My first antenatal appointment was a waste of time!

[ShineyHappyPeople]

When my urine sample came back positive, I asked the receptionist "So what happens now" and she said you need to book an antenatal apointment and there is an appointment free on tues or the following tues. So thinking I would be ahead of the game I picked this tues.

Walked in and the midwife said "I take it your very early because your not showing" and I said yes, im only 5 weeks. She then asked me what hospital I had thought about and I told her I hadn't decided yet (the water birth ones are further away from me) and then she said about what foods to avoid - which is exactly what my doctor had told me before. She said its far too early to take blood tests or feel / hear the baby and she won't need to see me until around 16 weeks!!

So that whole appointment was like 5 mins long and nothing was said that I didn't already know. The only bonus is that I have now met the midwife who seems lovely.

Feel a bit disappointed because I was really looking forward to her telling me something about my baby even though its only 1/2 a centimeter but still! Couldn't she just feel my bloated belly and say "oh yeah, i feel something"

I was mentally worked up into thinking I would be giving blood today and I don't have a pin prick on my arm with a little round plaster stuck on it

 

[Fredae]

OOh how rude she was ur receptionist SHP,

But I think after 16 weeks it's too long is she insane, well i dt know how soon you shoul see the doc
to see how baby is doing, but i guess 16 weeks is too late you're even in the second trimester already...

So what are feeling, and how can i do the signature like urs. Am also 5 weeks and some days i can't even count.

Like symptoms

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

OOh how rude she was ur receptionist SHP,

But I think after 16 weeks it's too long is she insane, well i dt know how soon you shoul see the doc
to see how baby is doing, but i guess 16 weeks is too late you're even in the second trimester already...

So what are feeling, and how can i do the signature like urs. Am also 5 weeks and some days i can't even count.

Like symptoms

Well I get to go to the hospital for a scan at around 12-14 weeks, then back to see the midwife around 16 weeks. So why I had to go into today I do not know!

Got to www.baby-gaga.com you can get a ticker there

Don't have many symptoms now to be honest apart from cramps, tiredness and slight nausea.. the cramps last week and the week before were painful but thankfully they are not as sore now.

 

[*sara*]

I have the midwife on the 16th and i know it wont be an exciting visit lol, did you fill in a form for nhs exemption as you are entitled to free prescriptions and dental care while pregnant and untill baby's 1. xx

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Yes I got that forum on my first visit to the Doc which reminds me, I must post it lol

What free prescriptions do we need exactly?

 

[*sara*]

We dont need any prescriptions being pregnant unless you got infection or something and dr would prescribe something...which now you wouldnt have to pay for

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

We dont need any prescriptions being pregnant unless you got infection or something and dr would prescribe something...which now you wouldnt have to pay for

aww, thought I would be able to get something worthwhile! Suppose the only other thing would be prenatal vitamins but I like the type I buy from tesco anyway!

 

[Cixes]

sorry that you didn't get the experience you would of liked hun, did you get your blue notes? did she do a questionnaire about you and your family such as illnesses, religion, etc ? I would of thought that an appointment around 9 weeks would of been good to do your bloods, bp and urine.
It will fly by though and soon you will get to have a sneaky peak at your baby during the scan

 

[MrsBrightside]

my first appointment was rushed! all cause I was 5 mins late but I got more outta it then you seem to!

def get your letter sent off for your scrips! they come throu really quick you never know what you will need I went to buy gaviscon and she told me to call the drs and get a script to get it free!!! so u just never know what ya will need it for!! make the most of it while ya can

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

sorry that you didn't get the experience you would of liked hun, did you get your blue notes? did she do a questionnaire about you and your family such as illnesses, religion, etc ? I would of thought that an appointment around 9 weeks would of been good to do your bloods, bp and urine.
It will fly by though and soon you will get to have a sneaky peak at your baby during the scan

Nope, no blue notes The doc asked me a few questions like any down syndrome in family, twins, etc and typed them into the computer. Nothing about religion, not that I need anything different.

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

my first appointment was rushed! all cause I was 5 mins late but I got more outta it then you seem to!

def get your letter sent off for your scrips! they come throu really quick you never know what you will need I went to buy gaviscon and she told me to call the drs and get a script to get it free!!! so u just never know what ya will need it for!! make the most of it while ya can

Cool! i'll definitely be making a dentist appointment soon cos I might need a filling but then I don't know if thats safe when pregnant? Probably is.

 

[*sara*]

Different areas of the country have different colored notes, mine are just white and grey and say pregnancy record on the front, you take them with you to all your appointments.

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Different areas of the country have different colored notes, mine are just white and grey and say pregnancy record on the front, you take them with you to all your appointments.

I saw a pregnant lady at the doc today with a green clip board file thing so we must get that later on in the pregnancy because I suppose there is nothing to record at the moment! She looked about 20 weeks.

 

[MrsBrightside]

I got my folder, mines white with all my notes in it! she recored all my details lees and family history and also my weight height etc

 

[valleygirl24]

If it helps I had my booking in appointment at about 7 weeks although m/w reckoned I was 9 weeks. All that appointment was was form filling etc
at 9w3d I had my scan (m/w still thinking I was 2 weeks ahead) and they took bloods for a few tests - you'll probably have them in antenatal after your scan like I did
at 16 weeks I had another antenatal appointment and they took the bloods for the triple test (downs syndrome etc)

As for notes etc, I was given a white plastic folder at my booking in appointment which was full of information etc and then after my first scan I was given a copy of all the notes in a purple folder

 

[Sherlock]

Sorry it wans't what you hoped for.

TBH though it really is too early for anything for you. Generally booking in is done around 8 weeks and taken from there.

I'd not worry overly. But don't decide on any hospital till you've done your research on all possibles. There is no huge rush to decide on one now.

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Sorry it wans't what you hoped for.

TBH though it really is too early for anything for you. Generally booking in is done around 8 weeks and taken from there.

I'd not worry overly. But don't decide on any hospital till you've done your research on all possibles. There is no huge rush to decide on one now.

Exactly, it was far too early and the receptionist should have known that.. Im just grumpy today though so maybe I exaggerated a bit earlier

 

[scones]

Aw shame for you SHP, after you had built yourself up and got so excited, only to feel deflated by the experience.

I rang to book in my 8 weeks appointment and they told me on the phone to call in and collect my 'pack' so I did that day-I was so keen lol, it is my proper notes book that the MW will use through out, they told me to fill out as much as I could regarding names addresses and medical history etc as it will save time on the day (8 wk appointment day). Anyway, in the pack was a load of bounty stuff, coupons etc for baby products. It all came in a flimsy white pocket plastic style envelope., Oh and a specimen pot for some wee wee to take on the day.

 

[kaybee]

Just thought I'd say what happened with me...

I saw my community midwife at 5.5-6 weeks. I'd seen the GP a few days before and asked if I should wait a couple of weeks before seeing the mw and he said not to, just go whenever I wanted to, as long as it was before 12 weeks. I checked with reception and they were pretty lax about it too, no mention of having to be 8-10 weeks...

The mw only visits our surgery 2 mornings a month and when I turned up I asked if I was too early and she was really nice and said not at all! She gave me the 'pack' with all the bounty stuff like Scones collected and filled in all the paperwork - which I took home with me - recorded weight, height and blood pressure (but didn't feel my jelly belly at all), asked about family history, tested urine and took bloods - 5 tubes full - so I really hope it wasn't too early for blood tests as I'd be gutted if she did all that for nothing! She also discussed options of where to have the baby and referred me to the hospital for dating scan. I gotta go back next to see her between 15-18 weeks...

It seems different health trusts do things differently though. I'm on the border of three counties; the community mw represents the county I technically live in and she said I'd get my scan at about 14 weeks. But the hospital I've gone with is in the next county as it's actually closer and they do scans at 12 weeks . But if my GP's surgery was 'over the border' then the receptionist would have triaged me straight to the mw without seeing my nice family doctor and would have refused to see me before 8 weeks.

The letter for my dating scan has told me to take my mw notes/forms/pack with me - maybe your hospital will ask you to do the same, though if you don't have notes then I'm not sure... Mind you, you said the doc typed stuff into his computer - so maybe if it's the same health trust you might not need hand-written notes.

Sorry the appointment wasn't more fun for you

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Just thought I'd say what happened with me...

I saw my community midwife at 5.5-6 weeks. I'd seen the GP a few days before and asked if I should wait a couple of weeks before seeing the mw and he said not to, just go whenever I wanted to, as long as it was before 12 weeks. I checked with reception and they were pretty lax about it too, no mention of having to be 8-10 weeks...

The mw only visits our surgery 2 mornings a month and when I turned up I asked if I was too early and she was really nice and said not at all! She gave me the 'pack' with all the bounty stuff like Scones collected and filled in all the paperwork - which I took home with me - recorded weight, height and blood pressure (but didn't feel my jelly belly at all), asked about family history, tested urine and took bloods - 5 tubes full - so I really hope it wasn't too early for blood tests as I'd be gutted if she did all that for nothing! She also discussed options of where to have the baby and referred me to the hospital for dating scan. I gotta go back next to see her between 15-18 weeks...

It seems different health trusts do things differently though. I'm on the border of three counties; the community mw represents the county I technically live in and she said I'd get my scan at about 14 weeks. But the hospital I've gone with is in the next county as it's actually closer and they do scans at 12 weeks . But if my GP's surgery was 'over the border' then the receptionist would have triaged me straight to the mw without seeing my nice family doctor and would have refused to see me before 8 weeks.

The letter for my dating scan has told me to take my mw notes/forms/pack with me - maybe your hospital will ask you to do the same, though if you don't have notes then I'm not sure... Mind you, you said the doc typed stuff into his computer - so maybe if it's the same health trust you might not need hand-written notes.

Sorry the appointment wasn't more fun for you

Your clinic aswell as scones seem very organised! Maybe the hospital keep my records and then send them to the hospital I choose? Im not sure. You both got coupons? thats excellent!!