My main thing I hope anyone can take from this is AVOID THIS PROVIDER if you are a first time expecting mother or are a patient with questions.
My husband and I will be welcoming our first baby in 8/24. We are a part of John Muir network, and were recommended to see all of the doctors in the office, because anyone of the doctors could be delivering our baby.
I went in for my 20 week appointment, which would be my first time with Dr. Plotkin . My husband and I were under the understanding that we would be having an ultrasound appointment after being told that my last 16 week appointment that he missed that "he would just have to wait to see the baby in the ultrasound at the next visit."
When my husband and I were put in a room, we realize there wasn't a regular ultrasound machine there, that we typically see, and proceeded to ask the assistant why we were being placed in this room. She said that we would only be using a Doppler to detect heart rate at this visit and this is there protocol considering they only have one ultrasound machine. With not seeing our baby for 8 weeks( at the time of my appointment I made a mistake at the exact amount of weeks which the doctor made sure to make a issue of) He had grown significantly and I also have yet to feel him move and seeing him would give some peace of mind. Also, what new parent doesn't want to see their baby during check ups?
At this time the doctor came and interrupted the conversation and closed the door. She asked what the problem is and we explained our issue and her answers were stating pretty much "I don't know why you guys were under that impression, but we don't do ultrasounds during the appointments until maybe 36 weeks if necessary." this is frustrating information to hear but it's something I can ask questions about later so I try and move on.
She then mention that I should dress more efficiently for these appointments to make things easier .( I came in a pants leg body suit) and was pushing for me to change with her still in the room while I was still asking questions. I tried to tell her I wasn't comfortable with her, shutting me up, or rushing me and I still want to have things clarified, and her tone from there was demeaning and irritated with the body language giving off " get it over with".
After not getting anywhere about why we would nbe told that we would be seeing the baby at this appointment and now being told by this doctor that we wouldn't, she then said, " I think this appointment has just gotten off bad and I'm uncomfortable and I'm sure you guys are so let's just start over." Expecting everything to just be fine after she has spoken over me and shut me up multiple times already. She hands me the robe and said ,"did you want me to leave" and I said yes. She goes to step out of the room and," I'll wait for you I won't go to anyone else yet." as if she is in this huge rush to finish even though her appointment just started.
After 10 seconds, she knocks on the door and says, "are you ready yet?" I had just gotten off of sitting on the bed and hadn't even gotten out of my clothes yet. As I am 20 weeks pregnant and already having some aches and pains and can't run to get changed.
She comes back in and says "oh wow you're completely undressed, okay what are we doing here?"
What was I expected to do when you said to get changed into a robe and you're not gonna give me an ultrasound and I'm in a OB office?
I had wanted to get other things addressed and had other questions/symptoms I wanted to talk with a doctor about going into that appointment but from there I felt so incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassed that I felt I couldn't even ask any questions or bring them up and it was bringing me to tears .
She then took out the Doppler to check the heart rate and tried to make it some gentle experience saying, " I hope you guys are taking this all" in as I'm laying there crying . She then says if you guys really want I'll show you the baby. I just need you to know that this can't be an expectation every time as if she didn't make a whole scene about it before we were able to even start her appointment.
She turned on the ultrasound machine, showed me my babies head and spine on this small screen with all the lights on with the ultrasound machine behind me and turned it off .
After that she asked if we had any questions and sorry this "didn't go how we wanted". I then sat and cried with my husband for a few minutes when she left the room and then got dressed. I walked to the appointment desk on the way out and was so uncomfortable I asked if I could just make my next appt over the phone so I could leave as soon as possible.
Later in my After Visit notes she wrote " Patient was very upset about not having ultrasound." Which only further showed how little this person cared to listen to our conversation after I said I was concerned that I don't feel him move and allllll of the other parts of our conversation. read more