Doctor Appointments

Future Baby

Hi,

I will be a Mammy for the first time in Jan 2012. I am just wondering how often should I expect to go to the doctors / hospital for visits. As I was told I wouldn't have my first scan till I was 22- 23 weeks in Kilkenny Hospital... I am totally regretting going public now, as I feel like I am not getting the care I should be.

I was seen at 6 weeks and only that I went myself at 11 weeks I wouldnt have been seen again till 22-23 week. The doctor was kind of annoyed I came in at 11 weeks, she actually said to me there is nothing I can do for you, its too early, I was just concerned for working with a collegue that had chicken pox in my office and the risk of for my baby. I had to ask her to take my blood pressure too!

She is not my normal doctor she works in the surgery I attend, but the two times I went in I had to see her. Can I ask the next time I am looking to have an appointment to go back to my own orginal doctor that I have been attending for the past 12 years, or am I now stuck attending her, as I dont feel she is giving me the care I need, as I feel she is way too relaxed.

I am not a drama queen running to the doctor everytime I break a nail, I just want to make sure I am getting the correct medical attention I need for this baby, so it has the best chance in life!

TheBody

Aren't you paying top dollar for their time!! Too bloody right you should ask for any doctor you want and go see them as often as you want. NEVER feel bad for wanting to do the best for your child. Good luck with the pregnancy!!

lolli

I would certainly ask to be seen by my regular doctor. You should go to see your doctor as often as you feel necessary. It is important to feel you are getting good care in your pregnancy.

Each pregnancy is treated differently. I went public and I had a scan every 4 weeks from when I was 3 and a half weeks pregnant. If you feel like you aren't getting the correct care you should voice your concerns with the doctor.

Future Baby

Thanks Guys, I think I will ring the doctors on during the week and see can I get an appointment, as I dont want to be putting any extra stress of worrying is everything ok, for the sake of a taking up a few minutes of the doctors time.

skippy09

I am a public patient in Kilkenny also, they gave me a scan on my first hospital app, at that stage i was 14 weeks pregnant and i had another scan at my last app and i was 22 weeks at that stage. The routine is hospital every 8 weeks and your own doctor every 4 weeks until nearer your due date.

Nicole22

Im a public patient in Kilkenny aswell. Its strange how its different for everyone. I didnt get in for my first appointment and scan until I was 22weeks and they told me to go to my own doctor 2 weeks after that, then my own doc again 2 weeks after that and then back to the hospital 2 weeks after that! So Im bein seen every 2 weeks by someone. Seems like a lot to me so early in the pregnancy. On my first it wasnt until the end that I was seen so frequently. Have no health problems etc and doc said all was fine with scan.
I had my pregnancy confirmed with my doctor at 5 1/2 weeks. Then I went in at 12 weeks myself for a check up after ringing St. Lukes and finding out I wouldn't be seen until 22 weeks. My doc did all the checks and told me to come back to her again at 18 weeks.
Your doctor is being ridiculous saying there's nothing she can do for you. Shes supposed to check your urine, blood pressure, weight and check your fundal height to see that baby is at right size. I think for the beginning its around every 4-6 weeks that you should be seen by someone. Then that will become more frequent as you go on.
We went to the Women's Health clinic in Deans Street in KK for a private scan. Its €150. There was noway I was waiting until 22weeks to be sure all was going well. They told me that with the waiting lists in Luke's they're getting a lot of people coming in for the'yre first scans.

Future Baby

I have got a private scan done and all is well, Thank God. I am about 16 weeks now, as they couldnt give me an exact age of the baby, as the baby wouldnt straech out, too lazy like its Daddy, kept lying on its back with it's legs in the air. There is a few days between their dates and mine but not much.

I was talking to one of the Nurses in the surgary that I attend and she said I can come in when ever I want, I told her I want to go back to my orginal doctor and she said that wouldn't be a problem, but I might have to wait for a free slot for my own doctor, but wouldn't be an issue. So I have decided I will wait until I am 18 weeks so I can make sure I can get a booking with my own doctor and not the other lazy one, and so I can make sure I get the day off work.

I just find the care is all different depending on their moods or who you know, my next door neighbour is due in the next month or so and she has been seen loads of time, she even rearranged her appointments to suit herself and there was no bother, she is going to Kilkenny too.

I think not having your first offical appointment until 22-23 weeks is fair bad, what if there is anything wrong with the baby, and you wanted the choice what to do, it would be too late to do anything about it, if thats the way you did want to go down.