I am feeling a bit sorry for myself atm.. so feel free to read and ignore!!
I am going public for this pregnancy ( as I did the last two times) not really by choice.. big mix up with DH work transferring payments to MBF, long story, but anyhoo, ended up not being covered this time around. Dont get me wrong.. I had two fabulous public experiences but being our last baby I wanted to try private. Not really relevant to why I am feeling sorry for myself but just wanted to set the scene!!
I saw the midwives at 14 weeks to book in.. then again at 20 after scan with OB present and was told then come back at 36 weeks!! So, feel like I have been flying solo the whole time!! I guess I should be happy as a pregnancy with limited medical intervention should be the desired outcome... but.. but.. I just dont feel the love!!!
I think because I had complications with the last pregnancy that I am used to being in and out of hospital.. and a little more paranoid that something could be missed!! But at the same time.. am totally glad that I do not have these problems.. but I would have thought that 16 weeks was a long stretch?? I did see my GP for GCT but she just took my BP, weighed me and gave me my refferal...
Anyone else going public and feeling neglected?? Or on the flip side going private and think that you are being seen too much??
I find that gap really really big. I dont think that's right. Can you check? I am going private and they're really obsessive about my appt's. The longest gap for me is 4 weeks and Im meant to see my GP (Shared care) in that time. What about your GD test and general measurements, blood pressure etc? THese need to be regular incase of pre eclampsia etc. Doesn't seem right to me. I'd definitely call and see.
Good luck xo
That's a bit weird. I'm going public and the furthest apart my appts have been is 4 weeks, then they went to 3 weekly, and now they're fortnightly by 36 weeks.
I agree, they need to check your BP etc regularly.
Mumma.. same with seeing GP re shared care.. but I am only seeing GP when I have to get referrals etc. Should I be going more often?? As I said she checks BP and weight but has never measured fundus etc??? I have a scan at 33 weeks as my placenta was showing low at 20 weeks (another reason to make me paranoid) so hopefully I will feel a bit better once I get to see bubs again.. but if all is normal with placenta I have to wait until 36 weeks to go back to hospital.. then it is weekly appointments until birth.
i was booked into a midwifes group wich is through the public system. i see a midwife every 2-3 weeks and have one on call if i need.. they also come to my house for visits. i would highly recomend this group.
They have probably assumed you are using shared care and are seeing a GP in the interim - that is far too long a gap between antenatal visits, and doesn't even take into account the visit to discuss screening for GD at around 28 weeks. I'm using GP shared care and I have to see them at the clinic at 28 and 36 weeks, but otherwise I'm visiting my doctor every four weeks.
I'd ring them and talk to them because it sounds like a mistake has been made. At the very least, you need your blood pressure and fundal height checking every month.
I agree with Toomany - my sister went public with shared care and had the same frequency of appts as I'm having with private. Monthly to 32 or 34, fortnightly to 38 then weekly I think it is.
Isn't this because things can change so rapidly in pregnancy, they like to keep seeing frequently? That seems like far too long between appts.
that seems like a huge gap - i'd be feeling neglected as well! i'm going public and had my first check up this week & the ob told me that they would see me monthly - although she did say that it was partially due to high BP that i'm being medicated for but they like to keep checking. maybe they do think you're seeing your GP more often?
Ok.. now not feeling neglected.. just feel silly and a bit embarrassed for thinking that this was ok... You would think that at number 3 I would be more aware..
Toomany.. i did have 28 week appt to check GD as I mentioned but GP just said see you when you need to get referral for scan.
I guess it is too late to rectify now.. have appt in 2 weeks for referral for scan.. then that will only be 2 or 3 weeks until I start weekly appts at 36 weeks... assuming scan is ok.
My hospital is seeing me next at 34-36 weeks...I saw them last at 19 weeks. They said there is no reason for me to see them before that.
I can think of some - blood pressure, glucose check, weight, general health....but they said not to bother with them as they are very busy and just go straight to my GP.
I can't afford to see my GP but oh well! These things happen.
Dont' feel silly, every pregnancy is different and if this one is uncomplicated and you've had complications before, how are you to know what standard care for an uncomplicated pregnancy is unless someone tells you? Plus, things are quite different, I've found, from one pregnancy to the next, because the protocols change. So with this one I discovered they no longer do urine testing at every appointment in many places. And the Hep B screening is now routine in many places, etc etc.
Hope all goes well with the rest of your pregnancy! I'd give feedback to the public hospital however, that their system for making sure women are getting adequate care clearly is flawed if they are not establishing that you are having shared or other care.
Meegs .... wouldnt it be great if we could find a happy medium?? I'm going private because I did last time and loved the Ob and this time it feels like I am forever packing up DS and nappies and food and whatnot and venturing 35 minutes each way every 2-3 weeks just for him to feel my tummy and listen to the heartbeat on the doppler. Dont get my wrong, I love hearing the heartbeat every couple of weeks and the reassurance that everything is OK but it isnt as easy this time around with a 13 month old in tow especially when I'm only in his office for about 6 minutes.
But in saying that, I totally understand what you're saying. The thing I love about pregnancy is everyone wants to talk about your baby and you're the centre of attention and a fuss is made by family and friends and you just want that extended to your health care provider too. It must be hard for them, they see thousands of pregnant women a year but dont they realise that this baby more special than anyone elses because it is ours ?!?!?!
With shared care they are meant to give you exact weeks that you book in to see midwives/GP. Maybe they forgot, which is pretty slack! There's some kind of roster that everyone has who does shared care, and it tells you what weeks you see whom.
I would tell you except I never found out as I switched from private to public only a few weeks ago. I did see the GP looking at it though, and it does say that first time mums see the GP and midwife more often, but still subsequent pregnancies go every few weeks. xo
Yeah.. I think now that I should probably have been more diligent.. but I guess I am lucky that all has gone well this time around. I had my bp checked a couple of weeks ago so I know that that is ok.. My only unknown at this stage is the size of the baby.. but I have just double checked my card and is says that I am to have a scan at 32 weeks.. so that is next week so hopefully I will get to check that out then.
I think also that being a third pregnancy that people (namely DH and obviously my OB) assume that you are ok.. I must be an old hand at it now right?? PPffttt!! I does not get any easier and I actually think it may get a bit harder.. older and a bit crankier and with other children to look after.
I might go and hassle DH for a massage.. maybe then I will feel a bit more loved..
Feeling a bit neglected!!
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Ok.. now not feeling neglected.. just feel silly and a bit embarrassed for thinking that this was ok... You would think that at number 3 I would be more aware..
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