New mum

Hi and Congratulations!
The only symptom I had that I was pregnant was extreme tiredness. Nothing else,..didnt get any moning sickness at all, or have sore breasts or anything.
As you will soon find, all pregnancy guides say "you will feel,...." at a certain week, but they are a general guide. I havent really fitted in with what it says should be happening very often! Also everyone u know or meet will have an opinion for u on what u should be feeling, how big your bump is etc!
You wont have to pay for blood tests, but depending where you go may have to pay for scans. You probably wont find many (if any) GP's that will still be an LMC. Im not sure about the Specialist thing,.but you have come to the right place,..you will get lots of answers from all the lovely people on here!

What Roksana said! Congrats and welcome to Oh Baby!

Welcome to oh baby!

Congratulations :) how exciting for you.. Hope it all goes well :)

Congrats, Pauline - yay for you!  I've got a Midwife for my LMC and don't pay a cent for her services, or for any tests that she orders.  But when I've had to see a GP for a pregnancy-related issue after 12 weeks, I had to pay.  I think all prescriptions I pay for as well.  The first GP visit - the 'yes, you are pregnant because my test which is far superior to the 3 you've already taken and the period you've missed' was free, as were the routine blood tests he ordered. 

I read a few things (some were NZ publications too) saying that the GP would do a vaginal examination to confirm the pregnancy, and the GP and midwife would do breast exams on me, and all sorts of unpleasant-sounding things... so not what happened!  So far (and probably because there have been no bad complications for me) no-one has done any exams or tests that are unpleasant.  It's just belly-feeling, blood & urine tests, and soon a rediculously sweet drink to have. 

See your GP for those first bloods as soon as you can, and then after you've chosen what kind of LMC you want, it pays to book them in as early as possible.  I've had the one scan (20 weeks) and it was free because I have a community services card.  Without one, it would have only cost about $25.  But services vary so much over the country.  Sounds like a lot more work than it is, sorting out an LMC and all that - once you've got one, you're sweet as.  Good luck for the pregnancy - you've found the right site for advice!!

Hi and Welcome!

I got really lucky in that my GP delievers, I think she is one of the few left but the doctors I go to manages to boast 2 female GP's who deliver!! (there are actually several of us on here using one of these two doctors)

However Monique was already my GP when we fell pregant so it wasn't an issue securing her as my LMC...I do know of one girl who tried to secure the other doctor but wasn't able to, Angela also wasn't her regular doctor so I'm not sure if that made a difference.

We don't pay for Monique's services unless it is non pregnancy related, she claims under the government system or whatever it is same as midwives do. We are also free to bother her as much as we like 24 hours a day and do have all her after hours contacts so again that is no different to a midwife.

I think the only real difference will come at the actual birth were I will be looked after mainly by the hospital midwives and Monique come's in closer to the acutal birth.

We pay for the scans - we go to Insight radiology and I think they are more expensive than other places but I also paid for my first scan at a standard radiology place. Blood tests etc all free.

Adn as for symptoms...you will find very quickly that they can very from woman to woman...if you have no morning sickness that can be quite normal and I imagine you will be the envy of everyone!

Hope that helps and sorry about the novel!

I was about to say go to your GP - mine gave me what I call the instruction manual...and names of local and city (yes akld too) specialists to try. I am hoping to go to a specialist as LMC but one who works with a midwife...I am coming up 35.
I decided to let a local friend know who had baby 8 months ago and she is asking her coffee group for ideas about who they used and know of....highly recommend this as a way to hear the real truth about Midwives and specialists and birth centres...one i thought would be great turned out to be the one with the most negative responses from mums and my GP!
Congrats on BFP....and dont worry I dont have ms either, nor the smell hightening etc...so does make me paranoid too.
As for scans = that one in manurewa is free, as is botany etc....pays to ask around...probably once you get your LMC they will let you know.