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

Help I have no doctor and due in 2 weeks

38 replies

user1492962279 · 23/04/2017 16:50

Sorry for the long post, looking for some help/opinions, I am 37+5 weeks pregnant, I have only just got a fixed address due to getting a council house and therefor will now join a local docs tomorrow but up until this point couldn't get registered anywhere without a permanent address. At 8 weeks I attended the early pregnancy unit and got a scan, pregnancy confirmed and told until I had a doctors they wouldn't see me any more as it's based on your address where you go, so since then I have been going to private scans every month throughout my pregnancy and have had no complications and been told each visit everything is good, I'm having a girl, everything measuring normal etc but the last app I had I was told baby was breech (32 weeks) so basically now I need to know what do I do? Go to the docs tomorrow to register and then what? As I know breech babies you will get checked weekly at this stage (im unsure if she is still breech as she could have moved by now) but I might not be able to get an app so fast? also if I on the off chance go into labour today can I show up at the local hospital without having a doctor? I know these are all questions I should know the answer to but I'm just looking for some help as this is my first baby and the closer to my due date I get the scarier going to register has became as I know the way I have done this isn't the norm but have been very stuck on what to do apart from pay for a scan each month to check she is growing and healthy. TIA.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
haveacupoftea · 24/04/2017 01:08

Hey OP, yeah go in and register with a GP tomorrow and explain your circumstances. They'll probably make an urgent referral to ante natal services for you. Don't worry if they look at you as if you have two heads when you explain to them, they do that to everyone over the smallest thing ever in my surgery! Good luck!

PerspicaciaTick · 24/04/2017 01:16

Hi, OP. In my area, pregnant women can self-refer themselves to the midwifery team just by phoning a number on the hospital's website. The GP does not need to get involved at all, at any stage of the pregnancy. Now you have a clear idea of the hospital you will want to be using, can you look at their website and see if you can contact the midwives directly yourself?

JennyOnAPlate · 24/04/2017 15:47

Have you managed to see a GP op?

DuggeeHugs · 24/04/2017 16:18

Just seen this thread - Flowers for you OP on getting through your pregnancy in difficult circumstances. I hope you've been registered and seen today (by a positive doctor our midwife) and that all goes well for you and baby.

ColourfulOrangex · 24/04/2017 17:57

Hi OP hope you managed to get sorted today and any worries you had have been put aside Flowers

Autumnsweater · 25/04/2017 06:10

Hi OP hope you're ok and sorry about some people's comments. Sounds like you're doing the best you can in a difficult situation.
I didn't need to see the GP at all, could book straight in with a midwife.
Hope you get the care you need and you'll have a lovely baby soon!! Flowers

lljkk · 25/04/2017 06:25

A person eligible for a council house can afford six private scans.
That's impressive budgeting.
I guess shame on the council for waiting until you were 38 weeks to get you housed, though.

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 25/04/2017 06:29

You can register with a GP without an address (rough sleepers can register with a GP) although some surgeries either don't know this or mislead patients by refusing to register them

You can receive hospital care without a GP

Please register with your GP tomorrow
Obtain an urgent appt (ask for an on the day emergency appt)
There are other things that need to be monitored in pregnancy eg blood pressure, not just scans
If your GP won't give you an appt I would go to the hospital Antenatal Day Unit (like an A&E for pregnant ladies), explain you haven't been able to obtain Antenatal care yet, and sit and wait to be seen

Most pregnancies are uncomplicated, but it would be a shame if you had a complication that could have been treated, so insist on seeing a doctor tomorrow

With breech, the obstetrician would usually offer to try and turn baby, and if not offer a caesarean section. In the uk most breech babies are born by planned caesarean, although vaginal birth is possible
If you get any symptoms of labour go to your nearest Labour Ward. Any woman in labour can turn up and receive care.

I can see you have been trying to get the best care for your baby with private scans. But it is unusual for somebody in the uk not to manage to access NHS care, I can see you were misled, but I am a bit concerned that you might be quite vulnerable to not manage to get past that initial poor advice iyswim? As in, I think your typical person would have inisisted/ gone to hospital/ sought more information online or from CAB to back them up etc. I can see you were trying your hardest, but it does sound like you might benefit from some extra support to help you navigate things for the rest of your pregnancy and when baby is born.

Best of luck speaking to your GP.

Oh - you should be feeling baby moving regularly now, if baby is moving less that is a reason to go to Labour Ward urgently, even if everything else seems well.

3luckystars · 25/04/2017 06:35

Good luck and best wishes with your baby.

HumpHumpWhale · 25/04/2017 06:48

God you must have been so stressed! You poor thing. I can totally see how this happened, you kept being told it was just around the corner, so you didn't push the doctors or question what they told you, & then suddenly you were really far into your pregnancy!

So, I came back to the UK to give birth (living abroad in a country with dodgy health care) at 35 weeks. At that point, the midwives were all booked up, but they ran drop in sessions, so I went to those for my remaining checks. There will be something similar in your area if you can't get appointments so don't worry. You'll get seen! But you might have to be a bit pushy at first. Go to the GP straight away and explain. Hopefully baby will have turned but if not you need to be seen so you can decide next steps. GP should be able to tell by feel at this stage of pregnancy. Once you're in the system and have a plan, you'll feel much better.

My first was two weeks late. You might be pregnant for a while yet! I hope everything goes smoothly from here on out.

DancingLedge · 26/04/2017 22:52

@user1492962279. Thinking of you.
Hope everything's going ok. FlowersCake

HumpHumpWhale · 29/04/2017 05:41

@user1492962279 just wanted to check how you're doing? Have been thinking of you over the last few days.

sparkleandsunshine · 29/04/2017 05:55

Ignore any negativity OP! You can do this!!!!
Now get yourself straight to a doctor, get in really early and see if you can be seen that day, make sure you tell receptionists that it's very very urgent (perhaps ask to speak to one privately and tell them the story) once you get a receptionist on your side you'll be fine; they're like the lions at the gate!
When I found out I was pregnant I went to book a docs appointment and the receptionist gave me the number for the midwives and I called them and booked myself in with them!
And the health visitor, mine was a god send when mine was little, get the number for the health visiting team and call them now, explain.
Remember, ignore the negativity, there is nothing u can do to go back and change what has happened but you sure as hell can sort the future!
Good luck OP, as a 1st time mum of a 3 month old I can tell you it's the best thing in the entire world!!!!

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