What happens at the 10 week NHS midwife appointment?

[catsflorafauna]

Please can anyone tell me what will happen at the 10 week NHS midwife appointment and if it’s advised my partner accompanies me (he absolutely will but if it’s all just chatting I don’t feel its necessary compared to a scan).

Is this your first appointment/booking appointment? If yes and you're in the UK then a whole lot of chatting. Family history, medical history, relationship history, will ask about your partner, check blood pressure and urine, height and weight, they'll discuss how you feel about screening options at the scans, talk to you about the badgernotes app. They'll want to talk to you without your partner in the room too to see if you feel safe at home. Much much talking!

If it's a subsequent appointment then usually they check your urine, blood pressure and see how you're feeling and that's about it. But I feel like those start after the 12 week scan so I'm assuming if you're at 10 weeks it's the former.

Congratulations!

No need for your partner to be there. It can take over an hour and is a lot of questions about family history, checking your bloods etc.

I went alone, was just a pretty normal doctors appointment more about me than baby so no need for partner to be there.

Thank you very much everyone for your responses, really appreciate it. All very insightful and feel a lot better knowing what it actually is now! Yes first pregnancy and appointment but now don’t feel like it’s necessary for my partner to be with me for this one. Cheers!

Long and boring. I probably wouldn't bother taking partner.

I would include your partner. It’s a good habit to get into that all pregnancy appointments concern you so he is aware and educated on everything from start to finish – why BP and urine tests are important, what they look for why, concerning symptoms to be aware of, why family history is important (his side as well as yours) and to get comfortable in medical settings, with medical professionals and discussing the pregnancy.

He will supporting you and advocating for you the whole way. Best to start now.

I found it useful for my partner to be there because they asked about his family's medical history and I didn't have the answers. He skipped the 16 week one though which is more of a routine one.