First prenatal appointment tomorrow

[bmoorleg]

First prenatal appointment tomorrow (8 weeks) and I’m nervous about hearing a heartbeat and everything else for that matter. What should I expect?

[Seb9]

Hi congratulations on your pregnancy, your profile says you're in the USA so you might have a better response to your question on a forum based there?The NCT are a UK based charity, so most of the mums on here won't have a similar care path to what you have in the states.

In the UK unless you have any issues with your pregnancy you don't have a scan and heartbeat checked until your 12 weeks.

At our 8 week appointment in the UK we just meet with our midwife and go through our medical history, have bloods taken, height, weight and blood pressure.

So unless you've had IVF or previous fertility issues and have a viability scan or you book a private scan you won't see baby until 12 weeks.

Hope you have a lovely healthy pregnancy xx

[bmoorleg in reply to Seb9]

Oh wow! I did not realize that. Very new to all of this. Thank you very much for the info. 😁

[Artmum22]

Hi, congratulations on your pregnancy and to make it to 8 weeks! I can see that you are based in the US, when all the mamas here are mostly in the UK. Here in the UK you do not have a scan at 8 weeks but at 12 weeks. The midwife will see you on your own first and ask sensitive questions. Then your partner can come in and she will enter all the necessary information in the system and give your maternity notes. If she thinks you need to see a consultant (for your thyroid or blood pressure), she will organise a referral. She will then take a blood test, your blood pressure and she will ask for an urine test. This is the time when you can ask all the questions you have in mind, she will be there to reassure you and this will take a load off your chest if you feel nervous or anxious about the pregnancy. Midwives are usually very understanding and can help you with anything. I can understand why you are very nervous, I was like that too, but hearing the heartbeat of your baby is the most beautiful thing in the world. I cried with joy!