Looking for the Perfect Doctor for My Pregnancy

I highly recommend Dr. Ozel at Parkview OBgyn right in Maplewood just down from the Aspen Clinic. Actually, most of the Doctors there are wonderful.

I know you said St Paul area but I'm not sure where in St Paul. Anyhow, I went to Stillwater Medical Group for both my pregnancies and totally loved everything about it. I had Dr. Weber but saw others throughout my pregnancies and just through some normal gyno appts. Anyhow, I loved everyone there. The clinic all around has awesome docs from the OB to their Pediatricians to the GPs. Anyhow, I delivered at Lakeview Hospital--Stillwater's hospital--and absolutely loved that too! The staff is fantastic and I wouldn't think of going anywhere else for the pregnancy, delivery or after care. They are great!

I also went to HealthEast Woodwinds in Woodbury - it was an excellent experience. I used the midwives there instead, which I think was a really good choice. They were really hands on and never afraid to take a little extra time to answer questions. I would really recommend Woodwinds - and like the other person said, the birthing suites are really awesome and they have water birthing if you are interested in it. Good luck!

I have had the best experiance with dr. Annette mies from metro obgyn however she is ONLY as lake elmo office. at the maplewood office there is dr. amy kelly and she is also SO fantastic. I hope it helps!

I go to Healtheast Woodbury. It is in Woodwinds Hospital and they have some great doctors. I see Doctor Lillie or Dr. Sheehe depending on who's available. I actually had a different doctor for my regnancy but she moved to VA. I had my daughter on a Friday afternoon though so over the weekend I had Dr. Sheehe (male) and he was great also! Good luck. Woodwinds rocked for the birth BTW! Almost like a hotel. It is gorgeous!

A.,

Are you open to using a midwife instead of a Dr.? I LOVED my experience at Generations Women's Clinic in Shoreview (just off Lexington Ave south of 694 - I live near the fair grounds and it took me about 10 minutes to get there). The midwives deliver at St. Joe's and St. John's and also at Woodwinds (I think). I delivered at St. Joe's (downtown St. Paul) and it was perfect.

My first pregnancy was while I was living in Washington D.C. and I did the whole - big Dr.'s office, super busy, long wait for appointments, delivery by some doctor I had never met before experience (my Dr. was on vacation when I went into labor)... it was really not what I wanted and in hindsight, pretty horrid.

My second pregnancy was great. I never waited more than 5 minutes to get in to my appointment, the nurses there are great, especially Joanie (I usually saw her for weight/blood tests, etc.) They have an in-house ultrasound technician and there is an OB on staff but I never saw her. There are three midwives so one of those three will do your delivery, and you will see them all during the course of your pregnancy so there are no suprises at delivery. And, once I was in active labor, my midwife (Mary) never left my side. That was great, rather than having an OB who literally comes in just in time to "catch" the baby. I did a all natural (no pain med's) water birth and that too was amazing. SO different than my pitocin with epidural induced 36 hour labor with my first son.

Anyway, sorry to go on, but I seriously could not possibly recommend any place better that Generations Women's Clinic. Think about it :)

Good luck to you, and to your husband.

J.
SAHM to 27 month old Charlie and 7 month old Joey

I highly recommend Dr. Thomas Grande. He is located by St. John's Hospital and also has an office in Lake Elmo. (Metro OBGYN) You stated you were looking for someone that spends time with you, and Dr. Grande absolutely gives you all the time you want. He focuses completely on you and your questions. Like you, I have older boys 16 and 15 plus two stepsons 16 and 12. I just had a little girl in April! I'm an older mom, 43, and Dr. Grande really took good care of me.

Hi A.,
First of all, thanks to you and your husband for the sacrafices you both are willing to make for our counrty- there is no one more brave or more courageous than a soldier and his (or her) family.

Next...babies! I delivered my first at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater and I couldn't tell you enough great things about every aspect of my experience. Mainly, the Women's Center is incredible there and it felt like I was delivering in the comfort of my own home- but way more comfortable. It was clean, the rooms are huge, and the medical staff is definitely second to none (excpet maybe Mayo, I guess). Also, the doctors and midwives are the best at Stillwater Medical Group as well. If your looking for a lot of TLC, I would highly recommend a CNM- Melissa was my midwife for my first, but she isn't delivering babies anymore. I have heard nothing but great things about all of the midwives, but especially Melissa and Fern- and Fern is still delivering.

If you want a Doctor, I highly highly highly recommend Dr. Ulland-he is my OB now with my second. I have never felt rushed with him (or any of the midwives) and I am so comfortable with his knowledge, deamanor and experience. All of my high school friends have been having babies for the past 8 years or so, and most that I know of went through Dr. Ulland or one of the group's midwives and they all rave about their experiences as well. In fact, I now live in Eagan and I still drive all the way to Stillwater for my doctor and to deliver at Lakeview- they are all that good.

My best advice would be to schedule an appointment with a midwife or doctor and just talk to them and see how you feel. I know we can all say how great our doctors are, but it is the most important that you personally feel comfortable and secure with the one who is going to be so "close" to you over the next few months. I know that Stillwater does schedule "interview" type appointments too.

Here is the contact info:
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That is the main line and you will be prompted to OB.

Best of luck to you!

Parkview OB/GYN offices in St.Paul (by united) and I think a clinic in Maplewood??
I really like Dr. Patricia Chang...very compassionate woman and takes time with you. I've heard great things about dr. Mickelson (not sure how to spell).
good luck!!

I have heard that Leslie Sharpe from HealthPartners is great. He was not by regular dr during pregnancy, but ended up delivering my daughter and I was glad with all the hype I had heard! I believe he offices in St Paul.

Hey A., have you checked out the midwives at Aspen? I see Becky Swora there at Maplewood and I really like her. I am due 17 Aug and delivering at St John's. The only bummer is I just found out today that our midwives don't deliver. Here I have been seeing her for 8 months only to find out some doctor I don't know will be delivering my baby. Not like I haven't experienced that before. My husband is Active Duty and my first two babies were born at Ft Bragg. You saw your regular doc at your clinic and then whoever was on call that day delivered your baby. My second one I had a midwife and though she didn't deliver my baby another one did. At any rate, rather than changing clinics, I would try the midwives at Aspen.

Good luck w/ everything. Is your husband going to Iraq or Kosovo? I'm in the Guard so if you need someone to talk to let me know. Sounds like we live in the same area if you go to Aspen Maplewood.

Partners Ob/GYN in Maplewood (just down the street from Aspen, in the strip mall with JoAnne Etc) is wonderful. Several of the docs there have had the "Top Doc" honor in the Twin Cities, which is a 'title' voted on by peers, and published in Mpls/St. Paul magazine. Independently, I had 3 people recommend this clinic to me, and we were VERY happy with the service. Any of the doctors there are great.

Hi A.,

I know it's been a while since you posted this, but after reading your question and your update I felt completely compelled to post my suggestion. I know you said you were considering driving out to Stillwater, which is a ways away, and that your nervous about a midwife b/c of a bad experience someone else had, but I have to highly, highly recommend Tori Washington. She is a midwife at Aspen Clinics of Bloomington.

When I became pregnant, I saw her, and she was much slower that other docs at Aspen and very, very compassionate. I wasn't able to continue with her because it turned out I was pregnant with twins and a midwife legally can't manage a twin pregnancy (think thats a MN law). If it weren't for that legality, I would have stuck with her. I really wanted to stick with her because I needed the TLC more than the doc side of things. Since your already with Aspen, I know they could easily transfer all of your medical records, and it's possible that she also works out of another location closer to you that I never knew about.

Like I said, if you haven't changed yet, I would highly, highly recommend her. If you have changed and are happy I'm glad that you've found someone. Either way, good luck with all your endeavors!