When to book a bed / should there not be more checkups than this?

[MarieHK]

I went to see my doctor last night for my first appointment since finding out I am pregnant and I was surprised that the first thing he said I should do is worry about booking a bed.

I asked how I would chose my hospital and he said it would me QEH (my insurance does not cover private) and that they will help me book bed at my first antenatal appointment at Tsan Yuk Hospital.

My doctor took no tests, heart beat, temperature nothing and just gave me a letter of referral based on what I told him.

I called Tsan Yuk Hospital to make the first antenatal appointment and I am surprised this won't be until July 3rd (I will be 12 weeks then).

It just seems so weird to go through this without any checkups or anyone even assessing me in any way. Is this normal? And is the bed the main priority at this stage - if so shouldn't I be doing more than waiting until July?

Thanks - feeling a little let down my the lack of support I have received from my first visit to the doctor and the difficult to understand phone call to Tsan Yuk Hospital.

 

[charade]

Marie, if you are going to be in the public system, your doctor is right that you don't need to book a bed. Once you register in the public system and attend some appointments there, a bed for you is assured. You will just need to turn up at the labour ward when you are in labour; they will explain to you the procedure later down the line.

12 weeks is normal for the first appointment, especially in the public system. They don't take appointments earlier because the rate of miscarriage is high before that. If you notice spotting or anything else untoward, you could go to a private doctor to get it checked out... or the A&E of a public hospital.

At that first appointment in the public system, they will do the requisite blood tests, ask you a lot of questions about medical history etc. and give you some leaflets on nutrition, what the tests are about etc. They may try to check for a heartbeat with a doppler machine but may not be able to hear it so early. If you went to a private doctor, an ultrasound scan would probably be performed and you would be able to see/hear the heartbeat.

Many women, particularly first-time mums, choose to have some private appointments in addition to the public ones. Since this is for added supportive, it would make sense to find a private doctor who is amenable to answering your questions. So maybe the one you saw is not the best choice... some private doctors are not so keen to see patients who are not delivering with them. I would also suggest reading up and taking along a list of questions to your appointment.

 

[charade]

PS: If you haven't already, might be a good idea to start taking folic acid and a prenatal vitamin (Materna is a popular brand) Both can be bought at a pharmacy without prescription.

 

[dressuphk]

It just seems so weird to go through this without any checkups or anyone even assessing me in any way. Is this normal? And is the bed the main priority at this stage - if so shouldn't I be doing more than waiting until July?

It does seem weird to me as well. Even though you are going private your doctor should still take you as a patient and offer you test!! Lots ppl who chose public system still have private OB who offer them more frequent check ups than public hospital. For me I felt it's too many as my OB want me to visit her every two weeks!

 

[MarieHK]

Thanks guys. I guess I was surprised that I will basically go through my first trimester with no check ups at all, no weight gain advice, no blood pressure check etc. (I could even have been lying for all he knew!) Of course I can figure this out myself from books and the web but a little real life support would make me feel SO much better.

Like you both suggested I have decided to get some private appointments and have arranged a meeting with Annerley in Central. I already felt so much better just to be able to talk to a real person on the phone - in fact she was lovely. I'll have six antenatal checkups with them throughout - my first next week, plus whatever the public system has me do. I feel so much more assured already.

Thanks so much for both of your advice - charade - I appreciate you telling me what to do should anything worrying happen, I hadn't actually considered that and dressuphk - yes every two weeks does almost a little too often!