just pregnant what now ???

[Kwagga]

Good morning everyone, long time lurker first time poster.

we have been TTC for a very long time and finally the strip turned blue last week estimated to be around 3 weeks along. But what’s next, what do I do - when do I get booked in with a doctor or blood done ?

we’ve recently moved house, I called the new GP to register yesterday, they gave me a nhs website to go to which said to get intouch with GP from 8 weeks.

I wanted to see an OB, who could possibly take my bloods and tell me what or if I’m low in Vits etc - I have these racing thoughts with reading so much stuff online saying I should have been taking folate before TTC, am I taking enough vit d etc I’m also 40 - it’s so over whelming.

im not from the UK originally (been here 4 years ) when a friends test strip turned blue, she was immediately referred to an OB at 3 weeks who she saw regularly until she had her baby.

can someone guide me or point me in the right direction ?

thank you

In our area you just self refer to midwifery at 7 weeks, it sounds like in your area the GP does the referral from 8 weeks. Once you are in in the system you will see the midwife around week 10. I only saw OBGYN because I was under shared care due to a health condition.
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/finding-out/your-first-midwife-appointment/#:~:text=Your%20first%20midwife%20appointment%20(also,midwife%20as%20soon%20as%20possible.

Congratulations

Congratulations OP

Here in the UK most maternity care is midwife led, unless they have a reason to refer you to an OB (I expect being 40 they would refer you)

The best thing to do is Google 'maternity self referral' and the name of your local hospital or trust. There will be a form to fill in or a number to call to tell them you're pregnant. You can do this whenever you want, some people choose to wait but I did mine at 4 weeks.

You'll then be invited for a 'booking in appointment' which will be between 8-10 weeks of pregnancy where they give you all the info and do your history, height, weight, bloods etc.

If you Google 'NHS maternity appointments' or something like that there's also a page that describes exactly when you can expect to be invited for appointments and what they're for x

Firstly, congratulations!
It is not normal to see an OB routinely in the UK. Normal procedure is to ask your GP for details of the community midwife and they will do your 'booking in' appointment usually around 8-10 weeks which includes blood test (checks for anaemia, some diseases and your blood group) and urine sample. This will then trigger your 12 week scan appointment. If you are high risk, which I imagine at 40 you would be, you will also have a consultant appointment at some point (mine is when I'm about 15 weeks).

Make sure you're taking some pregnancy vitamins now with at least folate, vitamin d. I've been taking Pregnacare or Seven Seas pregnancy but you can get very cheap just folate/vit d.

Hope all goes well

fill in a self refer form online and the doctors will contact you with an appointment at the first appointment they will do all your bloods and they will tell you if you need to take extra or higher amount of vitamins but start taking folic acid now

I wanted to see an OB, who could possibly take my bloods and tell me what or if I’m low in Vits etc

That doesn't happen in the UK unless you want to see a private OB.

The NHS website has comprehensive guidance on what foods to avoid, other adjustments to make etc.

Folic acid and vitamin D are the only officially recommended supplements but if you wish you can take an additional prenatal supplement (I do).

You'll also want to make sure you have a healthy and varied diet with adjustments for pregnancy (again see the the NHS website).

Hope all goes well for you.

Ps - I'm over 40 and was given an OB appointment at 14 weeks and another at 26 weeks.

As pps have said the actual referral process works differently in different areas, but generally booking with a midwife is 8-10 weeks, that's when they do bloods etc. Due to your age you will likely be consultant led so at the initial consultants appointment (referred by midwife) they'll decide how often they need to see you alongside your normal midwife appointments. Congratulations.