cocosultant led care

[dancestomyowntune]

I am currently newly pregnant (approx five-six weeks). This is baby #5 for us but since dc4 I have been diagnosed with kidney disease. Already, I have been admitted to hospital overnight due to protein in urine and high bp so am expecting to be a "high risk" and have consultant led antenatal care. I have a scan appointment on Tuesday.

Does anyone have experience of consultant led care? What should I expect?

Expect to wait a long time in the waiting room to see one! Take a book. I waited 2.5 hours. At my hospital they book every one in 5 min slots so the waiting room was full and the clinic was over running badly. Im under a consultant for different reasons and im sure you will be seen more frequently than I am going to be seen but I saw mine at 11 weeks for the first time but im not being seen again until 35 weeks. I have a blood clotting disorder so all my treatment if needed will be end of pregnancy stuff related to the labour. They will just monitor my bloods that the MW takes in the meantime. I spent about 10 mins with the consultant and we just went through the labour and delivery and the course of action should my bloods be off nearer the time. I also had a previous c section so we went through how she wont induce me and how long she'll let me go over before they have me in for another section and if I do go spontaneously she gave me a labour plan saying they will only let me labour for 12 hours and if I don't deliver then it will be an EMCS. Mainly she wants my platelets optimum incase I need another section.

thanks

i'm worried but just want baby to be ok.

Mine is lovely! Takes loads of time to talk through concerns and genuinely interested in me which is more than I have got from anyone else during the last 8 months! I quite enjoy the appointments and have never had to wait more than about 20 mins

I am consultant led and have had extra appointments at 14, and 24 weeks and will have another at 32 weeks. I have a completely different condition to you though.

There has always been at least a 30 min wait at my hospital and as yet I have only seen the registrars, not the consultant.

The appointments are reassuring though. I never feel rushed and I like having the extra screening (urine sample test, blood pressure, heart doppler).

i am almost 7 weeks and i will likely have consultant lead care as have had 2 c sections and both my pregnancies i have had consultant led care. just expect a few appointments with the consultant and more trips to see the midwife than non consultant led pregnancies. its all just extra check ups some people have extra scans depending on the reason for consultant led care

thank you all.

You just have some appointments with a Dr not a MW. Apart from waiting ages and some being a bit disorganised and lacking the bedside manner of a MW, it's just the same really.

I am 15 weeks into my second pregnancy and consultant led - though in fact I have actually been IN hospital almost continuously up to this point (only got out a few days ago) so haven't yet been to a clinic. It probably means a longer wait and some extra appointments, you may see a midwife as well as a doctor when you go. You may well not see the consultant him/herself but instead a more junior member of the team at most/all appointments but that varies a lot I think on the size of the hospital and how things are arranged. Your condition sounds quite serious so probably more likely that you'll see the consultant in person. You may have to go for various extra scans in the second half of pregnancy if there is a chance your health problems could affect the baby's growth - I had a growth scan every 2-3 weeks the whole second half of pregnancy last time, it actually got pretty boring because while I was in a state and found the endless appointments v gruelling DS was always absolutely fine and his graphs were all textbook like in their perfection! They will also text your blood/wee etc with tedious regularity and then (in my experience) send you cryptic letters which your GP can't understand once a fortnight telling you what you're deficient in this time. Even if the baby is fine, if you are very unwell there may be a chance to discuss a slightly early induction etc towards the end - though the level of compassion for ill pregnant women among obs/gynae docs seems to vary quite a lot!

Also if/when you do end up admitted during pregnancy - as it sounds like you probably will be again - you will be admitted by whoever is on duty but be 'under' your consultant and will probably see them in person if you're in for more than a night.

When it gets to the end it generally means you can't go to a midwife-led unit/birth centre but will have to be on the labour ward. Although on a busy labour ward the doctors will leave you alone anyway if you are having a straightforward delivery. Despite my nightmare first pregnancy - was in a wheelchair by the end and still vomiting - I had a totally straightforward labour and delivery-and don't remember seeing a doctor at any point, though DH tells me one did appear briefly at some stage. But by no 5 you surely know what you are doing re: labour anyway!

Thanks so much. Sorry to hear you've been in hospital so much. It's shot isn't it? I'm expecting things to be a bit of a struggle this time, but baby is very much wanted.