annoyed about scan and need to vent!

is anyone else in canberra annoyed on confussed as to the services available and how to access them correctly? it's driving me nuts. last time i was pregnant i lived in a small country town and everything was simple and straight forward. now it seems i need three referals and certainty of my pregnancy dates before anyone will even book me in for anything, and yet if i don't book in immediately then i will miss out!!! i just feel like all the profeesionals know all these thing but neglect to tell the parents anything! i know its my second pregnancy, but it is my first in canberra and everything is still new to me and i don't know what i'm doing!

arrg!!

i have my ob appointment on thursday, when my doctor will give me a referral to get the nuchal fold scan done. thinking i was being good, i had DH ring up the ultrasound place to book me in for the scan ahead of getting the referral. the receptionist was sssooo rude!! anyway, turns out i should have booked in earlier, they are pretty full until the end of april (i can understand they are busy, but it is hardly my fault that i didn't know to book in earlier). the ultrasound place then said they can squeese me into one appointment (lucky someone cancelled) for the tuesday after next - BUT only if i was going to be exactly twelve weeks pregnant then, otherwise they wouldn't be able to book me in at all. DH lied and said that yes i would be, but the truth is we aren't completely certain of my dates (i could be a week out either way), my ob said we would use this scan to more accurrately date the pregnancy as well. anyway, so now i am booked in for the scan, but am just really ticked off by the attitude of the woman on the other end of the phone, and the way she basically lectured DH and myself for not booking in earlier and not knowing our exact dates!

anyway, now i am wondering if i should even bother getting the scan. we are pretty low risk and were using this more as an oppurtunity to see bubs, but DH will be away ith army reserves then so he won't be able to go; and i will have to take DD with me as i have no-one to watch her. and i just cann't help thinking that if the rest of the staff are as bad as that receptionist, i would rather save my $185 and put it toward a pram.

ok so i just re-read this all and although i still feel the same, i am thinking that maybe i am overreacting a little and am just a little oversensitive, hormonal and emotional at the moment. i don't know.

NopeI don't think you're being over-sensitive I would be annoyed too. Initially I got a referral and then decided against getting the nuchal test for basically the same reasons you r talking about.

Good luck deciding and booking future scans etc

I had a twelve week scan, but no NT tests.
Is there only the one Radiology centre that you can go to?

there are only two companies listed in the yellow pages, and one of them i am unable to get to, as i don't have a liscence and have to relie on public transport. but i am going to ask my ob on thursday if there is anywhere else.

Misty I live in Canberra and agree it can be confusing. My first stop was my GP, I've been seeing her every four weeks and she has been writing all the scan referrals, etc. Just be aware that National Capital Diagnostic Imaging (where I went) also has offices at Woden and Tuggeranong and John James Hospy, so if you can't get in near you try booking at a different one. I had no problems booking in about 10 days earlier at Tuggers and they were very good (if a bit expensive, you only get about $55 back on Medicare).

You might find the scan is more useful for dating purposes than the NT test - it's a real hassle later on the PG if they're not sure of your dates. You can ask for a dating scan without having the NT aspect of it done.

Misty there is also an info session called "Having a Baby in Canberra" which is run by the Women's Centre for Health matters PH 02 6290 2166. I think you might find it useful. It explains the difference in types of care, ie OB care thru a private hospital, midwife care at the Birth Centre, or midwife/OB care thru one of the public hospies.

HTH. Post here again if you have any more Canberra Q's, I will try to check back in on the thread.