[happyday8598]

I'm planning a home birth, but want to have a back up hospital midwife, in case it's necessary.

Last pregnancy, I was eager to set the 1st appointment right away, and saw a midwife around 7 weeks. I miscarried at the 12 week mark.

This time, I don't feel an urgency to start prenatal appointments. I am taking my vitamins, and listening to my body, but other than that, have been planning on riding out the first trimester before setting anything up for the long haul.

I didn't find my 1st appointment helpful or overly necessary last time, aside from getting some bloodwork done for my home birth midwife to have on file. The first appt with the hospital midwife was more of a "getting to know you" thing, and I felt it was a waste of time to drive the 40 minutes for that.

Have you all set up your first prenatal yet? How far along will you be at the first appointment? Are there advantages I'm not considering in going in earlier?

 

[sierramtngirl]

The only advantage I can see is that the early dating ultrasound is most accurate around 9-10 weeks. If you aren't going to do that scan, then I don't see any benefit to going in early.

 

[jodieanneanton]

I am taking this pregnancy really chill, too, happyday. I find most early prenatal appointments a waste of time for me. I am declining all u/s and doppler use. So, since I will be using the fetoscope during pregnancy to hear the heartbeat, that isn't possible until 18 weeks. My mw is chill and will go along with whatever I want to do. We have a phone chat set up to talk about what supplements I am on and what she thinks might be beneficial to add, so I am going to do that. But, true prenatal? I am going to wait until 18 weeks. If anything comes up that I feel warrants a prenatal appointment, I would totally go though.

Obviously, that is much later than most people wait, but it's what I find to be best for me.

 

[sarahknavy]

I usually just want to go once in the first tri around 10 weeks to do the dating u/s just because I like to see the baby and hear the heartbeat before sharing our news with anyone.

 

[TeeThatsMe]

We've got a dating ultrasound set for this Thursday--that's about 7.5 weeks along, we expect--and then my first midwife appointment will be at 12 weeks. We'll have an extreeeeeeeeemely thorough anatomy scan between 16 and 20 weeks, to make sure we don't overlook a bilateral cleft lip like we did with our beautiful daughter!!!... and then, unless circumstances dictate otherwise, it's all midwifery until this baby makes an appearance.

We elected to skip the dating ultrasound when pregnant with our daughter, which ultimately led to some slight dating confusion... and I'd just as soon skip that this time. Plus, I find that seeing a beating heart puts a lot of my worries to rest, so I am SUPER SUPER excited for this Thursday to arrive already! It's been scheduled for weeks, and now finally we've just got to power through the next 36 hours and change. Woop woop!

 

[PicklinQueen]

I had a hcg blood draw yesterday, as not sure whether I'm 5 or 9 weeks. Nervous... I have an intake with the hospital midwives July 11th scheduled: I have a heavy surgical history and had gestational diabetes last time (controlled it by diet), so feel more comfortable with hospital midwives. Last time I was followed by a surgical obstetrician, and ended up with a unmedicated hospital birth at the same hospital, so feel prety comfortable and positive with these choices. I've got some cervical issues, so was monitored by US last time to make sure cervix stayed shut. It did, and I'm pretty sure I won't need that close a monitoring this time. Here's hoping!!

 

[dentonmidwife]

I am meeting with the friend that I want to be my midwife on the 25th. It is more of a play date than anything, but at that point I will discuss with her about becoming my midwife. I did all the usual lab work when I did my blood pregnancy test as I was pretty sure at that point. I plan on not doing any ultrasounds if possible.

 

[cagnew]

I am going to call my OB today and try to get an appt for around 8 weeks to check my dates. I'm a VBAC so accurate dates are important to me. After that, I decline a lot of the routine visits. My OB is fine with it. She says that after having several kids I'm a pro and should only come in if I feel like something is wrong, or if it's one of the appt's where they do something.

 

[Rikki Jean]

We don't do u/s or Doppler, so I don't usually go in before 12 weeks. I did end up going in last week, at only five weeks, because we want to run a thyroid panel and check some mineral levels. I'm joining a medical sharing plan in the next couple of weeks, so at the appt, we decided to hold off on the bloodwork until I have coverage. Mw and I laughed that I drove 45 minutes to pee in a cup and tell her my LMP, but I love her to pieces and didn't mind getting to hang out with her for an hour. Besides, my mom had the kids, so I got to go to Target alone afterward! :lol


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[BirchTree]

I will be asking for an early ultrasound (but I don't know when they do those...8 weeks maybe?) because I have had multiple early losses and I think I'm going to be incredibly anxious until I see baby on a screen. Then I think the first midwife appointment is at 12 weeks. That reminds me that I should call them soon - midwife care is in high demand here because it is covered by our provincial health insurance.

 

[PicklinQueen]

So just got my hcg levels back: 1500. Either I'm off in my dates, or its TWINS. If my dates are wrong, then if it's 8 weeks, seems super low. A little concerned, but know these things are very variable, so even being a few days off in calculations would make a difference. New to the beta game, thoughts welcome!!! Ultrasound scheduled for Monday....

 

[jodieanneanton]

We don't do u/s or Doppler, so I don't usually go in before 12 weeks. I did end up going in last week, at only five weeks, because we want to run a thyroid panel and check some mineral levels. I'm joining a medical sharing plan in the next couple of weeks, so at the appt, we decided to hold off on the bloodwork until I have coverage. Mw and I laughed that I drove 45 minutes to pee in a cup and tell her my LMP, but I love her to pieces and didn't mind getting to hang out with her for an hour. Besides, my mom had the kids, so I got to go to Target alone afterward! :lol


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WOAH! Rikki Jean! Target, without kids????? That must have been heavenly! Did you get yourself a starbucks drink? That's what I do at Target when I am sans kids.

So just got my hcg levels back: 1500. Either I'm off in my dates, or its TWINS. If my dates are wrong, then if it's 8 weeks, seems super low. A little concerned, but know these things are very variable, so even being a few days off in calculations would make a difference. New to the beta game, thoughts welcome!!! Ultrasound scheduled for Monday....

PicklinQueen. Your levels sound great for 5 weeks gestation. Here is a chart from americanpregnancy.org:

Guideline To HCG Levels During Pregnancy:

hCG levels in weeks from LMP (gestational age)* :

3 weeks LMP: 5 – 50 mIU/ml
4 weeks LMP: 5 – 426 mIU/ml
5 weeks LMP: 18 – 7,340 mIU/ml
6 weeks LMP: 1,080 – 56,500 mIU/ml
7 – 8 weeks LMP: 7, 650 – 229,000 mIU/ml
9 – 12 weeks LMP: 25,700 – 288,000 mIU/ml
13 – 16 weeks LMP: 13,300 – 254,000 mIU/ml
17 – 24 weeks LMP: 4,060 – 165,400 mIU/ml
25 – 40 weeks LMP: 3,640 – 117,000 mIU/ml

What they usually do for me is two draws, 48 hours apart. This is more telling of viability than 1 draw. HCG should double every 48 hours. But since you are getting u/s on Monday, there is prob no need for a second draw.

 

[alivewithyou]

My first beta at 12 DPO was 186. Going in tomorrow morning at 15 DPO for one more. Hopefully that's all I will need because I hate the stress of betas.. they freak me out. My first pregnancy never got above a 51 and that was at 18 DPO so I should be happy with what I have right?

Also found out that I get to have an ultrasound at 5 weeks, 3 days to confirm baby is in the uterus. I'm pretty sure they can see a sac once your levels get to 1,000-2,000.

 

[PicklinQueen]

PicklinQueen. Your levels sound great for 5 weeks gestation. Here is a chart from americanpregnancy.org:

Guideline To HCG Levels During Pregnancy:

hCG levels in weeks from LMP (gestational age)* :

3 weeks LMP: 5 – 50 mIU/ml
4 weeks LMP: 5 – 426 mIU/ml
5 weeks LMP: 18 – 7,340 mIU/ml
6 weeks LMP: 1,080 – 56,500 mIU/ml
7 – 8 weeks LMP: 7, 650 – 229,000 mIU/ml
9 – 12 weeks LMP: 25,700 – 288,000 mIU/ml
13 – 16 weeks LMP: 13,300 – 254,000 mIU/ml
17 – 24 weeks LMP: 4,060 – 165,400 mIU/ml
25 – 40 weeks LMP: 3,640 – 117,000 mIU/ml

What they usually do for me is two draws, 48 hours apart. This is more telling of viability than 1 draw. HCG should double every 48 hours. But since you are getting u/s on Monday, there is prob no need for a second draw.

Thank you so very much: this is a great reference. I admire you ladies taking things "cool", I'm trying , but clearly feeling pretty anxious. Your support is very helpful!!

 

[PicklinQueen]

My first beta at 12 DPO was 186. Going in tomorrow morning at 15 DPO for one more. Hopefully that's all I will need because I hate the stress of betas.. they freak me out. My first pregnancy never got about a 51 and that was at 18 DPO so I should be happy with what I have right?

Also found out that I get to have an ultrasound at 5 weeks, 3 days to confirm baby is in the uterus. I'm pretty sure they can see a sac once your levels get to 1,000-2,000.

Sending good vibes for tomorrow, and beyond!

 

[BirchTree]

My levels are on the low side (12dpo level was 29) and I'm waiting to get my results from my repeat today. It's hard to concentrate at work waiting for that phone call!!!

 

[BirchTree]

Today's level (14dpo) is 96! I feel a bit better.

 

[dreamingtree]

Today's level (14dpo) is 96! I feel a bit better.

I'm glad you feel a bit more reassured!

 

[alivewithyou]

Happy to hear your hcg rose so well @BirchTree.


I also had my second beta pulled this morning and it looked great (186 to 598) so no more betas for me. Now I get to wait.. Boo! ha ha.

 

[BirchTree]

That is a nice rise, alivewithyou!