What to expect? - Consultant Led Care

[whoolabaloola]

Hello all

I have my first appt with my consultant tomorrow. Just wondering how my care will differ throughout this pg compared to my 1st which was midwife led.

I had an EMCS with my 1st due to undiagnosed breech and cord prolapse. How often will I see him? Will I still see my midwife on a reg basis? What were your experiences?

Thanks x

[Hevster]

I have only seen the consultant once, which was after my first scan. Am seeing the midwife as much as anyone else and can only presume I was referred to consultant as a precaution as the consultant was not remotely interested and I haven't seen or heard from them since!

[healthymum12]

I had consultant led care for my second pregnancy. It doesn't really differ much other than when I used to be able to see the midwife at my local surgery I had to go to the hospital for these appointment with the consultant. Towards the end of the pregnancy I saw the local midwife weekly and the consultant once a month. I think it may depend on what the complications are my pregnancy was classed as high risk hence the consultant let care.

At the appointments he did nothing different from the midwife appointments - test your wee, feel the baby and take blood pressure.

[whoolabaloola]

Thanks ladies. What concerns me is with my first dd, I was adamant throughout the last few weeks that she was breech. My midwife kept saying she was engaged, doctor said she was engaged and the midwife in the delivery suite when in labour said she was engaged. I just don't have much faith in the system as how can three people get it so wrong!?

[nunnie]

I saw my consultant or a member of his team, 8 times during my pregnancy. Mine was for a cyst and previous cervical surgery, so had to have scans to check cyst, and appointments to check cervix etc. I think it is dependant on the referral reason.

[MumNWLondon]

I had consultant care in first pregnancy. TBH it should have been called "registrar care" as I never ACTUALLY saw a consultant, just a stream of different registrars. Also I had to have all my care at the hospital and there was so much waiting. It did mean though that i was given an extra scan at 36 weeks (which would have diagnosed your breech).

[fledtoscotland]

I have had consultant led care with both pregnancies and saw her every 4 wks with ds1 and 4 or 5 times with ds2. I think it depends on why you are "consultant led" and how high risk your pregnancy is.

Hth

[SweetGrapes]

I was in consultant care for ds. It meant I had a few extra appointments with a registrar (where they weren't really bothered about me). The midwife apps continued as normal.
Big difference, I wasn't allowed to use the midwife led birth centre and had to come into the labour ward.
And I was pencilled in for a c-section as soon as I went over the 40 weeks. (Didn't agree to that and had a vbac at 41 instead.)

But I didn't have any ongoing medical condition needing supervision. If you do, then they may see you more often - and a bit more seriously.

[Librashavinganotherbiscuit]

" My midwife kept saying she was engaged, doctor said she was engaged and the midwife in the delivery suite when in labour said she was engaged. I just don't have much faith in the system as how can three people get it so wrong!? "

This is very similar to what happened with me and DS1, he was actually a footling breech diagnosed when I went into hospital at 8cm with his foot stuck thru my cervix. I am now pregnant with DS2 and yesterday saw registrar and chose a ELCS as I have lost faith with midwives. You can choose to be both midwife and consultant-led, basically my 16 week and 35 week appointments are with the docs but anything inbetween is with the midwife.