First appointment-what happens?

[Everest1]

Hi
First preganacy and due to see midwife on 2nd January. I think i will around 8 weeks at this point. Could anyone tell me what happens? I know i wont have a scan but do they listen for heartbeat? Thank you

Hello 👋 I'm 31 weeks pregnant with first baby. The 8 week booking appointment is basically a lot of questions asked by the midwife around family history and your health etc. They will do a blood test and urine sample from what I remember but it will be too early to hear the heartbeat. A lot of it will be about you and getting information and details they need and will probably then book you in for your 12 week scan or tell you how to do that. Just expect lots of questions!

Hopefully that's helpful and congratulations 😊

Hello

Congratulations! No they wont listen for a heartbeat, my midwife told me they dont listen u till 25 weeks pregnant, they listened for mine at 16 weeks and they found it but it was very hard to find and couldn't really hear it, we had a scan at 7 weeks and saw the heartbeat, you will see it on scans, it might depend where you live as I know some NHS do it differently but that's how it's done where I live

They ask your details medical background partners background how far gone you think you are book in for future appointments check blood pressure etc

It was a massive anti climax for me as I was so excited but really didnt know what to expect! Xx

Not much really! Lots of forms to fill in. I think they take urine and blood sample. They'll ask about any conditions on yours and dad's side of the family so best to ask him. They may also try to get you on your own at some point if you take him to ask if all is ok, no abuse etc. Definitely won't listen for heartbeat that's sometimes at 16 weeks.

My first actual appointment was very short at around 6 weeks - brief 15 minutes of just explaining a few things, taking height and weight asking what hospital I want to be referred to and then my midwife booked me for a booking appointment at 8 weeks (which I reckon that's what you're having) - this was just going through heath history of me and my partner, loads of questions etc it takes about an hour or two

Thank you everyone!
I dont have any symptoms atm so was hoping id get something to confirm everything. X

I also have my first midwife appointment 2nd Jan! As everyone else said on all the research I’ve done on it seems it’s all just questions and bloods tests.

Do you have any symptoms yet?

Yep, it’s really boring 😄 the fill in a huge form, do a carbon monoxide test (like a breathalyser), urine test, blood test, blood pressure.. height, weight & book your 12 week scan. And send you on your way. You’ll next see the midwife at 16 weeks.

Baby is far too small at 8 weeks to hear the HB in the Doppler the midwife has to listen. In my area, they never listen to the HB at any midwife appointment! It’s been the same both my pregnancies, I’ve asked & they’ve said they don’t listen as standard unless there are concerns. If you are feeling baby move, then they are happy. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Ps. The blood test will confirm pregnancy in that it’ll pick up HCG.. if you want confirmation baby is OK early on, you will have to pay for a private scan

Thanks are the blood test results instant? Xx

I didn't get my blood test results back for a couple of weeks (when I saw midwife again at about 10 weeks to do the bloods for my combined screening).

Every area is different. I didn't have my HCG levels checked. They did things like blood group, ironing, full blood count, hiv status etc.

The only way to really know that pregnancy is progressing as it should would be to pay for a private scan. They won't even do a pregnancy test as if you've had a positive home test that's enough.

The first 12 weeks are long and difficult as you don't have anything 'real' to know that baby is ok. But please try and not stress. I did get a private early scan at 7 weeks to put my mind at some sort of rest (but I still worry now and I'm 21 weeks!)
Xx

Iron levels. Not ironing!!!! Although if the midwife had offered to do my ironing I'd have let her 😂😂😂

@Moonstone12 yeah i hope they would do the ironing too ;). I've done a cheapo £1 that came up with 2 strong pink lines. Then 2 CB digital test both said 2-3 weeks. Last start of period was 6th November so im thinking im about 6 weeks?!? Other than weeing more i dont have any symptoms so that worries me xx

@Everest1 Try not to get too caught up on symptom spotting. Some people have no symptoms at all and have perfectly healthy pregnancies. Unfortunately I'm not one of them and suffer from horrific hyperemisis for the first 20 weeks. I am however lucky to have that end where as some women have it up until they give birth!

A lot of people sickness start somewhere between 6-10 weeks so for now try and enjoy feeling well just in case you do suffer in a few weeks time.

And congratulations! X

They don't do anything that actually confirms you're pregnant until you have the 12 week scan. It blew my mind a bit the first time that they just take your word for it.

Thanks guys. Im going to see when my scan date is and maybe book a private scan as il be 8 weeks then. Im just anxious not knowing x

@Everest1 please don't make yourself anxious, I know it's hard! I'm 32 weeks with my first and remember feeling like this but the weeks go by so quickly and before you know it you'll have your scan. If you have a pos pregnancy test and no period then take that as pregnant! I didn't have any symptoms for a while either and even didn't have morning sickness, just nausea later on until about 14 weeks. I did have light cramping for quite a while too. My SIL also recently found out she was pregnant and told us before the 12 week scan so I remember her being worried too and there are always the questions of what if something is wrong? But seeing her 12 week scan photo was the best 😊 just try and think that as long as there is nothing abnormal happening, you'll be okay and can look forward to the scan. Hoping the best for you x

At 7 weeks I had first appointment. Had an internal scan where they checked the heartbeat and recorded size, then filling in documents. So be prepared that you might have a full scan and if so, probably internal. They also did a smear test as hadn't had one for 3 years

@Caspianberg are you in the UK? Both those things sound very unusual and they don't normally do smear tests in pregnancy at all.

At 7 weeks I had first appointment. Had an internal scan where they checked the heartbeat and recorded size, then filling in documents. So be prepared that you might have a full scan and if so, probably internal. They also did a smear test as hadn't had one for 3 years

If you're in the UK having an NHS booking appointment then there is zero chance that they will do any of this. It's a blood test, a carbon monoxide test and filling in forms.

@Everest1 I'm now 34 weeks and didn't have any symptoms what so ever. Never had a day of feeling nauseous. I was anxious after a previous loss. I had private scans at 7weeks and 9weeks which were very reassuring

@SockQueen @Oysterbabe - not in the Uk. But if you look on the NHS website is says that if you have previously had abnormal or not a recent smear test, then to tell midwife at first appointment and they will do an up to date test then.

lots of places in the Uk must now do early scans as many friends in the uk have have non private beofre 12 weeks, and many on this thread

@Caspianberg I had a letter inviting me to a smear test so asked my midwife about it and she said definitely not "we don't play around with the cervix in pregnancy". So that will be something I'll sort out a while after I have my baby. She said that I will be offered one a few months the after, giving time to recover. Definitely not something that happens in the UK.

@lovesT - The NHS definitely does do them. They are recommended by cancer research and NHS. Its just that results can be inaccurate and need repeating, hence cost money. Hence aren't don't on the NHS routinely (see below). Hence why I mentioned it, so OP isn't shocked if they do ask her to have one. There is of course a good chance she won't, but it isn't unheard off, neither is a scan before 12 weeks.

''If you've previously had an abnormal result from a cervical screening test, or you haven't had a screening test in the last 3 to 5 years, you may need to have a screening test while you are pregnant. Your GP or midwife might ask you to have the test at your first antenatal appointment. This test is safe to have when you are pregnant.''

You would only have a scan before 12 weeks if there's a reason for it, bleeding or a previous loss for example. But it would be at the early pregnancy unit and not at a midwife appointment, they don't have the facility and usually take place in an office at your GP surgery.

@Caspianberg maybe it depends on the area then 🤷‍♀️ from what I've seen it seems quite standard in America to have a smear when pregnant but I could be wrong, but from what I've read and heard here it's not common, I suppose if there were previous abnormalities they would have to look into it but from what my midwife said they wouldn't do a Pap smear during pregnancy. Just my experience though!

Also it seems to depend on the area as to when in pregnancy the midwife will listen to the heartbeat, before my 16 weeks appt lots of people said in here they won't listen because it's too early but since my 16 week appointment they have listened every time and she said from then on they will continue to listen to the heartbeat at every appointment, so another thing that seems to differ!

@lovesT thank you so much. Yea a missed period and 3 confirmed home tests and It still doesn't feel real. I have my 1st appointment on 2nd of jan so will book a private scan after that just for reassurance. X