Take your other half to Booking Appointment?

[stripeymummy]

Is it the norm to take your partner to the Booking Appointment?

Furry, that could be because of the domestic violence questions they ask now. Although if the questions they asked me are anything to go by, there werent exactly probing

It won't seem odd if he attends or doesn't. Other patients won't know if you're there for your booking appt or a routine appt, and the midwives won't care. Do whatever seems best for your situation.

Depending on the hospital they may not let him attend the entire appt. Mine attended because they did a scan beforehand which he wanted to attend, but he was asked to sit in the waiting room while I was asked booking questions. I've seen the same happen when people attend with their mum or a female friend, the patient is taken alone for the main part of the actual booking appt. The partner / friend was allowed in later on in the appt (when my blood was taken). He didn't miss much though apart from lots of questions about menstruation and gynaecology. I can't remember if he was there for height/weight measurements. The qs I was asked about my and his family history were very basic and only covered his siblings and parents and he's not great at this stuff himself - tbh the main issue is with your family history anyway. If his family have genetic issues e.g. cystic fibrosis or Downs' or similar you'll likely know. Whether or not his dad had asthma as a child won't affect your antenatal care.

My OH doesn't come to routine antenatal appts because I don't see the point, any more than him coming to any other non-pg medical appt with me. Routine antenatal appts are quite boring on one way but also it's important that you are comfortable discussing any issues or anxieties openly with your midwife or consultant (which may include haemorrhoids and weird jabby pains in your cervix and other stuff which he may not be that interested in!?)

I didn't taken him to any midwife appointments, he only attended scans and consultant appointments with my first 2, with this one he will be unable to attend any appointments as he works away now and doesn't get paid for time off.

My local hospital posted my blank green notes out with appointment date and time for booking in, so bits than can be filled in before appointment are filled in, all family history questions were ticked before appointment.

All that happened at mine, was wee sample, bloods and previous births/pregnancies discussed.

Same as most replies here. DP did come to booking in as its our first DC but probably wouldn't bother with next DC and he's not been to any antenatal appointments since (apart from the scans) because it means time off work and would rather he saved holiday for after baby is here.

At the booking in he answered a couple of questions that I could have dealt with (especially the one where they ask whether we are related to each other - poor DP looked a bit perturbed at that one) but the midwife kept calling him "Dad" instead of by his name which she knew which I found irritating (I don't think he did but he is much more laid back than me)and had to keep asking him to move because the only space in the room for him to sit was in front of her cabinet where she kept the needles etc. So all in all I think he felt a bit in the way.

Now that I'm 33 weeks he might start coming to the antenatal apps from now on as they might involve discussions about the birth etc so a bit more relevant. And baby was breech at 32 weeks so will definitely take him to 36 week app in case the MW still thinks he's breech and sends me for a scan.

If it's just blood tests and questions, up to you 2, probably not worth his time, but I doubt anyone else will care either way.

If there's going to be a scan, get him there if you possibly can. If all is going fine he won't want to miss it, and if anything unexpected turns up you will really want him there with you.

I think I would have brought him with me, given the chance, but my appointment letter arrived about 19 hours before the appointment time! I could only just arrange the time off work for myself, it just wasn't possible for him. But as it turned out, it really wasn't necessary to have him there.

I'm 30+5 and DP has attended all scans but none of my midwife appointments. He has offered but I didn't think it was worth him taking time off work when i'm only in there half an hour at the most. I think he may attend as due date gets closer though.

dp came to all three of mine as over here you get the first scan the same day as booking in. With ds2 he didn't come into the room for the medical history bit with the mw though as the older kids were being wild so he stayed in the waiting room with them.

My dh only comes to scans - there's no way he could take time off work to come to all the other appts too, and tbh we don't feel it's necessary

bogeyface that's right I'd forgotten about that bit, apparently it's ok if I have anything to share regarding that because they could give me some very helpful leaflets!

Scans and hospital appointments, not midwife appointments.

Didn't see the need. Our practice also needs to see the mum alone at least once to ask about domestic abuse.

I never took DH to any antenatal midwife appointments and amglad Ididn't as not much ever happened at them. He came to my 12 & 20 weeks scans but none of the others (I had quite a few!) and he came to my consultants appointment.

Well, we all know that a good leaflet solves everything!

I dont understand why they asked about it at my booking in appointment but havent mentioned it since. My understanding is that DV oftens starts or escalates during pg. So the first few months could be ok then the 12 week scan happens and that could be what pushes the abuser over the edge and the violence starts. Most women are no more than 10 weeks when booking, surely if they really are taking DV in pregnancy seriously they should be constantly mentioning this during routine antenatal not just box ticking at the first appointment?

No he didn't come but if he hadn't been at work he probably would have - well defo would have as it was done at home!!! He's been to both scans though thats a different kettle of fish altogether!