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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

I'm 9 weeks and haven't got a date for a scan yet. Should I? A bit of a general grump too.

15 replies

Scrowy · 18/12/2015 21:46

9 weeks with my first (yey/shitting myself)

Went for my booking in appointment last week. Going back for blood tests next week. My 12 week scan will be dud early Jan but I've not heard anything yet.

I know I can take time off work for antenatal appointments but I do a very similar job to a midwife and book work appointments in at work with patients up to six weeks in advance.... I work about 45 minutes motorway drive away from where I live so it's not just a case of 'popping out' for an appointment and it's getting to the point where I'm going to be questioned by my manager why my diary is currently looking very sparse for the first two weeks in Jan. I don't really want to tell work just yet!

Also a bit why they couldn't have taken blood tests at my booking in appointment which only took about 30 mins to save me having to take an afternoon off work just before christmas (very very inconvenient)

I've looked at the antenatal stuff in my area (very limited) and again it only occurs during the working day. Again I know I am entitled to take the time out of work but it would be at the detriment to my current clients which would mean I would have to reduce my workload and I fear would put me in special snowflake territory with my colleagues!!!

Generally in a hormonal grump about it all.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

bippitybopityboo · 18/12/2015 22:03

9 + 5 and had my booking appointment yesterday where they did all my bloods etc and I have my scan on the 7th. That all seems very strange why they haven't just done it all together and got you booked in my I do know some areas work differently. Hope you know more soon and good luck!!

1frenchfoodie · 18/12/2015 22:28

I can sympathise. I normally commute 2h to work so antenatal appointments, which can only take place during the day, mean cancelling meetings and working from home. And bloods cant be taken at the surgery but mean going to a local hospital so take another hour (no car). I had 4 days notice of my booking appointment -which came 2 weeks after the 12 wk scan due to a backlog. Still sure all the schlepping aound will be as nothing to organising ourselves around a new baby

Original poster

Scrowy · 18/12/2015 22:35

So do I wait until the blood tests next week to ask (Christmas Eve) or ring and ask about scan dates Monday? Who do I ring the midwives or the hospital I assume the scan will be at?

It all just feels disappointingly disorganised.

OP posts:

Yarpyarp · 18/12/2015 22:40

Where are you in the country? One to one midwives offer free service and can do all your appointments at home at your convenience. Highly recommend them if they cover your area

Noodledoodledoo · 18/12/2015 22:50

I was told at my booking in appointment to phone the hospital after 10 days to chase up my scan date as letters go missing!

My bloods also have to be done at local hospital, luckily I am part time as this is my second (also know when to chase things) but some of the appointments have to be on my working days which is a real pain - my work doesn't wait for me I have to be covered. I feel really bad about taking extra time off but some of my appointments having my little one with me would be a nightmare - GTT test for a start!

I would say ring the antenatal scanning unit and see what they say.

Brummiegirl15 · 18/12/2015 23:01

All my appointments are during the day and I had no bloods taken during my booking in appointment - just a form given to me and told to go to the hospital to have them taken.

That was it. Unfortunately very much par for the course with NHS, although I understand why, they have to fit everyone in

Quodlibet · 18/12/2015 23:13

In my experience the scans are done by the hospital sonography department and handled by a different appointment system to the midwife appointments. I'd give the hospital you've booked in for a quick call if I were you to say that you haven't had an appointment letter yet. They may well be able to sort it for you over the phone.

Seems quite ludicrous that they couldn't do your bloods at the booking in appt! It's not like people haven't got other shit to get done.

Grumping generally at 9 weeks is perfectly justified IMO.

Runningupthathill82 · 18/12/2015 23:13

All this is very normal. If you lived where I do, you wouldn't have even had a booking appointment yet - they don't do them til at least 10 weeks now, sadly due to the number of pregnancies that don't make it that far.
You then get your scan date immediately after the booking appointment, so I got mine (for 13 weeks) at 11 weeks.
I know it's frustrating, but there's little you can do aside from wait. And you're going to be doing a lot of waiting over the next 30-odd weeks!

Original poster

Scrowy · 18/12/2015 23:15

I don't mind so much that the appointments are during the day but surely it would have been far more efficient all round for them to do booking in and bloods in the same appointment. They weighed me and measured me and took my blood pressure so surely taking blood would just have been a few more minutes on the appointment?

I'm just finding the general assumption that because I'm now a pregnant woman I have nothing better to do than attend inflexible (they are only held one day a week at my surgery) antenatal appointments at short notice irritating. I'm pleased and excited about being pregnant... But normal life has to continue for the time being!

OP posts:

Katarzyna79 · 18/12/2015 23:23

OP didn't the midwife ring up and book your first scan at the first appointment you had with her? That;s how it was with all of mine and I'm expecting a baby now same thing occurred.
After that you get a letter in the post usually within 1 week.

Since its getting late i'd call the scan department and see if your midwife booked you in, if not they should be able to arrange it for you. I'm sure you know this all better than me since you work in a similar job!

i agree about blood tests i was moaning about that . in my last surgery they had nurses who did the bloods, and if there was no appointment it didn't matter theyd see you pretty quickly so its all done the same day. Apparently they don't do this in England. But in my city pharmacies do bloods and vaccines for adults, so that's not too bad, better than having to travel 30 mins to the hospital then another 40 mins to find parking.

possum18 · 18/12/2015 23:28

I had similar to you, booking in appointment took ages, then had to go to hospital the next week to have booking bloods done. Hadn't heard for scan date 2 weeks later and had to chase.. Ended up calling antenatal ward direct and booking it all in myself at my own convenience.

Original poster

Scrowy · 18/12/2015 23:34

No I booked my booking appointment with the GP receptionist at 7 weeks and they gave me an appointment with the midwives at 8 weeks.

I attended that fully expecting to wee in a cup and have some blood taken but was disappointed on both counts I did remember to wear matching socks for being weighed though so that was a minor personal victory at the height of morning sickness.

I don't know why I didn't ask at the appointment about how I would find out about the scan date. They gave me the impression it would just happen (I was assuming I would get a letter of some sort) and I suppose because they knew what my job was that they also assumed I knew more about how their system works than I do.

If I ring the (small community) hospital tomorrow is there likely to be someone there to speak to me?

OP posts:

seven201 · 19/12/2015 20:31

I think just ring on Monday. I had booking in at 8 weeks (did get bloods and wee done) then scan letter through a week or so late (for 13 weeks). Annoyingly I had a consultant appointment scheduled a few days later at the same hospital. The consultant was surprised that they hadn't organised my scan and appointment for the same day/time. I'm a teacher and missed about 6 hours of school in total this week including exam group classes, just for 2 appointments. It's annoying but that's the way it is I suppose and we are very lucky to have the NHS. I need lots of extra appointments (existing medical problems so extra monitoring needed) and explained this to the lady when I handed in the extra scan and costultant request forms in at reception - she said she'd add a note requesting they be amongst the first appointments of the day. Whether that will be honoured I don't know. Also, the midwife said she'll try and slot me in for early morning appointments. So do try and request appointments that have the least impact to you/your clients.

spacefrog35 · 19/12/2015 23:12

I had booking in at about 8 weeks and then received scan date 14 days later by post. Had blood taken at booking in for immunity & type and then more at scan for the tests. If it's difficult for you to arrange time off at short notice then as others have said just give the hospital a ring. All my follow up appointments I've had lots of notice, it was just that first one.

Noodledoodledoo · 21/12/2015 11:10

I have just phoned the hospital and was told the midwife should have told me my appointment at my booking in - which obviously means she should be psychic!!

As its my second time I am a bit more savvy and will call to chase appointments.

It appears that I need to book everything myself which is fine as I then get a bit of a say in the times! Can minimise the impact on work disruption to a certain extent.

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