Consultant or midwife led

[fia101]

How do you know which one you are or if shared? Does it state it in your notes please?

When you go for your scans do you see a consultant?

With both of mine I was consultant lead because I have a hereditary blood disorder. You would know if you were consultant lead because you’d be booked in to see the consultant at least once during the pregnancy. In reality it didn’t mean much different for me other than seeing the consultant every 6-8 weeks or so for blood tests and to write a birth plan/brief me on the drugs I might need and the transfusion being on standby and I wasn’t allowed to have a water birth. Everything else was standard, still saw midwife as usual etc.

You tend to meet the consultant at the hospital.
Is there a reason you think you're under consultant care but haven't seen one yet?

I'm shared. The midwife told me at booking and explained why although in my case it was fairly self explanatory. Ds got stuck and was born by emcs and I had a massive mental health breakdown plus I'm over 40. So I see the midwife for all my usual appointments and then 3 consultant appointments across pregnancy to discuss mode of birth, how things are going etc.

First appointment with her wasn't until 24 weeks though which was considerably later than I expected.

Thanks all - I had scans with a midwife and a doctor (don't think she was a consultant yet but specialised in scans). This is my third and I've never had the conversation about whether I'm midwifery or consultant led. Just curious

Did you have any issues with previous pregnancies or childbirth? Are you 40 or over? Any issues so far with this pregnancy? Any underlying medical conditions? Those are main reasons you would be consultant lead.

37, just had normal forcep delivery with first. Remember on whiteboard it was written "mother anxious" (history of infant mortality in family) only thing I can think of. Never had a conversation about how i want to give birth ie pool etc but I assume that is for mother to bring up rather than any discussion with me

You'd know because there are a lot more appointments (usually at inconvenient times) and more scans.

Thanks all - I must be midwifery led.

I was midwife lead all the way through until I was in actual labour. I was booked in to the freestanding birth centre and baby was I. Distress so got blue lighted to hospital where I had about 10 midwives/consultants with me

If you were consultant led, I hope you'd know about it!! It soubds liek youre definitely not. If you're low risk and on your third I can't see what the rationale would be for consultant led?

A lot of places have Drs (more junior drs or registrar level usually) doing the regular scans (12, 20, sometimes 36w). Some places it's sonographers. That's totally routine and nothing to do with being consultant led.

If you were consultant led you would have a named Consultant level Dr who you would see at regular times for discussions based on scan and other test results. They wouldn't be the ones doing the actual scans. You may well have more regular scans and tests too (e.g. every four weeks). They would write in your maternity notes and you would have had discussions about whether you were high or low risk and what that meant for birthing options.

If you're consultant led, you generally get extra clinic appointments in addition to the usual scan (but you often get extra scans too) plus your usual midwife appointments.

I'm consultant led care for this pregnancy and have something each week for the next 4 weeks - dream employee me!

If you've just had the usual 2 scans and midwife appointments you're midwfie led. Often consultant led is due to your age, if you're an older mum, family health issues or issues with previous pregnancies.

Thanks everyone I appreciate your responses x