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What to Expect at Your Doctor Appointments
Most visits to the doctor - any doctor - start with a good, healthy wait. So bring a book! Sometimes a long wait can be annoying. Occasionally it's nice to have an excuse to sit quietly and think. Or you can read one of the many baby or birth books you have stacked up!
Some doctors have two waiting rooms. You sit in the first right after you check in. Then a nurse calls you to the back and weighs you. She gives you a cup which you take to the bathroom and pee in. Usually there is a little door in the wall for you to put the cup in. Some offices will have you sit in a second waiting room after this, and some will have you go to an examination room.
Most offices try to have a shorter wait for you. You're less likely to encounter a long wait if your provider has a smaller practice or a solo practice.
Your blood pressure may be taken at a nurse's station or in your room. Depending on your appointment you might also have your finger pricked for an iron test. The nurse may also ask you if you have any questions or concerns. You can share with her or wait for the doctor.
Seeing your doctor
Your doctor will come in and do an exam on you. He'll (or she'll) probably measure your belly and listen to the baby's heartbeat - most likely with a Doppler (remember listening to the heartbeat and measuring won't be done at first, when your baby is small).
Some doctors will palpate your abdomen and some will not. He does this to assess the baby's position in the womb. Again this won't be done until your baby is bigger - probably around the start of your third trimester.
He'll probably ask you if you have any questions. Have your questions and comments written down beforehand and don't hesitate to ask.
Busy doctors do not usually stay more than a few minutes with each patient. Some will have a separate time to talk in their office. And some may be willing to sit and chat for quite awhile. Remember that you've hired your doctor and you have the right to have your questions answered!
Unfortunately it really seems that the longest part of most visits to the obstetrician is the time you'll spend in the waiting room. If you see your family doctor, or a specialized doctor such as a perinatologist, then you may get more time with him.
Have your questions and concerns listed beforehand and make sure that you get good answers to all of them. If you have a doctor who likes to spend five minutes with each patient, a thorough list can help you get the most out of each visit.