Maternal Health Taree

It's best to book an appointment as soon as you have a positive pregnancy test, ideally by six to eight weeks of pregnancy. The first visit matters because early pregnancy is when key foundations are set — your doctor will confirm the pregnancy, calculate your due date, review any medications you're taking (some need adjusting for pregnancy), check your immunisation status and discuss supplements such as folate and iodine, which are recommended in early pregnancy.

Your GP will also arrange routine antenatal blood tests and a dating ultrasound, and talk through your options for pregnancy care, as some models such as shared care or private obstetric care benefit from early booking. If you have existing health conditions such as diabetes, thyroid problems or high blood pressure, early review is particularly important so your care can be planned around them from the start.

Shared care is a model of pregnancy care where your GP provides most of your routine antenatal appointments, shared with a hospital or maternity service that handles key milestone visits and the birth itself. It's a popular option for women with low-risk pregnancies who want to see a familiar doctor close to home rather than travelling to hospital clinics for every check-up.

Under shared care, your GP monitors your health and your baby's growth at regular intervals, performs routine checks such as blood pressure and fundal height measurements, arranges scheduled tests and communicates with the hospital throughout. The hospital typically sees you at booking, at certain milestones and in the final weeks. Not all GPs provide shared care — practices usually need an arrangement with the local health service — so it's worth asking your doctor early whether it's available and suitable for your pregnancy.

The six-week check reviews how the mother and baby are recovering and developing after birth. For the mother, the doctor typically checks blood pressure and any wounds such as caesarean incisions or perineal tears, asks about bleeding, discusses breastfeeding or feeding challenges, screens for postnatal depression and anxiety using questions about mood and coping and talks through contraception, as fertility can return before periods do.

For the baby, the check usually covers weight and growth, hip stability, heart sounds, eyes, reflexes and general development, along with a chance to discuss feeding, sleeping and settling. It's also when the doctor confirms the six-to-eight-week immunisations are on track. Write your questions down beforehand — the appointment covers a lot of ground, and sleep-deprived parents rarely remember everything they meant to ask.