Hi everyone, I’m new here but have been reading for a while and decided to finally join the conversation. I’m 26, first pregnancy, LMP 13/03, though I was tracking my ovulation so I am counting myself as a few days behind - 8 weeks today. This is my first pregnancy and I’m originally from a Southern European country (I moved here for uni where I met my husband, who’s from the UK) with very very different style of medical care. I have been reading here to try and understand more about the UK maternity care, because I’m confused about how pregnancy is tracked in the UK/concerned about the very limited access to a doctor. So here goes my very long paragraph of what has happened so far — any advice from people based in central london (I assume it has busier and less personable care than rural areas) and/or ones considering private care or birth would be super welcome!!
In week 4 I was having one sided pain and was told to go to EPU by my GP - we are based in central london and the EPU is a walk-in service where you just go and queue up to 6hrs (based on their website), they don’t give appointments and were not super comforting on the phone, I assume because they’re busy. The pain wasn’t too bad so instead I went to a private OB and then a private scan at week 5 where we saw the gestational sac in the right place. (We luckily have private insurance and I’ve been making good use of that.) I next made an appointment with an OB at the Portland, as I’m considering a private birth, but she was quite patronising and told me without examining me that I can only do brisk walking and swimming, even though I told her I used to exercise 5-6 times a week until getting a positive test; there were some other things that she said which didn’t resonate with me at all, so I won’t be going back. I expected her to at least do the scan I had booked with the appointment (in my home country the OBs do the scans, there is no such thing as a sonographer), but it was with a sonographer and we got to hear the heart at 6+6 (6+2 my estimate 😆), which was lovely, I thought I would be chill, but I teared up and so did my husband. Soon after the appointment we departed on a 2 week trip overseas (hence the late hour of posting this), but I am dreading getting back home and having to figure out the pregnancy care situation as my experience of trying to access both the NHS EPU as well as the private care has been disheartening so far. I have my first NHS (booking?) appointment next Friday and I have my NHS scan booked for early June. Other than those, I want to try and find a consultant to track the pregnancy privately and get an NIPT in week 10 (standard for my country) if you have a recommendation for London from a previous pregnancy or a friend would love to hear!
The admin bit out of the way, I have been feeling mostly fine, I had and still have very sore breasts and I have some nausea/headaches and many smells are too much, but I’m lucky to have vomitted just once - I think it was taking my prenatals on an empty stomach. Food is difficult where we are now, but I’m trying to not beat myself up too much for not getting a perfectly balanced and varied diet - fruits, crackers, and yogurt are all okay (and sweets!), meat and eggs are a bit iffy but some meals I manage to get some down. I’ve been very tired - just falling asleep as soon as it’s 10 and taking naps on some days where I could schedule one in. I’m mildly freaking out that after all I’ve written I’ll go back to london and go to an appointment and find out something has gone wrong with the baby.. but I hope that’s just anxiety and try to not listen too much to these thoughts.
Sorry for the long post, I do need some clarity on maternity care and will try to keep my next posts much shorter and to the point! Hope everyone is feeling okay and whoever is not will be getting the second trimester respite from nausea soon :)