Moving areas during pregnancy.

[FutureNannyOgg]

I plan to move house when I am about 32-36 weeks pregnant (yes I am that mad, but I don't want to move with a new baby, and I am going to wait until mat leave starts). I will be moving to a completely different area, different PCT etc.

I haven't told the MW. Not sure when I should. I am planning a HBAC, and I will be under a consultant because of previous EMCS. I'm quite worried that I am going to have to fight for the birth I want twice over.

Has anyone been through this, or know what the process of transferring care would entail? I will have a doula in my new place, and she comes from an established practice who do lots of HB and know the team, so I hope that will work in my favour. My concern is that as the "new kid on the block" the new maternity team might want to push "policy" because they don't know me so well.

Can't speak about doulas etc - but I've waltzed waddled in at 37 wks into a new area more than once, and was effeciently and seamlessly absorbed into the system in my new area. No 'attitude' at all.

Good luck!

Thanks, that sounds promising. I already have the doula, she's from the group I trained with so that is one bit of certainty/consistency I have going on. I know my OB here is reputedly sympathetic and supportive of VBAC and HB, and my concern is that she will be all for it, then I move and get an OB who doesn't support my choices.

I moved house to a different part of the country - and therefore a different PCT - when I was 35 weeks. We'd signed the lease a couple of weeks before that and the local surgery were willing to take the signed lease as sufficient evidence of us living in the area for me to register there. It might have helped that I waddled in there in person so they could see that I really was pregnant and needed to get things organised. As I registered, I made an appt to see the doctor and it just went from there. Where we moved to, all of the ante-natal care is very MW led so the GP didn't actually know much - including that the local labour ward was shutting a week after my due date - but she did get me in the system & got the MW to call me the next day.
For now, I'd try & find out where your GP surgery is; find out names etc of consultants; if you're a member of the NCT, try & speak to the local teacher & see how common home births are in your new area; where the hospital is in case you need a back up.
Top tip for moving if you're using removal men - don't let them stack boxes along one wall of a room but get them to spread them out over the floor. I found unpacking really annoying as the top box might be full of random stuff I didn't need but was too heavy for me to lift so I couldn't get to the boxes beneath that one.

Murtette you are so right - we moved when I was 25 weeks and the tantalising enigma of what was in the box at the bottom was SO annoying! (It never turned out to have the totally essential but bafflingly lost item I was after, either).

I didn't actually switch maternity care until 30 weeks as my work was so close to the maternity unit caring for me at the time (UCH in London) so it seemed easiest to pop over the road for appointments. But as mat leave drew closer I started to make plans for care in my new area (totally different PCT).

I've settled into new system really well - I don't think you'll find that you are treated differently because of being new (and you will have the advantage of seeing how two different PCTs operate - I've found this really interesting and it has helped me make decisions etc) but you might find facilities and policies just are different and need to adjust plans slightly.

I've not got a doula and don't know much about that but I'm sure she will be able to help especially with knowledge of your new area.

Very best of luck with the move and baby!

I moved at 37 wks, from W.London to Surrey. After discussing with the MW I was told I could still have the baby at Queen Charlotte's if I wished, which, as a hospital I knew well and was comfortable with I opted to do. I was worried about the drive but having done the commute for some time, thought it was the better option. The main thing was to get on the GP books and be set-up for the aftercare in Surrey. She also took my 38 & 40wks appts. She was great and liased with the hospital, I was permanently being sent to DAU for BP checks. Hospital were great in handing over and the local mid-wives were there our first morning at home with DD.

I'd discuss with your existing MW as soon as possible, the fact you have a doula is great continuity but get on the new GP books and get your later appts booked in. I'm sure they'll support your plans. Good luck with it all

how easy is it for you to travel to the new area from where you are now? because if its doable you could register with the new hospital if they accept self referrals before you move and just explain you're moving to the area. but if they need gp referral only then it might be more complicated as a gp would need some formal proof of address before they register you. fortunately my hospital does accept self referrals so that's what i'm doing (this afternoon actually!) before we move in a couple of months at c25 weeks.

Hello FutureNannyOgg - great name!

I will be moving house at around 33 weeks too, from Leeds to London, so will be in the same situation as you.

No words of wisdom I'm afraid, just wanted to say good luck and I'll be interested to hear how you get on.

Thanks, that's a lot of food for thought. I am struggling to work out which hospital I would be assigned to, I will ask my doula. If it is the one I think it is, it has an appallingly high CS rate, but then there is also a local MLU so that may be high due to transfers and all the low risk ladies being in the MLU. To be fair though, if I end up in hospital, it will be because I am having a section, so I guess that's a moot point!