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Pregnancy

Consultant Led Care - What to expect?

8 replies

lennied · 10/05/2006 16:32

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, have trawled through but not found what I'm looking for. Have a pre-exisitng medical condition (arthritis) - nothing serious - but GP has referred me to a consultant "just in case". Don't really know what this is going to mean. Have an appointment next week (at 8 weeks) and have no idea what to expect. Will it be similar to the midwife booking in appointment? I ahev a separate midwife appointment the week after, and if it wasn't for the arthritis then she would manage my care. What implications does Consultant led care have for the rest of the pg? My arthritis actually disappears during pregnancy (due to the hormones) so I am better when pregnant than I am when not, so really don't understand what the consultant will do? Any thoughts appreciated.

OP posts:

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Kelly1978 · 10/05/2006 16:42

didn't really make a lot of difference to me, except I had to go up the hospital for all my appointments, and there I saw a midwife for checks and then a consultant. The consultant jsut really double checks everything is ok, and discussed the birth plan with me. I was automatically put onto consultant led care due to twin pg, and wasn't a lot different to midwife led care at all.

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SoupDragon · 10/05/2006 16:51

To me it always seemed like a complete waste of time :)

It may be that you can persuade them to let you go back to midwife led care unless there is a problem or the consultant will only want to see you closer to delivery.

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runtus · 10/05/2006 16:53

I was wondering what diff it made during the actual labour actually.......I've been on and off Consultant led care through out this pregnancy and although I prefer to see him than the MW (who is rubbish and can't even remember my name half the time....) it doesn't seem to have made a great deal of difference so far.

When I comes to the labour, will I be overseen by him automatically or will the MW team still deliver me if there is nothing to worry about at the time?

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Kelly1978 · 10/05/2006 17:29

I had section, after speaking to two consultants, but I think otherwise it would have been midwives as normal. I think for labour consultant would have only been if anything unusual happened.

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spacecadet · 10/05/2006 17:34

i had consultant led care for all but one of my pregs and all that happened was i went to the hospital for all my appts where i was checked by a midwife, then saw the consultant, i was induced with 3 of my children but just went into hospital and saw the midwives, no diff to amyone else really, the consultant visited me once after delivery and i had to have my 6 week check at the hospital.

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frumpygrumpy · 10/05/2006 17:51

I had consultant led care with my DTs pregnancy and saw him fortnightly at the hospital then weekly. He basically had the overall look at everything but it was always the midwives that did the REAL stuff. He wasn't there at the birth and I didn't always see the same one. I guess its just so they can double check there's nothing that might complicate things. Just routine I guess.

He was a little misguided in his advice on my birth so in my own experience I went with the midwives advice who deal with birth every hour and not just on paper!! Good luck.

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jamiesam · 10/05/2006 22:35

Not quite an answer to your question, but I was booked to see consultant at my 12 week appt to agree my elective c/s.

Initially I got to see his registrar who knew a lot less about pg and childbirth than a lot of MNers! However, registrar eventually caved in and went to get consultant who I could have a reasonable and sensible discussion with.

So take my advice and don't get palmed off with a registrar, if you feel he doesn't understand your case...

I also saw a midwife at the same appt, who did the whole booking in procedure, bloods etc. This might be done at your 9 week appt?

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lennied · 10/05/2006 23:39

Thanks everyone, really good to know that there is a chance I can get back onto midwife led care as the hospital is an hour away from home since I live in a rural area and getting to appointments there is a real hassle.

Nice to know as well that he overseas things but you still have contact with a midwife. I have white coat phobia and didn't like the idea of being stuck with a white coat man through the pregnancy!!

Will sleep easier now.