Grrr - getting very agitated don't know my due date, am getting towards end of my first trimester, don't have a scan date andnot booked in yet!!!!!

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

I have been fobbed off on phone as they say there is some 'confusion' over my paperwork and they have yet to receive referral letter from GP.

They will book me in when a slot is available (no indication of whether that is before or after I have the bloody baby!!!).

This is bothering me because I really do not know when I conceived as I was on the pill and I just want reassurance all is ok and when I am due - did not think that was too much too ask!

I am contemplating a private dating scan - despite the expense because it was made clear that I would be unlikely to be offered a scan in the next couple of weeks.

What do I do to get some arses into gear here? I never had any of these problems with first two pregnancies - the midwifes booked me in straight away scan date at 12 weeks - no problemo - that was in London. I am now in a small town and things are clearly done differently here!

Can you go back to the GP and keep on at them to speed up your paperwork.

I had a my booking in at 20 weeks and my midwife delivered my notes to the hospital as she wanted me to have a scan asap.
I had my scan a week after my booking in.

Would it be worth phoning your midwife and explaining your concerns?

Just phoned them this is why I am agitated as it is a classic - can't do x because we haven't got y set up - I am left in the same position as I was before phone call - waiting to be contacted by them with booking in appt., scan date etc etc.

Pedilia - How did you cope not being booked in till 20 weeks! That would have driven me up the wall!? I would be more comfortable if I was sure when I conceived though - I just don't like not knowing not a comfortable feeling.

I think your GP should have referred you for a dating scan with the Early Pregnancy Unit of your hospital. This would happen before you are booked into the system.

I had an early dating scan which was totally separate from booking in - good thing too as the hospital took over 3 months to process my paperwork (not unusual I was told!)

Go back to your GP

It was my fault really, I found out I was pg just after SIL had a miscarriage, then a friend of mine also had a miscarriage.

So I just put off going to the GP, when I did go they had to confirm my pregnancy obvious bump by this point! Then the midwife was away for 2 weeks so it just got later and later!

It was easier once I knew a due date and sex as I can plan now, this is DC4 so needed to be able to organise things.

Really hope you get this sorted soon, how far along do you think you are?
Whereabouts in the country are you?

bigmouth, the same thing happened to me with pg#2, they were hopeless about my booking in, and i ended up getting private dating scan, and then private nuchal as I was 39 and there was STILL no sign of booking in etc. Finally booked in at 16 weeks, told to book my 20 week scan then, and ooops, all fully booked, couldn't be scanned until 22 weeks. I said "Don't worry, I'll do it privately then", and they said "Oh would you? That would be a great help!"
Grrrr!
Get your scans done privately (would argue you are likely to get better service on more up to date machine etc privately anyway), but keep chasing them AND your GP. Very frustrating, but don't worry about it.

Goodness under the circumstances I can see why you delayed things Pedilia.

I am in Bedfordshire. I think I am 10-11 weeks but I could be less (not much less) or more.

I will contact the GP again - but he is in the 'your pregnant what more do you need to know school'. I am lucky to have had two straightforward pregnancies and births (the last a homebirth) so there is no professional urgency for tests but that is not enough for me.

Now I have looked up on t'internet that I only have until 13 weeks for an accurate dating scan - arrgh worst case scenario that gives me less than 2 weeks to get a scan - this is not good.

I have an appointment with a doctor on Friday and will demand a referral to EPU.

bigmouth - does it really matter if your dates aren't quite right? did you go overdue with the others? do remember that a 12 week scan won't really tell you if everything is OK, especially if you are under the 12 weeks.

they revised my due date after my scan, but the midwives (in Spain) insisted on using my period dates anyway, so I felt it was a total waste of time. who needs all that stress of getting to the hospital and waiting around?

I think a very large cup of tea, some cake and a good book is in order.

Arrggghhh - reading these posts have made me so cross. Why should we have to pay for private scans. These should be standard for any pregnant woman.Arrggghh I'm lost for words [angy]

Some ares just don't do early scans as standard. It's a pain, but it's the NHS postcode lottery. My first two I had in London, and I had scans from 11w onwards, whereas my 3rd I had in Berkshire, and they don't do any scans before 20w. Fortunately I moved house while I was pg, so I simply stayed booked-in with the hospital un London, and commuted to my scans and a-n appointments (veyr tiring, but worthwhile), and transfered my care at 22w, after all the scans and tests had been done by the same hospital.

In your position, if you can't get to an EPU, I would grit my teeth and cough up for a private scan - without telling anyone. Get the dating (and nuchal, if you choose) doen at the same time, put your midn at rest, and then slot back into the system for the rest of the pregnancy.

Because of the circs of the pregnancy - ie. unplanned and while on pill I am so unsure about the due date that I really need some reassurance - plus as I am planning a homebirth I really do not want to be hassled into a hospital delivery because I am 'overdue' if in reality i am not. If it wasn't for these factors I would not be so anxious about it.

Our area does offer a 12 week scan but they just fit you in when they can iykwim - so for them there is no urgency. I do understand that I am not a high risk (and I am glad I am not) - but I do thing I have valid reasons for having a dating scan at least.

Thank you for your responses - If I do not get a speedy referral I will consider a private scan. I have got a blinding headache now so I will try and stop fretting - and I can relax over a huge pile of laundry and a sink full of washing up

Try to contact your midwife through your maternity unit and bypass the GP, I once had four women who were around 12 - 16 weeks self refer to me as they had not heard anything. I arranged scans and saw them straight away and when I complained to the gp surgery about lack of communication suddenly four referral letters turned up, but of course by then I had already seen the women. Incidentally I did not see a gp at all through my pregnancies which is easier for me as I would see my midwife at work, but everyone is entitled to only see a midwife if that is what they want. Good if you are planning another homebirth, to get to know the mw's better and avoid a lecture about the 'danger' of a homebirth from some outdated gp who has probably only ever seen one baby being born, if that.

I had the same problem - I actually went to the maternity dept of the local hospital, saw the receptionist and said 'there seems to be some sort of problem'. She booked me in for scans and booking there and then. Might be worth a try.

That is an idea Who - I am sure my dh would be up for that as well if he can take some time off as it is a bit of a trek by public transport with a nearly 2 and a 3yo in tow.

I have actually seen a midwife already (for 5 mins)and got my green book but they are v busy so it is a matter of waiting for a slot to get properly booked in. Tbh it is really the scan that is the most urgent thing and that is in the hands of the hospital administration.

If the gp can get me refrerred to the epu quick smart then everything else take its own sweet time. sigh

umm a lot of people claim they have had a small bleed to get round this problem....the EPU will almost always fit you in as an emergency in that case. Not very ethical but needs must sometimes.

Actually I had a bleed last week - told my doc about it - it was pale pink and not heavy enough to cause too much concern lasted 12 hours and after one very tiny bright red clot it stopped - I don't need to lie at all.

you must be a patient at my surgery, bigmouth!

you have my empathies! i feel your pain!

i had a missed m/c and ERPC in december after heaps of problems with the laughable excuse for healthcare here.

my last LMP was 26 January 2008 and i had two BFPs 28 Feb.

i finally bothered to tell them last week because, as i had already correctly surmised, they are useless.

well, policy here is that you have to submit a urine sample to the surgery. and then they send this to the lab. in Greenock. an hour's ferry ride/drive away. to 'confirm the pregnancy'. before they will do ANYTHING

now keep in mind, they lost my sample when i first fell pregnant last October.

i submitted a sample this time round last Thursday after they asked me if i was sure i was pregnant.

i spotted this past Sat. and Sun., and rang the surgery yesterday - they were closed on Monday.

no one seemed to know how care works here - well, i could have told them that, it doesn't f*&^ing work at all!

said they had no result was back and that someone would ring me back when they had the lab result back.

despite my reminding them that i had missed m/c and don't really know when i conceived because my cycles were still out of whack after ERPC.

i also have pain in my ovaries, am still throwing up and have heartburn.

no ring today.

and they close Wed. afternoons.

so i get to stump up £100 and haul my arse to Edinburgh for a private scan because i am sick to the back teeth of the incompetence of the system here.

my GPs are great.

i'm sure they'd help.

if i could get through to one.

as for hte rest of them, well, i'd trust the first Big Issue seller i ran across more. he's probably far more intelligent.

Bloody hell Expat - that would drive me insane

It is so crap that we are driven to distraction at a time when we really do not need the stress... you sound like someone who should be right at the top of the list for an early scan and extra monitoring to give you some reassurance.

I really hope you get an excellant service (that you will be paying premium for) in Edinburgh. They really should be looking after you and it is so depressing that they are not.

I may be joining you in the private sector but will be going to Milton Keynes for the privilige!

i'm just breaking out the credit card.

like you, i also gave birth the first two times in a city, and had threatened miscarriage both times.

and never had a lick of bother.

Just a quick update - I paid for a scan on Saturday - confirming I was 11weeks pg and all seemed as it should be - nice clear scan pics too. Yay!

This was what I needed to know - the rest of it - booking in - tests etc. can come when it may. I no longer want to stress about it.

thats great bmsa great news glad that you got sorted out in the end

Newbie here. Sadly it's good to read that I'm not the only one having this nonsense. I'm 11 weeks pg (according to my dates) and have my booking appointment scheduled for next Thursday (I had to ring the midwife and nag her to give me the appointment!) but still no sign of my scan dates. I was getting concerned as I know I only have until 13w 6d for the nuchal scan and those dates will be fast approaching so I have bitten the bullet and booked a private appointment for nuchal/dating scan and tests next Friday. It does gall me, that I've had to gather all my facts through reading and the internet rather than from any one-to-one medical care or advice. My 'confirmation' appointment with the GP was such a waste of time - he was far more interested in completing his paperwork than in the prospective first-time mum sat before him.