Anyone doing minimal prenatal visits, no ultrasound? « Back to Group Discussions

[odinsmama]

That's the plan for me, this time around.  

It'll be my first pregnancy not seeing an OB at all and only seeing my MW a few times before the birth.

Insurance (which I applied for, don't even know if it's approved yet, and would be used in the event of an emergency transfer to hospital) doesn't cover any midwifery care, nor any labs, bloodwork etc that the midwife requests.  So I'm paying out of pocket for some initial blood work, 2 or 3 visits to her (at $60 each) and then the birth itself.

I'm keeping track of my weight and blood pressure and ordered some urine test strips which test for sugar and protein and a bunch of other stuff.  So I talked with her last week about my plan and she is fine with it and I'll email her my weight, bp etc once a month.

This will be the first time we're not finding out the gender ahead of time which I'm kind of excited about.  

The only bummer is not knowing when to expect to hear the heartbeat for the first time, that was always really exciting.  I think my MW has a doppler, but I can't remember.  

Anyway, it's kind of nice to not have to do so many visits like I did in the past with seeing an OB.  It feels a lot more low key and relaxed.  Not having to drag the kids to the parking lot with tiny spaces at my old OB's office is a bonus, too!

[margarita b]

I wish I had done fewer visits with all but my first! As a newbie I liked the prenatals but all the other times they seemed unnecessary.

I haven't decided on a caregiver yet, if we will have one at all. I was really unhappy with my last homebirth and it confirmed my feeling that I labor best if completely alone. 

When/if we eventually find someone, I would love to do just a few prenatals this time around. Maybe a few concentrated over the last few weeks, but maybe just a visit at 20 wks, 28 wks, then a few at the end. We'll see.

It sounds like you have a really nice setup for yourself!

[lilysamsma]

That sounds like the ideal setup. I told dh that i thoughtmost of thel the prenatal visits were mostly unnecessary (for me given my uneventful pregnancy history), but didn't know that any caregivers would be amenable to doing it officially. That is great that you found someone willing to wprk with you on it.

[josie423]

My midwife lives a couple hours from us, so we see her minimally. My first appt. is at 12 weeks, then we go 8 weeks in between and 4 weeks in between visits at the end. I check my urine, weight, BP, FH, etc. between visits. It works great for us and she is totally fine with it. The care I receive from her is pretty basic, so what is the point of going often to have things checked that I can do myself?

ETA: I've never had an ultrasound during any of my pregnancies. 

[typebug]

I want to do no ultrasounds. The norm in Singapore is to do 7. Seriously. As soon as they see our expat insurance they go to town and unless you are a bully they will convince you it's hospital policy! Anyway my midwife wants to do just one at 22 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll allow it or not. I will need a lot of convincing that there's a real reason. Is there another way to figure out where the placenta is?

I'm planning on meeting my OBGYN - the back up guy - to do a general exam maybe around 12 weeks just so he can see what my level of health is like (and fully understand that I'm not going to let him run the show). I am planning to mostly rely on my midwife/doula team to guide me. Also, there's a local woman who does Javanese pre-natal massage who I'm hoping has time to add me to her rounds. She's also the expert on post-natal wrapping. This is a local tradition of closing the hips and wrapping a poltice of herbs around the belly for 12 hours a day for the first week after birth. A few of my friends who did this really bounced back after birth at an amazing speed. I like the idea of integrating some local traditions with my birth plan.

[odinsmama]

I'm definitely going to be looking into postnatal wrapping.  I had been under the impression, until recently, that it was purely cosmetic so I never had any interest in doing it.  

Wow, 7 ultrasounds as the norm!  

I wasn't sure my MW would be okay with minimal visits either, but when we spoke on the phone she was fine with it.  She doesn't do routine ultrasounds unless there is some reason she thinks one is needed.

I also enjoyed having multiple visits with my OB during my first pregnancy because the whole thing was so exciting and new.  But by the 2nd one I felt like they were really unnecessary visits for the most part.  So it feels really great to be doing it this way this time.

[typebug]

Originally Posted by odinsmama 

I'm definitely going to be looking into postnatal wrapping.  I had been under the impression, until recently, that it was purely cosmetic so I never had any interest in doing it.  

I'd never heard of it till I got here. It's a Javanese thing. I hope it exists elsewhere.

[amymccarty]

Im excited to say this time around I am doing very minimal care and having my baby in my own home. I suffered from much truma from last birth ending in a section (for no "real" reason).. I refuse to let it happen again.. I have wonderful care this time around and I am so excited to think  I will be in my own living room. WOW! :D I can hardly wait!

[amymccarty]

Oh and as for altrasound I plan to have only one about mid way. They can be linked to MC and other problems with baby. I dont want to have any as they really have no meaning for the most part other than for us to just see baby.

[Momma41]

Amy, where did you hear/read that ultrasounds can be linked to MC?  I have never heard anyone suggest that before. I heard that an ultrasound, in terms of radiation, is equivalent to standing next to the refrigerator.  Please let me know.
 

[sweetestday]

My mw lives about 8hrs away, so I typically have about 5 prenatals altogether. I've never had an ultrasound, though I've been awfully tempted. :)

[Teles]

I've also searched quite extensively on the impact of ultrasounds and haven't found any conclusive studies which indicate that they have any negative impact on the fetus (though they suggest that you don't have too many unnecessary ultrasounds done), especially not something as dramatic as miscarriage.
 

I think it's great that some women are confident enough in their pregnancies to go without ultrasounds, but there reasons that people get them done outside of simply to see the baby. Ultrasounds are the only way to measure the fetus (especially in the early stages) and make sure that everything is growing properly so everyone can be aware of any issues that may need to be addressed.

[typebug]

I just had an email from my Midwife and she is scheduling a morphological scan at 22 weeks. Le sigh. That's the one I really didn't want to do. It's a very long exposure and the data it generates is not terribly useful or accurate. I guess I'm going to have to broach that topic at our next meeting.

[akind1]

I am a VBAC (1st was a c-section, I successfully VBAC'd baby #2), so some ultrasounds I do feel are necessary in my own case. I would normally skip the early one, but since I can't be reasonably sure within a week or so of when I conceived (nursing still babe #2), a good date is important to me. The morphological/anatomic scan is also good for me because I need to know where the placenta is. With both previous pregnancies, they had to repeat this scan (in the case of baby #2 3 times!!) to get all the images due to baby positioning or lack of skill of the sonographer.  And since I carry babies late (another reason to get a good dating ultrasound this time) - I usually end up doing biophysical profiles after 40 weeks. 

I think the testing has it's place, and does produce some useful data. I still want to avoid doing too many unless there is actual need to do it (placenta previa, breech position, something)

As far as limiting prenatals - I wish! they are such a waste of time. I wish I could find a midwife to attend an HBAC here, but no such luck.

[GnomeyNewt]

I've always gotten 1 u/s on both of my previous pregnancy around 20 weeks, but that went out the window today as I had an ultrasound at 7 weeks to help diagnosis some bleeding w/cramping that I've had since last wed. Found a place that does 30% off if you pay at the time of the appointment, so I was pretty happy with that discount!

Otherwise, I live about 1.5 hours away from my midwife, she allowed me to come in less, about every 1 1/2 months at first and than towards the end I would come in every 2 weeks or so to help spread it out a bit. I think I will talk to her about coming in even less, and do some of these test and monitor my blood pressure at home, it might be worth it as I am currently at this moment not liking the idea of driving for 3 hours in one day for an appointment. I also did find a local midwife that started out here in 2009, so I have an appointment with her to see what she is all about, but I seriously doubt I will switch, as I LOVE my midwife and she has been there for 2 births thus far! Glad she is still willing to drive so far out in the boonies for us!

[typebug]

I think the testing has it's place, and does produce some useful data. I still want to avoid doing too many unless there is actual need to do it (placenta previa, breech position, something)

I agree and since I'm low risk I'm trying to just do as little of that as I can. I think the only thing I'd be ok with would be a brief scan to check the placenta location but that makes sense to do later right? like 30+ weeks?

[canadianhippie]

Originally Posted by Teles 

I've also searched quite extensively on the impact of ultrasounds and haven't found any conclusive studies which indicate that they have any negative impact on the fetus (though they suggest that you don't have too many unnecessary ultrasounds done), especially not something as dramatic as miscarriage.
 

I think it's great that some women are confident enough in their pregnancies to go without ultrasounds, but there reasons that people get them done outside of simply to see the baby. Ultrasounds are the only way to measure the fetus (especially in the early stages) and make sure that everything is growing properly so everyone can be aware of any issues that may need to be addressed.

I know, I never knew of why women refuse them, I like to see the baby for bonding, and I want to know baby has all his limbs in place and is healthy

Its tricky because you have to pay out of pocket for all those visits and tests, I understand avoiding certain things for that (which is a crazy concept for Canadians!! Even midwives are covered, y'all dont know what your missing, its cruel to make people pay to access care)

I booked a midwife and shockingly, I will be pleased to see a OB again, (in a way)  My midwife wouldnt see me until 10 weeks, by 10 weeks in the med field, I had had a ultrasound to check how far along and was screened, pap smeared and was ready for ultrasound #2

I had some kind of "meeting" about even getting a 3rd month ultrasound, she said "most women think its a time to see their baby, thats not what its for"  I cant believe I had to really explain why i needed it, it was foreign to me 

I like the check-ups in the med field, I like being aware of my baby and body, I dont like the approach to birth at all, but Im put more at ease with a OB, my guy was gentle and kind, and my GP was very proactiv and did alot for us from pregnancy and after  

[typebug]

Originally Posted by Momma41 

Amy, where did you hear/read that ultrasounds can be linked to MC?  I have never heard anyone suggest that before. I heard that an ultrasound, in terms of radiation, is equivalent to standing next to the refrigerator.  Please let me know.
 

There's a chapter in Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth that was pretty informative.

[akemi]

Originally Posted by canadianhippie 

...

I booked a midwife and shockingly, I will be pleased to see a OB again, (in a way)  My midwife wouldnt see me until 10 weeks, by 10 weeks in the med field, I had had a ultrasound to check how far along and was screened, pap smeared and was ready for ultrasound #2

...

I wish that was the case across the country (or even province)! Here in Newmarket maybe the OB's are much busier but they don't see you until 20 weeks. Up until then you go to your family doctor who basically just writes up orders for labs. So far I've had blood drawn to check my beta/hcg levels and have been referred to the hospital in Richmond Hill for an u/s and an appointment with the genetic counsellors to discuss if I want to do screening. Even that isn't until Aug 8th. The wait seems sooo long!

Even the midwives here are busy - I called the midwives I used last time as soon as I had my BFP (at 1 day after my missed period) and they were already all booked up for February. I'm on the waiting list, so we'll see what happens. 

[bubblesispreggers]

I'm doing a mostly unassisted pregnancy. Went to the OB to get a proof of pregnancy and will be going back for bloodwork. I won't be seeing any other providers unless something goes wrong.