Dr Kini - Really depends on if he is for you.

Prelogue - This post has been almost 3 months in the making. Thinking about the exact facts and things to say.

Well, read on.

We were referred to Dr. Prakash Kini by Sm (who was referred to by Sa) and both had come back and told us he was one of the best Ob/Gyn around. Very old-fashioned, doesn't worry you too much, doesn't push for a C-Sec just because its easier (and more profitable) and so on.

When we began we were completely clueless (not that when it ended we had better ideas, but still) and so we just went with the flow and called Cradle for an appointment.

When we went to him first, we were not even sure if I was, in fact, pregnant. We asked him if he can ascertain and he said that if the home pregnancy test showed even a slight bar then that was it. And gave us a probable due date. I was shocked. No blood tests? No confirmation? Please, something to put me out of my nervousness of knowing and not knowing. He said no. He prescribed the Folic Acid and the multivitamin and decided the due date and asked us to come back for the Nuchal scan at 11 weeks.

I went home even more perplexed than before. I went to Cradle hoping to ascertain whether or not we were expecting and came back with a due date in hand. Of course till we went for the scan I didn't quite believe it, but that is a separate matter.

So this pretty much sums up my experience. With Dr. Kini you get a highly technical, no-nonsense, no-silly-talk, no chit-chat, extremely knowledgeable doctor. Who minds his business and minds it well.

But does that mean he is right for you?

The answer is, like all things in life, it depends (god! I am using this way too often.)

You can be a to-be parent looking for some assurances, some smiles, some chit chat etc. Or you can be a to-be parent content to know that everything is normal and get on with life.

If you are the former, he is a strict no-no for you. If you are the latter or in that range, he is perfect.

He checks all the vital stuff every visit, tells you if you are normal or not. If you are normal, he will encourage you to be more so, and go about your routine. The only thing he ever recommended to us was to eat vegetables and fruit. I remember every visit he used to say no smoking but you can have a glass of wine every now and then and I used to tell him every time that I am a teetotaler, and that I don't drink at all. Then he will ask you if you have any more questions. Quickly answer them and send you on your way. We used to travel 45 minutes (one way), wait for about 15 minutes for our turn, sit in the coffee shop (Barista) after the consultation for about 30 minutes. All for the 2 minutes with the doc!!

For me he worked really well because I fall in the latter extreme. I sometimes even used to suddenly realize I was pregnant.


So much so that even a doctor like Kini used to ask us every time if we had questions and he would be the more surprised that we have none, And I used to be really guilty of not having any questions and would frantically try to make up some questions on our long 45 min journey to Cradle once every three weeks :)

All in all, except for the fact that I was supremely disappointed at having to have a C-Sec after a perfectly normal pregnancy, I don't think I regret anything. And the C-Sec I guess he could little help. He did wait for a week for Rohan to come out on his own. And I was too low on the Bishop's score to be induced apparently so I guess he couldn't have done anymore than that. The son was simply reluctant to leave mommy and come out.

Post partum too he was really matter of fact. Made me climb four floors about 4 hours after the C-Sec saying I have to do it if I have to heal properly without pain killers. It did me a world of good as I realized well within a month. All that walking I did. I took a max of 6 low dose pain killers over that month, that too for only 3 or 4 days here and there when Rohan was extremely cranky and my pain particularly severe.

Also, any questions you have you can call him on his mobile, he will answer but he will keep it short (I don't think he can do it any other way when he is seeing 30 patients every day and all of them have his mobile number). I once had high fever and called him and he said just take Crocin three times, three days and you will be fine. Its normal common sense advice but it was very re-assuring as most often his advice is. One other time I was doubtful since my stitches were paining (within 15 days of C-Sec) and I called him and he said its normal. (Now I know better but then I was that ignorant yeah, I was expecting it to heal within a week ;) )

So there,