Congratulations! You’re pregnant! Yay!
& probably bursting at the seems with questions for your midwife, who you are yet to meet.
This blog is all about what you can expect form that first midwife appointment, recommendations on what to ask and what you can do with some of your symptoms in the mean time whilst you wait for that first contact point.
Now I have been a midwife for almost a decade and predominately spent that time as an NHS community midwife in the Yorkshire area. This means I have lots of experience on what those first midwife appointments look like and the types of questions you might be asked. We’ll also look at the time frames of appointments following on from them.
In my current role I offer all the same cares but in the comfort of your own home & with a much more relaxed, relationship based approach.
So let’s dive in!
You are probably around 4-6 weeks and have either rung your GP and asked them to refer you to the local midwife team, or you may be receiving care from a local maternity service that enables you to refer yourself directly to the right person, this is either done online via a website such as www.mypregnancynotes.co.uk or the NHS trust website or a direct number to a booking system.
These referrals will require you to have a little extra information such as your period dates & how many weeks you think you might be, what number pregnancy it is and maybe a few extra nuggets of information such as where you live and/or where you are planning to give birth.
These details will help allocate you to the right midwifery team, location and timing of your care appointments.
Ideally you will have a first appointment with a midwife before your 10th completed weeks of pregnancy, this enables appropriate blood tests and scans (should you wish to have them) to happen at the right times in your pregnancy.
At your first appointment with a midwife, you will not receive a scan. This is because the midwifes role at this first point of contact is to discuss the options and testing that can be offered to you from this point onwards.
You nigh have your blood taken at this appointment (again only of you accept the testing). This will include testing your blood group, iron levels, infectious diseases all with on needle and several bottles. They will also screen your urine for any infections also, again this is your choice.
Some women are very nervous about these tests and can feel quite anxious, there are a few things you can do to help the process. Ask to lay down on the bed whilst it is being taken, make sure if you are able to you have eaten and hydrated prior to the appointment and finally be honest with the midwife and ask them if they wouldn’t mind explaining to you or not telling you whats happening. They will accommodate your worries and help you feel comfortable.
Other things you can expect to be checked at this first midwife appointment is your blood pressure to be taken, your height and weight to be calculated (again this is your choice) and a discussion around your personal, medical and family history in order to offer you further care should you wish to access it.
You will be unlikely to hear your baby’s heartbeat at this appointment due to the small size of your little one & it is common of many midwives to wait until 16 weeks to offer to listen to your babies heart beat (if at all in some areas of the UK).
From this appointment your Midwife will book you in for a scan, or you may be at a hospital provider that works through self referral process, and they will book you in for your following appointment. They might also be in touch should any of your blood tests or urine sample need any treatment or explanations.
This is a simple run through of what to expect at your first appointment & as a privately practising midwife here in the UK, the appointments and checks above occur in your own home around your own needs & family.
If you’d like to ask any questions about this information, or if you have experienced something different do get in touch we love to hear about the diversity within care .
Further information can be found at here.