Anyone with an Independent Midwife?

[rubles]

I had an IM for my last baby and am going to book with the same lady this time. What I want to know is, do I have to go to my doctors and have an unnecessary appointment with them, or can I bypass them altogether?
I have a really bad relationship with the main doctors at my surgery and think that they will only add stress and annoyance to my pregnancy if I have to keep traipsing down there and being patronised by them.

I want to have a 20 week scan though, and I will want some blood tests - can I get those without the local midwives/doctors being involved?

Anyone done this?

I'm sure the IM will know - could you ask her?

Well, yes, i know, but for some reason I really don't want to announce anything yet in real life in case i jinx things - or something like that. can't put my finger on it.

Yes!
I wrote a letter to my GP saying "hello, pg again, home birth again, mw again, could you sort me out a scan and I will be asking you to do my bloods otherwise hopefully I won't bother you until the new baby check". He still asked me to come in, but I think that was just for booking in for the purposes of getting the scan in train etc. I was about 7 wks then

Since then I've been in twice to the practice nurse for bloods and that is it. And actually my IM said if I got her the bottles from the surgery she would do my bloods for me, but I thought it was easier to just get the practice nurse to do it.Hope that helps.

ps I'm 34 weeks
only other thing you might need is a prescription for vit k if you want to give it orally (since MWs are only allowed to prescribe it by injection, but actually the same ampoules are used whether orally or injected so actually she could give it orally if your doctor was being a pain).

Also if you wanted pethadine your gp would have to prescribe but I assume if you are going for a home birth you probably don't!

I had a MW for both my "births" (CS both times, unfortunately).

The first time, we switched over around 30 weeks (hadn't known IMWs existed before then!), so had the usual contact with the GP.

The second time, we had our midwife from the beginning. I think I saw my GP, and then she wrote them a letter saying she was dealing with me. She did my bloods. (Which was a big bonus for me, I'm not great with needles.) We booked our own scans, as we wanted private ones.

Our midwife knew the local medical system, though, so could sort it all out - she had worked as a bank midwife locally.

I am interested in this; do you mind if I ask about how much they charge, please? I think this is something I might like to do next time.

You can cut the doctor out of the equation altogether.
The mw will liase with the NHS on your behalf (a bit of paperwork).

FAZ, I think the range is 2.7K - 4K? Maybe? At the top end, you get use of a birth centre.

I had the same indie MW for all 4 of mine. It's the best money I've ever spent. I honestly would rather have forgone the car for a year or two in order to pay for these wise women.

Oh.

Well it was a nice idea, anyway

A doula can be worthwhile, as another option?

Not as expensive.

Could I just borrow someone else's at a moment when they're not using them? I promise to give them back in one piece

Thanks all. That gives me some hope, although no doubt it all varies from practice to practice.