Is this correct for consultant led care?

[Pregnantandpuking]

Yesterday I had my 12 week scan and am under consultant led care due to frequent UTIs. I asked the doctor what the difference would be in terms of the labour experience offered under consultant led care compared to midwife led and was told, 'with consultant led care, you won't get all the fancy stuff like water birthing or a nice private room. You'll be on a bed with lots of machines monitoring you.' Way to sell it!?!

[Littlefish]

Sunbathing - for me, it meant 1 or 2 appointments at the hospital with the consultant's team (I saw different people each time).

I had been referred because of my BMI and my age. I was weighed each time and had my blood pressure done. At the first appointment the consultant asked me why I was there! I explained it was because I was overweight. He said "do you eat lots of junk food?" to which I just said , "No" so he just told me to keep eating a healthy diet. That was it!

At the second appointment they just weighed me again and did my blood pressure and asked me if everything was ok. That was it for that time!

I was told I would need to give birth at the hospital rather than at a midwife led unit, but as I said in my previous message! I didn't see a doctor until I was realy to be discharged with dd.

[Littlefish]

I was under consultant led care, and had a wonderful waterbirth, gas and air, low lighting, bean bags, soft music etc. with only midwives in attendance throughout my labour and birth. I didn't see a doctor until they came to discharge dd and me, and did their final checks.

My consultant led care was triggered by my BMI and age.

[neversleepagain]

I had CLC when I was pregnant with twins. It was great, I had excellent ante natal care. I had a private room, a lovely consultant who I saw at every ante natal appointment (I had one every two weeks) and a wonderful registrar delivered my babies. If I went to Triage with any concerns I was seen to immediately and didn't have to wait hours. I felt like it was very personalised care.

[littlejohnnydory]

Nonsense! It's still your choice. I had Consultant led care in my second pregnancy and the Consultant was happy for me to have a Home Birth. In my third pregnancy I declined to see the Consultant and had another Home Birth.

[RevoltingPeasant]

Hi OP I was in a very similar situation although my experience of CLC was much more positive as the drs at my antenatal clinic are fab!

I have a long term kidney condition which predisposed me to kidney infections specifically. I was told there is a risk of premature labour but this largely comes from untreated UTIs which become more serious. It is possible to,have "silent" UTI apparently which is a big risk.

I have not had a single one this pg - touch wood - and am 26 weeks. I was also discharged back to MW led care at 23 weeks. But the deal is, I need to give a sample for monitoring in every fortnight or so. Then if I develop a UTI or if get pain or other symptoms, I can be hauled back in.

Maybe suggest that as a compromise?

Also I was potentially pretty high risk as I have 2 damaged kidneys and in addition to the whole UTI thing, they didn't know how my kidneys would react to the pg. but even then, when I said I was thinking about a home birth they said they weren't keen but it was my choice. I don't think what your lot are saying sounds right just because you are at risk of UTI. If you cannot get discharged to MW led care, I'd be asking them what specific clinical risk factors mean you can't be mobile, and asking for support in putting together a birth plan that lets you stay active. You could ask to speak to a senior MW in the cons led unit about this.

[Pregnantandpuking]

Thanks Pippinleaf, will do!

[pippinleaf]

I was under consultant care until 24 weeks and then they released me back to midwife care. I had a possibly short cervix and they did repeat scans etc until they decided I was fine. If you've not had a UTI for ages then ask to be released back to midwife care?

[Pregnantandpuking]

Sounds hopeful then. I just think the dr I saw was trying to give worst case scenario. Not necessarily what you want to hear on your first hospital visit! Good luck Ruby, you never know, today could be the day!

[WorkFreeWannabe]

I've been under Consultant led care throughout my pregnancy as I'm high risk due to a serious pre-existing health condition. I'm now 38 weeks and pregnancy has been textbook. At my last consultant appointment around 35/36 weeks I was discharged to Midwife led care as I've had no problems. I'm still high risk and will be monitored throughout labour so no pool or birthing centre for me but that's probably more down to my medical history than the actual pregnancy.

[rubyinthedust]

That sounds like rubbish to me. Consultant care means enhanced monitoring in pregnancy. For some conditions it may mean that you will need a more "medicalised" birth. However if you haven't had any UTIs (or more importantly, if you don't have any at the time of labour) and the rest of your pregnancy is textbook I'd be really surprised if you weren't allowed the birth you want. I was under consultant care for this pregnancy due to a previous ectopic, but the consultant has written in my notes that I can use the midwife-led unit for a spontaneous birth - as it stands though, I'm 41 weeks today and likely to have an induction, so it may all be moot!

[Pregnantandpuking]

Thanks for this Necesito! Will aim to do the same, all being well!

[NecesitoDormir]

I had CLC but persuaded my Consultant that our issue did not mean that we couldn't access the birth centre. We met with him and the Senior Midwife who agreed that we could use those services. It took a bit of pushing but they allowed it.

[Pregnantandpuking]

Thanks or your replies ladies. Apparently UTIs increase the risk of waters breaking early. Just hoping that I stay UTI free!

[TittyBojangles]

They definitely can discharge you to mw led care part way through if your circumstances change or if your consultant thinks there is no real benefit to cons led care. I was under a cons for bmi and after he had seen me he was happy to discharge me from his care. I'd just ask at your next cons appt. or maybe you can have cons care for your preg but mw led for your birth. Not sure how utis would change birth plans etc anyway?

[Taura]

Not what I've been sold. For me, CLC means more scans (28 and 34w), couple of appointments with consultant, and working out a birth plan that suits my circumstances. In my case, my age (40+) doesn't seem, so far, (33w) to have had much effect on the baby's development, and the consultant seems entirely unstressed. I was told by MW at the first appt that they would induce me at 40w, would need to be in the "high risk" labour ward I.e. Not birthing centre, however the labour ward has some water baths too, and yes there are more machines around but they don't have to use them. Labour progresses best when you are relaxed, so they don't want to connect you up just because they can.

One MW has even said to me that it is quite possible I could ask to be reviewed to see if I could still go to the birthing centre.

I think they give you the "worst case" at the beginning, so that you are not disappointed later.

[Pregnantandpuking]

The annoying thing is, since I have become pregnant, I haven't had a single UTI at all! Wonder if they could discharge me to midwife led care before the event! hmmmm. Thanks for your reply

[SilverStars]

Was my experience sadly. Not that I saw a dr in labour for more than a few minutes.