Just found out I am pregnant with my first child - please talk me through.

[HenriettaGetsOlder]

Thanks god I've found Mumsnet. I just discovered that I am pregnant with my first child and I don't have a clue what to do. We were TTC but we didn't expect for me to get pregnant so quickly.

What do I have to do next? Go to the GP or the nurse? Please talk me through.

[LaVitaBellissima]

Congratulations, I booked a DR's appointment and quickly chose my preferred hospital I had to wait until 13 weeks weeks for my first scan though as our hospital is so busy. I chose to have a private reassurance scan first at 10 weeks because I felt like I was dying!

[linny579]

Congratulations. This was me 6 weeks ago. I called the GP surgery and asked what to do. I had to go in, fill in some forms at reception and they called me later that day with an appointment to see the midwife. Everything sorts itself out from there.

[HenriettaGetsOlder]

Can/Will the GP refer me to a private hospital if I want to?

[MrsHiddleston]

I made an appointment with my GP. He said 'oh how nice, congratulations, but what have you come too see me for?'. He told me to make an appointment with the community midwife through reception.

Ring your GP surgery and ask for advice.

Congratulations!

[sugarandspite]

Congratulations!

If you're about 4weeks, nothing very much will happen for what feels like ages. The first step is to ring your gp and they will arrange for you to have a booking in appointment with a midwife. This normally happens around 8 weeks and takes about an hour. They take lots of family history, lifestyle info etc and give you advice. Think they take blood for screening if you want them to.

Then you'll be on the system and get a letter with the date for your 12 week scan. After that you'll see the midwife for a short (10min ish) check up appt every 4 (I think) weeks and have another scan at 20 weeks.

In the meantime, make sure you're taking folic acid (and a pregnancy multi vitamin is a good idea too), check out the guidelines on foods / stuff to avoid and take things easy if you need to.

It's also helpful to start thinking about your options of where you might want to give birth as the midwife will ask you this at booking in. You don't have to stick to it of course, can change your mind at any point but you'll probably have your scans at wherever you choose to give birth so worth thinking about it now. Your midwife can also advise you if you're not sure.

Good luck!

[sugarandspite]

It would be the midwife who would refer you privately after booking in of that's what you want.

Do do plenty of research beforehand though - my experience of nhs midwife community care has always been fantastic and in our area, the nhs hospitals have far better special care baby facilities should they be needed when the baby is born.

If you have a low risk pregnancy, you might also be eligible to deliver in a midwife led unit which may also be worth considering?

[HenriettaGetsOlder]

Sugarandspite I live very close to an excellent private hospital. I only heard good things about it. I don't know anybody personally who delivered there though.

[Kafri]

I had to book an appointment with my gp only for him to write my name on a scrap of paper and tell me he'd refer me to midwifery team.
had to wait a week and a half for my gp appointment for all of 5 mins in there but thats how they do it at my surgery.

congratulations x

[Frizz1986]

Congrats!
I got my bfp last week and called my gp surgery the next day. Reception booked me in to see a midwife as they have a clinic every week.
I went yesterday and we filled in some forms and she told me what happens next. Nothing much now until i get my booking app to get bloods etc taken at 8-11 weeks (am only 5+6 - will be a long wait)
It is different at every doctors from what I can gather.