiplied over a couple of weeks and we are back at "fetal demise".

Technically, being at 15w+0d is still within normal, but these doctors don't have my records from my pregnancies with my daughters.  Even Jackson stayed right-on-dates until his 19 weeks scan, so to have only 18 days' growth in 21 days' time is something that makes me not too happy but certainly happier than I'd be if she were measuring behind.

I can only hope that the mildly compromised blood flow for those three-ish weeks didn't also affect her brain development or any of her major organ systems.

Her anatomy scan is scheduled for three weeks from tomorrow. And yes, I'm nervous as heck. Jackson's anatomy scan was the last time I saw him alive, so I'm quite fearful.

The doctor was willing to sign another requisition form for another anti-Xa test. I'll get that done early next week, so that this test and my last one are just over 2 weeks apart.

I'd rather have the test done and show perfect clotting levels then forego the test and find out later that my meds were off again.  I explained this briefly to the doctor and she understood.

Unfortunately, since she's not familiar with my overall history, I was unable to discuss what my risks were as far as obstetric care and the possibility of finding a midwife.

It turns out that although the nursing staff and facilities at the Birthing Inn are pretty awesome, there is an extreme shortage of awesome doctors that deliver there. 

Even the doctor I was considering is now out. Another patient of his complained late last night, online, and another woman piped up that she'd had the same experience. The woman appears to be experiencing prodromal labor and was already 3 cm dilated at her check earlier that day and the doctor told her to call back when she's "in so much pain [she's]crying". 

Not everyone cries in pain!! The doctor appears to be super fantastic with c-sections and inductions but doesn't like having his sleep interrupted for anything else.

So scratch that one off the list.

My hunt continues and I'm feeling really let down that finding someone compassionate, more natural-minded, and that delivers at the Birthing Inn is so hard. It shouldn't be this hard.