when in doubt.. ask the experts!

[Lizzystar]

hello everyone.. I'm not pregnant.. or even contemplating becomming pregnant but I need your help

I'm a student nurse and as part of my maturnity module I have to find out "what information a woman who is 3 months pregnant needs to be given"

now I've been looking and found loads of conflicting information.. I decided to ask the people who really know what information is needed and what concerns are likely!!

sorry to gatecrash your forum please help me!

Lizzy x

 

[Nicola]

Hi Lizzy,

Good luck with your assignemnt. I'm 3 months 1 week pregnant and to me what was important was having my scan, ensuring that scan would go ahead (NHS constantly cancel/re-schedule them etc) and checking my baby was ok. Being explained what tests would occur when and whether I had to have them, what they checked for and so forth. What vitamins I might need and food advice, an opportunity to ask questions about my midwife, how qualified is she and would she be able to deal with hospital and/or home births (not sure when I want my baby yet). I wanted to know risks of inherited or chromosomal disorders and was offered the Nuchal fold scan to check for things like downs syndrome, edwards syndrome and so forth and was relieved the results came back normal. I wanted to know that someone was there pretty much 24/7 if I had questions, concerns, pains etc. Advice on maternity leave, pay, benefits was helpful also although I don't work (never really have done so don't qualify for anything ) anyway so in a nutshell I'd basically say at 3 months pregnant information on food/nutrition, tests offered (what these mean, when they happen etc) what happens next, i.e. the 4 month meeting to discuss lifestyle and antenatal class options, the 3 month scan is vital to ALL women, you'll get the feeling on here were all always desperate for the scans to know baby is doing well. As my midwife said to me the reason a pregnany is 9 months is that so not only does baby have time to grow etc but that Mum-to-be has time to prepare and learn. I'm one of these people that has to know everything now and it's been surprising how little they will tell you untill you reach that relevant stage in pregnancy. Oh and it's important that we know contact numbers/names for antenatal, labour, delivery etc incase of pains, bleedings or quetions.

I have a million and one leaflets on things like this, books and DVD's etc, if you want any specific info PM me I'll send you an email. Good luck with your nursing studies, your doing a really worthwhile job!!

Nicola xx

 

[oldermum]

This may be a touchy subject, but the fact that a lot of ladies seem to have a bleed in pregnancy is very rarely or never told you by a midwife.

Many women do this and greatly worry that they are about to lose there baby when actually they don't.

It's happened to me twice in pregnancy and the fact that it isn't told to women who to contact in the early days makes it really hard and stressful.

Good luck.

 

[Lizzystar]

thank you so much.. you've both been a great help!!

hope all is well and you have a great pregnancy and healthy baby

Lizzy
xxx

 

[kirstyxxx]

i would have really liked to be offered an earlier appointment with a midwife to discuss any problems and or concerns. it sort of feels like they just leave you for 11 weeks to get on with it.

early pregnancy is so vital in the development it would be really beneficial to have early nutrition and lifestyle advice. and that would be especially useful for those without internet access or books etc.

if it hadn't been for this forum everytime i got an af type pain i'd have been at the hospital!!

hope that helps!

 

[andreag]

I felt that I was completely ignored by the medical services for the first 12 weeks. I didn't see a midwife until then, had no contact details for anyone to talk through concerns with, and wasn't even told that there was a local EPU. I felt that they were waiting to see that the pregnancy was viable before wasting any money seeing me. In your first pregnancy, you have so many worries and concerns in the first 12 weeks, but there is no formal support. If it wasn't for this forum, I would have gone mad with worry - and mine so far has been relatively straight forward.

I would like to have seen a midwife right at the start, and had a contact number to go through concerns with. You get loads of support and information after 12 weeks, but after the scan I worried a lot less anyway. A midwife early on could also give you the right advice re nutrition and suppliments - its a bit late at 12 weeks to ask if you have been taking folic acid.


Good luck with the project - I feel better for getting that off my chest!
Cheers
Andrea