My DH is so wonderful that he wants to go to every doctor visit, but I don't want him to miss so many days of work. Does your DH go with you all the time? Does he really have to? How do I know which visit is important and which ones he can miss?
I really just want him to go to the ultrasound so he can see the pictures, but does the Dr. do an ultrasound every time? Help!
Thanks in advance...reb562 due January 11th 2013.
Re: How many times does your DH go with you to your appointments?
My DH went with me to the NT scan and will go to the a/s. All the other appts, I will go to by myself. This has mostly to do with the fact that DH works nightshift from 11pm to 7am. My appts are usually mid morning or early afternoon and it would totally screw up his sleep to come. It is essential that he gets good rest in order to do his job safely.
Most docs don't to an u/s at every appt. If you have no history of pg complications or risk factors they may only do one scan at around 20w (anatomy scan). You may be offered an optional NT scan at between 11 and 13w to check for chromosomal abnormalities, but this scan is not offered to every pg woman. Some docs will also do a scan at around 6-7w to check for growth and to date the pregnancy.
Most ob appts are pretty boring in truth. They weigh you. Do a urine test for protein and sugar. Take your blood pressure. After about 10w, they will start to check for a hb with a doppler. After about 15w week they will start to measure your fundal height (the size of your bump). They will give you time to answer questions and schedule any upcoming tests (a/s, GTT, etc). You will see your ob monthly until about 30-32w, then every 2w until about 37-38w and finally weekly until delivery.
ETA: spelling.
My DH has been to three appointments. The first was to meet our new OB and see the first ultrasound. The second was for the a/s. The last one was to meet our new (we switched) OB before delivery.
With our DD, he was laid off from work and went to most of the first and second tri appointments at his request. At the end, we both agreed it was not important.
I don't think he will go to any more appointments.
BFP May 2017.
BFP November 2011 TWINS!!!. Lost a twin at 7 weeks. DS born VBAC.
BFP July 2009. DD born via c/section for breech presentation.
BFP Jan. 2009. Missed miscarriage at 9 weeks.D&C March 2010
December 2009 - Diagnosed with bicornuate uterus.
Some people's dhs go to most appointments. Mine does not. I brought him to the first one to meet the ob, and I took him to the ultrasound appts which for me was two main ones: the nt scan and the anatomy scan. I later had a growth scan and a fetal echocardiogram, but I did not take dh to those. The main reason for not bringing him is that it is very inconvenient for him to attend with his work schedule and location.
My ob office does not do ultrasound at every visit. Other practices may do thing differently.
IVF #1 ET 1 d3 embryo 10/30/11 BFP
3 Embryos frozen (1 d5, 2 d6)
DS born 07/29/12
FET #1 ET 1 d5 embryo 02/10/15 BFN
FET #2 1 d6 embryo didn't survive thaw, transferred last d6. CP
My Blog
He didn't come with me for my beta blood draws but was with me for u/s#1 and will be there for u/s#2. Hopefully we will see a heartbeat.
I'm sure he will go to all my RE visits for the u/s but once we graduate to an ob I'm sure he'll only go with me for the important visits.
06.10.12 +HPT 06.12.12 Beta #1 = 2,770 06.14.12 Beta #2 = 6,300
1st U/S 06.18.12 2nd U/S 06.25.12
09.24.12 It's a Boy!! ---> Jacob Owen
Our IF Journey Began: October 2009
**8 Failed IUI's, 1 Blighted Ovum, & 1 Failed IVF**
Dx: MFI, DOR w/MTHFR Homozygous A1298C & Hypothyroidism
03.2012 Lab Results: FSH 6.83 AMH 0.67 TSH 3.8 E2 17
SA 156 million 93% motility 3% morphology
**~PAIF/SAIF Always Welcome~**
He has gone to all my monthly and now bi-monthly appointments. Our baby classes immediately follow the appointments. Now I'm going for weekly NST and U/S and he hasn't been able to go to all of those.
My feelings on the matter appear to differ from yours. I'd be terribly hurt if DH didn't accompany me to my appointments. Now that I have two appointments every other week I don't mind so much that he can't make it to every NST/US. I am a bit dissappointed but more understanding than anything.
FWIW, he hasn't been much involved in shopping for the baby registering, or setting up the nursery aside from hanging curtains and assembing the crib. So going to the doc appointments is his biggest involvement in the pregnancy.
My DH went to my first appointment (it was with my RE and we knew we would have an u/s). He also went to my a/s at 19 weeks. The only other appointment he went to was my gestational diabetes consultation because he had questions and wanted to know what he could do to help me manage my GD. I do not get an u/s every time I see my OB (just the dating u/s and the a/s aroudn 20 weeks). Now that I am high risk and see a MFM for my GD and high BP I get an u/s at every appointment with the MFM to check the baby's growth.
DH travels alot and has to use vacation/sick time to go to appointments with me so I am fine with him not going to most appointments. Generally the appoinments are pretty quick and boring anyway.