Self referral to maternity services, how long until contacted

[Sagittarius25]

I've just completed the self referral to my local maternity services and I'm roughly 5+1 today. In the confirmation email it says "when you are approximately 10-12 weeks pregnant we will contact you to arrange your booking and scans"

This is my first pregnancy so all unknown but does this literally mean I won't hear from them or get anything booked in until this point? I find this odd when the NHS website says you should have booking in appointment before 10 weeks. I find it strange they wouldn't be contacting me until the time that I need my first appointment?

Any advice or experience? Thanks!

I found it strange but yeah you have a booking in appt with midwife by 10 weeks I think mine was 9 weeks and then you have your first scan at 12 weeks, the good thing is you have self referred early on which they like as they do get busy

Hi lovely!!

I’m in the East of the UK, and once I put my self referral through (had to wait until 6 weeks here), a midwife called me the next day to arrange an appointment with them around 8 weeks. (But I know they also do from 8-10 week midwife Apts) this is to get some blood / wee sample and lots of info on you and your partner.

Once you’ve had that initial booking meeting, the midwife’s arrange your dating scan and you’ll get a letter through the post. Your dating scan will be from 11-13/14 weeks I think! Mine falls on 12+5 😊 and the wait is bloody long lol!!

Not sure if it’s different across the country, but you can always give them a ring xx

Where we are they ask you to self-refer from 8wks, so it’s not uncommon to not have a date for your booking in appointment until 10wks. If I recall I was 11wks and a few days by the time I had mine and then had my 12wk scan at 13+4.

Thanks for replies! There wasn't anything to say I had to wait to be certain amount of weeks to self refer in my area so I just went ahead and did it.

I understand you don't see anyone until a certain point, like 10/11/12 weeks sort of time but I just found it weird that the message said they wouldn't even contact me to book anything until that point, if that makes sense!

It is a bit strange that you are left so alone at the start but will see what happens and when I get contacted 😂 x

You’re literally left to just get on with it lol! I was “lucky” as our baby is an IVF little miracle, so we have full support of the midwives and doctors at the clinic until we’re signed off after our first scan at 8 weeks which was really nice.

If you are worried though, you can always call and chat with a midwife. Or book an early scan (I know they’re ridiculously expensive round here though!!) or just come to mumsnet and someone will have some advice lol!

Wishing you all the luck 💞 x

Yes we are planning to book an early scan for when I'm about 7 and half weeks.

The first day I had a faint positive I then had three days of light period flow type bleeding, which has since stopped and nothing else and lines have gotten darker to dye stealer point so I've stopped testing now!

I spoke to a GP through my private work insurance last week (because I couldn't even get an emergency appointment with my actual GP despite phoning first thing) and she said it was likely heavy implantation bleeding, keep and eye on it and if all ok in a weeks time complete my self referral.

So I'm a bit on edge most of the time and that's why we want a private early scan! X

They don’t tend to like booking things in too early as sadly some early stage pregnancies end in chemical pregnancy or early miscarriage and I’d guess it’s a lot less hassle to schedule later stage appointments than it is to cancel appointments that are no longer needed. I found it hard enough unsubscribing from apps/emails when I had a miscarriage at 6wks. I think having to call up to cancel an appointment would have near enough killed me at the time.

@PointyMcguire ah ok yes it does make sense when you think about it like that. Sorry for your loss x

I agree with @PointyMcguire , I think they don't like to schedule early because the chance of loss is still fairly high.

I self-referred at 4 weeks and got my letter (online) for first appt 8 business days later, when I'll be 9+6 weeks. I'm in London.