No doctor referral to midwife

[Kona84]

Hi, I just booked my first appointment. First doctors appointment available 15th jan. they asked me what it was for and I said a referral to see a midwife. The receptionist said I don’t need a doctors referral. I explained that I’d only done a home test and not had it confirmed by a doctor yet and she said that she’ll book an appointment with a midwife.
Is this normal now? Did I get it jumbled and she somehow thought I already had a midwife?

P.s I got a instant positive on a FRER test on NYE I’m currently 5wks 3 days. I will be going on 9 weeks by time I see anyone.

Yes that’s normal. I never saw a Dr or had a test at the Drs. They took my word for it.

In my area you don't call the doc at all, it's an appointment directly through the midwife booking line and they deal with everything as long as no complications occur which require you to be consultant led.

No you dont need to see the doctor first usually. In my area I looked up the website for my local hospital's maternity ward and did an online antenatal referral form. I got back all my appointments by email within a couple of hours. At other places I've heard you just book in directly with the midwife at your gp practice and they organise the appointments as you go along.

Yeah totally normal. And your booking in appointment is anywhere between 8-10 weeks where I am. Congratulations 😊

It seems to differ by area, but lots of GP surgeries refer straight to midwife for a booking in appointment.

I am pregnant for the fifth time at the moment. I have never had a GP confirm my pregnancy. If you say you have had a positive home pregnancy test then they believe you

It was normal 12 years ago when I was expecting DS! My GP (I needed to see him about something else anyway), said home tests are as reliable as anything doctors have now.

Congratulations, and good luck.

Yes that’s normal, you get a midwife booking appointment around 9/10 weeks ago will take lots of details and explain the whole pregnancy process to you and help sort out your dating scan and blood tests xx

I didn't see a doctor for my youngest daughter, who is nearly 7yo now. Just straight to midwife.

Yes that's normal now
I made a doctors appointment and it was a waste of time to be honest as he just told me to go back to reception and ask what days the midwife was in, I was expecting him to do a test to confirm for some reason.
Then I seen midwife the following week, filled out forms, had some bloods taken and that was it until the scan 🤷‍♀️

Same here. Dr didn’t test me, just took my word for it. GP said FREP was much more accurate than the ones they use 👍🏻😂

Most areas you don't see a dr and no one confirms your pregnancy. If you've had a positive test at home that's all they need to put you on the books

Typically you'll have your first midwife appointment about 8-10 weeks to book In

Absolutely normal they believe your home tests. It was the same when I had my son 6 years ago also. Congratulations

Our midwives are nothing to do with our Dr's surgery - they're based at the children's centre instead.

So when I rang the drs to say I'd had a positive home test and asked what to do re appointments etc, they said pop in and get a info pack from the receptionist. She just had stuffed envelopes in a drawer ready to go. It had the phone numbers etc for the midwives. i left an answerphone message and got a call back about 2 weeks later with a date for a booking in appointment at 8-10 weeks. I didn't see a gp for the whole of my pregnancy.

Most home tests are every bit as good (and sometimes even better) than the ones a GP used to use.
Definitely straight self referral to midwife.

I self referred with hospital once two tests came positive and that was that. I only saw my GP last week at 21 weeks.

My first two children I was referred to the midwife through the gp (my oldest being three). They didn't confirm the pregnancy they just believed me as the home test is just as accurate as their tests. I'm pregnant with my third and did the same as before and booked a gp appointment. The doctor just said congratulations here's a booklet on How to self refer. So the policy must have changed from two years ago.

It makes sense as the gp doesn't do anything other than tell the midwife so I suppose it's saves an unnecessary gp appointment.

With all my pregnancies the first confirmation by anyone medical was my 12 week scan

I called my doctors who booked me in to see the midwife at my own doctors surgery - my appointment is on the 16th Jan. I wasn't really sure what to do either! X

Yes, normal. Home tests are so accurate, and false positives so rare, that they take your word for it! The one thing that our practice receptionists check is if you have had a miscarriage in the last three months, as this is one of the factors which can lead to a false positive.

Same - I went to the Dr for a referral but he didn’t even do a second test to confirm - said he would only be doing a home kit which I’d already done.
You can self refer straight to hospital / midwife (in NI anyway..)

Totally normal and has been for several years. No need for a GP to refer you. The midwife won’t test you either. If you say you are pregnant that’s all they go on. The midwife will ask the date of your LMP but otherwise, they don’t confirm the pregnancy.

Awesome I thought if messed up.
I googled what to do after a positive test and i read something that said a GP had to confirm it before a referral to a midwife. So confusing. So much to take in.
I haven’t told anyone other than partner otherwise I would be able to ask family and friends.
Thanks for the help ladies

Perfectly normal. Home pregnancy tests are as good as anything the doctor can do so they don't confirm it, just take your word for it. Congratulations ❤️

I didn't even call the gp, my local trust has an online self referral.