First doctor's appointment when pregnant?

katy - look on your local hospital's website for an Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) or Emergency Gynecology Dept and then phone them.  If you can't find these things online, try just phoning the switchboard and see if the operator can help.  Some will let you self-refer if there are problems, whereas others are quite strict and will only see you with a GP referral.  If you do have bleeding/problems, get an emergency appt with your GP and they will help you from there.  Occassionally if it's out-of-hours they'll refer you to the ER but ER will prolly just make an appt with the EPAU anyway!

You can ask all the questions you need at your first midwife appt - as a first time mum you get a few more appointments than previous mums.  You won't have much choice in your midwife care, as it's all down to catchment areas.  If you are deemed as 'high risk' or a 'complicated' case, you'll likely be given consultant care, which is seeing a special doctor instead of a MW.

Best source for info?  Message boards!  Netmums, Baby Centre, even on here...far better than the 10 minutes at a time you get with a midwife

I forgot about Baby Centre. I signed up for the weekly email, it was great! Some of the preggy/baby magazines you can buy are good sources of information too. (Plus they give good freebies!)

I belonged to iVillage mums due message boards when I was pregnant. It was a great source of support and knowledge.

At the same time, for me, having too many doctors appointments is a really scary thing. I am labelled high risk and from 24 weeks on (next week) I am at the hospital for one test, appointment, growth scan, midwife visit at least every three weeks until I give birth...

Its overkill and has really zapped the joy of pregnancy right out from under my feet.

I feel the opposite. I feel reassured by all the extra attention I'm getting for our "high risk" pregnancy.  Plus I get more scans. I've already had 4 and I'm only 14 weeks. I've even got one from when I was 4 weeks pregnant.

Everyone talks about that dreaded 12 week wait that you have to go through before you have confirmation that everything is ok. Then you have to wait until 20 weeks before it's checked again. I don't think I could go through that.

This is exactly why. I have loads of questions more about the system and just my area in general. I've got the What to Expect book, and I've been on netmums quite a bit this weekend, and the NHS website. I have private health insurance as well through my employer, but I have no idea how it works. I also have no idea even what hospitals are in our area or which ones you can give birth. I also read something about independent midwives (seems a common complaint here is that you never see the same one twice), so that may be worth looking into.

Hi there!

Congratulations!  I just had my little boy in June and the whole experience of finding out I was pregnant to having the baby was all a bit of a shock to my American system:-)  I thought they would confirm my pregnancy but my GP actually looked at me like I was crazy for booking an appointment when I found out I was preggers!

First off, as far as places you can give birth you have Heatherwood in Ascot and Wexham in Slough.  I don’t know about King Edward in Windsor.  Wexham is a proper hospital where you would have the full care of doctors in case anything unexpected happens during delivery.  Heatherwood is a midwife run birthing centre so if you have a nice normal birth you can get everything you need there and if any problems arise you would be transferred to Wexham.  It always seems to be empty from what I've heard and seen so you would be likely to get a lot of attention there which is nice but keep in mind it's not a hospital.  For me personally, I wanted a hospital because I liked knowing if anything went 'wrong' there were doctors on hand to see to me. 

I had my baby at Frimley which might be a bit far for you as its in Camberley but I had an amazing experience there.  So good, I'm scared to have another baby for fear that no midwife could live up to the one who delivered me!  But at the same time, it’s a very popular place to give birth and extremely busy.

Are you already booked in for your scan?  There were loads of Windsor ladies in my antenatal classes (at Heatherwood) so your first one may be at Heatherwood so ask them to tell you about the free antenatal classes and hospital tours.  Wherever you go for your scan, you'll get to see the place and find out if you'd be comfortable having your baby there.   

Oh and yes it is normal that they don't really feel the need to see you until around 12 weeks.  Once you've had your first scan, that kind of ‘confirms’ the pregnancy for the GP’s and midwife.

As for private health care, I don’t think they typically cover childbirth.  At least mine and my husband’s both have clauses that exclude everything related to pregnancy and labour.  But give them a call to be sure because my private health provider did offer a £200 cash benefit when I had my baby.

This is such an exciting time!  Congratulations again!

Unless you have a bespoke private insurance policy it won't cover maternity, you would have to pay out of pocket, which is typically 10,000 GBP and up, depending on your pregnancy. They usually won't see you until around 12 weeks, and like a pp said they do a booking in and your scan, I had both on the same day.

We had to pay out of pocket for most of my ante natal care because I was still a visitor at that time. Each time I saw my midwife it was £200, and it was £495 for my booking in appointment and all the tests that they did then. Luckily for me I went back to the US at 25 weeks got my visa and returned and was soon covered by NHS. But we got a shock just after my daughter was born when a bill arrived for £4,000 for the birth and my hospital stay. Apparently their billing department still had me listed as a private patient. So I had to provide them with a copy of my visa, passport details page and my NHS card and the cleared the bill.

£200 per visit to see a  midwife?!?!  You can get a private midwife who comes to see you at home (or at work or wherever you like) for about £1000 total. (You probably don't want to know that now, sorry!).

My sister fell pregnant after a mis-carriage and wanted to make sure that everything was fine with the baby. Her GP booked her in for an 'early' scan which was booked in for her 10th week (so not really that early). She didnt want to wait that long so booked in for 2 private 'dating' scans. They were £90 each and she had one at 6 weeks and one at 8 weeks just to give herself piece of mind that everything was well with the pregnancy

Are you already booked in for your scan?  There were loads of Windsor ladies in my antenatal classes (at Heatherwood) so your first one may be at Heatherwood so ask them to tell you about the free antenatal classes and hospital tours.  Wherever you go for your scan, you'll get to see the place and find out if you'd be comfortable having your baby there.   

Thanks, QTSMom, that was extremely helpful. I googled directions to Frimley from my place, and it's only about 35 minutes away, so maybe that's not out of the question. Do midwives and GPs kind of want you to give birth at the nearest places to your house? Or does it really not matter?

I am not booked in for my scan yet. I thought maybe that was what would happen at my 10 week visit (I figured this is my booking-in visit?), but probably not, as it's at my surgery and not a hospital. One thing that is concerning me, is that my 10-week appointment is 7 December. After that, I am going to be out of the country for most of December. So, I really hope they can squeeze in a scan for week 11 or something. Is there usually a long wait for booking these in? Or will they likely be able to do it asap after my 7 December appointment.

When you say Heatherwood is not a hospital, does that mean that you cannot have epidurals there? Or just that they don't do things like c-sections there.

Thanks for all the help.

Thanks, QTSMom, that was extremely helpful. I googled directions to Frimley from my place, and it's only about 35 minutes away, so maybe that's not out of the question. Do midwives and GPs kind of want you to give birth at the nearest places to your house? Or does it really not matter?

I am not booked in for my scan yet. I thought maybe that was what would happen at my 10 week visit (I figured this is my booking-in visit?), but probably not, as it's at my surgery and not a hospital. One thing that is concerning me, is that my 10-week appointment is 7 December. After that, I am going to be out of the country for most of December. So, I really hope they can squeeze in a scan for week 11 or something. Is there usually a long wait for booking these in? Or will they likely be able to do it asap after my 7 December appointment.

When you say Heatherwood is not a hospital, does that mean that you cannot have epidurals there? Or just that they don't do things like c-sections there.

Thanks for all the help.

Katylux,

Your GP and quite possibly your midwife won't have any part in your labour so they don't mind where you give birth.  The GP(s) you see during your pregnancy are really just there to make sure everything appears okay throughout those 9 months and rule out any problems.  Same with the midwives you see at the GP’s Surgery.  It's possible that one of the midwives at your surgery will deliver you if you stay within your area/trust but there is such a HUGE shortage of midwives around here, so  I would not count on it.

One thing - The Heatherwood midwives are very big on their trust (the ‘trust’ or group of hospitals in the local area) and typically would like you to give birth there or Wexham.  Don't let them pressure you and tell you Frimley is not as nice a place.  They will.  They told me loads of things that weren't exactly accurate about Frimley.  I am not saying Heatherwood isn't a lovely place to have a baby. That's totally up to you.  Just go see a more than one place and go with what YOU feel comfortable with.   

As for your scan, you might want to ask at your surgery because it's hard to say how long it will take to get an appointment.  I booked all of mine pretty far in advance and if you're going to be short on time, just to be safe I would definitely ask at your surgery about booking in for your scan now.  I believe you'll need a form from your GP for your first scan so you may have to go in and see them.

I believe you can have an epidural at Heatherwood.  When I went to antenatal classes there run by Heatherwood midwives, they said you could but it was not encouraged (another reason I went for Frimley!) 
I hope that helps a little.

Katylux,
As for your scan, you might want to ask at your surgery because it's hard to say how long it will take to get an appointment.  I booked all of mine pretty far in advance and if you're going to be short on time, just to be safe I would definitely ask at your surgery about booking in for your scan now.  I believe you'll need a form from your GP for your first scan so you may have to go in and see them.

Grr...I called my surgery, but they just said "No, you don't need to book in anything else right now. That first appointment will take care of all of that stuff. They'll give you the paperwork and check everything there." I guess I'll just have to wait and see. She seemed really confused as to what I was asking. I really hate the waiting game. I just want to know everything's all right...I hope I don't have to wait until like January or longer for the first ultrasound. It is really baffling how different other areas handle things. Someone I know at work is 15 weeks pregnant and she's been to the GP, midwife, etc. like five times already. Nuts.

Thanks for the advice, though, I really will be looking into Frimley.

So, I was in a similar predicament about scheduling...

My GP office was unhelpful about booking the scan, but the midwife (separate location) was pretty good about booking the scan (she wrote down my days available)... It took about two weeks to get the notice in the mail, however. And the scan is only about 4 days since the invitation arrived in the mail

So the scan is tomorrow... then I'm schedule to fly home to the States the next day! Fingers crossed that the scan goes well...

Hope all is well with your adventures, katylux!

At the same time, for me, having too many doctors appointments is a really scary thing. I am labelled high risk and from 24 weeks on (next week) I am at the hospital for one test, appointment, growth scan, midwife visit at least every three weeks until I give birth...

Its overkill and has really zapped the joy of pregnancy right out from under my feet.

I felt as you in my last pregnancy, which was also labelled high risk and having conceived right after missed miscarriage.

I'm anxious as it is and the build up to those appointments really messed with me.

So, I was in a similar predicament about scheduling...

Did you get it figured out, Rutabega? I did get my predicament sorted a bit, but it seems like every appointment comes with its own set of problems.

At my booking in appointment, I was asking about scheduling my next MW appointment (for my surgery they said to come back at 16 weeks) and I was told to call back three weeks prior to when I want my appointment to book it. I called today, and they said "sorry we have nothing until 1 Feb." So at that point I will be 18 weeks and having my 16 week appointment. I just don't understand why they wanted me to wait to book this appointment when it's very clear they are jammed beyond belief, and if I had been given the option to book earlier, I could have my 16 week appointment at 16 weeks.

This is mainly frustrating as I want to switch my booking for where I give birth to a different place, and I need to speak to my midwife team to do this. I want to book my 20-week scan at the new hospital, but the new hospital won't let me book it until I am booked in there for birth.

It is seriously a major clusterf**ck. I am going to try to call my midwife team, but I doubt they'll let me take care of it over the phone. In the interim, I just booked my 20-week scan at the place where I am currently booked in to give birth.

Lesson learned: book things as soon as humanly possible.