First midwife appointment

[amandas]

Hi Everyone

I'm new on here. We found out on Valentine's day and i'm due about 23 October I think - I'm 5 weeks and 2 days! Fingers crossed!

It's my first pregnancy so all very new to me! I went to the GP on Monday who didn't really tell me anything, other than to book an appt with the MW which I've done, and I'm going on Friday. I just wondered what happens at this first appt? I guess it's blood tests? But are they able to detect a heart beat this early? I'm happy to go on my own and my husband is very busy at work, but if it's going to be anything exciting then we'd like him to be there.

Also when do most people tell their boss? Do you wait until the 12 week stage or should i tell her now so that she's aware about my appt on Friday?

Sorry for all the questions!
Amanda x

 

[susy]

Thats what I am wondering. Not looking forward to telling my boss as I only started the job about 2 weeks before I learnt I was pregnant and all the people I work for and with are men. not sure how to approach the issue really. Good luck! I havent been to the midwife yet so need to book an appointment too.

 

[amandas]

Hi Susy

I think my boss may be a little more understanding than yours then! Maybe you should wait a while until you're a bit more settled? I'm lucky as I've worked in the same place for over 6 years and I think they're all just waiting for the announcement anyway - they've seen us through the engagement and then the wedding! They're also mainly all female! I won't tell anyone else at work until 12 weeks, but not sure whether i should tell my boss now, or wait till then too? Good luck telling everyone at work! Make sure you find out about your maternity entitlements first!!!

Let me know how you get on! Here's to a healthy 9 months!

Amanda x

 

[splashmonkey]

Hey ladies, the first midwife appointment is usually just to get your paperwork sorted, go through all your history and stuff and talk through how the procedures work in your area. They'll probably want a urine test and may take blood, although that may wait till later. They definitely won't look for a heartbeat, there's absolutely no chance of finding one without a scan at this stage! To give you an idea, I haven't heard the heartbeat yet (although I saw it on my 12 week scan) and many midwives won't try even at the 16 week appointment as it's still quite hard to find. Bear in mind the baby's only 4.5-5 inches long even at my stage, and at yours is really really teeny and may not actually HAVE a heartbeat yet! (I can't remember when it starts, think it's somewhere around 6 weeks ish).

In terms of telling your boss, a lot of people hold off on telling them until the scan, depends on how you woudl feel about having to tell them if anything went wrong - if you have a good relationship with your boss, then tell them now, and that way they will be understanding about appointments and be able to support you if you struggle with sickness or other symptoms. HTH girls!

 

[kitten x]

Hi Everyone

I'm new on here. We found out on Valentine's day and i'm due about 23 October I think - I'm 5 weeks and 2 days! Fingers crossed!

It's my first pregnancy so all very new to me! I went to the GP on Monday who didn't really tell me anything, other than to book an appt with the MW which I've done, and I'm going on Friday. I just wondered what happens at this first appt? I guess it's blood tests? But are they able to detect a heart beat this early? I'm happy to go on my own and my husband is very busy at work, but if it's going to be anything exciting then we'd like him to be there.

Also when do most people tell their boss? Do you wait until the 12 week stage or should i tell her now so that she's aware about my appt on Friday?

Sorry for all the questions!
Amanda x

hiya xx
welcome to the site and congratulations xx
we are about the same days give a couple of days as my due date is 25th oct , i spoke to my midwife fri she wont see me till im 8weeks and normally she doesnt see until 10weeks, this is my fourth so i should be good for advise x the heartbeat starts beating around the 5th week but can take till the start of 6th week, with my 1st pregnancy my midwife heard heartbeat at 12weeks 2nd pregnancy could hear heartbeat at 11weeks and with my 3rd again at 12weeks,x

Ive got to tell my boss yet and to tell you the truth im dreding it i work with a bunch of how shall i say (bitchy) girls who make work for me a place i dont want go, but ive decided to tell in a couple more weeks just wen i feel bit more braver lol thats how bad it is and i hate it i no wen i leave for mat leave i wont want to go bk xx

well hope to spk to you soon xxx xx

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I personally am waiting for the first scan before making it common knowledge, which includes officially telling work. Saying that my boss does know but that is as a friend not officially. It does make life easier.

I had my first MW appointment on Friday. It was answering a load of questions mainly about medical history of all your family and details of previous pregnancies and births. They took a load of blood for 3 different samples / envelopes, a urine sample. She also filled in the stuff and was going to send it off that day for the scan to be booked. We also talked about local churches but that was because a went a bit off-topic.

 

[elainegee]

I had my first midwife appointment last thursday. today i am 5 weeks exactly. i told my boss in work because i had a lot of probs in my last pregnancy that required me having time off work. I work in a gp practice and as you can imagine they are rather understanding. There hasnt been a year when either the admin staff or the dr's havent been pregnanct for the last 6 years! so my turn has came round again. i got a letter in this morning from hospital with an appointment for 21st March but not sure if it is just to see consultant or for a scan as well hmmm i would only be 8/9 weeks. If you feel well and all is ok leave telling your boss for a while. leagally time has to be given to woman in the work place to attend hospital appointments whether or not they pay you though is different! good luck x

 

[splashmonkey]

Elaine that's not true, they have to pay you as normal for time off for appts. Check out the direct.gov website for more info on employment rights.

 

[trixipaws]

hey, congrats!

mw app they weighed me, took my blood, took my wee sample, did my blood pressure, and asked briefly about birth options and stuff. gave me leaflets too.

iv told my team leader already coz iv been off with m/s a few times. but ur not legally bound to tell them til ur 25 weeks. x

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Oh yes forgot about blood pressure.

We get given all the leaflets from the surgery when you first tell them.

She gave me my notes. Also told me about the antenatal classes available. Talked about BF. Gave a list of appointments (ie which weeks to do what, seeing MW, scans, blood tests). Discussed the different blood test options. She did a risk assessment, which came out LR thankfully. Did discuss birthing options though not that much as I was already dead set on a home birth. Though I did ask her about whether they had a pool as I would like a home waterbirth this time around.

 

[Trio]

glad you posted this as i was wondering too- havent seen a midwife yet but had the info pack form my surgery.

 

[Ocean Star]

I've got my first midwife app this week and they do the booking in and a dating scan all at the same time. It says on the letter that it takes about 2 hours.

I have told my team in work - 8 people - partly because we are all good friends and there is no way i'd be able to hide this from them and partly because when I found out I was pregnant I was taking antidepressants - seroxat. The doc told me I had to come off them but this involved taking 3 weeks off work because it made me so ill. So I had to tell my boss, and once I told her it was impossibe not to tell the others. There are about 40 other people working in an open plan office at my work and no one else knows, I'll let it slip after 12 weeks.

 

[amandas]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your replies! I'm looking quite forward to my MW appt now, even if it is just form filling and blood tests, as i think it will make it all feel a bit more 'real'!

As for telling work - i think i may tell my boss soon. I've been off work with a throat infection the last week, and wish that she'd already known so that she'd understand why the GP isn't going to give me any antibiotics. But I havent seen her and don't plan to tell her over the phone! As for everyone else, I'm going to try to hold out 'til the 12 weeks, but i think people I work closely with might notice! I already feel huge and bloated and I'm not even 6 weeks yet! I may have to buy a few extra baggy work tops!

Amanda xx