5.5 weeks, self referral but still no word!

[Lostwordsblessing]

I tested positive last week and GP told me to self refer to Kings in London, so I sent off the form on Thursday and still haven't heard anything back. Is this normal? I even forwarded the same email just to double check they'd received it over the weekend, and I tried calling yesterday but I was on hold for half an hour (I was first in the queue, apparently).
I know I won't have a scan til around 10 weeks or so, but I haven't even had a receipt that they've got my form and I'm registered with them yet. I guess I'm just anxious; this is my first pregnancy and decided on not telling anyone until I've had a scan, my symptoms are pretty mild apart from occasional cramps and swollen boobs, I don't even really feel pregnant. Obviously my partner and I are talking about it but we're both in the dark ha!
Just want someone to see me and say, YEP, THERE'S YER BABY...

Also, is there somewhere I can clue myself up on all the abbreviations on this site? Seeing a lot of DD and DH and AIBU and it's all alien language to me

Expect to be underwhelmed!

You won't see anyone until booking in and that is largely a form-filling exercise. No test, no scan. I didn't have mine until 11 weeks but booked it fairly late as I thought I was miscarrying. And then your first scan is usually around 12 weeks.

Are you taking folic acid?

It usually takes between a week or two to get a letter depending on the trust. To you having your first baby is the most important thing in the world to them it’s what they do every day. Your appointments will come, just be patient.

Unfortunately yes to be expected. They won't really want to see you until around 8-10 weeks due to obvious reasons for a very short booking in appointment (many due to covid are now just over the phone) and then you'll get a 12 week scan. As others have said the process is a bit of an anti climax 😂 x

Both my pregnancies I didn't inform anyone until after 8 weeks when you then get a booking in appointment at 10 weeks. There's no rush.

Agree with previous posters, you will be totally underwhelmed as no one is interested in you being pregnant until booking in, even then it’s just filling out forms.
Sorry.
But we are excited for you on MN!

You probably won't hear anything til 9-10 weeks, where they'll book you in probably over the phone and then you'll get a letter for your 12week scan.

Every time I have been pregnant it has taken about 2 weeks to get a letter in the post after a self referral. Booking in appointment usually around 8-9 weeks (over the phone during Covid) and my scan was at 13 weeks.
Nothing exciting really happens until your scan, and then it’s another long wait with not much going on until your 20 week scan. Early pregnancy really is just a case of sitting around waiting.

No one is interested until your booking in appt.

I know it feels wrong but they can’t do anything!

Even 22 years ago they didn't see you early, my first appointment was at 12 weeks (booking in and bloods) and only scan was at 18 weeks. You only sent the request last week

Also - at the moment booking in appointment may well be a call. So won't actually see anyone until 12 week scan.

Thank you all for replying so quickly! That's a relief. I think had I been able to ask my Mum she would have told me the same thing, but we're hoping to keep it under wraps until Christmas because it's a bit of a half-planned surprise and I want to make sure everything with me and the little sesame seed is safe and healthy first.

Hoping I can get squeezed in for a scan before Christmas, my 12 week mark lands right on Boxing Day. Is the 12 week scan the one where you have a picture of the foetus? Hopefully they'll bring me in a little earlier...fingers crossed.

Isn't it funny that you think about getting pregnant your whole life and what it might feel like, and then nobody really cares? Even my body is like, 'Yeah, so? Just doing my job, stop making a big deal about it.'

@Pickypolly

Agree with previous posters, you will be totally underwhelmed as no one is interested in you being pregnant until booking in, even then it’s just filling out forms. Sorry. But we are excited for you on MN!

You're so sweet, thank you! Every worry I'm having I'm going straight to Mumsnet, you're all very helpful :)

@eurochick

Expect to be underwhelmed!

You won't see anyone until booking in and that is largely a form-filling exercise. No test, no scan. I didn't have mine until 11 weeks but booked it fairly late as I thought I was miscarrying. And then your first scan is usually around 12 weeks.

Are you taking folic acid?

Yes, taking folic acid now. :)

If it was via email have you checked your spam folder?

Alternatively you might get a letter in the post to give you your first appointment time.

The first appointment is the booking appointment (mine was on the phone). It’s very boring.

Scan is usually at 12 weeks, and might be followed by blood tests, height/weight etc.

@Lostwordsblessing their are plenty of us excited expecting ladies on the July 2021 thread if you'd like to join us. Lots of good advice and chat about how its going

@Blughbablugh Oh brilliant thank you! Just found it :)

@Lostwordsblessing it’s one of the most exciting times of your life, enjoy x

Hey @Lostwordsblessing I'm 5+3 today and posted something really similar to your post in another thread yesterday. Luckily everyone was really reassuring that this is totally normal. I managed to get through to my unit on the phone and they said don't expect to get an appointment until about 10 weeks.

I totally get what you mean though, it feels like such a monumental thing to us (and of course it is!) but right now most of the world and even my body just doesn't really care! I'm just trying my best to stay healthy and hydrated. Time seems to have slowed down so much since I got my BFP though, its annoying!

@Luckyelephant1Me too! Especially in lockdown, the days are going by so slowly, which, actually, I don't mind, because the whole of 2020 seems to have blurted past without me having done ANYTHING.

There's a July 2021 group set up that someone just told me about, come join :) Everyone's expecting around then and I'm already calmer

You can't self-refer till 6 weeks here and they aim to contact you for booking at 8 weeks.

I’m with Kings. I self referred online and didn’t get any email confirmation of any sort, so I was worried it didn’t process properly.

I called them about a week or so later, and they told me my booking appointment had been booked for X date and they’ll send the letter out in a few days. I think I self referred at 5 weeks and my booking appointment was at week 8. By the time I got my letter, it was about 2 weeks after I self referred.

Congratulations! I found out I was pregnant at the end of November last year, I wasn’t due my 12 week scan until January but we paid for a private one just before Xmas as we wanted to announce the news to close family at Xmas - we saw a healthy bean with a heartbeat so that gave us the reassurance to tell the family. That little sausage is having a lovely snooze on me at the moment having had her 12 week jabs today!

Congratulations - it’s so exciting

Sorry, meant to include the actual suggestion above that possibly a private scan could be an option pre Xmas if your scan date comes through after Xmas

Hello, I self referred to Kings last week and got booking appt letter (appt at 8 weeks) and scan appointment letter in the post on Saturday. I’m sure it will arrive soon!

Congrats, perfectly normal to not get a response. You'll probably get an invite for appt in a few weeks.

Very unlikely they'll scan you before 12 weeks, with Christmas etc they may scan you at 13 or so. They'll only bring you in early if you suspect something is wrong. If you want the scan to show family at Xmas I'd advise booking a private one!

Good luck