What happens?

[ShadowFox]

What happens at the first OB/Midwife appointment??

[catchthewind]

I think it depends how far along you are when you go. If you're more than 10 or so weeks (maybe even 8) they'll try and find the heartbeat, though often they can't find it until 12+. We had a midwife, and our appointments were all around an hour long, if you're with an OB it might be different. If I remember right, they'll talk about prenatal vitamins, diet, exercise, answer any of your questions, maybe get a baseline weight. They'll probably want to know any symptoms you're having and then assure you they're all normal.

[ShadowFox]

Thanks Catchthewind
I'm 4 weeks today so I'll be exactly 8 weeks at my appointment.
I'm a bit nervous...
I really don't know why but doctors really elevate my blood pressure every time.

[catchthewind]

Are you seeing an OB or a midwife? I had bp problems during last pregnancy, but my midwives were really great about making sure I was resting quietly for 15 minutes before taking the bp, doing it with the manual one (the electronic one always read higher), etc. When it shot up at the end of pregnancy, they asked me to take it myself at a pharmacy a few times to see if it was just in the clinic.

[ShadowFox]

I'm seeing a midwife. But at my usual Dr visits the nurse always has to tell me to calm down and she wont bite. She takes it electronically and manually.
My heart starts to race the moment I walk in there:

[firewoman]

DDC crashing but I have done this a time or two. They will weigh you, take your blood pressure, have you pee in a cup to test for protein, sugar, ketones, blood and a few other things with a urine dipstick, they may take blood to run your initial prenatal CBC and test for rubella immunity, aids and a few other things. The doc will come in and probably do a pap and pelvic exam. Those things are pretty standard with an OB. The PP is right about listening for the heart with a doppler. It is audible for some people as early as 8 weeks but nothing to worry about if you don't.

[catchthewind]

You might find that you don't have that problem at a midwife office. I guess it depends on the midwife but our midwife practices in her home and her "office" is a room with couches and chairs and nothing like a doctor's office. It's way more inviting and I definitely feel less anxious there than at the doctor's. I forgot about the pap and pelvic exam, which may or may not happen at a first appointment. My midwives didn't do them in the first trimester unless you specifically requested, and preferred not to do them at all if you'd had one within the last year (or two even if you've never had an abnormal one).

[ShadowFox]

Oh! I hope its a relaxed setting like yours. I hate the anxious feeling going into clinics/hospitals/doctors offices cause me.