[gen_here]

I know some of you are going UP - that's not what I'm speaking of.

I'm seeing a family practitioner druing this pregnancy (same one I saw for my son). For the most part, I see her at the rural clinic - where she only practices on day every other week. She is usually at the main clinic which is a little farther from us and is much more busy and impersonal, even though she and her nurse are still great.

Because of when I conceived and when she's at the rural clinic, I've been seeing my doctor at "off" times. Instead of 8, 12, 16 (etc) weeks, I've been seeing her at 7, 13, 17, etc. That hasn't been a problem. I've been reading different updates in different due-month groups where moms are now switching over to 2 week appointments in the third trimester. I called the office to see if this is what I'll be needing to do (my next appointment is at 29 weeks, and we would be out of town for 31 weeks... so I would have to make my appointment at the busy main clinic and would have to do it like NOW). The receptionist talked to my doctor, and she said that after 29 weeks, we would go THREE week, then every 2 until 38, then every week.

Well, this would put me at the main clinic for EVERY appointment except 39 weeks... something I'd *really* like to avoid. So my question is, before I ask my doctor at my next appointment to leave me at my odd schedule, is there a particular reason why I should be going at 32, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40 rather than 33, 35, 37, 38, 39, etc.? My doctor is very flexible and has worked with me on alternatives/skipping many tests with both pregnancies, so if it's not a big deal, I'm sure she'd be agreeable to it. I just want to know if the "even" schedule has a specific purpose or if it's simply "what we do."

 

[poetesss]

I'd like to know too if someone has any sage wisdom on why they ask pg women to come in every 2 weeks. I would guess that one reason is that it helps them keep a close watch on the bp so they can detect pre-e/PIH etc. early. At my clinic they also ask you a set of questions at each visit that would also presumably help detect any issues. Honestly I don't see a need for so many visits for myself...especially when gas is so expensive

 

[poetesss]

Heh, okay never mind...I see you were asking about the even weeks vs. odd weeks. Okay, failed that reading comprehension test...

:

Heck, why would the actual week number matter anyway? I've had to adjust some of my appointments only because some things were time sensitive (like getting sugar checked no later than 30 weeks) but otherwise I can't even fathom why it would matter if you are on an even vs. odd week.

 

[daniedb]

I went on odd weeks with Henry, and no one ever said anything. I think it's just every 2 weeks that they care about, not necessarily that they fall on the even weeks.

 

[AllisonR]

Well, just to mess the whole thing up, I have totally different schedule.

week 24 and 36 - to Doctor (saw her in week 26 not 24 anyway, due to clash in our schedules)
week 28, 32, 37, 40, 42 - to midwife (2nd preg. 1st pregnancy you go to an extra mw appt. in week 14)
week 13 and 19 - to scanning

Not a single VE in there, and if asked, I will decline, unless I think I need it.

Don't know why you guys have so many appts. I don't need babysitting. If there is a problem, I will call and make an additional appt.

 

[Peony]

I've had a very lax schedule, went in at 17 weeks, not again until 23, then one at 28, these were all apointments my MW set up, I didn't delay them. I just switched MW's, I had my first appointment with the new one today at 29 weeks and she wants me to come back in 4 weeks.

 

[paxye]

Last pregnancy I had moved near the start of the third trimester and my midwife put me on a much more relax schedule since everything was going well...I was every 4 weeks until 30 weeks then every three weeks... and only got two appts in before ds came at 38 weks...

I have no idea why the strict schedule...

 

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I think it's more the every two weeks than the actual week number you are in that matters. I've been going every two weeks since 23 weeks, but that's becuase we're doing cervical scans (I have preterm issues)

 

[boscopup]

Yeah, week numbers don't matter. I was on odd weeks with both my OB and midwife for a little while. OB usually sees women at 6 weeks and 8 weeks LMP, then starts the every 4 weeks thing. Well, at 6 weeks LMP, I explained that I was more like 4.5 weeks, so he said to wait on the 8 week visit until I was closer to actual 8 weeks (we were doing a dating u/s), but due to scheduling conflicts, it ended up being 7 weeks (and u/s agreed with my chart

). Not sure how I got off, because I ended up going at 13 and 17 weeks. Then for my 20 week u/s, my DH couldn't be there the week we were going to do it (4 weeks after the 17 week prenatal, so it would have been 21 weeks). Ended up having the u/s at 20 weeks, and now I'm on the official 24, 28, etc. schedule.

Now midwife... She only sees clients twice a month, so my prenatals have been on the odd weeks there. I started seeing her at 13 weeks, and did 17, 21, 25 so far.

I'm not sure what I'll do about prenatals towards the end of pregnancy. I'll be refusing VEs, so the only thing that really needs to be checked is to make sure my bp isn't suddenly going up, right? I need to talk with my midwife about that schedule. I have to pay for each midwife prenatal, but OB prenatals are covered by insurance. BUT... midwife prenatals are only 15 minutes away, and OB is 45 minutes away (and it's best if I drop off DS with my mom for those - he comes with me to the midwife's and plays with toys there and runs around the house). Plus, I'm not delivering with the OB if I get to 36 weeks, unless something like pre-e shows up. So I need to talk to my OB about when to stop prenatals. He knows my delivery plans (I'm just seeing him because I had a preterm birth last time and wanted to HAVE an OB in case it happens again, and as of yet, I'm obviously not out of the woods yet!).

Ugh... decisions we have to make!