First GP Visit questions

LegacyUser

Hello all, going unreg for this because we still haven't told the families.

Anyway, I'm 7 weeks 6 days along and have a few questions about the first GP visit (which I haven't actually booked yet).

1. When do I need to go?

2. What do they do? Himself wants to be involved in the whole doctor end of things, but if it's just bloodwork and filling out a bunch of forms I think I can spare him a lot of waiting around. If however, there's going to be a lot of talking and/or decision-making, he wants to be there. Advice?

3. Do you have to pay? I know you get free GP visits while pregnant, but does this kick in straight away or do you need to apply for it, and so pay for the first visit?

Oh, and another quick one about scans. I'll probably be going to Holles St. I've heard a lot of stories about lack of resources and people not getting scans until they're five months along. Is this the way it is now? I'd like some proof that there's actually a baby in there and not just the kilo of bran flakes I've eaten in the past 48 hours.

Thanks!

hunnymonster

1. Go to the GP as soon as possible to get your referral letter for the hospital and the list of phone numbers for you to make your hospital appointments. Get hospital sorted asap as most fill up very quickly.

2. Might not even be that, At my first visit it was literally letting her know I was pregnant (she took my word for it) and a short discussion about the relative advantages of private/public. Checked my BP and asked was I taking folic acid. Certainly nothing for husband to do until we met with consultant.

3. Yes, I paid for first GP visit and she completed the form for combined care (free GP). She sent it off and I got the schedule of visits in the post from the HSE a couple of weeks later. There are still some costs e.g. I had to pay something towards my flu jab and for my thyroid bloods (even though only reason I was getting them was because I'm pregnant). Some GP's have a less strict interpretation of "pregnancy related GP visits" so you may not have to pay for these things

I can't speak for Holles street and the scans situation varies hugely by hospital. I had first scan at 8 weeks and have been scanned every 2-3 weeks since then (private in CUMH).

hunnymonster

p.s. with all the practicalities, I completely forgot to say congrats on your pregnancy. I hope you have a happy and healthy 9 months.

Squiggler

Congrats! Hunnymonster pretty much has it covered.

Just to add... I found out at GP at about 6 weeks that I was pregnant and completed the forms and asked for a referral to Holles St (Public). I was given a booking clinic appointment (when they did all my bloodwork) for end of week 16 and my first scan was scheduled for week 24 (I cancelled it as it was too late for it to be useful for dating purposes).

I didn't mind as Holles St is only an emergency backup plan for me, but if you want an earlier scan you will probably have to book one privately.

Best of luck with everything

GoerGirl

Congratulations - so exciting!

From my experience, the GP visit is really only confirmation of your pregnancy. They do a urine pregnancy test, work out you estimated due date (this can vary depending on cycles/when you ovulated), and the GP starts the paperwork with the HSE for your maternity care and you register with the care option you have decided on.

You can find a detailed account of your hospital at the Cuidiu site - its compares the various hospital units in Ireland. I found it really useful when comparing my two hospitals! They are not all the same and vary in policy, etc. You can find the guide here: http://www.cuidiu-ict.ie/fulcrum.html?ep=13

As you are in catchment for Holles street you have more choices than most available to you! The Community Midwives program is amazing! Its midwife led and they have an early release scheme and also a home birth scheme in that program. Then you also have consultant led care - public or private. Consultant led care in NMH openly follows Active Management of Labour. You might consider reading up on AML to see if this fits in with your expectations.

If you are considering a consultant you might make a list of questions and ring a few to see their stances on issues that are important to you - they can also vary widely!! It may seem like alot of work but its worth it to find someone that fits with you and your ideas for your pregnancy and birth.

First appointment depends on the hospital and your history - also how fast your paperwork goes in. My first appointments have ranged from 10-14weeks but I know from friends anything before 20wks is considered normal!

Best of luck and congratulations!

Winnie

The other girls here pretty much have it covered but from my experience this is how it happened....
I booked my first GP visit as soon as I knew I was pregnant, only thing GP did was get me to fill out Combined Care form and give me some basic info about taking take of myself and baby, there was no need for my OH to be with me actually. I was already on medical card so did not have to pay for GP visit or flu jab.
As far as scans go, I am attending Holles St and at my first visit in there, they did all bloodwork and medical history as well as a very quick mini scan to check and see that baby was in right place etc. Then I had the big scan at 22 weeks for measurements etc

liliq

I was pretty much the same as Winnie!
Was just over 7 weeks when I saw the GP first- filled out Combined care form, got bp checked, that was pretty much it!

First appointment in Holles st was bloods, height and weight, and medical history, but no mini scan.
As far as I know will be getting a mini scan at around 17 weeks though.

I think some GPs charge for first visits, others don't... depends on your own doc!

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the advice, I'll be heading to the Dr on Monday so!
And thanks for the congratulations, hardly told anyone so it's nice to hear!

I'll be going public, no vhi here. Holles St is definitely the closest hospital and I'd be very interested in the domino scheme. Although I might be a bit worried about himself driving me home just six hours after delivery!

I had a look at the consultant-led active management of labour and I don't like the look of it at all. If your progression doesn't match the graph they hit the drugs? Yikes. Smells like tee time.

While I love the idea of a home birth, and I live under 2km from the hospital, I think I would just have the fear. Not on the first one anyway!

Probably going to just get a private scan for proof/dates. Don't think I could wait til 24 weeks!

Thanks again, I'm sure I'll be all over this board the next seven months.

GoerGirl

Just on the Domino scheme, you might be surprised - I always couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and get into my own bed! You could always ring the midwives on Monday and have a chat before you decide.:)

Congrats again and keep us posted how you get on!

How Strange

I wasn't in holles st but recently had my first in the coombe. I wasn't in the catchment area for the midwife led clinic but when my little lad wad born (naturally, no drugs or interventions) the consultant said I could go home within 24hrs.

It wasn't an option because pediatrics took a blood sample from baby and we had to wait in the hospital for 24 hours for the result.

I have to say I was glad I stayed and I was a public patient in a 6 bed ward. All along I said I'd love to go straight home and get into my own bed but being a first timer I was reassured to have the 24 hour support of the midwives. On the first night he started retching on mucus, nothing serious, but I couldn't stop it and I just ran for the midwives. Also he cried non stop for 12 hours on the first night and the midwives were great for advice and support.

Just offering you a different perspective. I never thought I'd be glad to stay in hospital but I was.