when is your first meeting/appt? - Page 2

[DalaiMama]

I just made my first appointment today, for May 18th. It does seem like a long way away, but between now and then I'm going on vacation, so I'm sure the time will fly by.

[DalaiMama]

oh, and btw Sam, I've been having cravings for corned beef. Not the same as beer, but I've always thought it was gross too!
Congratulations on seeing your bean already, it must've been amazing.

[thedevinemissm]

There's actually "logic" behind why most providers won't see a woman until she's at least 8wks. Unfortunately, my experience comes from having had 4 m/c before DS.

Most m/c occur w/in the first 8wks. "Dealing" with a m/c is very time consuming (read: expensive) for a provider. They receive very little reimbursement from insurance companies from their efforts. In addition ~ there really is nothing they can *do*.

Since as many as 25% of pregnancies end in m/c ~ they do not want to see you until you have a well established pregnancy. (this is also why many OB's prefer you use the Fact Plus HPT ~ it requires a much higher level of HCG, thus a woman may not even know she was pg, just thinks she had a late/bad period )

Now once you've had 2+ m/c, you become a different kind of patient & can be billed as "high risk": reimbursement gets better, more blood tests are covered, multiple u/s are acceptable, etc.

Now some midwives ~ knowing that we are not just "gestational sacs" and that we have feelings ~ will see you anyway. Even if it means going thru the hassle w/ins companies.

Hope this helps!

[Past_VNE]

I have an appt Saturday morning to meet with a midwife from Chester Springs, PA.

I have one other midwife to call locally. Hopefully, one of these two will be the into-mothering, nature-crunchy, non-medical, hands-off woman I am looking for.

[Euryphagous]

I went to by OBGYN right after I got a confirmed pregnancy test, at around 4 weeks, and next time I would definitely wait longer. MY OB-GYN is very cautious, and would only say that I am pregnant, but whether or not it's a "normal" pregnancy (not ectopic, likely to survive) she couldn't say for another couple weeks. I had been trying to conceive for so long and was so excited to finally have it confirmed, but no luck. She even did an ultrasound, which was silly, because there was nothing to see yet. So I left feeling "empty," - both emotionally and physically! But I realize she was being cautious, and may be too familiar with early miscarriages. I'm going back in two weeks when she says she can be more certain of things. I did get my progesterone, etc. blood levels taken and they were all "fine." After that unsatisfying office visit, I came home, did a prenatal yoga tape, and restored my balance. I don't need to worry about anything yet - I can allow myself to be happy that I conceived and to pray that things work out well.

[chasmyn]

I just went in today to have blood drawn so they can chack all my levels. They want me to come in for an u/s (ALREADY!!!) and for the NP to do a vaginal exam. We are about to move from here (St. Louis, MO) to Seattle in about a month, so I see no point in all of it, since I am going to be seeing a midwife once I get to Seattle. When you say things like, "I don't want an u/s or a vaginal exam," here, they look at you like you sprouted a second head, and not only do they not listen to your opinions about your own body, they will always try and tell you why you're wrong.

Because our first son had a severe heart defect (a random happening that wasn't preventable nor treatable before birth), we will do a Level 2 u/s when the heart has developed enough for us to see, but that's really the only one we want. It's so difficult to talk to them about that here, they just do not get it.

So anyway, to answer the original question of first visit, they want me in May 10th but are trying to schedule the u/s on the same day as the NP visit. So maybe a different day. And maybe they will forget about it altogether and I won't have to deal with it until we reach Seattle?

[martinanne]

I am not scheduled until May 24th. They won't see preggos until they are 10 wks here. The receptionist told me that they couldn't hear the heartbeat until then. Ha! I probed a little more and I think the real reason is due to the high rate of early miscarriages.

I'm kind of bummed that I have to wait so long because we are moving on June 12 (overseas) and we'll take a 5 week vacation enroute. So by the time we get moved to where we are going and I find a new doc or midwife, I'll already be past 18 weeks. I think I'll have missed all those diagnostic tests they schedule. (??) Maybe it's for the best.

[taradt]

we are going May 6th at around 6 weeks. mostly it is a meeting with the midwife to talk about my feelings and what sorts of medical things (tests, ultrasounds ect..) i want this pregnancy since having the miscarriage.

tara

[supervee]

Still haven't picked a provider, but one of the contenders will also not accept that you are pregnant without a clinical pregnancy test. Makes sense, although how mean of them to be rude about it for you, nannymom!

I can't remember any diagnostic tests taking place this early last time... don't really want ultrasounds or the stuff that comes with "oh no, you're over 35" etc. I'm trying for minimum intervention, especially since this time I'll be at a hospital "birth center" rather than my beloved freestanding birth center, thanks to our new health insurance. Combine that with me being lazy, and I just haven't even thought about making an appointment.

What's the latest you can go and still get prenatal care? I know prenatal care is really important, makes for healthier babies, etc., but if I'm already taking prenatals & know what to eat/drink (or not, as the case may be), then is it all that crucial?

[jayayenay]

.

[ladymadelon]

I will see my mw on 5/4, I'll be 7 wks. I could go sooner, but I've got too much going on this week already. She just does the initial bloodwork, plus I have thyroid issues, so I need to get a baseline reading of that level to work off for the rest of the pregnancy. Except for that, I'd probably wait until 12 weeks, when I'd have a good chance of hearing the heartbeat.

[supervee]

Well, I'm going to jump right in and have the clinical test at 6 weeks, mainly so I can scope out the office. That will give me plenty of time to search out other places if they are icky. The receptionist sounded pretty nice; I've found that's a fairly good indicator.

Edited to add that's on May 3rd.

[umsami]

I'm going on Saturday for my first appointment. With my last baby, they didn't see me until 8 or 9 weeks. As my first baby is under a year... they want to see me earlier. Also, I have hypothyroid, am planning to nurse during pregnancy, and developed insulin-dependent gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy.... so I'm just a joy to take care of. LOL

My guess is I'll just have a bit of blood work done... and be questioned regarding prenatal vitamins, etc.

[2sweetgrrls]

I have a "dating" ultrasound on the 4th, and my first midwife appt (delivering at the same freestanding birth center I did with my daughter) on the 18th.

[supervee]

Okay, changed again. I canceled the first appointment so I could go another route. I had my clinical test yesterday, positive--big surprise, huh? It was a walk-in so it was very convenient. My initial visit is 5/12 with an OB nurse for the complete workup, well as much as I let them do LOL, & then I'll get to see the midwives after that.

[Jessviola]

mine changed too actually. i'm going in on monday now because it's a different location and they need to do the full work up. i'm hoping that it'll ease my mind some. i was almost freaking out last night because it didn't hurt while dd nursed but my nipples are sore again this morning so i'm feeling better.

[lauren]

I'm scheduled for May 5. I'm going to try CNMs at a hospital about an hour away. We're checking it out after 2 homebirths--long story on another post--and we hope we like them. I'll be about 9 1/2 weeks then.