[Alvarywinters]

Hey all
I am so confused and thought you guys might be able to help!
Sorry it's so long, just trying to get across what has(n't) happened. Keep in mind that I have a lot of anxiety with appointments and phone calls so it's been VERY stressful. Also the doctors are an hours drive away and poor hubby has trouble driving much due to chronic fatigue.

When trying to get pregnant I was seeing a gyno 3 hours away. As soon as I got a BFP he told me I would no longer be seeing him and to go to my GP, which I did.
My GP did some blood tests and sent me into a dating scan (at my insistence) because even on meds I didn't know to within 3 weeks. I also had to go onto some tablets for my morning sickness.
At 11 weeks I went back in to see him for more tablets and my 12 week scan referral. He gave me a lecture on not getting enough iron, even though he knew I couldn't hold any food or tablets down! I asked if I would need to see him again soon and he said no, not until after the 20 week scan. I asked if there was anything else I needed to know or do and he said no. When we went in for the scan it turns out he had given me the 18-20 week referral. They did the scan anyway, thankfully! (I couldn't have put up with the paranoia otherwise!)
At 18 weeks I was talking to a friend who said she had been seeing the midwifes since 16 weeks (she was 28w) and that I had to book in by 20 weeks...no one told me this!
She had recommended a doctor to see, so I tried to make an appointment with him and was told I needed to have my info sent over from my other doctor. I called up and requested the info...I got a call a few hours later that I needed a referral before they would send anything and that my GP wanted to see me first.
I go into the appointment and at the desk the woman asks me if I have the sample...'What sample!?'...she hands me a little plastic container and tells me to take a seat. I'm baffled. Then a nurse comes out and takes me into a room and asks for my urine sample. I break into tears and sobbed I had no idea what was going on. (gah, hormones!). She explains it's an antenatal checkup and what it involved. Once that was over I was sent in to see my GP. He looks over the checkup info before turning to me, 'so what can I do for you?'. I explained that I had been recommended this doctor to see while pregnant and I wanted a referral. 'Ah, no, I don't refer on until 30 weeks.' I asked if I needed to see anyone else or book into the hospital. He said the other doctor would do that when I went to see him. He handed me a new 20 week scan referral (he had forgotten he had written one already, so I didn't remind him) and told me to see him again at 28 weeks for the referral.
The ultrasound was done up the the (public) hospital that I'm planning to birth at, so while we were there I asked the nurse if I should be seeing anyone else before 30 weeks...she looked shocked and said I should be booked in, seeing the midwives and seeing a specialist doctor! (ob?) She booked me in to see the midwives in a week.

I am so confused, angry and hurt. I have no idea what most women would be doing by 20 weeks, when I'm expected to do these checkups or what to expect at this appointment next week...nearly all the info I have on my pregnancy has come from online...I cannot imagine how lost I would be if it were not for the internet!

So, what are you doing appointment wise, what checkups and info have you had? Am I expecting too much or should my GP be being more helpful?

Thanks!

This post has been edited by Alvarywinters: 03/02/2012, 05:48 PM

[Allele]

HI Alvarywinters

So sorry to read about your distress. i remeber with my first how much i didnt know and how some "professionals" just expected you to know what was required or expected just becasue they do it every day.

Make sure you dont leave an appointment without knowing excatly what you need to do, who you need to see and when. Your anxiety about this should not be occurring and they need to do aeverything to help put you at ease.

My expereince is that i was seeing a fertility clinic when i got BFP and they advised that i would have to go to my gp to get a referral to my private OB. My GP (at 10 weeks) referred me to my OB who will deliver the baby at private hospital. I first saw OB at 12 weeks and he sent me for dating scans at private hospital and further bloods.
I saw him again at 17 weeks and got my referral for anatomy scan at 20 weeks, and will then see him again at 24 weeks.

My GP is the goto person for day to day complaints - UTI's, Morniong sickness etc - and my private OB is the person i go to for enrollement in hospital for the birth and monitoring the progress of my baby development

Hope this has been of some help

This post has been edited by Allele: 25/01/2012, 05:11 PM

[KB16]

Hi- I hope things will get easier for you soon!

I was first seen by my GP at 10+ weeks, because I didn't know I was expecting due to some medical issues. So the next 2-3 weeks were a whirlwind full of appointments and scans and blood work.

First I had the blood work test to see my hcg levels, and all the other stuff (rubella, iron count, etc) When it came back that I was as far along as I was, he scheduled me for a dating ultrasound right away. We are up to 11 weeks, and he made me my appointment for the Nuchal scan and blood work the following week. So I was seeing my GP sometimes twice a week until I was up to 14 weeks, trying to catch up with everything else. He told me he had sent my referral to the antenatal clinic and that if I didn't hear back from them by the time I reached 17 or 18 weeks to come back and see him.

I had trouble with my referral to the antenatal clinic getting lost somewhere between the GP and the hospital, so I called the GP and they sent it again, plus gave me copies of everything (test results, GP notes, etc.) Then the appointment letter got lost in the mail. So I went back to see the GP at 17+ weeks, where he checked my urine tests, weight etc, and answered any general concerns I had, When he found out I still hadn't been notified by the hospital, he seemed very upset. So he followed up for me, plus gave me the referral for the 20 week Morphology scan. And now I have an appointment on Friday with the antenatal clinic at the hospital and my ultrasound next week when I'll be at the 20 week mark.

Any questions he couldn't answer, he made sure he told me to check with either the ultrasound tech or the antenatal doctors. And the lady at the ultrasound clinic gave me tips when she told me to book both the 12 week and 20 week scans together because they fill up fast if you wait too long.

If you have any questions, and your GP or even the nurse won't answer, I think it's time to find a new GP. You pay same amount as everyone else to see them, and you deserve to be heard. Even if they can't answer everything, they should point you in the right direction. You could even explain to the midwife or ultrasound tech, and ask what you should expect next.

Good luck!

[Alvarywinters]

Thanks guys, really great to know that I'm not the only one to have trouble (KB16, you must have been so stressed!) and that it's pretty standard to be seeing people earlier!
Unfortunately being so rural doctors are limited and nearly all within 100km are not taking any more patience. Not sure if I should be trying for a new GP (I want to anyway), do you think I'll need to deal with my current GP to switch?

Any idea what to expect at the antenatal visit with the midwives? How often should I be getting these checkups?

Hoping the midwives are really good, it's pretty much our only hospital choice (a 2 hour drive while in labor doesn't sound fun) and I have a few things that I'm going to be fussy about. At least they have a good record for smooth births

[j-o-d-i-e]

wow how stressful, your doc sound like a real goose.

i seen my gp when i got my bfp, done blood test and got a dating scan referal, when i went back for the results he then gave a referral for the hospital/midwives and a referral for the 12 week scan.
for there i only see the midwives, some ppl do shared care where they see the gp and midwives.
my midwife appointments are every 4 weeks i first seen them at 12 weeks and then at 16weeks where they gave me a referral for my 18-20 scan, when you get to roughly 34 weeks to change to fortnightly then 38week changes to weekly

also on your first booking in app with midwives i got a 'yellow card' this has your info on it and they list the date f next appointment and mine had a check list attached which listed when you should have your ultrasounds, and if your a negative blood group you need a shot and tells you what weeks you should have your glucose test etc

at my midwife appointments they check the belly growth with a little tape measure, they use the doppler to check for heartbeat, just ask how your feelings any concerns and questions you have and tell you what you need to do next re blood test, ultrasounds etc

hopefully things pick up for you now and the appointments are less stressful for you

[FreeRangeBabies]

I don't belong here, but in my experience (2 babies and another on the way) I have seen my gp before 12 weeks, after which care was taken over by the ob/midwife team(shared care). I would then see someone every 4 weeks from 16 weeks, usually 2visits to the midwives to 1 with the ob) obviously between this there was the usual scans and tests. After 35weeks, you get seen weekly by the m/w then regular appts with the ob after 39 weeks. All my pregnancies have been low risk.

[elmo_mum]

most gps are a goto person, ie day to day probs...ms

when we got a bfp, i got a referral from my dr for my obgyn, even though i have been seeing her as a gyn for the past 7 years....

she (and her midiwife) were seeing me every 4 weeks till 30w, then 2 weeks, then at 36 weekly (now on fornightly cos of probs)

my ob normally does a quick scan (even though i have proper ulatrsounds each week)

they do my obs and order any tests, measure my belly and try to hear bubs heart beat

scans....normally 12 wk (dating/nt) 19/20 weeks for routine and sexing...

maybe another down the track if you are feeling much moevement....

maybe the hospy can arrange some more midi appts for you???

[Strawberry Welli...]

Yup OP your GP sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about!

You should be booked into your hospital WELL BEFORE 30 weeks!!

I saw my GP when I first got my BFP, she sent me for routine blood tests, gave me referral for dating scan and gave me a number to call to book into my local public hospital.

The hospital took my details, booked me in for my first "booking in" appointment with the midwives for 12 weeks, and sent me an info pack with lots of forms to complete and bring along.

The booking in appointment was about 1.5 hours and they do thorough medical history etc. After that you are seen every 4 weeks for first pregnancy (every 6 weeks for subsequent pregnancies).

At 28 weeks you get another blood test done to check for iron etc. If you are a negative blood group you will also get anti-D injections a few times in later pregnancy. You will also be referred for a glucose tolerance test to check if you are high risk for gestational diabetes.

The midwives will explain all of this at each visit and refer you as necessary. Some time in the 3rd trimester your check ups will become fortnightly, and then in the last month they will be weekly.

At the routine check ups they check your blood pressure, urine sample (we just have to pee on a little paper thing and check the colour against a chart), feel your uterus, check fundal height, listen to baby's heart beat with a doppler, and answer any questions or concerns you have.

In the later check ups they feel for baby's position, ie, have they turned head-down, are they engaged etc.

Luckily you are going to be booked into the hospital very soon and hopefully once they take over your care everything will become a lot clearer.

If I were you I would definitely be getting a new GP. And I don't think you'd need to deal with the old GP if you want to change. I'm sure one practice can request your medical notes from your old practice if you give them your consent.

Good luck

This post has been edited by Strawberry Wellies: 30/01/2012, 07:05 PM

[Alvarywinters]

Update:

Went for my midwife book-in appointment today...was fantastic! She went over all the info I had (not much) and reassured me that it was a mess (not just my imagination) and that everything would be sorted now.
She took all my info, my statistics, used the doppler, measured me and...booked me in for an ob appointment! She said the not being referred thing was nonsense and called up and organized it...what a relief!

So now I know what tests I'll be doing and when, have the next 6 weeks planned and booked where needed...will be getting a call about birth classes...oh so much weight off my shoulders! yay!

[Meep]

I'm so glad to hear that. I, too, had an annoyingly obtuse GP. He is alright for most things, but a little too stuck in the old world... somewhere between "don't worry your pretty little head" and absent mindedly bumbling about assuming things.

When I asked him about my options (I've lived here for a decade but most of my experience with people having kids is from the states) and whatnot he basically told me I didn't have any, and to just go to the local hospital and they'd sort me out. But they weren't overflowing with information that made me feel as though I knew what I was doing (they weren't bad, just I guess more medical and less prepared to set me right on the "Holy hell I don't know anything about being pregnant!" thought train).

I'm very happy for you and sympathise so much with that relief.