How many appointments should I have?

[Happycow37]

Hi there,

I’m wondering if this is right?

I had my booking appointment over the phone at 10 weeks. I then had my 12 week scan and got bloods taken, height, weight, checked urine, blood pressure etc. I was supposed to have another appointment to tell me the outcome of the tests but I was phoned instead and I feel like I didn’t get all the information that I should have been told as it was quite rushed.

Today I had my 20 week anomaly scan, everything seems fine but it was a scan and nothing else. I was under the impression I would get checked again and fill in my baby box form and MatB1 form and discuss birth plans.

I feel like I’ve just been left to my own devices, I’ve not had much contact or antenatal care at all. My cousin who had a baby a couple of years ago was checked every week at her GP.

Is this correct? Should I be having more face to face appointments than this?

www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-appointments/

Definitely not weekly appointments unless you are high risk. What you had till now sounds normal to me

You should have an appointment around 24/25 weeks to get your form. There's a schedule on NHS site: www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-appointments/

You definitely would never have weekly appointments throughout unless you were ultra high risk and those wouldn't be with a GP anyway so not sure what your cousin's situation was, it sounds v unusual!

Oh and I guess you are in Scotland? I am too and had my first baby in 2019. That all sounds normal to me. I had an appointment at 16 weeks then but perhaps they aren't doing those due to Covid or something. The rest is what I had.

I think it depends on the Trust, but you definitely get less early on. I'm 33 weeks with my first and have had:

Booking appointment at 8 weeks
12 week scan
16 week appt with midwife
20 week scan (x2 as they couldn't complete the first one)
25 week appt with midwife
28 week appt with midwife
31 week appt with midwife

Then I've got appts booked with the midwife at 34 and 36 weeks, then think I get one at 38 and 40 too. All have been in person.

Your notes/ the trust website should have a list of what to expect?

You should be seen at booking and then your dating scan which you were. Then again at 16 weeks which was your phone contact where they check you're booking bloods and screening results were all fine.

Then next is your anomaly scan which you've had, then another appointment at 25 weeks then every 3 weeks after that until later in your pregnancy when the appointments become more frequent.

Check your green notes there should be an appointment schedule in there.

If it’s a straight forward pregnancy, there really aren’t that many ‘checks’ at all.

You should of had a 16 week appointment to ask you questions/you ask them questions.
You’ve had the 20 week scan
Then a Glucose test at 27 weeks (if invited).

Then 4 weekly growth measurements/urine/bp tests up until due date.

I had my booking appointment at 8 weeks over the phone
9 weeks went in to give ruins sample, blood and weight etc
12 week scan
16 week appointment over the phone
20 week scan
Next appointment is tomorrow week 25 in person

Ah ok, thank you everyone. I’ve been classed as low risk. I imagined there would be much more checking up on blood pressure, weight, urine etc throughout especially as it’s my first and I’m a bit older. Though I will be scanned later on as I’m on medication and they want to check on baby’s growth towards the end, maybe that’s also why I had it in my head I should have had/be getting more “check ups”.

I haven’t been given any notes either. I’ve seen people saying they need to take their notes to different appointments but I haven’t been given any.

@Elune thank you for the link, I am in Scotland so I’ll have a look 😊

My notes are on the my pregnancy website.
If you register On there (just Your name date of birth) it finds you and you midwife notes are there.

I’m pregnant with my first and 37 and did think I would see e midwife more but covid times

@Happycow37 I’m also in Scotland (Ayrshire) and had:

• Booking appt over phone at 10 weeks
• 12 week scan with bloods/urine etc checked after
• 20 week scan
• 23 week appointment to get MATB1 and get BP/urine checked (this is the 1st time I met a midwife)
• 32 weeks - BP/urine check and separate appt for growth scan
• 36 weeks - BP/urine check and separate appt for growth scan
• 38 weeks - final growth scan

@Happycow37 Meant to also say - I had paper notes but my trust switched to online system the day that I gave birth (I only know this because the midwives struggled the whole way through my delivery trying to access everything on their tablets and kept having to leave me to get IT help to put in obs etc 🙄)
I believe all notes and appointments are now done through an app which the midwife signs you up to but I may be wrong with that!