How to Choose Your OB-GYN in Greater Toronto Area?
Finally after almost 10 days of feeling different in my body, and not having my period, I decided to buy a instant pregnancy checker. It was around 8 pm, I came home form work and did the pregnancy urine test.
It showed positive.
Really??!! I could not believe it! I am pregnant! Tears of joy, happiness, excitement ; sharing this fabulous news with my hubby, and our joy has started in our little growing family.
For couple of days, still I could not believe it, and I was just so excited and emotional about this experience. After having a blood test, and get the confirmation result again, fining an OB came to my mind, and here my story started that I like to share with you; I had such a stressful time to find an OB I like for almost 3 weeks, simply just because I did not know anything about the process of how to find an OB. I really don’t want any other pregnant mom, be in my shoes so hopefully future Toronto mom to be can go this way easier than I did.
If you are planning to have your baby in a hospital, you also need either an OB or a midwife.
These are the steps you would like to follow to find the OB who you can trust on and work with during your pregnancy:
Make a list of OB in your area
First thing is to choose a hospital or two which are closest to you. Obviously, you don’t want to be driven too far to deliver your baby. After that, make a list of the OB physicians who practices on that hospital. You can find this list by simply searching OB names on the hospital website.
Then, narrow the list to those who you think are best fit for you. Ask your family MD and your friends. Google and find their reviews online. Ask moms groups on Facebook or BabyCenter Canada.
2. Visit you Family Physician as soon as possible.
Your GP does HCG blood work to make sure your level is up, and also does prenatal blood work so you have a baseline blood work result at the beginning of your pregnancy. If you are not on Folic Acid before getting pregnant, you family physician prescribe you one.
Aside from these, ask your family physician to refer you to a OB of your choice providing the list you made. Usually, you are supposed to hear the approval or denial from an OB within two days. If you hear no from the first OB, move down to your list. This is when you have to team up with your family MD so the result work on your favor.
Don’t hesitate, Don’t be upset!
3. You have an OB now
when an OB (hopefully the one you like to take care of you and your baby) accepts you, they will cal you to make your first prenatal visit. Usually, most OB specialists in Toronto area give you the first appointment after 12 weeks of pregnancy or around that, so don’t stress out yourself if you don’t have OB before that. Just make sure you are consistent with your appointment to visit your family physician. Also before visiting your OB for the first time, you most probably have your first ultrasound at around 8 weeks of pregnancy to check the hear beat. This first ultrasound was the sweetest for me and my hubby and I am pretty sure it will be for you, so just enjoy it.
I hope these steps would help you to make the process of health care provider easy and stress-free for you and your baby; and Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Are you thinking of celebrating your pregnancy with gender reveal, baby shower or maternity photos? These sweet moments are well deserved to be documented for your baby and family. Let’s plan this together.