When Will I Hear Baby's Heartbeat at Appointment

Your booking appointment: what happens and what you'll need to do

It's the commencement fourth dimension yous meet your midwife. Hither'southward what to expect from your 1st antenatal date, and what you lot'll be asked

Your booking (or booking-in) engagement is your 1st official antenatal appointment with a midwife. And, whether you've been waiting for information technology anxiously for weeks or yous've barely got past the daze of seeing your positive pregnancy test, this is often the moment when it hits yous: I'm. Really. Having. A. Baby.

Reality-bites moments aside, you may be feeling totally comfortable about this 1st meeting with your midwife, or you may be feeling nervous and unsure, with LOADS of  questions to ask. Or you may exist feeling a bit similar a fish out of h2o, wondering how on earth you're going to plough into good plenty mum material in only a few months.

Whatever your land of listen, information technology's worth knowing exactly what the booking-in appointment's all near, and what's going to happen once you lot get at that place…

• When will my engagement be?
• What happens – and how long will it concluding?
• Volition I hear my babe'due south heartbeat?
• What questions will I be asked?
• Should I bring my partner?
• What tests will I have?
• Volition I get anything else?
• What happens next?

When exactly will I have my booking-in appointment?

This depends a little on when y'all first tell your GP or local maternity services team that you've had a positive pregnancy test effect – and you go plugged into the NHS antenatal system. Only you should go your appointment at some point between eight and 12 weeks into your pregnancy (you won't go an engagement earlier than eight weeks because, sadly, if you're going to miscarry, it'south nigh probable to happen in your first 8 weeks).

The appointment will be to see a midwife and will exist held at your local hospital or maternity unit, your GP surgery, a midwife clinic or perhaps even at dwelling.

What happens – and how long does it final?

This 1st appointment is really a 'getting to know y'all' session. Yous will have a couple of checks and tests just most of the fourth dimension will exist spent answering loads of questions, as your midwife volition want to get through your medical history, and ask you lot nearly your wellness and lifestyle habits

Information technology may concluding a while: information technology'south wise to allow at to the lowest degree an hr.

Will I hear my babe'south heartbeat? Sorry – if you were hoping the midwife would look at your abdomen or listen for your infant's heartbeat, you're likely to be disappointed: this is all happens in your subsequently appointments and, right now, your infant'south heart is so minor, its trounce is actually hard to option upwards with the equipment your midwife will accept to manus.

Yes, nosotros know. Only information technology's all-time to know these things before yous get, isn't it? Or you lot'll finish upwardly feeling like mickos on our MFM Chat forum: "I was asked loads of wellness questions and background questions, merely that was information technology. I was hoping for a bit more but nope. It was a bit of an anti climax – non even a bear upon of the belly."

What questions will I be asked?

You'll be asked questions directly relating to pregnancy and birth, such as:

• The date of your terminal menstrual period. This will assistance your midwife piece of work out a rough due date.
• Your previous history of pregnancy (including miscarriages, terminations and births). Obviously, this may be difficult to talk virtually but it'southward important for your midwife to know so that your antenatal care can be planned appropriately.
• If you lot have a family history of genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis. If you practice, there are screening tests your midwife may want to recommend that you consider.

Y'all'll also be asked questions about:

• Your medical history. You midwife volition need to know if you have any physical or mental health problems.
• Your lifestyle, such as whether y'all smoke or drink alcohol. Some of these questions may feel quite personal, so it'southward worth being ready for them. Otherwise, yous might feel a flake shocked – or flare-up out laughing like ginger_wookey on our MFM Conversation forum: "'Do you utilize cocaine, cannabis or heroin?' Answer: 'Why yes, nosotros thought it would assist the conception.' All right, I know there'south a real reason for asking it only with all the rest of the Qs, like 'Are you incontinent?', it all merely got a bit too much to not express joy out loud."

Other things you may be asked about include:

• Your job. In case information technology's the kind of task that might comport a adventure to pregnancy.
• Where you lot want to give nascency. Don't worry if y'all don't have a inkling! Your midwife may explicate your choices simply you don't have to commit yourself to anything notwithstanding.
• Antenatal classes. If you're interested, your midwife should be able to give y'all details of classes in your expanse.
• Maternity benefits. If you lot need whatever info, your midwife should be able to explain how to claim what you're entitled to.
• How you lot recollect you'll feed your babe. Your midwife will take enough of info on breastfeeding, if y'all'd like to find out more almost that.

You should likewise accept the opportunity to ask questions of your own, too, and air any worries yous have. Information technology'due south a good idea to write these downwardly in advance – or, if you're anything like us, your listen will get blank just at the wrong moment!

Should I bring my partner?

It's is entirely up to y'all. Y'all may feel happier with your partner there, and that'southward fine, simply do deport in heed that it'southward definitely one of the longer, duller antenatal appointments from a partner's point of view – no cute infant images to expect at on an ultrasound or anything!

And, equally midwife Gail Johnson explains, y'all need to exist sure you're happy for your partner to hear all the info you'll exist sharing with your midwife.

"The midwife volition ask about previous pregnancies, for example," says Gail, "and you may have had previous ones you don't want your current partner to know about. So, in that situation, you prefer your partner not to be there. It is downwards to you to do what y'all desire."

What tests will I have?

Your midwife is very unlikely to give yous a concrete examination. Instead, you will take:

• A blood pressure check. Midwives routinely monitor claret force per unit area, equally a sudden rise in blood pressure, particularly in the last weeks of pregnancy, can indicate a condition called pre-eclampsia.
• A urine check. You may exist asked to bring a sample with you; if not, you'll exist given a little pot to wee in. Once again, midwives routine bank check urine, every bit the presence of protein in a urine sample tin indicate potential bug, including diabetes or an urinary tract infection.
• A weight and height check. If your BMI is loftier or low, y'all may need extra intendance during your pregnancy.

You lot'll also have, either now or at a separate date:

• A claret exam. This is to find out your blood blazon and Rhesus status, and exam your blood for fe deficiency. Your blood will also be screened for HIV, syphilis, thalassemia and hepatitis B, unless you specifically opt out. Additionally, you will also be asked if yous'd like your blood sample to be used as office of the combined screening exam for Down's syndrome (and Patau'southward syndrome and Edwards' syndrome).

Will I become anything else?

You lot'll probably be given your pregnancy notes (sometimes referred to as your 'handheld notes') to keep – and bring with you to your next antenatal appointments. Depending on where you lot are in the country, this might come up in a colourful branded pregnancy pack or it could simply exist a standard manilla binder. Either manner, keep information technology squeamish and prophylactic.

What happens next?

Coming up next is:

• Your 12 week 'dating' scan. Which can really happen any time between 8 and 14 weeks. This will include, unless you opt not to have it, the nuchal translucency browse that forms function of the combined screening exam for Down'south syndrome (and Patau's syndrome and Edwards' syndrome).
• Your 16-week midwife appointment.

Observe out more than near all your scheduled antenatal appointments, from now till your infant is born.

Read more:

• What happens at your 12-week scan
• Tests for Downward's syndrome: what practice I need to know?
• How long can morning sickness last?

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Source: https://www.madeformums.com/pregnancy/your-booking-in-appointment-what-happens/

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