Carry on Doctor - 4

I am now at the beginning of the last three months of my pregnancy and so far my experience of Canarian maternity care has been interesting. I do recognise that some of the issues I have had have been to do with my limited (okay very limited) Spanish skills.

So I thought the best way to avoid any problems between me and the GC health system in the next three months and on B day would be to meet with the maternity nurse now and discuss what to expect in this time.

On Tuesday I went to the clinic to ask for an appointment with the materno, I was told only the doctor could refer me to the materno, so I got an appointment with the doctor instead.

Yesterday Mr. C and I trundled along to the doctor. Now in fairness the doctor´s computer was not working and he was running about an hour late, which in Gran Can time is only really half an hour, so he probably wasn´t having his best day. That´s me giving him the benefit of the doubt because he was the most unhelpful and uninterested doctor I have ever met.

We explained that we wanted to know what would happen in the next three months, I showed him my appointment for the next scan in a couple of weeks (at least I think it is for a scan) and my pregnancy information card and he just said that we would be given our next appointment at our next appointment.

We tried to ask about the options for giving birth, if we could visit the maternity ward in advance and what the process for presenting for the birth was. He looked at us like we were crazy.

So this is what we know from the doctor, I have no choice on how to give birth, it is lie on your back and pop the baby out. If I am over my due date they will give me an appointment for an induction, otherwise we just turn up when I start my contractions.

So essentially we are no wiser than we were before we saw him. I do not feel reassured.

Maybe I can blame my friend that recommended I buy the Blooming Birth book. This is a very good book, I found it very informative and straight-forward. However it is aimed at pregnant women in the UK, and so for me, in Gran Canaria, reads more as a fairy tale of birth options.
I have accepted that living on a small island with one main hospital, and living over an hours drive away from that hospital, that my choices would be reduced. For instance home births are not favoured here unless you live in Las Palmas. I can understand that and I did always think that a hospital would be the place for me to give birth. And I had accepted that while I might like the idea of a birthing pool then if they don´t have one its not the end of the world.

I just thought that there might be a little bit more, information about what was available and there might be some choice within those confines. Even if there is no choice, it is useful to know exactly what the hospitals procedures are so you can at least prepare yourself for those.

All I´m after is a little bit of information and a smidgen of reassurance. I guess the best I can do is read as much as I can and understand as much of the process as possible so I can at least be a little bit prepared for what will happen for me. That and not think about it too much.

Well my next appointment is in three weeks, I know the correct time, the correct clinic and the correct room. Maybe this will be the one where I am in the right place at the right time.