Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Why were you under consultant care?

52 replies

tweener · 14/07/2023 13:23

Casual Friday musings for me today, I'm pregnant with my second baby. Baby 1 was born 12 years ago so quite a big gap. I'm early 30s so not considered "older" for the purposes of pregnancy.
My last child was born by emergency section, had been breech for a long time and wouldn't turn so was booked for elective section. Unfortunately went into labour naturally before then so turned into emergency section. Had been having growth scans from around 32 weeks which is where they'd initially spotted baby being breech.

I'm wondering what the likelihood is of being midwife vs consultant care this time. I absolutely don't mind either way, but curiosity has got the better of me. It's still early days so not having my first midwife appointment for another few weeks.

OP posts:
shams05 · 14/07/2023 15:03

DS1 who is now 20! Was born at term weighing only 5lb so for subsequent pregnancies I was under the consultants care.
I had multiple growth scans and after every one was seen by the consultant after the HCP and midwife. They never did find the cause of my babies being small but I have 5 children and they all weighed between 5lb and 6lb 3.
I did mention to them that all the women on my mum's side tended to have smaller babies but I think at the time any baby under 2.5 kg was classed as concerning so there we were.
It meant lots of extra scans and loads of time in waiting rooms.
I sort of felt I was wasting a lot of their time, as all my children lost zero weight after birth and my pregnancies were all pretty straight forward.

Original poster
tweener · 14/07/2023 15:06

shams05 · 14/07/2023 15:03

DS1 who is now 20! Was born at term weighing only 5lb so for subsequent pregnancies I was under the consultants care.
I had multiple growth scans and after every one was seen by the consultant after the HCP and midwife. They never did find the cause of my babies being small but I have 5 children and they all weighed between 5lb and 6lb 3.
I did mention to them that all the women on my mum's side tended to have smaller babies but I think at the time any baby under 2.5 kg was classed as concerning so there we were.
It meant lots of extra scans and loads of time in waiting rooms.
I sort of felt I was wasting a lot of their time, as all my children lost zero weight after birth and my pregnancies were all pretty straight forward.

Lots of extra scans to see baby at least, silver lining!

OP posts:
Jemimapuddleduk · 14/07/2023 15:11

I was under consultant led care due to recurrent miscarriage and a successful iui pregnancy. It was a fairly medicalised pregnancy as I was taking a combo of progesterone, fragmin and prednisone to keep her in there.

shakeitoffsis · 14/07/2023 15:15

I was consultant led both time as my girls had IUGR both separate pregnancies.

ApocalypseNowt · 14/07/2023 15:17

I was 'high risk' consultant led for DC2 because DC1 was a chonk (10lb, 10oz)

Original poster
tweener · 14/07/2023 15:27

ApocalypseNowt · 14/07/2023 15:17

I was 'high risk' consultant led for DC2 because DC1 was a chonk (10lb, 10oz)

Is chonk the medical term 😂
Definitely a big baby though, well done!

OP posts:
Unexpectedlysinglemum · 14/07/2023 16:16

I was an consultant led care between 12-20 weeks due to thick nuchal fluid they thought it might be trisomy - did the harmony test and it wasn't - happy healthy baby now!

I also had a consultant do my c section which was just random

LutherRalph1 · 14/07/2023 16:19

Just over the recommended bmi, they let me choose and I chose consultant led

richteaftw · 14/07/2023 16:21

I was second time round due to such an awful birth with my first, then I had appendicitis at 6 months pregnancy and DD was measuring big. I was at the hospital every other week. Had an elective caesarean - the best decision ever made.

Surroundedbyfools · 14/07/2023 16:37

I’m consultant lead as I am 35, bmi, had a previous emergency section which was traumatic, previous pph, baby who ended up in neonatal and I’m strep b positive

Goldenbunny · 14/07/2023 17:07

tweener · 14/07/2023 15:02

Have you found consultant led to be any different or are you similar to previous posters where it was just a couple of extra appointments?

Show quote history

All my experience have been slightly different because different consultants have different opinions.

With my first once it went to consultant led it was just 2 extra scans.

With 2nd I had monthly consultant apps after 25 weeks and 3 extra scans.

3rd was 3 extra scans for growth another scan for something to do with the cord. I had 2 consultants one that wanted to induce me at 36 weeks the other wanted to let me go full term. In the end I went in at 38 weeks but didn't need inducing has I was already 2cm dilated so they just broke my waters
.
4th was the worst from early on I knew I was going to be induced because I had gestational diabetes and they told me from the start that they would not let me go full term. I had monthly consultant apps, fortnightly diabetes midwife apps and I also had apps with the perinatal mental health team nearly every week of my pregnancy I was at the hospital for an appointment. I had 3 growth scans and then I was sent to fetal medicine to have 2x 4d scan.
I was induced at 36 weeks because baby stopped growing at 32 weeks.
I was told on the Wednesday that they wanted to get baby at in the next few days so on the Friday I went into be induced and give birth on Saturday. I didn't start the induction process until 10.30pm and Ds was born at 00.21.

troppibambini6 · 14/07/2023 18:23

Dd1 midwife led
Dd2 consultant led from 35 weeks after testing positive for gestational diabetes
Ds1 consultant led because of previous GD
Ds2 consultant led because of previous GD with second, third was huge (10lb 8) and pregnant very quickly after third (age gap of 12 months)

PensionPuzzle · 14/07/2023 18:27

I was with number two because number one was SGA... I didn't see him until my first scheduled growth scan where number two was predicted to be even smaller. Then I saw him and had scans every three weeks (I think!), made plans for possible early induction etc. One day we turned up and baby was measuring much bigger, I think it was about 38 weeks, so he booted me straight off back to midwife-led care to be induced at 41 weeks if I hadn't gone naturally by then.

He was also doing the antenatal ward rounds the day I was admitted for norovirus but that was just a happy coincidence!

SameToo · 14/07/2023 18:37

I was risk for early labour so consultant led for most then back to midwife when it was clear she wasn’t budging 😂

heatdeath · 14/07/2023 18:41

APLS (Hughes syndrome), 6 miscarriages (including 2 second trimester), placental abruption & pre term labour. Ended up with four c-sections all before 37 weeks. So pretty high risk - I had almost weekly appointments throughout my pregnancies. I rarely saw a midwife.

allgoodthings84 · 14/07/2023 19:33

I had an emergency c section with my previous birth 8 years ago and had to have growth scans. Im now 34 weeks and had to see a consultant once at around 21 weeks for them to sign off my planned c section (which they did right away) and haven’t had to see a consultant again. I was signed back to midwife care. I’ve had 2 growth scans this time due my third Monday after my 34 week midwife appointment today. I’m 38.

ell32 · 14/07/2023 19:41

First baby breech and born at 36 weeks! I had half consultant / half midwife but pretty sure was only under consultant due to baby size and wanting a VBAC!

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 14/07/2023 19:43

Congratulations.

I was consultant led for my second pregnancy. I think it was because my placenta disintegrated the first time.

elliejjtiny · 14/07/2023 19:54

1 and 2 due to asthma, saw registrar once at dating scan.
3 and 4 due to asthma and high bmi, saw a few different registrars and had extra growth scans
5 due to asthma, high bmi and previous c-section, same treatment as 3 and 4.

Also with number 4 I was referred to fetal medicine at 20 weeks. I got amazing care from them and always saw the same consultant, who also came to assist with my c-section.

ItsNotFairLois · 14/07/2023 20:04

DC1 - heart shaped uterus seen at first scan, was absolutely fine on every scan after though 🤷🏼‍♀️
DC2 - sch causing bleeding at 7 and 9 weeks, placenta praevia (which moved enough to give birth naturally), excessive braxton hicks and reduced movements late on in DC1 pregnancy
DC3 - APH in previous pregnancy, polihydraminos, big baby for gestation/compared to previous pregnancies and episodes of reduced movements/lots of braxton hicks again

randommangoandpear · 14/07/2023 20:44

I’m mixed care but extra scans and consultant calms because my first was born “small” at 6lbs3. Was only told this was too small 3 and a half years later at booking appointment for number 2!

Squiggo · 14/07/2023 20:47

Baby 1 was prem but midwife led
Baby 2 was consultant led, not because of previous early birth but because my BMI was too low.
Baby 3 was midwife led due to tricky birth of baby 2.

Soubriquet · 14/07/2023 20:51

I was considered to be underweight and my babies were measuring small. Consultant led care with both dc

miriam2902 · 14/07/2023 20:56

Mine was due to tiny bump, then after bad scans went to high risk.. then 30weeks pre eclampsia. So I would be next time too

IAmAnIdiot123 · 15/07/2023 09:18

I was consultant led for 1st baby due to bmi and IIH. Now I am healthy range and discharged for IIH so back to midwifery led care.

Good luck OP!