Dr's advice

[angel0071987]

Hi all
I went to the dr's today as I think I'm pregnant (I'm a week late and I have taken a clear blue test that confirmed I am).
My normal dr was on holiday. The one I did see sent me away with no information or help at all. Told me to come back when I was 8 weeks (apparently I'm 5 already even tho conception can only have been from the 16th July as that's when we got married). Is this normal being sent away with no help/advice or information? Just wondering.
Hope you can help. Thanks.

You are 5 weeks as you go by the first day of your last period.

8 weeks is the time when you need to "book in" with a midwife so I'd ring your surgery and ask if you can make a Booking In appointment for three weeks time.

Docs don't generally give you anything else - the test has confirmed it and there's nothing really they can check for other than that.

Congratulations!

Yes, where I live you don't see the doctor at all, just book in with the midwife at around 10 weeks. The NHS website has all the info you need. Take folic acid and vit d, have a look at the foods which are recommended that you avoid and other than that carry on as normal!

They should refer you to a midwife/hospital - not sure what the benefit of waiting 3 weeks is. Can you look up the details for the maternity unit in your closest hospital and see if they allow you to self refer?

Where I am I didn't even see a GP at all to begin with. I just called the maternity services self referral number at 5 weeks, they asked basic questions to work out your due dates etc and from there I was booked and a got a letter in the mail with a midwife appointment at 8 weeks. They also told me to start taking the prenatal vitamins and to look up the NHS website for foods I am meant to avoid etc.

Depending on where in the country you are, sometimes you can just book yourself in with a midwife, which might explain why he seemingly did nothing :) where I was living for my first two you actually had to see a GP for them to refer you to the midwife, and literally all the GP did was say "congratulations, are you taking pregnancy vitamins, I'll refer you to the midwife".

It seemed a waste of an appointment, but that was the system. Sounds like you live somewhere that you can just book your own midwife appointment, so as suggested above, I'd phone now to book in for three weeks time - sometimes midwives get busy spells, and so booking early will hopefully avoid delays :)

Congratulations!

I would ring your GP surgery and ask the receptionist what the process is for getting booked in with the midwives in your area.

Where I am, you need to get the pregnancy confirmed by a doctor or nurse before you can book an appointment with the midwife (routine midwife appointments at the GP surgery), but other areas let you self-refer. The surgery should be able to advise whether you book via them or not in your area.

Best to find out now though, in case all the appointments get booked up in between now and when you're 8 weeks.

Where I am you just ring the surgery and book to see the midwife at around 8weeks. No need to see the Dr. There's not a lot more that can tell you, they won't do another test. Everything you need to know between now and then is available on the NHS website, this website and many more.

Same as others for me - self-referred to midwife for booking appointment and received scan letter in the post. No need to see my GP at all.

Same as others - 29weeks now and not seen a GP at all. Booking in appointment with midwife at 8 weeks and went from there.

Book in the midwife and don't drink- / also avoid foods like raw meat , unpasteurised anything, liver, pate, unwashed veg etc
Congrats!!!