frequency of appointments? (public)
- 10-04-2006, 10:28 PM #9Registered User
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Oh, about the heartbeat. If you had a scan at 10wks (they normally do one for Down's screening between 10 and 14wks), the doc will have seen a heartbeat. They may not have pointed it out to you, however. They see the scan as being for their benefit, not yours. But rest assured you would know about it if there was no heartbeat. Try to ask as many questions as you can, because information is not always volunteered.
I remember I had an appointment at around 14wks where they tried to listen to the baby's heartbeat with a doppler (small instrument on the belly). The student doctors tried in vain to locate the heartbeat. So of course I assumed the worst. "So the baby's dead?", I asked, eyes welling up. They said, "Probably not, it's perfectly normal that we can't always find the heartbeat". I was not reassured by their response, given how anxious they had been when not being able to find the heartbeat (which in retrospect was just their anxiety akin to failing a test or something). So I paid to see a private doctor to have a scan, who confirmed everything was fine! And I also found out on the internet that in western countries they don't attempt to find a heartbeat with a doppler so early because it is quite difficult.
If it's your first baby and you have anxieties and want reassurance, you might want to see a private obstetrician occasionally as well, if you can afford it.
I wish the staff had better bedside manner, but just remember the student doctors have to learn somewhere and they are under pressure to get things right, therefore may not always say the right thing to us because they are trying to cover up their own inexperience. I had a similar situation recently with my second baby: nearly full term, a student doctor was trying to assess the position of the baby. "Something is a little bit unusual here", he said, and my heart skipped a beat. He made a guess at the baby's position and the senior doctor then corrected him. The junior doctor was basically trying to cover up the fact that he didn't know the answer, and wasn't considering my feelings. So don't be alarmed if that kind of thing happens to you!
- 10-05-2006, 02:27 PM #10ctrbabe1 Guest
Thanks for the responses. I did have an ultrasound around 7 wks because I was afraid that I was having an ectopic pregnancy. I did see the baby's heart beat. Maybe that's why they didn't try to listen yet. Or maybe I'm just too impatient. lol.
And believe me, I know all about student doctors... my dh is one! He's in his 4th year at HKU, and I'm terrified that his classmates will be on their OB rotation when it's time for the baby to be born. lol. I would rather not have dh's friends see me down there, if you know what i mean! And I remind dh often to be gentle when he's doing exams (he tends to poke), and remember that these ladies are someone's mother or wife or daughter, and to treat them as if it were his wife or mother or daughter. I hope it's sinking in with him! lol
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