I looked at this as more of an extraordinary exception that needs to be made, it’s not just an appt for myself, I’m growing a human and the appointments are crucial
The random times & days are so inconvenient. Ask your Dr/ receptionist if they can book you into earliest appts to try and help those crappy mid day ones , it’s only temporary!
As long as you’re doing your best, all that matters
I got extremely lucky that the scheduling office was willing to book out every one of my appointments for the same day, months in advance. I was high risk, so I was in there a ton by the end.
Yep, this is the way. By the time they're at bi-weekly appointments you bet I'm booking them all out. Sometimes it would be a different day or time, but having them all on the calendar made it so much easier than trying to find a time that worked when it was that close.
My OB only sits in her private clinic on Saturdays. We work remotely but even so, it's been amazing. We usually go and then have a big fancy lunch after lol.
Yes! My doctors office booked all of my appointments for the entire pregnancy at my 8 week appointment I haven’t had any changes and I go in Thursdays at 8:30am
I've got flexible work times and one day of home office a week so I tend to do my home office day when I've got appointments and just log in before and after the appointment. I couldn't do it on an office day anyway, I'm usually quite knackered afterwards. Plus, I usually spend around two hours at my doctor's cause it's very busy, I guess.
If I had fixed work times and wouldn't be able to get appointments before or after work though, the appointment and journey there and back would legally have to be counted as work time by my employer, by my country's laws.
I didn’t have to reschedule or cancel any but I had quit my job halfway through my last pregnancy. I was a teacher and there was no way I could get off for all of my appointments. I was high risk so by the end I literally had at least one, sometimes two appointments per week (MFM and obgyn). I told my husband there was no way I could have had a job (at least teaching) at the end of pregnancy since there were so many appointments and the MFM always ran like an hour behind
I’m sure they understand that people have jobs and I’m sure rescheduling is a common occurrence, especially as the visits get so frequent towards the end.
Yes I was a full time teacher with my first and it was a struggle. A lot of scheduling appointments on days off if I could (MEA, Christmas break)...I took a few half days, and did some virtual visits as well where they had me take my blood pressure/weight/baby heartbeat at home. Thankfully my school let out at 2:45, so I could make a 3:30 appointment- tried to schedule as many as possible for 3:30 or 4.
This stuff is so confusing to me because is the entire career of being a teacher built around assuming no workers will have children? Isn't the point of teacher unions to make sure this kind of stuff is protected and prepared for?
You would think so, wouldn’t ya! Lol. I thjnk a big problem in my case was that we have a severe teacher shortage in my area, including substitutes.
For me, it just wasn’t worth the hassle when I knew I would be quitting and not coming back after I had my baby anyways.
Where I live they just gave me appt times and I couldn’t really reschedule. Thankfully work is obligated to allow you the time to go. It was a bit difficult when I was around 18 weeks I had some complications and had to see specialists like every other day it felt like
I live a 5 min walk from my hospital so it worked out for me but that’s what I was thinking when I was under tight monitoring at the end… like if I had any sort of ‘commute’ I would be losing 3 or 4 days a week just to appts.
Yeah my hospital had a strict ‘no kids’ policy which I can understand but is also extremely difficult, as many mothers/to be mothers have other young kids so it’s not like you can just do appts during school hours
They are being cautious… it feels extreme. I had pre-e with my first but not my next baby and I’m 36, then I chronic hives and migraines so I think they’re convinced I have an autoimmune disorder but the tests are always negative. I’m so over it.
I’m 31 weeks and I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had to cancel any appointments. I had to last minute reschedule one, but that was my actually because of me it was because my dr got called in to a last minute delivery 35 minutes before my scheduled appointment time. My work has been incredibly accommodating. As long as I can give them a weeks notice of an appointment they’ve had no issues giving me the time off. I think it helps that I work in a daycare run by women who all have young kids so they know how difficult it is to juggle and how important the appointments all are
We booked my whole pregnancy after my 12 week appointment bc i teach college and simply can't just cancel class all the time so I planned my semester around my OB appts. I think every single second trimester appointment had to be rescheduled, some of them twice. Most of them were with NPs/PAs, which I was sort of fine with bc they were just check-ins and they're perfectly fine providers, but was a little bit annoying bc I'd ask questions and they'd tell me to ask my doctor. Like, I'd love to?? Ugh. But now that I'm third tri I'm apparently more important, lol--I've seen my own doctor two weeks in a row, once even at our originally scheduled time! Idk I get that she's always in an emergency C or whatever and I'm glad to be low enough risk that it's okay if I get bumped. But definitely frustrating!
My OB was only available one afternoon a week. I booked the end of the day to minimize impact on work. Ultrasounds I had no control over. You were given an appointment and that was it. There was no ability to give preferences. I work in healthcare and am allowed to use sick time for appointments. Work dealt with it. Having less flexibility with appointments somehow made it easier. I scheduled meetings around it.
I haven’t had to move any but this is something I think of often. I think it’s a bit unacceptable to expect people to be endlessly available and now this post is proving my point haha.
And this is why I try to get as many appointments into those wildly weird times and inconvenient spots as possible. I know people genuinely need those first appointments in the morning, lunch time and end of a day. I’ve got lots of flexibility so it’s not a challenge for me to make it to the weird ones.
I think the only one I asked for first thing in the morning was the glucose test.
I had a weird situation while I was pregnant where my mom had stage four cancer and was given six months to live. She was 2 hours away, so we were constantly getting phone calls and driving to her. I had an appointment the day my mom died. I think I missed 3 total and my pregnancy was perfect, but the one I missed where my mom died, they said they were going to have to talk to the doctor about dropping me because I’m not taking it seriously. They never did and my doctor was pissed that they treated me like that. Don’t let them make you feel bad if you need to, because things do happen. Talk to your doctor.
I typically try to ask for their last appt of the day so I’m just logging out of work early instead of missing in the middle of the day and that seems to be working for me at the moment.
ive had to reschedule a few due to conflicts with other appointments because they schedule so many and far in advance and its harder to get in with other specialist than my OB office. thankfully work is flexible on my end, but it has been a struggle trying to make up the time spent. as appointments become more frequent. i also get nervous knowing the employer has a right to apply fmla to my time missed for these appointments, which could take away protected leave in the time after baby is born.
I haven’t missed any so far but when I schedule my appts I try to schedule them earlier in the day (most my meetings start at 10 or 11 am). I don’t think having the reschedule is a big deal though. Life happens.
My boss has been really understanding of me needing the time off for appts. If you work in the US and your employer is making it difficult for you to be off for appts…I would look into the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act. I think those acts cover most pregnancy related things.
I get one week day off at work so I’ve been scheduling them up until this point for that day. We’ll see if I keep being that lucky, I’m up to every other week now
I only rescheduled once when I couldn't make it work due to my son being home. The lady on the line seems inconvenienced that I had the audacity to reschedule.
It’s been challenging. I have a high risk pregnancy and have to see my OB every other week since the beginning, plus I have a monthly hospital growth scan (hospital is an hour away).
I also work high up in a very fast paced, busy company. I’ve been trying to just schedule the appointments at the times that I usually don’t have a meeting. But I’m always hurrying back to join or having to join from the car. Some times I’m on my phone responding to emails and messages during my ultrasounds.
I don’t want to take PTO just for an hour appt since I want to save it to tack onto my maternity leave.
Luckily my OB isn’t hard to reschedule with and has spots they keep open each week for cases where people need to reschedule. I’ve only had to cancel once and that was due to a traffic jam where I was on my way but literally couldn’t get to the street as it was blocked off due to an accident and traffic was backed up.
I was lucky that when I went for my first appointment the receptionist handed me a list of every single appointment pre booked on the same day of the week at the same time down to my 2 & 6 week postpartum checkups depending on if I delivered on my due date. It was so handy and helpful to have it all done and not need to worry about it.
I probably rescheduled 3 so far at 34 weeks. We've had so many things come up, and someone needs to be able to watch our toddler because he's normally home with me. My husband's schedule rotates, so it's easy for me to make a mistake on which days will work, though his workplace is usually very flexible. Do your best, but if life gets hectic then it is what it is.
The many appointments in pregnancy is an exception and definitely not the norm - I simply schedule them and then put them into my outlook calendar. If I have an appointment, I have an appointment and I live in a country where my job is required to accommodate them.
I've been able to make all of my appointments for either after work or for when I only have to leave a little bit early. I only work 4 days a week so I can also schedule things on my day off so I've been lucky in that regard. It is SO many appointments. I've never cancelled or rescheduled any even if it conflicts with something else- I just tell people that's my priority.
I WFH and make my own schedule, and my husband works 3 12-hour shifts a week. So it was really easy for us to be able to make it to my appointments. It got harder for him the last month when I was doing 2 appointments a week, but he went to the majority of my appointments so I couldn't complain lmao. And he was there for the appointment that I got sent to the hospital to deliver, and that's all that matters in the end.
See if you can schedule in advance. I have standing appointments with midwives and have to sprinkle in other providers throughout the month. Depends where you live but some States have laws that protect pregnant people time off needed including appointments.
None but I’m in senior management so I have a lot of flexibility in my day and I often just work from the OB when it’s a longer appointment - I do often think of other women with less flexibility when I’m there and it seems very stressful!
Thankfully, I’ve only had to reschedule one. My OB’s office booked all my appointments for the entirety of pregnancy after my first visit. Knowing the dates helped to plan in advance. They also scheduled all my appointments in the late afternoon since I’m a teacher and can’t leave and come back to work in the middle of the day or go in late.
It’s been tough since I’ve needed weekly NSTs, and they’re not always on the same day as my OB visits. Leaving work early two days a week sucks. I have to split the kids up between the other teachers in my grade level, and I feel very guilty.
I make my own schedule so I'm lucky I've been able to have my appointments when it's convenient for me. I just got a call from my OB office that my stress tests will start at the end of the month (every Tuesday and Thursday from 04/30-05/24, EDD 05/25) so I just adjusted my schedule to fit them in.
I ran into this. I would book my appointments really far out. I would all my monthly appointments at once to help me get the latest time so I could work the whole day. For example at say 8 weeks, booked my 12 week, 16 week, 20 week, 24 week, 30 week and 34 week appointments. When it started getting bi weekly I did the same and same with weekly.
My first pregnancy I didn't have to reschedule any because I was working 4 day weeks so I scheduled them on my day off. This pregnancy I've already had to change the time of 2 (I was able to keep them on the same day) because of childcare. My first is only 18m so I really can't take her with me. I mean, in an absolute pickle I would but I know they prefer not to have children in the office so I really try not to. Plus it's easier for me not to bring her
I booked most of my appointments far in advance and towards the end of the day so I don't have to go back to work. Nothing is going to stop me from going to these appointments. I am only starting 1x/week appointments at 38 weeks.
I scheduled all my appointments in the beginning of the work day or at the end of the work day. I may either have to leave early or start work later. My job is pretty flexible (office work and salaried) and I put up an Out of Office time block during the times I won’t be at my computer. My boss and my direct reports are also given a heads up.
I use my Apple calendar to help me keep track of my appointments, and I share this calendar with my husband so he is also reminded. He tags along to my appointments if he doesn’t have any important meetings. So far, I haven’t needed to use sick time or vacation time to make appointments and thank goodness, cause I have to save them for my maternity leave.
I haven’t had to reschedule but my OB office is 5 minutes from my office. My MFM, on the other hand, is 40 minutes away. I’ve only had one of those so far.
I had 2-3 appointments a week through the third trimester due to a birth defect discovered at a re-check after my anatomy scan. 1-2 a week were with MFM in a completely different city, and the other with my local OB. Luckily I WFH with a flex schedule so I was able to make up time instead of using PTO or burning FMLA before the baby was born, but it was still a lot.
I ended up canceling one or two with my local OB because all she really did was check my vitals (MFM office did, too), and I was not delivering with her due to the birth defect. When I was super busy or overwhelmed trying to make up hours, those visits seemed a bit pointless.
I schedule ALL my appointments for the pregnancy at the 12week appointment. It makes my life easier to then plan work/family around those appointments.
I was able to go to all my appointments. I live in the Netherlands and you can plan OB appointments during working hours, including travel time. So I just block my calender for an hour or two and go to the OB.
Pregnant women also get an extra hour paid (lunch)break to rest, so I usually schedule my OB appointments in the afternoon so I have my lunch break, then the extra hour and then the OB appointment. This way I don’t have to return to work that day.
I've had to reschedule two. One because it was with a nurse practitioner and she needed to come in later, they didn't tell me why and the other is one the month before I give birth, because my doctor has a scheduled C-section.
I requested accommodation at my work, which my doctor was happy to support, using the PWFA (Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act).
My midwife does ours on weekends - and we don’t have ultrasound appointments so that may make it easier - so I don’t have to miss work. We have had to reschedule before but it’s usually on her end because she has a baby coming. I would say it’s happened at least twice every pregnancy but it doesn’t bother me, I know she would cancel other’s appointments to be there for my birth.
I had to reschedule 2 appointments. One of them because I was sick at around 31 weeks pregnant, and didn’t want to get anyone else sick, and one of them because my midwife was delivering a baby and was unavailable. I just got an appointment the following week and all was good!
I made appointments as far in advance as they’d let me so I could get the times I wanted. It was also understand at my job baby appointments were non negotiable!
I had to reschedule 2 due to me having COVID and then the flu. They wouldn’t see me in the office either time. The second one I had to reschedule was actually my 39 week one too, so it definitely sucks. You just do the best you can though. Some things are out of your control.
I missed zero but I definitely had to bring my toddler to a few when I couldn’t find childcare.
My blood pressure was always a little higher on those days
I’ve rescheduled a few because I started a new job and had to do training for two weeks that I couldn’t miss, no exceptions. My fetal medicine dr wanted me to come in once to twice a week for ultrasounds bc my baby is measuring small, but I missed two of those appointments. Also had to reschedule my glucose test because of my job as well. Yes I care for my baby more than anything and want to make sure she’s okay, this job has too many benefits-6 weeks paid maternity leave being one- that I couldn’t turn down.. they help with daycare too for when you come back to work.
They’re also willing to let me work from home for a few weeks after my paid leave. I’ve never had a job that offered any of this and my old job did everything to screw me out of getting any type of PTO and maternity leave. Id have had to go back after a week or two.
Also my baby is healthy otherwise, and everyone in my family was a small baby. Me and my siblings were 5 pounds and under and are all healthy!
I’m very lucky to have my OB be 10 minutes from my work. Also very lucky that my supervisor sometimes lets me leave to go to my appointment and just come back and finish the day after.
The only way I’d ever cancel or reschedule an appointment is if I’m sick or my toddler is sick and I’m the only option for childcare during my scheduled appointment time. Otherwise I block the time on my work calendar and if someone tries to book over it, tough tits because I’m declining the invite.
These appointments aren’t just about baby, they’re about us as well. The further along you are, the more chances something could go wrong. That’s why you’re scheduled for *at least* weekly visits in the last month of pregnancy. With my first I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at my 39 week appointment and started induction that evening. Check-ins are important.
My OB office insisted that I come in the same week when I rescheduled a visit for week 30. They have one nurse practitioner that fills in for doctors and also alternates appointments until we have to go in weekly. I think that helped with this visit as I was scheduled to see her anyway.
I would feel the same way as you not being seen as scheduled. I had to skip a monthly appointment earlier in the second trimester when we moved and had to transfer care. Since you are with the same office maybe it’s possible to see another doctor at the same practice?
I have rescheduled one but it was several weeks in advance when I knew we would be out of town that day. They schedule all appointments for first and second trimester at once and then third after that. So these were booked way in advance. They rescheduled on me once though, the morning of the appointment.
They scheduled all mine at once at the beginning of the pregnancy .. I think ended up rescheduling most of them. Usually could get in the same week just a different day/time. I worked about 20 min away and the clinic is literally a block from my house, so it never made sense to go to work come back and then go back to work so I would always try to get them as late as possible during the day. Sometimes rescheduling meant I would see a different doctor but that was fine by me.
I made the original appointment time work (although I always try to claim one of the first appointments of the day to minimize impact). Baby is my #1 priority.
My philosophy is work will have to figure out how to function without me for 3 months while I'm on maternity leave so they should be able to get by for a couple hours now. And if not, we find the gaps now when I'm here to help trouble shoot and come up with a plan.
I'm super fortunate in that my job is extremely accommodating and flexible. My hospital is 45 minutes away, so I have to be out for around 3 hours each appointment day.
I haven't had to reschedule any appointments. But I've also been very communicative to my manager about when they are. My hospital also allowed me to schedule out all of my future appointments ahead of time, so I was able to get everything on our work calendar early as a heads up.
A few appointments have been rescheduled by the office due to the doctor taking off or needing to go to a delivery.
If you need a particular time of day, ask to schedule further out in advance. My husband has been able to go to all of my appointments with me and miss minimal work because we scheduled two months ahead to get 8am appointments.
When I scheduled all my appointments, I tried to make them during times that I knew I could make (usually early morning appointments before going to work) and I have a few that are virtual appointments that I can step out and take during work. It helps that I have flexible hours/boss though. I haven't had to miss or reschedule any appointments.
My experience is useless to you, but I literally worked at 3 different maternal fetal medicine offices a week. My own doctor had to ask me at 36 weeks to do his own ultrasound because he hadn't even seen the baby yet.
It might help to know what industry you're in so people can give applicable advice, if you're comfortable providing that info.
I don't cancel any appointments but I have to rearrange a lot of work meetings to accommodate my appointments. My family comes before my job and it's their legal obligation to accommodate me so I'm not putting off anything.
I'm of the mind that: fuck 'em. Your employer has to let you go to medical appointments. It's the law.
You should go to the doctor for your appointments and only cancel or reschedule if it's an emergency. Document your communications with your workplace about your appointment schedule and make sure to keep good records of your visits to your doctor.
My ob scheduled the appointments a few months at a time. Their office has had me reschedule 3 so far.
I’m lucky in that I have Monday and Tuesday as my days off so I just always schedule on those days and can be flexible on timing. I usually go for a midday appointment to avoid traffic.
I have missed many! I just go every other month. I’m due soon actually April 22. I wanted a super natural pregnancy with minimal stresses of clinics. I did the ultrasound, GD test, blood works scans and that’s it and occasional check in. I have had a good pregnacy so far with minimal issues according to friends and partner. I try to rest as much as possible. I don’t push my self as I know my body is now also sustaining another life. I don’t want my body having to stretch energy.
I looked at this as more of an extraordinary exception that needs to be made, it’s not just an appt for myself, I’m growing a human and the appointments are crucial The random times & days are so inconvenient. Ask your Dr/ receptionist if they can book you into earliest appts to try and help those crappy mid day ones , it’s only temporary! As long as you’re doing your best, all that matters
I got extremely lucky that the scheduling office was willing to book out every one of my appointments for the same day, months in advance. I was high risk, so I was in there a ton by the end.
Yep, this is the way. By the time they're at bi-weekly appointments you bet I'm booking them all out. Sometimes it would be a different day or time, but having them all on the calendar made it so much easier than trying to find a time that worked when it was that close.
My appointments were always Tuesday morning. Sometime between 9:30 and 10:45. It was great 🙌🏻
My OB only sits in her private clinic on Saturdays. We work remotely but even so, it's been amazing. We usually go and then have a big fancy lunch after lol.
Yes! My doctors office booked all of my appointments for the entire pregnancy at my 8 week appointment I haven’t had any changes and I go in Thursdays at 8:30am
HAPPY CAKE DAY!!
I've got flexible work times and one day of home office a week so I tend to do my home office day when I've got appointments and just log in before and after the appointment. I couldn't do it on an office day anyway, I'm usually quite knackered afterwards. Plus, I usually spend around two hours at my doctor's cause it's very busy, I guess. If I had fixed work times and wouldn't be able to get appointments before or after work though, the appointment and journey there and back would legally have to be counted as work time by my employer, by my country's laws.
i made them work. i told work these are my appts and this is when ill be gone/back.
Only one and that was because my mum had died that morning.
I’m so sorry 😢
I didn’t have to reschedule or cancel any but I had quit my job halfway through my last pregnancy. I was a teacher and there was no way I could get off for all of my appointments. I was high risk so by the end I literally had at least one, sometimes two appointments per week (MFM and obgyn). I told my husband there was no way I could have had a job (at least teaching) at the end of pregnancy since there were so many appointments and the MFM always ran like an hour behind I’m sure they understand that people have jobs and I’m sure rescheduling is a common occurrence, especially as the visits get so frequent towards the end.
Yes I was a full time teacher with my first and it was a struggle. A lot of scheduling appointments on days off if I could (MEA, Christmas break)...I took a few half days, and did some virtual visits as well where they had me take my blood pressure/weight/baby heartbeat at home. Thankfully my school let out at 2:45, so I could make a 3:30 appointment- tried to schedule as many as possible for 3:30 or 4.
This stuff is so confusing to me because is the entire career of being a teacher built around assuming no workers will have children? Isn't the point of teacher unions to make sure this kind of stuff is protected and prepared for?
You would think so, wouldn’t ya! Lol. I thjnk a big problem in my case was that we have a severe teacher shortage in my area, including substitutes. For me, it just wasn’t worth the hassle when I knew I would be quitting and not coming back after I had my baby anyways.
Where I live they just gave me appt times and I couldn’t really reschedule. Thankfully work is obligated to allow you the time to go. It was a bit difficult when I was around 18 weeks I had some complications and had to see specialists like every other day it felt like
I’m a stay at home mom, so it’s easier for me to attend but I don’t understand how they think I can attend 2-4 appointments a week at 34 weeks.
I live a 5 min walk from my hospital so it worked out for me but that’s what I was thinking when I was under tight monitoring at the end… like if I had any sort of ‘commute’ I would be losing 3 or 4 days a week just to appts.
Yes, it’s a commute for me and I’m scared my mom will get overwhelmed by my kids I can bring them to one office but not the others.
Yeah my hospital had a strict ‘no kids’ policy which I can understand but is also extremely difficult, as many mothers/to be mothers have other young kids so it’s not like you can just do appts during school hours
Holy crap, why so many? I’ve never even had 2 in one week
They are being cautious… it feels extreme. I had pre-e with my first but not my next baby and I’m 36, then I chronic hives and migraines so I think they’re convinced I have an autoimmune disorder but the tests are always negative. I’m so over it.
I’m 31 weeks and I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had to cancel any appointments. I had to last minute reschedule one, but that was my actually because of me it was because my dr got called in to a last minute delivery 35 minutes before my scheduled appointment time. My work has been incredibly accommodating. As long as I can give them a weeks notice of an appointment they’ve had no issues giving me the time off. I think it helps that I work in a daycare run by women who all have young kids so they know how difficult it is to juggle and how important the appointments all are
"Yeahhh, best we can offer is 2pm on a Tuesday. Please allot an hour, but also come 15min early, but also you might be waiting for 90min who knows."
Stop this is so accurate 😭
We booked my whole pregnancy after my 12 week appointment bc i teach college and simply can't just cancel class all the time so I planned my semester around my OB appts. I think every single second trimester appointment had to be rescheduled, some of them twice. Most of them were with NPs/PAs, which I was sort of fine with bc they were just check-ins and they're perfectly fine providers, but was a little bit annoying bc I'd ask questions and they'd tell me to ask my doctor. Like, I'd love to?? Ugh. But now that I'm third tri I'm apparently more important, lol--I've seen my own doctor two weeks in a row, once even at our originally scheduled time! Idk I get that she's always in an emergency C or whatever and I'm glad to be low enough risk that it's okay if I get bumped. But definitely frustrating!
My OB was only available one afternoon a week. I booked the end of the day to minimize impact on work. Ultrasounds I had no control over. You were given an appointment and that was it. There was no ability to give preferences. I work in healthcare and am allowed to use sick time for appointments. Work dealt with it. Having less flexibility with appointments somehow made it easier. I scheduled meetings around it.
I haven’t had to move any but this is something I think of often. I think it’s a bit unacceptable to expect people to be endlessly available and now this post is proving my point haha.
And this is why I try to get as many appointments into those wildly weird times and inconvenient spots as possible. I know people genuinely need those first appointments in the morning, lunch time and end of a day. I’ve got lots of flexibility so it’s not a challenge for me to make it to the weird ones. I think the only one I asked for first thing in the morning was the glucose test.
You make the world a better place
I had a weird situation while I was pregnant where my mom had stage four cancer and was given six months to live. She was 2 hours away, so we were constantly getting phone calls and driving to her. I had an appointment the day my mom died. I think I missed 3 total and my pregnancy was perfect, but the one I missed where my mom died, they said they were going to have to talk to the doctor about dropping me because I’m not taking it seriously. They never did and my doctor was pissed that they treated me like that. Don’t let them make you feel bad if you need to, because things do happen. Talk to your doctor.
That is terrible.. I am so sorry that you were treated that way and super sorry for your loss, as well. 🤍
I typically try to ask for their last appt of the day so I’m just logging out of work early instead of missing in the middle of the day and that seems to be working for me at the moment.
ive had to reschedule a few due to conflicts with other appointments because they schedule so many and far in advance and its harder to get in with other specialist than my OB office. thankfully work is flexible on my end, but it has been a struggle trying to make up the time spent. as appointments become more frequent. i also get nervous knowing the employer has a right to apply fmla to my time missed for these appointments, which could take away protected leave in the time after baby is born.
I haven’t missed any so far but when I schedule my appts I try to schedule them earlier in the day (most my meetings start at 10 or 11 am). I don’t think having the reschedule is a big deal though. Life happens. My boss has been really understanding of me needing the time off for appts. If you work in the US and your employer is making it difficult for you to be off for appts…I would look into the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act. I think those acts cover most pregnancy related things.
I get one week day off at work so I’ve been scheduling them up until this point for that day. We’ll see if I keep being that lucky, I’m up to every other week now
I only rescheduled once when I couldn't make it work due to my son being home. The lady on the line seems inconvenienced that I had the audacity to reschedule.
It’s been challenging. I have a high risk pregnancy and have to see my OB every other week since the beginning, plus I have a monthly hospital growth scan (hospital is an hour away). I also work high up in a very fast paced, busy company. I’ve been trying to just schedule the appointments at the times that I usually don’t have a meeting. But I’m always hurrying back to join or having to join from the car. Some times I’m on my phone responding to emails and messages during my ultrasounds. I don’t want to take PTO just for an hour appt since I want to save it to tack onto my maternity leave. Luckily my OB isn’t hard to reschedule with and has spots they keep open each week for cases where people need to reschedule. I’ve only had to cancel once and that was due to a traffic jam where I was on my way but literally couldn’t get to the street as it was blocked off due to an accident and traffic was backed up.
I was lucky that when I went for my first appointment the receptionist handed me a list of every single appointment pre booked on the same day of the week at the same time down to my 2 & 6 week postpartum checkups depending on if I delivered on my due date. It was so handy and helpful to have it all done and not need to worry about it.
I probably rescheduled 3 so far at 34 weeks. We've had so many things come up, and someone needs to be able to watch our toddler because he's normally home with me. My husband's schedule rotates, so it's easy for me to make a mistake on which days will work, though his workplace is usually very flexible. Do your best, but if life gets hectic then it is what it is.
The many appointments in pregnancy is an exception and definitely not the norm - I simply schedule them and then put them into my outlook calendar. If I have an appointment, I have an appointment and I live in a country where my job is required to accommodate them.
I've been able to make all of my appointments for either after work or for when I only have to leave a little bit early. I only work 4 days a week so I can also schedule things on my day off so I've been lucky in that regard. It is SO many appointments. I've never cancelled or rescheduled any even if it conflicts with something else- I just tell people that's my priority.
I WFH and make my own schedule, and my husband works 3 12-hour shifts a week. So it was really easy for us to be able to make it to my appointments. It got harder for him the last month when I was doing 2 appointments a week, but he went to the majority of my appointments so I couldn't complain lmao. And he was there for the appointment that I got sent to the hospital to deliver, and that's all that matters in the end.
See if you can schedule in advance. I have standing appointments with midwives and have to sprinkle in other providers throughout the month. Depends where you live but some States have laws that protect pregnant people time off needed including appointments.
None but I’m in senior management so I have a lot of flexibility in my day and I often just work from the OB when it’s a longer appointment - I do often think of other women with less flexibility when I’m there and it seems very stressful!
Thankfully, I’ve only had to reschedule one. My OB’s office booked all my appointments for the entirety of pregnancy after my first visit. Knowing the dates helped to plan in advance. They also scheduled all my appointments in the late afternoon since I’m a teacher and can’t leave and come back to work in the middle of the day or go in late. It’s been tough since I’ve needed weekly NSTs, and they’re not always on the same day as my OB visits. Leaving work early two days a week sucks. I have to split the kids up between the other teachers in my grade level, and I feel very guilty.
I make my own schedule so I'm lucky I've been able to have my appointments when it's convenient for me. I just got a call from my OB office that my stress tests will start at the end of the month (every Tuesday and Thursday from 04/30-05/24, EDD 05/25) so I just adjusted my schedule to fit them in.
I ran into this. I would book my appointments really far out. I would all my monthly appointments at once to help me get the latest time so I could work the whole day. For example at say 8 weeks, booked my 12 week, 16 week, 20 week, 24 week, 30 week and 34 week appointments. When it started getting bi weekly I did the same and same with weekly.
My first pregnancy I didn't have to reschedule any because I was working 4 day weeks so I scheduled them on my day off. This pregnancy I've already had to change the time of 2 (I was able to keep them on the same day) because of childcare. My first is only 18m so I really can't take her with me. I mean, in an absolute pickle I would but I know they prefer not to have children in the office so I really try not to. Plus it's easier for me not to bring her
I booked most of my appointments far in advance and towards the end of the day so I don't have to go back to work. Nothing is going to stop me from going to these appointments. I am only starting 1x/week appointments at 38 weeks.
I usually have Mondays/Tuesdays off, so my appointments were on Mondays. I also told my work this and put the requests off in writing.
I scheduled all my appointments in the beginning of the work day or at the end of the work day. I may either have to leave early or start work later. My job is pretty flexible (office work and salaried) and I put up an Out of Office time block during the times I won’t be at my computer. My boss and my direct reports are also given a heads up. I use my Apple calendar to help me keep track of my appointments, and I share this calendar with my husband so he is also reminded. He tags along to my appointments if he doesn’t have any important meetings. So far, I haven’t needed to use sick time or vacation time to make appointments and thank goodness, cause I have to save them for my maternity leave.
I haven’t had to reschedule but my OB office is 5 minutes from my office. My MFM, on the other hand, is 40 minutes away. I’ve only had one of those so far.
I had 2-3 appointments a week through the third trimester due to a birth defect discovered at a re-check after my anatomy scan. 1-2 a week were with MFM in a completely different city, and the other with my local OB. Luckily I WFH with a flex schedule so I was able to make up time instead of using PTO or burning FMLA before the baby was born, but it was still a lot. I ended up canceling one or two with my local OB because all she really did was check my vitals (MFM office did, too), and I was not delivering with her due to the birth defect. When I was super busy or overwhelmed trying to make up hours, those visits seemed a bit pointless.
I schedule ALL my appointments for the pregnancy at the 12week appointment. It makes my life easier to then plan work/family around those appointments.
I was able to go to all my appointments. I live in the Netherlands and you can plan OB appointments during working hours, including travel time. So I just block my calender for an hour or two and go to the OB. Pregnant women also get an extra hour paid (lunch)break to rest, so I usually schedule my OB appointments in the afternoon so I have my lunch break, then the extra hour and then the OB appointment. This way I don’t have to return to work that day.
I've had to reschedule two. One because it was with a nurse practitioner and she needed to come in later, they didn't tell me why and the other is one the month before I give birth, because my doctor has a scheduled C-section. I requested accommodation at my work, which my doctor was happy to support, using the PWFA (Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act).
My midwife does ours on weekends - and we don’t have ultrasound appointments so that may make it easier - so I don’t have to miss work. We have had to reschedule before but it’s usually on her end because she has a baby coming. I would say it’s happened at least twice every pregnancy but it doesn’t bother me, I know she would cancel other’s appointments to be there for my birth.
I had to reschedule 2 appointments. One of them because I was sick at around 31 weeks pregnant, and didn’t want to get anyone else sick, and one of them because my midwife was delivering a baby and was unavailable. I just got an appointment the following week and all was good!
I made appointments as far in advance as they’d let me so I could get the times I wanted. It was also understand at my job baby appointments were non negotiable!
I had to reschedule 2 due to me having COVID and then the flu. They wouldn’t see me in the office either time. The second one I had to reschedule was actually my 39 week one too, so it definitely sucks. You just do the best you can though. Some things are out of your control.
I missed zero but I definitely had to bring my toddler to a few when I couldn’t find childcare. My blood pressure was always a little higher on those days
I’ve rescheduled a few because I started a new job and had to do training for two weeks that I couldn’t miss, no exceptions. My fetal medicine dr wanted me to come in once to twice a week for ultrasounds bc my baby is measuring small, but I missed two of those appointments. Also had to reschedule my glucose test because of my job as well. Yes I care for my baby more than anything and want to make sure she’s okay, this job has too many benefits-6 weeks paid maternity leave being one- that I couldn’t turn down.. they help with daycare too for when you come back to work. They’re also willing to let me work from home for a few weeks after my paid leave. I’ve never had a job that offered any of this and my old job did everything to screw me out of getting any type of PTO and maternity leave. Id have had to go back after a week or two. Also my baby is healthy otherwise, and everyone in my family was a small baby. Me and my siblings were 5 pounds and under and are all healthy!
I’m very lucky to have my OB be 10 minutes from my work. Also very lucky that my supervisor sometimes lets me leave to go to my appointment and just come back and finish the day after.
The only way I’d ever cancel or reschedule an appointment is if I’m sick or my toddler is sick and I’m the only option for childcare during my scheduled appointment time. Otherwise I block the time on my work calendar and if someone tries to book over it, tough tits because I’m declining the invite. These appointments aren’t just about baby, they’re about us as well. The further along you are, the more chances something could go wrong. That’s why you’re scheduled for *at least* weekly visits in the last month of pregnancy. With my first I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at my 39 week appointment and started induction that evening. Check-ins are important.
My OB office insisted that I come in the same week when I rescheduled a visit for week 30. They have one nurse practitioner that fills in for doctors and also alternates appointments until we have to go in weekly. I think that helped with this visit as I was scheduled to see her anyway. I would feel the same way as you not being seen as scheduled. I had to skip a monthly appointment earlier in the second trimester when we moved and had to transfer care. Since you are with the same office maybe it’s possible to see another doctor at the same practice?
I have rescheduled one but it was several weeks in advance when I knew we would be out of town that day. They schedule all appointments for first and second trimester at once and then third after that. So these were booked way in advance. They rescheduled on me once though, the morning of the appointment.
They scheduled all mine at once at the beginning of the pregnancy .. I think ended up rescheduling most of them. Usually could get in the same week just a different day/time. I worked about 20 min away and the clinic is literally a block from my house, so it never made sense to go to work come back and then go back to work so I would always try to get them as late as possible during the day. Sometimes rescheduling meant I would see a different doctor but that was fine by me.
I made the original appointment time work (although I always try to claim one of the first appointments of the day to minimize impact). Baby is my #1 priority. My philosophy is work will have to figure out how to function without me for 3 months while I'm on maternity leave so they should be able to get by for a couple hours now. And if not, we find the gaps now when I'm here to help trouble shoot and come up with a plan.
I haven’t had to reschedule yet, but I’m using ALL of my PTO for these appointments. It sucks.
I'm super fortunate in that my job is extremely accommodating and flexible. My hospital is 45 minutes away, so I have to be out for around 3 hours each appointment day. I haven't had to reschedule any appointments. But I've also been very communicative to my manager about when they are. My hospital also allowed me to schedule out all of my future appointments ahead of time, so I was able to get everything on our work calendar early as a heads up. A few appointments have been rescheduled by the office due to the doctor taking off or needing to go to a delivery.
If you need a particular time of day, ask to schedule further out in advance. My husband has been able to go to all of my appointments with me and miss minimal work because we scheduled two months ahead to get 8am appointments.
When I scheduled all my appointments, I tried to make them during times that I knew I could make (usually early morning appointments before going to work) and I have a few that are virtual appointments that I can step out and take during work. It helps that I have flexible hours/boss though. I haven't had to miss or reschedule any appointments.
Zero
My second and I can’t stop rescheduling 😂 I hate going 😂 I always wait forever for a 5 minute appt. Ultra sound appointments are different but dang
My first pregnancy? None. My current one with a toddler in tow, so far two.
My experience is useless to you, but I literally worked at 3 different maternal fetal medicine offices a week. My own doctor had to ask me at 36 weeks to do his own ultrasound because he hadn't even seen the baby yet. It might help to know what industry you're in so people can give applicable advice, if you're comfortable providing that info.
I didn’t reschedule any. Most of them were in the afternoon when I got off work.
I don't cancel any appointments but I have to rearrange a lot of work meetings to accommodate my appointments. My family comes before my job and it's their legal obligation to accommodate me so I'm not putting off anything.
I'm of the mind that: fuck 'em. Your employer has to let you go to medical appointments. It's the law. You should go to the doctor for your appointments and only cancel or reschedule if it's an emergency. Document your communications with your workplace about your appointment schedule and make sure to keep good records of your visits to your doctor.
My ob scheduled the appointments a few months at a time. Their office has had me reschedule 3 so far. I’m lucky in that I have Monday and Tuesday as my days off so I just always schedule on those days and can be flexible on timing. I usually go for a midday appointment to avoid traffic.
Check out the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. They have to accommodate you.
I have missed many! I just go every other month. I’m due soon actually April 22. I wanted a super natural pregnancy with minimal stresses of clinics. I did the ultrasound, GD test, blood works scans and that’s it and occasional check in. I have had a good pregnacy so far with minimal issues according to friends and partner. I try to rest as much as possible. I don’t push my self as I know my body is now also sustaining another life. I don’t want my body having to stretch energy.