Help for the Clueless

Hello.

I'm completely new to these boards... I've been in the UK for almost 3 years now, and my partner and I are going to try to get pregnant this year.

I'm worried as I don't have a GYN the way I did at home - basically have just seen the nurse one in my whole time here. I'm 34 so want to make sure I get good care. I have no idea even where to start as I don't really know (or like) my current GP.

I just wanted to ask if anyone out there had any websites or resources they could recommend. Did any US Citizens have their first baby over here? I feel like I'm the only one  :)

Any words of wisdom would be very appreciated.

Thanks
Sunny.

If you don't like your current GP, I'd suggest switching... but to be honest, I'm pregnant now and haven't seen too much of my GP at all. Only the initial appointment when i went in and told him i was pregnant and he weighed me, felt my belly and put me in touch with the midwife, so i mainly see her.

When we first started TTC, I was a member of www.babyandbump.com and they offered some pretty useful tips about optimising your chances of conceiving and such...

It will be my first baby and so I can't really comment on having a baby over here, because i havent done it yet but best of luck on trying to conceive.. and i hope to see you posting on the pregnancy role call soon!  

Unless you have a health problem, or one arises during pregnancy, you don't see a OB/GYN, or any specialist, for pregnancy.

Your care is handled via a midwife or team of midwives attached to your surgery. 

If you don't like your surgery, you can switch, as per Chrissy's post.

I had all three of my children here in Scotland.

Switch GP now before you start TTC, though you probably won't deal with your actual GP much during the pregnancy.  It's mainly all done by midwives here (which I really liked).  My little girl is 19 months now and we're hoping to start trying for another in the next few months.

You might find the discussions in these threads useful:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=58362.0

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=57335.0

Thank you so much, all of you... I already feel SO much better. And thanks for the links - that is exactly what I needed.

Hi Sunny,

Don't worry you are not the only USC to have their first baby in the UK!  I have been here for 3 years and I just had my first baby in June.

For my 1st year in the UK, I swore to my hubby that I would under no circumstances be having a baby in the UK.  I was going by my GP and the care, or lack there of, that I felt I had received. 

But obviously, I got over my fears and now have a perfect little boy to show for it:-)

Good luck!  I didn't bother switching GP's because they had so little to do with my pregnancy but it may be a good idea to at least find a surgery where you like the receptionists because the ones at mine were shocking and screwed up the booking of just about every one of my antenatal appointments

I had a baby in May 2008 here in the UK. I've been here since 2007 and didn't once see my GP during my pregnancy. It was only 8 weeks after the birth that I actually met my GP for the first time in order to get my birth control set up.

During my pregnancy I was seen at the GP's surgery by the Community Midwife (she was awesome) and then I was also seen at the hospital in their Baby Clinic and then I was assigned a Consultant (OB) that was in charge of my care due to the baby being breech and my developing hypertension during the pregnancy and then a specialist when they were concerned about her not gaining weight.

So no worries about your GP getting involved. But if you're truly not comfortable with your GP then I'd look into switching.

You don't state what part of the UK you're living in, but if you're in England here's a general guide to NHS Care when TTC through birth:  http://www.nhs.uk/planners/pregnancycareplanner/Pages/PregnancyHome.aspx.

I've lived here for nearly 5 years, I had my first here in the UK in 2007 and now on my second.   

Antenatal (prenatal) care here in the UK is primarily Midwife led as WestHighland stated, and unless based on your past medical history or anything crops up during your pregnancy you won't see an OBs.  If it's needed your Midwife will refer you.