Newly pregnant! Advice please? :-)

[Sunny4124]

Hi everyone!

Thought i'd join as I have recently had my positive, and am 7 weeks today!! This is my first ever pregnancy! We are so excited :-)

However: need some advice from other pregnant ladies please, if you'd be kind enough! :-) I went to the doctors to tell her I was pregnant, she didn't do any tests, she just took my word for it (I've done 6 home pregnancy tests, I know(!!!), all positive). So I phoned to make an appt with the midwife at the hospital and they won't see me until 8.5 weeks (which I guess is only a week and a half away). The problem is..... How do I know I'm actually pregnant?! I was expecting some kind of confirmation, a blood test or something! As it is now, we feel like we can't really announce to even close friends and family until we are sure! Also, I have lots of immediate questions about jabs, prenatal vitamins, symptoms (what's normal/ not etc). And I am 37, so I want to check if I need extra tests etc.

Is it normal that you don't see the midwife until 8 weeks and that you don't even get tested (urine/ blood test) until then? Seems bizarre to me, thought they'd test you straight away! Starting to think this pregnancy is in my head ;-) I'm bursting to tell my mum, but don't want to until it's confirmed by a doctor/ midwife!

Never been pregnant before, and both my boyfriend and I are a bit clueless about it! ;-) Any advice greatly appreciated! Thank you xxx

[Plantpot83]

I felt exactly the same, the doctor just said " if you've done a test and it's positive and you're not having periods then you're pregnant".

They won't scan you or anything unless you have reason to believe that something is wrong or a history of miscarriages I believe. My booking appointment wasn't until 11weeks and but I had a private scan at 9 weeks just to check that it wasn't all in my head!

[Worried257]

Congratulations!

It's normal not to have a midwife appointment until 8ish weeks. If you have got a positive on a home pregnancy test (or 6) then there's no doubt about it, you're definitely pregnant. But lots of women wait until the first scan at around 12 weeks (the midwife will tell you how to arrange this/book it for you) before telling anyone as that's a chance to see the baby for the first time and check everything is progressing normally.

Did your GP mention folic acid to you? As you should start taking this as soon as possible - it's most important in the early stages of pregnancy. You can get it from boots/superdrug very cheaply.

[Whatabout]

Take a good pre natal vitamin, look on NHS website for what to avoid. These days the pregnancy tests are the same as they would use to test so there is no need to confirm.

Emma's diary might be worth a look for what's normal.

Congratulations!

[Plantpot83]

And to add, when I went to the doctor even though it was my first time at the surgery she didn't take my blood pressure weigh me or anything. Just told me to take pregnacare and checked that I didn't smoke or drink. My impression is that for those first 12 weeks there's nothing they can do anyway and they just let you get on with it unless you have a pre-existing health problem which might need to be discussed. I agree that it's hard when for you it's such a huge thing, we told a few very close friends/family before 12 weeks, but that was mainly because I felt pretty rubbish.

I'm 32 weeks now, so definitely pregnant

[chopsface]

I didn't see the Midwife until I was 9w and had no confirmation from a Gp either. It's normal! We couldn't wait until 12w to see if we had a baby in there so booked a private scan at 8.5w. It cost £75 and worth every penny! Saw our little bean and heard the heartbeat, which they don't do at 12w NHS scan! I'm now 19w with 20w scan coming up a week tomorrow! Still don't really feel its really happening, even with seeing our baby twice on screen already! Congrats on your pregnancy!

[chopsface]

Oh yes and take vitamin D 10mg as well as folic acid. Unless you go for a preg multivit x

[CarShare]

Congratulations!

I am 11 weeks pregnant and first saw the midwife a few days ago so you're one step ahead of the game already!

If you want some early reassurance you could book a private scan- costs about £100 at most clinics. We had one at 7 weeks and saw a heartbeat which was lovely. But after 6 positive tests I'd say there's little doubt about it :-)

I wasn't tested by Dr or midwife for pregnancy (they took bloods and a urine sample to test for other things listed in my pregnancy book but hcg wasn't on the list).

As worried says, folic acid is important and they recommend you also take vitamin D too now- you can buy a combined product quite cheaply.

The NHS website is full of do's and don'ts when it comes to what you can eat, drink etc. I bought Expecting Better (pregnancy advice book) from Amazon that was really helpful and non OTT.

Do whatever feels natural in terms of who you tell. I've told a few close friends who would notice the absence of a glass of wine in my hand (usually a massive lush), we haven't told anyone who would be very disappointed if it didn't work out, such as our parents. Will wait for 12 week scan.

Congratulations again! Enjoy the excitement :-)

[CarShare]

Crossed posting with chops. Sorry to repeat all of her good advice!

[Sunny4124]

Thank you everyone for all your advice and your words of congratulations! You've all reassured me a lot, good to know it's normal not to have an appt before 8 weeks.

I'm taking folic acid and vitamin d (forcing myself as I hate taking tablets!).

I'm definitely thinking a private scan in the meantime may be the way forward! I'll investigate :-)

Thank you again, and good luck with all your pregnancies! :-) xxx

[OhEmGeee]

They won't confirm it, they'll take your word for it. The tests are exactly the same so there's no need to do extra tests.

An appointment at around 8 weeks is normal, that's your booking in appointment. The midwife will take routine bloods, test your urine for infections and glucose and go through you and your partner's medical history. They won't confirm your pregnancy either. You'll have a scan after 12 weeks. Meanwhile take folic acid and look at the NHS website about which foods you can eat. I didn't tell anyone apart from parents until the 12 week scan, but it's up to you and your DH who you tell.

[AuntieStella]

And of course one deeply important piece of advice!

Join the MN pregnancy chat thread, if you want to hang out with people at about the same stage. I think the one for you would be: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2404534-March-2016-babies

[luckiestgirlintheworld]

You're pregnant.
Doctors don't test that for you, they rely on the home test kits.
Be excited- if 6 tests said it, then you're pregnant!

[MissMartin10]

Congratulations xx
i told my doctor at 5 weeks.. i had my first midwife appt at 11w5d
and i don't have my 12 week scan until wednesday when im 13w3d.
But i did have a early scan at the epu due to having a few harmless bleeds.. before i was pregnant i didn't know that could happen i always thought it meant the worst.. but its really common! .. congrats again

[Battleshiphips]

First of all CONGRATULATIONS! I was surprised with my first pg about the lack of appointments. However it is normal. I am 7 weeks tomorrow and my GP didn't check my urine last week. Home pregnancy test are pretty much accurate. Especially 6 of them My DH thinks I'm a lunatic because I did another one last night as I still can't quite believe it! You can get some good pregnancy multi vits that give you all you need as regards folic acid etc.

[Battleshiphips]

Also have a look at nhs website for foods you shouldn't eat during pregnancy. I thought you couldn't eat nuts but I've just checked and you now can! It was a definite no in my last pg. (scurries off to scoff homemade chocolate cupcake with peanut butter and Nutella frosting)

[justabigdisco]

btw the midwife won't do any tests to confirm the pregnancy. They do blood tests but for other things.

Congratulations!

[Sunny4124]

Thank you everyone! You're all lovely and I feel very reassured! Good luck with your pregnancies :-) xxx

[Bumpingalong84]

Huge congratulations! I saw my gp at around 4+4, saw the midwife at 10wks then scan at 12+5. And until the scan no one did a repeat test! Just took my work for it! We didn't bother with an early scan just tried to stay positive and thought what will be will be! At first scan was amazed to see the little bean wriggling around it was amazing after waiting what seemed like forever til the scan date! Now we are 22+1 the weeks have flown since 12wk scan! We now know our little bean it a little lady. Enjoy every step of the way, and if you start feeling rubbish it will pass! Good luck with everything!

Ps:we told close family straight away! It was so nice to share it with them and know we would have told them if anything went wrong!

Again congrats

[Sunny4124]

Aw thank you bumpingalong for your lovely reply! I just need to have a bit of patience! Ah congratulations on your little girl bean, lovely news, and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy! :-) xx

[Doublebubblebubble]

They'll take your word for it. Believe me you will be getting more Tha enough blood tests to last a life time.