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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Everything's changed

22 replies

CrumpetHead · 13/07/2015 14:38

This time last year I was 8 months pregnant and now I'm just over 4 months with second pregnancy, so much has changed in a year! All the appointments are different and at my appointment today they told me that they don't check the heartbeat at all anymore either, has anyone else heard of this? She said they were relying on the heart beat too much when we should be concentrating on movements more but I haven't felt any movements yet and didn't until I was 20+ weeks last time either so would have liked heartbeat checked just to put my mind at rest. I think it's stupid.

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coneywonder · 13/07/2015 14:40

That sounds ridiculous. Where I am they check the heart beat every appointment from 16 weeks. I know in some areas they start it at 20 weeks though. There's a section in the notes for what the heartbeat is so why would that be there? I'd ask for a second opinion which it sounds like you will be doing! How strange!?

Original poster

CrumpetHead · 13/07/2015 14:47

I know, it's so stupid. They checked at every appointment when I was pregnant last time too

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Fugghetaboutit · 13/07/2015 14:50

You don't get as many appointments with your second unless you have complications the first time.

Would've thought they'd check the heartbeat at 16 weeks though. I have mine next week and will see.

mayaknew · 13/07/2015 14:51

Same here I'm 11 weeks and my ds is 2 and it's all changed since I had him .

They no longer scan at 12 weeks here but at 13 weeks instead . They also don't give you an initial MW appointment the first time I saw a MW was at 9 weeks for my booking appointment .

When I had ds they didn't check heartbeat until after 20 weeks they said before then sometimes it's still either too hard to find or faint and it causes unnecessary worry .

They checked heartbeat at all my appointments after 20 weeks though .

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 13/07/2015 14:51

Crumpet my area don't check the heartbeat at all either, and said exactly the same to me! I wonder if we're in the same area?

Original poster

CrumpetHead · 13/07/2015 15:29

Maya, same here first pregnancy I had first scan at 11 weeks 1 day and this time around first scan was 13 weeks 6 days!

Grotbag, I'm in South Wales

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WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 13/07/2015 15:32

Ah Bristol here!
My booking in this time was 10 weeks, scan at 13. Much fewer appointments overall and no heartbeat checking. I understand the logic about movements being more important but it is nice to hear the heart!

DidILeaveTheGasOn · 13/07/2015 15:36

They didn't want to check the heartbeat with me and I looked so crestfallen they did it anyway. Thank goodness for that, because it meant a lot to me, and it's not really down to them to withdraw something like that without discussing it properly, we are not a rabble of children.

tinyme135 · 13/07/2015 15:46

I'm only 14 weeks so I can't comment on the heart beat part but I had my booking appointment at 9 weeks and my dating scan at 12 weeks. I can understand not doing the heartbeat at 16 weeks cause I've heard it's really hard to find and makes many women paranoid and worried (I know I would be). But I dunno from 20 weeks on. I'd love to hear the heartbeat just so I know it's there :)

KatyN · 13/07/2015 17:36

What!!! I have my second mw appt tomorrow and I'm 16 weeks. I am totally looking forward to hearing the heartbeat. If the rest of this week is anything to go by I might cry if they don't listen!!!

lauraa4 · 13/07/2015 19:53

I've heard the heartbeat at every midwife appointment since 16 weeks. I thought they did it to check it's beating at a normal pace?!

Hummingbird15 · 13/07/2015 20:14

In the December birth group we've had a real mix of whether people have had the heartbeat measured at 16 weeks or not - I'd say it seems about 50:50 on hospitals that do and don't now.

AmberLav · 13/07/2015 20:16

It's funny, I've been doing the pregnant thing since 2010, and nothing has changed at all in my area! I've always been able to hear the heartbeat at 16 weeks, just heard it last week...

LumpyCustard69 · 13/07/2015 20:19

How crazy
I'm on my second pregnancy.
They check the heartbeat every appointment after 16 weeks here. And if you have concerns about movements and you go to maternity assessment unit, they hook you up and monitor baby's heartbeat AND movements.

Booking in appointment between 8 and 10 weeks. First scan between 12 and 14 weeks.

applecore0317 · 13/07/2015 20:19

My midwives didn't start listening to the heartbeat until 24 weeks onwards

IfYouWereARiverIdLearnToFloat · 13/07/2015 20:50

I had my 16 week appointment last week & MW checked the heartbeat & said she'd do it at every appointment from now on...

chasingtherainbow · 13/07/2015 20:51

Also in Bristol. 2nd pregnancy and mw said they don't listen to hb at 16 week appointment anymore. I burst into tears and she did it for me!

Sparrowlegs248 · 14/07/2015 05:14

I didn't hear the heartbeat till well after the 20wk scan, maybe 28weeks? Mw has checked it each time since then though.

laura825 · 14/07/2015 08:14

I'm in Gloucester and my midwife has listened to the heartbeat at every appointment since my 16 weeks appointment, she even sent me to the hospital at one point as the rate was high, I don't understand how they can check this vital signs of they don't listen to it at each appointment!

scatterbrainedlass · 14/07/2015 09:29

I think it can depend on the MW too? My community MW never checked my urine, so I had it checked at booking in at the hospital at 12 weeks, then at 25 weeks when I ended up with a new community MW.

AliOh · 14/07/2015 09:33

In west wales here and I asked at my 16 week appointment re checking the heartbeat as she wasn't going to - she said that it's not recommended they do it anymore as often they can't find it and it causes more stress, she did listen in for me and eventually found it but it was very faint. I'm 36 weeks now with ds2, ds1 is only 14 months and it all seems to have changed in only a year!

MissMartin10 · 14/07/2015 10:23

they check heartbeat here every appointment from 16w.. so strange different areas do different things

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