Anyone not seen a consultant at all??

[bunnyrabbit]

Just getting a bit concerned...
I've only ever had two scans, one at 12 and one at 22 weeks (oh, and a viability scan at 7 weeks) and have never seen a consultant or talked to anyone about induction etc etc.

I'm now 39+2 and my doctor is on hols so I saw a different doctor last week who asked me

"when is your appointment at the hospital".
"errr what appointment?"
"to talk about induction" she says?
"err don't know anything about it" says I ....

So I'll talk to the midwife on Wednesday, but having read a lot of other threads, it seems everyone else has had far more scans than me, and already know the size of their babies and have seen the consultant.

Do you think I've been forgotten about?? I am 36 but low risk, and I've had a great pregnancy, but haven't seen my baby for nearly 18 weeks and have absolutely no idea how big it is...

Yours, a bit frustrated frankly
BR

Depends on how you are booked. in our area ifyou are booked for midwifery led care (ie homebirth or domino) the you won't see a consultant at all. Not only that but scans are only offered as standard at 20 weeks - any other scans are the result of exceptional circumstances.

Although, if I recall correctly, when you see your midwife at 40 weeks they make an appointment for 41 weeks to see the consultant, and talk about induction then. Why would you want to see one now? Your baby hasn't even reached it's due date yet - bit early to be fretting about induction!

Personally I am now 33wks and have only seen my midwife - haven't even had a scan, but that is another story!

me too B R. i never saw a soul apart from midwives....
2 scans per boy. all fine

Hi Oakmaiden,
I am not fretting about induction, nor do I intend to be induced if I can possibly help it, it's more that I'm concerned that others seem to have more information concerning their babies, and the choices open to them, than I do.

BR

As far as I know, if the pregnancy is fine, you have your last scan at 20 weeks. You don't have to see the consultant unless there are complications.

Did you say you were going to be induced or was it just a general chat about inductions? In a normal pregnancy the midwife answers all your queries and goes through your birth plan with you. If, as you say, the pregnancy has been great and you are low risk, then I don't think they have forgotten about you at all. So long as you are having regular check-ups, you wouldn't need to go back to the hospital now until you are in labour. Good luck with that!

BR - we only have one scan offered as routine, at 20wks. I had a couple of extra ones (one because of bleeding, one private at 12 wks), but normal procedure wouldn't give you these. As far as seeing a consultant goes, with ds I only saw my mw - at 41 weeks they made an appointment at the hospital for term +12 days, for the induction. With dd, I did see the consultant at 41 weeks, to discuss the possibility of NOT being induced - he had to ok that to 'let' me go over longer than the 12 days, and had I gone longer than I did (i.e. 2 weeks), I would have had to see him more frequently to monitor baby's progress.

At 39 weeks I wouldn't worry about not having seen a consultant.

bunnyrabbit - i din't think you were fretting about induction - i meant that the Dr you spoke to was getting a bit ahead of himself.

It is unusual to get much info about induction choices and options until you are actually overdue - although this does vary with an individual's circumstances, of course.

And growths scans are notoriously unreliable. i recently heard of someone (was it on here, or elsewhere?) who was told at scan that their baby was unlikely to weigh as much as 5 lbs, and gave birth 5 (?) days later to a 10lb baby!!!

Thanks for the reassurance guys. baby bunny seems quite happy at the moment, of you can call perpetual motion happy, so I'm definitely happy to leave well alone for the moment.

BR

Have you seen the rabbit names thread?

as for the 10lbs.. my eyes are watering at the thought!!

No.. what rabbit names thread?

Found it Codswallop. LOL. I like stew best!!

BR

BR - I got two scans, never saw anyone remotely consultant like. Oh, and was told would have eight-plus pounder and had one less than seven (because remember, they project to 40 weeks, so early babies weigh less, converse for more). I think they only get their knickers twisted if they think something's 'wrong'. And I too think twit consultant must have meant a putative 41-week appointment.

I had a scan at 12 weeks and another at 19 weeks. Saw only midwives and my own doctor up until I went overdue then saw the consultant when I was 5 days over. He had a poke and a prod did a sweep and said I'd probably be back in 24 hours giving birth. Well he was wrong and I went 10 days overdue but that's another story.

He did deliver my baby, because of complications they had to get him in to deliver her, but if it had all gone according to plan I would only have seen him that one time.

Nobody ever gave me any indication of how much my dd might weigh, I think that might be new since then.

Don't worry Bunny I'm sure everything is fine probably just the way your hospital works.

bunnyrabbit - in our area most women only have one scan around 20 weeks. The exceptions to this are to assess early bleeding, when there is real uncertainty over dates, questions over multiple babies and/or follow up from any problems of the 20 wk scan such as low lying placenta or any other concerns the mw has picked up - the fewer scans the more they are likely to be happy with the way your baby is progressing.

As for consultants and induction appointments, in our area it seems that inductions and planned c sections are discussed with you by the midwife (possibly your GP is shared care) and they then organise the hospital appointments for you automatically - the first you get to meet the consultant (unless really unusual case) is on the actual day.
HTH

Nothing unusual there Bunnyrabbit. I have had 3 boys at the same hospital under the same consultant and only saw him once with DS1 (student obstertritian(!)panicked when she couldn't find his head!) and not at all with the other 2.

Induction was not discussed until 41 weeks with ds2, I think he heard because I had my appointment on Tues. couldn't fit me in Wed. so booked me in Thurs but DS2 decided Wed was better! typical awkward male!.

Scans- I had 2 each, 12 weeks and 20 weeks, with ds1 and ds3 but 6 with ds2 because of suspected heart complications. Forunately all was fine. So your situation is nothing unusual bunnyrabbit.

Excellent. Thank you ladies. First time mother so slightly confused by the whole thing....

BR

Whole thing continues to confuse, IMO. Wait till you've got the baby, they're REALLY confusing !

Oh, and good luck, your bunniness!

I never saw a consultant during my first pregnancy - probably because I was low risk and had a relatively straightforward pregnancy and birth. You only tend to see them (correct me if I am wrong) if you go private or if you have problems....so don't fret, am sure everything will be fine. Its relatively usual only to have one scan so you have done well getting three. And as for induction - depends on the policy in your area. I didn't make my appointment for induction until I was 40 weeks. Your midwives may have been plannning to talk to you about it at your next appointment with them. You may not need it anyway! Best of luck