so, how often do I need to see a MW? 3rd pg

[thisisyesterday]

bizarrely, I came on to post about this and found that other odd thread, which is strangely similar lol.

have had 2 straightforward pg's. am pregnant with number 3 and it's such a hassle to get to the MW. she is only there on one afternoon a week which means I'd have to take both other kids along. the surgery is tiny and most of the rooms don't really have enough space for me to take a buggy in for my 1 yr old which means it'll be impossible for her to do stuff like checking heartbeat... but that's not THAT important is it?
my appts usually go "how are you feeling?" "fine" wee check ok, BP ok.

it jsut seems like such a waste of both of our time.
so, how important is it that I have wee and BP checked regularly? how few visits can I get away with making?
I hav a friend who can do my BP, she is a nurse, and would obv see the MW/GP if I felt anything unusual was happening.

[llareggub]

I posted this on t'other thread. My gestational diabetes was picked up through the midwife and I'm now monitored every other day by a specialist team. I'd say the tests are pretty important, but I thought they were a hassle last time. You never know really what could happen. But if all OK the visits are pretty infrequent aren't they?

[thisisyesterday]

well, they have booked me in for a glucose tolerance test anyway because I have big babies.
and a friend had her GD picked up at her scan as baby was so big, so I suppose with stuff like that I am assuming it could be found out another way???

[llareggub]

Maybe....but mine was picked up at 16 weeks before the scans.

[thisisyesterday]

ahh my friends was picked up at 12 week scan.

hmmm, i am due to see her at 16-18 weeks anyway, which I am planning to go to. and was then going to discuss how frequently she thinks I need to be seen.
just really wondering what general consensus is as she is rather pushy and seems to err on the side of caution

[storkycake]

With your third they are usually willing to do a book in appt at your home (they did with me with my 2nd, 3rd & 4th).

This time my SPD has been quite bad so they have switched my appts to a clinic that is more convenient to get to ie. when I have childcare cover, can be driven there and back etc.

My AN appts have been at 25, 28, 31 (but I couldn't make this one, so it will be 33 instead) and then 36 weeks. Not really that many to go to tbh.
If they cant come out and see you at home, why not ask them to see you at 25, 31 & 36 weeks as a compromise.
If the GD is a problem, maybe you should just brave the appts and either ask for the first appt to get straight in/out or the last one when the surgery tends to be a bit quieter.

[StarlightWonderStarlightBright]

Ask your MW. I think I only saw mine 4 times for second pregnancy and these were mainly near the end. I remember stopping by the surgery to book next appoinment when I was 38 weeks and they told me she was booked up for 6 weeks .

So I popped into a drop-in clinic in a different area. They didn't mind.

[storkycake]

Is 16 weeks for the diagnostic blood tests? I refused those and didn't get a 16 week appt at all.

Just had my scan and went back at 25 weeks.

[thisisyesterday]

have had booking appt, so that's all done!

i reckon 18, and then maybe 3 more then? i suppose that's not too bad.

I don't think I am at particular risk of GD. I don't meet any of the criteria for being at higher risk. my previous babies were 9lb 1 and 9lb 5, so biggish, but not huge.

[thisisyesterday]

yeah i suppose 16 is for bloods. I presume they would ring me or something if there was a big problem though?

[storkycake]

No I think you get a letter with the Downs' risk on it sent direct from the hospital.
I did for dc3 and it freaked us out that he was borderline high.
We worried about it the entire pg, so I wouldn't have it again.

[thisisyesterday]

ahh sorry, I just realise what you mena, you had the intergrated test along with nuchal scan?

i've had just the regular bloods done at my booking appt, and haven't had results of those back yet. but that's just for syphilis and rubella and crap like that. didn't have it last year so don't suppose I've got it now!

am I being too blase?

[belgo]

thisisyesterday - I had very few checks in my last pregnancy, third baby. One MW check in first trimester; one check up in the 2nd trimester; and a few more in the last trimester. I also had my own blood pressure machine. I had the normal scans but didn't want the triple tests or nuchal fold tests.

[thisisyesterday]

that sounds good Belgo. I wonder if I can test my own urine too??

[storkycake]

Yes I see what you mean, the booking bloods HIV etc. I would imagine they would ring you if anything was amiss.

[belgo]

you can probably buy the urine dip sticks - I imagine they are expensive - and you need someone to explain how to interpret the results (it's straightforward, but not always that easy).

[festivedollyx]

I'm 21 weeks my appts have been 12,16 weeks and i have another onthe 16th at 23 weeks this is my 3rd pg and my other 2 were perfectly normal.

[thisisyesterday]

my best friend is a nurse, she ought to be able to tell me what it measn shouldn't she?

[RhinestoneReindeerHerder]

There are NICE guidelines about how often you should see a MW, there are more appts for first pg. However these are flexible would have thought you should be able to discuss with your mw.

I'm on 2nd pg and had appts at 10 wks, 16 wks then nothing until 28 wks (apart from scans, we are offered 2 round here). I've seen MW a few more times in last trimester, for various reasons - not something I felt pressured into.

[motomoto]

I've just had

booking app
16 weeks
28 weeks
and then not sure how often

hardly any!

[lizziemun]

I'm my 3rd pregnancy and i have seen the midwife

Booking app
11 weeks blood
14 weeks blood results
26 weeks

I have to see her at 30 weeks again for blood.

[thisisyesterday]

so I reckon 4 or 5 visits should be plenty shouldn't it? unless I have any concerns

[storkycake]

hmm

1. book-in
2. 25 weeks (unless you have 16 week bloods)
3. 31 weeks
4. 36 weeks (maybe you could skip this one if no probs)
5. 38 weeks
6. term or term +1 for a sweep if still pg

Yeah you could probably get away with 5/6, as long as both you and m/w are happy to do so.
They might visit you at home at 37 weeks if you were having a HB to deliver HB box of tricks, in which case you could get checked then and forego the 36 & 38 week appts.

I might do that this time tbh.

[thisisyesterday]

oh yes, will ahve the home visit. had a homebirth last time so will again, unless anything untoward occurs.
we don't get a pack to keep at home, but they do have to visit to make sure all is ok.

[goodasgoldfrankincenceandmyrhh]

With my 2nd and 3rd pregnancy the mws were pretty busy, so I tried to book an appointment an the receptionists would say 'no full up that day' so I'd say what about the week after, or the week after that. I had less appointments but if I'd felt anything that alarmed me I would have called them.