What should I be prepared to ask?

Deanne Shehane

I feel like an idiot. I had my last appt at my Fertility Specialist last week. This Friday I go to see my Ob/gyn for the first time as a pregnant 40 year old. I will be 8 weeks 3 days when I go. I am not sure what to ask when i go. I am assuming he will probably take the lead in all of it. Any advice on what I should ask?  

I am kind of overwhelmed with all of the testing. Will I see a peri too at my age?  I don't think we will do the amnio or the CVS because of the risk of miscarriage. I just feel lost and overwhelmed. I am reading, "Your pregnancy week by week" and "What to expect when you're expecting". Info overload!!!!! I welcome any thoughts. TIA

mwd

First of all, Congratulations!  My doctor asked me lots of questions on my first visit.  Also, keep in mind that you will be at least seeing the doctor once a month for the first 7 months, so plenty of time to ask questions later on, too. 

Have you heard the heartbeat yet?  Your doc may do a doplar test to hear it, but after 40 and at my 8 week, my doc did a vaginal ultrasound.  So that may be a question to ask in advance of your appointment.   Good luck!   

busybea

BIG congrats!  Yep, let the doctor take the lead on the first visit,  he will inform you of all that you need to know so far and will most likely put you on prenatal vitamins.  You'll have plenty of visits to ask questions later on, just relax and enjoy this moment....  )

ScoobyM

Congratulations on your pregnancy!!  At my first visit at 8 weeks, my doctor had a bunch of pamphlets and papers with information about what to expect in the coming visits, various types of tests they had to run (mostly blood tests) or optional tests I could choose, and they did a vaginal ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy, and I could see the heartbeat then.  They pretty much inundate you with information so even if you think of some questions they may be already covered. 

However, that said, the types of stuff I wanted to know about were:

• What medications can I take if I get a cold or something like that?
• What foods or other things should I avoid (i.e. caffeine, artificial sweeteners, fish, etc.?)
• What kind of exercise can/should I do?
• Can I get massages?
• Can I get waxes?

 This kind of stuff is all over your pregnancy books but different doctors have different policies so you might want to know your own doctor's recommendations.  They will probably tell you a lot of this stuff anyway, but if you want to have some questions in your back pocket, these were the ones I had at the first visit.

smynings_bride

Congrats!!

I would ask about anything you're confused about after reading all the stuff you see in books and online and I'd ask about office protocols for your age.  I'm 40 too.  My office's protocol for 40+ was a peri appointment at 12 weeks (the ob's office set it up for me at my 8-week appointment) and then continue with peri until they finish the age-related testing (whether it be the sequential, cvs or amnio--I did the sequential) and then at 32 weeks 1x week with peri, 1x week with ob on separate days so that baby gets monitored 2x week because of increased risk of still birth in mothers over 40.  I see ob before that every 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks starting at 28 weeks til the 32 week routing starts.

My OB's office gave me a booklet at my 8 week appointment with their recs on over the counter meds, certain fish, cheeses and other foods guidelines and lots of other helpful info.

Lastly, I'd talk to them about prenatal vitamins--mine gave me a bunch of samples at my first appointment.  Be sure they give you one to try with a stool softener added in. 

 

ateytelb

Congrats! You should be getting your 1st ultrasound with measurments just about now - make sure this gets scheduled.

If you are sure you don't want CVS or amnio done, you still need to do your 1st trimester screening (blood work + ultrasound) around 10 weeks. Ask where you can have it done and schedule an appointment.

Plus other issues that PP's already mentioned: diet, exercise, vitamins, medications etc. Something you want to know in particular? E.g. if you normally drink a lot of coffee ask how many cups per day is safe to drink (they will prob. tell you one cup).

kinsalebride

Congrats! Honestly my advice would be to let the dr. take the lead and step away from the pregnancy books - they can drive you crazy with worry. All of my friends that read them said they had them freaked about stuff being wrong when everything was fine, so i never bought one and just tried to enjoy the moment.

grantierb

kinsalebride:

let the dr. take the lead and step away from the pregnancy books - they can drive you crazy with worry.

This! Do NOT read ahead! Your Dr. will tell you what and WHEN you need to do anything. Yes, all the testing early on is overwhelming and scary but it gets better, I promise. Congratulations!

Deanne Shehane

Thanks ladies! I really appreciate the advice!