Nervous about growth scan/consultant appointment.

[BerylSilverstone]

Hi,
I’m 25 weeks pregnant with third baby but this time I’m having consultant led care which is new to me. I’ve seen them once at 20 wks and was a really quick appointment. Just took bp and checked urine.
I now have a growth scan/appointment coming up in a few days and feel nervous about it. I was just wondering if anyone could give me a rough idea what to expect please?
I have a bit of a phobia of having my Bp taken (I was admitted to hospital in my first pregnancy towards the end for high bp) and ever since I get nervous having it taken. I just keep worrying I’m going to end up in hospital if it comes up high when I’ve got 2 other kids at home who need me!
Thanks x

Are you consultant led because their concerned on growth or did you op for it?

I had consultant led care with my second as my first was premmie, TBH it was just like a midwife appointment, they just did the usual measured bump, listened to the heartbeat, had a feel of bump and took my blood pressure. I had one extra scan at about 36 weeks I think.

Thanks for replies.
@PinkCookie11
The midwife just put me on consultant led at booking appointment because I had high bp in last few weeks of pregnancy but then in my second I was just under midwife led and didn’t have any bp issues in that pregnancy (but took low dose aspirin)
I think the additional factor now is that my bmi at booking was just under 32 whereas I was normal weight in second pregnancy.

Consultant appointments are not much different to a midwife checkup. You tend to have your regular checks with a hospital based midwife then have a chat with a doctor. High BMI is one of the triggers for consultant led care, if everything is looking good at your scan and your other checks they can swap you back to midwife led care. Stressing about your blood pressure can push it up a bit so try your best to be relaxed.

Thank you @Chelyanne.
Going to just try and be relaxed. I don’t know why I get nervous about it! I’m fine with anything else but get nervous about blood pressure checks, bit of white coat syndrome I think! x

You could try hypnobirthing techniques to relax you when having blood pressure taken. Find something else to focus on, breathing and thinking of being somewhere nice. For me consultant led just meant them asking if I wanted a section or natural and then deciding howling they would leave me past due dates this was a due to baby's large size not BP though. Your getting special care to make sure you and baby are ok, try and relax and let them help. Growth scans I found as a nice extra to see baby again and know they were ok! Good luck!

I'm under consultant care as have an underlying medical condition. My BMI was 34 but was told they don't class that as obese in the NHS and the trigger is 35?
I had a growth scan booked at 30 weeks. They just do some measurements of the baby, check their position, your placenta, fluid levels and the cord. I was told at this point that baby was measuring on the 10th centile so they wanted to bring me back in 3 weeks to check on his growth and make sure he didn't fall below this.
I was quite worried but just told myself that if it was anything serious, they'd have had me back earlier.
Had another at 33 weeks and baby had increased in size closer to the 30th centile and was looking very healthy and in a good position for labour. Have a final one at 36 weeks to do a final check and finalise arrangements for delivery as its likely I'll be induced.

I've found the rest of the checks are the same, urine sample and then BP and the Dr will talk over the scan with you and show you their fundal measurements etc and you can also discuss the birth with them.
Definitely tell the you're a bit nervous and the reasons behind it as well. Also, I tried to not worry too much regarding the growth scans as have heard they can be quite inaccurate!

Good luck x

@birdglasspen
Thank you I will look into the hypno birthing techniques.
That’s what I keep telling myself, even though I get a bit nervous about the appointments it is extra checks for us both and so can only be a good thing.

@FirstTimeMumma2021 thank you, I’ve heard the same that bmi trigger is usually 35 so tbh I’m not 100% sure why I’m having extra checks this time but all in all I suppose it’s a good thing. I’m glad your scans have gone well xx

I'm not a fan of consultants. They seem much less personable then midwives! But, you need to think of the baby. Could you ask why your under their care and if it will be for the whole pregnancy?

I believe you can have your midwife with you got appointments. It might be worth asking. You'll have someone to chat with before going in. Appointments are lonely now and sitting on your own won't help xx

@Girlmama3
Thank you x
Yes I think I will ask at this appointment I’ve got coming up because I aren’t entirely sure why I’ve got consultant led this time! I just assumed it could be to do with bmi and because I had a blood pressure issue in the past. I have also been on medication for anxiety in the past so I’m not sure if it’s just a case that none of the factors on their own would warrant consultant led but perhaps they’ve just looked at the whole picture and put me on it! I don’t take the anxiety medication anymore so can’t be because of medication I’m on, for example. It’s nice having the extra scans just not keen on having to have blood pressure taken. But I know if it was high it would be better to know sooner so just trying to look at it that way x