Im a 22 year old in New Westminster, who just found out Im 8 weeks pregnant. I do not have a family doctor or OB-GYN, and the only testing I've had so far is a blood requisition. I know I need to have my blood pressure checked, a Pap smear, pelvic exam etc etc.
I'm writing here in hopes that someone can refer me to a great family doctor, and/or OB-GYN. From the walk-in clinic where I found out I was pregnant, I was sent to Royal Columbian Hospital. They do not seem to care that I haven't had any of the necessary tests, and said the soonest I can go in is Dec. 22. As all of you are well aware, a first time pregnancy is very scary, and you want to be getting all the scheduled tests, ultrasounds, and check marks. I am feeling lots of anxiety, and would just love a family doctor who cares about me and will take the time to assure me that my baby's and my heath is on par.
Please feel free to email me at chanel-xo@live.ca

Thank you

Thank you for recommending Tracy. I have given Tracy's clinic a call and I hope that she will be able to squeeze me in. I haven't heard back yet. Fingers crossed as she is just down the street from me. I will also give Linda Peters a call as well if it's a no go with Tracy as it sounds like other women have had great experiences with her as well. It's great to have a strong support in your midwife/doctor because I found when they told me that I would have to have a C-section with my son that I did little to stop it. I was so tired and just wanted to have my son out. But this second time, I want to be able to push the little one out for myself. And not have to itch all night after the birth because of coming off the drugs of the C-section plus the epidural made me shake uncontrollably. I was lucky to witness my sister-in-law's natural home birth and found it so encouraging for me to try it for myself.

It is frustrating that when I mention to some friends that I want to have a VBAC they think I'm crazy to go through all the labour again when I can easily just have a C-section and bypass it all. However, I know that I am not crazy and reading about a successful VBAC experience like yours gives me a lot of hope. Thanks!

I definitely have to agree with almost everyone here about how some OB/GYNs are very quick to suggest a C-section when it really isn't necessary. I had a relatively smooth labour with my first child back in 2005 (12 hours or so) but when it came to my second in 2007, I was in labour for about 28 hours. After 6 hours of pushing and "not-pushing," the OB/GYN on duty was ready to give me a C-section. Had it not been for Linda and her accurate instincts, I probably would've had an unnecessary C-section. Linda patiently waited for a more experienced OB/GYN to come on shift, who did a proper assessment of my condition, and was able to deliver my son by forceps without an episiotomy, I did have to get an epidural but I'd rather have that than a C-section.

Linda is a wonderful Midwife (as I'm sure other midwives in New West are) and I couldn't have imagined having my babies without her. I know Midwife's are more in demand but it is amazing how many people out there are still very unaware of the benefits of having one. It seems there is a common misconception that midwives are associated with home-births only or that they are not experienced enough. It couldn't be further from the truth!! Not to mention the awesome post-partum care that you receive.

Thanks again for the article. )

Wow, how many babies did you have?! I don't know when you had your babies, but doctor bias for or against C-section and other interventions waxes and wanes according to US trends in litigation (which affects Canadian doctors' perceptions of risk) and other factors. It also makes a huge difference whether you ended up with a C-section with your first. If you did, the likelihood of you having a second surgery is 80% at RCH.

The individual in charge of delivering the baby makes a big difference too. There are some doctors, even some OB/GYNs who limit intervention as much as possible. I've only had two kids, so I don't know what other hospitals are like. I can speak only to my own experience. Research (mentioned above) shows that I'm not the only one.

Second labours are often MUCH faster than first labours. I wish you all the best, and hope that your baby is born more quickly and with less trouble than your last! Do you have friends or family to help you once the new baby arrives? The C-section recovery can be difficult (especially if your first is small enough to need lifting … you're not supposed to lift anything heavier than your newborn for the first few weeks). Even if it's a vaginal birth it would be best to have some help in the first days following the baby's arrival.

I still say RCH is one of the best that I know of – as long as no one gets the horrible mean nurse…….

My daughter almost died in labour and they still let me have her with out a C-Section. I don't agree that they always seem to take the easy way out at RCH. You wanna hear horror stories, start talking about giving birth at SMH.

You are a victim of our p3 medical system.

The system is taxpayer funded (Public), requiring equipment from private companies (Profit) and the Doctors make kickbacks using it on the (People).

Your probably a victim of the drug companies too. I wonder how much Pregnant Mare Urine you've ingested. Or what anti-biotic cultures you've been needlessly exposed too.

Getting cut in a hospital is getting more and more risky.

People are ignorant to the dangers we are facing by our foolish prescription happy doctors. Practically everyone carries MRSA now, VRSA is right around the corner. Then what Doc ?

N.W.

I didn’t labour at all with my first child, who was cut from me because he was breech. With my second child, I went into a fast, awesome labour and my baby was descending well (even though he was breech too) and they still sectioned me. Both the obgyn and my midwife told me afterwards that I could have delivered him naturally (WHICH IS WHAT I WANTED AND THEY KNEW THAT). My midwife went so far as to say that I would likely not have had any problems and that if I decided to have a 3rd baby, she would definitely support me in having a vbac — not what I wanted to hear after just starting to recover from my botched c-section 2 weeks earlier.

My own family doctor also told me that I should have just pushed my baby out and ignored the obgyn and midwife, but I really felt like I had absolutely no choice but to consent since my midwife did not seem like she was going to fight for my vbac after all. SHe was prepping me mentally for a c-section from my first call to her telling her I was in labour.

I’ve gotten over the angst of that experience; life gets busy and you just do. But it makes me so angry to hear about other women who end up going through what I did. It is just so wrong and doesn’t seem to be getting better fast enough.

There are a lot of competing considerations for doctors, but ultimately they became doctors to practice medicine, and surgery is often regarded as the highest form of medicine.