Antenatal care in Exeter/Devon

[RedAvenger]

Hello, I am newly PG and I was wondering about how the antenatal care works in Exeter?

I have a MW booking in appt soon, but I am impatient . The doc suggested that my booking in appt would be quite short and that they would do a lot of the things at my 12 week appointment and scan at the same time. We haven't told anyone yet so I can't ask friends locally.

Thanks

Congratulations! Such an exciting time! Just going from my own experiences (things may hace changed over the tge last year')

Your mw will meet with you between 8-10 weeks for your booking, will give you lots of info re your 12 week appt etc.

Your 12 week appt will be at the Centre for Womens' Health at RD&E, and you will have your dating scan, nuchal screen if you want it and your screening bloods, plus a height and weight.

Your community midwife is part of a team that cover your area, so you will mainly see the same one or two through your pg.

Hi RedAvenger!
Congratulations!!!
I live just outside Exeter but my experience of the process is exactly PinhoePinhole outlines it. My dd is 5 months now and I'm sure it won't have changed much since!
Any other questions, just ask!

H x

Congratulations, that's lovely news!

My experience in Exeter was also that not much happens for the first 12 weeks, then things start to warm up until by 9 months you're in and out every day for something or other! I found the Centre for Women's Health to be excellent, which was greatly appreciated, as my first experience of childbirth at another hospital was not good. Hooray for Exeter :)

How are you feeling? I had terrible sickness with my first until 14 weeks, and it was difficult not being able to tell anyone why I was so useless (although some guessed the reason!)

Thank you all. I had MS really early on until about 6 weeks and then nothing until the middle of last week and that's really scared me!

However, it's now back with a vengeance and I have just inhaled a bacon sarnie despite the porridge I ate at 8am...

Roll on 12 weeks - and keeping it a secret is killing me!

Well, I had my MW appointment with a community MW, which was half an hour. Scan all booked for late March, but my "proper" MW will apparently call me to make an appointment at home... Which is yet another appointment of an hour long!

I don't know why they can't do all this in fewer appointments really. I felt that I had to tell my boss - I didn't want to until 12 weeks, not least because I haven't even told my parents yet - because of all the time off I need for these appointments. I have a job that means that, if necessary, appointments will have to be missed, so felt I needed to have a good reason why I HAD to go, IYSWIM.

So, the cat is well as truly out of the bag, but I suppose at least boss is being quite sympathetic, especially as I have had a particularly trying week.

Glad you're "in the system" - hope they were helpful.

I found the early appointments really helped to establish a rapport and discuss information, but I'm sure you could decline if you don't want to see them.

As in - don't feel pressurised into telling more people than you want to etc, just ring the mw and explain.

Thanks - it's been fine in truth and boss was very good.

Besides, I am desperate to tell people so its nice to have an excuse

I'll have to tell other boss in a week or two because we're going to a do that is traditionally very boozy and I've worn out my antibiotics excuse already.