midwife appointments - is this normal?

ab7167

Hi,

Don't know if some of you remember my last post, but to cut a long story short I found out I was pregnant nearly 3 weeks ago. I went to see my GP, who confirmed it and asked me to make an appointment for a booking in appointment with the midwife on my way out. She also asked for a dating scan at the same time as I have an irregular cycle. (at the time she estimated that I was 7 weeks pg)

I asked at the main desk for a midwife appointment, only to be told that there weren't any at all for the next 5 weeks! I was under the impression that I needed to be seen by around 10 weeks?

Anyway, I was told that one of the midwives would call me to make an appointment, but no one has yet. I know who my midwife will be, but I have left messages, including notification of when I am on holiday to avoid clashes, and heard nothing in the last 3 weeks. My dating scan is on 19th April, and I am having a nuchal transparency scan on the same afternoon. , so will be about 12 weeks at that point.

Is this normal - given that I am now 10 weeks pg, and really should have seen a mw by now - I don't even have an appointment yet?

bit worried (but it is my olympic sport of choice - worrying, that is)

Ali

Eels100

My impression is that they spread the midwifes appointments out in the early days because we all worry so much but there's not actually much for a midwife to DO when they see us! My booking appointment was at 10 weeks but I don't think it was critical that they saw me then. They just went through my medical history and took blood samples and answered my numerous silly questions. Most relevant medical history doesn't seem to become problematic until the pregnancy is more advanced anyway. I think if you haven't heard any more by 12 weeks you should probably make a bit of a fuss, but I suspect at that stage the 5 weeks will have elapsed and you'll find someone's lined up to see you.

Sorry to hear they're a bit slow to get started, but once you're in the system as long as you keep booking your appointments well ahead you'll be seen regularly.

Carmina_Piranha_3

nobody here sees a midwife before the 12 weeks scan, which is a pain for all those who have early bleeding. i think they're just understaffed because there's info you need before you're 12 weeks such as about folic acid, which foods to avoid etc. - the midwife sorts out the emma's diary and bounty packs which contain all the info.

Bollards

Hi,
Yes I think it is fairly normal which is no help to you really, but if I don't book up well in advance I have trouble getting midwife appointments. They don't really do very much in the early days anyway. I got the impression when I was pg with DS that they are not particularly interested until you get to about 28 weeks! Perhaps that is a little unfair of me, and I received fantastic care from then onwards. I think that if you suspect that you have problems you should make more of a fuss to get seen, but otherwise your 12 week scan should reassure you and things start get taken a bit more seriously then.

Agutka

I saw my doc at 6 weeks when she sent me for blood tests. Then at 12 wks I had my scan (proof of pregnancy!) and only today at 14.5 weeks I had my booking in appointment with a midwife!! It seems to take forever, but really there is nothing they can do at this stage, apart from answer questions, which this forum is much better at anyway.
Next thing I can look forward to is the next scan at end of may and then midwife and doctor appointments from end of june!! Even antenatal classes I need to attend aren't till august. SLOW!!!
So you may need a new olympic sport, as worrying in pregnancy is just too easy

nats3006

Hiya just to let you know i didnt get my first scan until i was 16 weeks!!! so wouldnt worry too much they tend not to bother you that much until in second stage although im not saying they dont care!!
dont worry too much!
nats
x

AIM££

I think it all depends on where you live. I know there is a shortage of them where i live and they're always in constant demand. Try not to worry, sod's law will say that she'll phone you to arrange an appointment when you've stopped phoning her

crispeater

i didnt see a mw in both my pg til i was 12 weeks or over with my 1st pg i didnt get a scan til i was 14 wks as the mw forgot to tell me when the appointment was lol

inkie

Hello

Just thought i'd offer some professional slant on this (yes, i'm a trained midwife). According to my personal practice, most bookings would be done between 7 and 10 weeks, of course we get the odd one coming to book further advanced, as they didn't realise that they were pregnant, but the earlier the better as far as I am concerned. I can then build up a relationship with the women and get to know her and her family at the significant life-chnaging event. It also enables me to put into place any special considerations, gain all of the information needed to plan care, and allows for all those silly questions (which arn't silly at all btw ) to be asked.

As for the scan issue - the only scan that is really needed is the 20 week anomaly scan and then possible further ones as a result of this (if placenta is low-lying, or if there are issues with growth redardation). I like to see people in their homes as they are much more relaxed, saves with child-care issues perhaps for second-time plus mums, and reinforces that for the the majority of women, they are undergoing a normal physiological process, not somethig that has to be medicalised.

Carmina_Piranha_3

i kept trying to make an appointment because i needed a dentist urgently and i wanted to get the treatment done for free

also, i was advised by a genetic counsellor after my son was tested that i ought to have CVS or amnio to check the chromosomes of future babies.

emma_b_4

hi it sounds fairly normal to me, when i was preg last yr the receptionist told me to make an appointment for around my 11th week, and dating scans last year werent till 15 weeks.
things didnt work out with my 1st pregnancy so this time round i exagerated my dates to the receptionist and got an appointment for when i was 10 weeks, i just couldnt wait any longer, i had also had bleeding and three scans by the time i saw my midwife (two after bleeding and one was private dating scan)
theres really not much that they do at the booking in stage, just form filling really. whereas if you go later on they can take bloods and things, so maybe yours just waits and does everything togther?
i would try ringing them again though and just point out that you still havent heard anything from anyone and havent got an appointment booked. im sure once you have had your scan the ball will get rolling!
congratulations on your pregnancy
im nealry 18 weeks now and still worry every day so i know how you feel.
right now im worrying bcos i havent felt any movement yet.
take care, em xxx