Wwyd I want to change midwives

[carebear841]

Bit nervous about posting, haven't done so before.

I'm 28 weeks pregnant and have had regular instances of spotting all the way through pregnancy, first at 5 weeks and then last one at 25 weeks. Tends to happen every 2-3 weeks. Have finally been diagnosed with cervical ectropian so it's nice knowing that it is coming from outside womb at least.

I'm booked at St Thomas' in London and have obviously been a fairly regular visitor but not just there, have had to pop to other hospitals when I've been away and spotting has happened. Staff have mostly been amazing and very reassuring at what's been quite scary times.

But... because I'm booked under a traditional midwife team, not case-load, and the care is shared with my GP, every antenatal appt I see someone new. I have PCOS so had GT testing too, and was consultant-led for a while as midwife had concerns about my asthma/ pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that I've had to go into hospital to be checked quite a few times, I feel overwhelmed with the amount of people I've seen.

Which has been okay, until recently. Had been told I'd need a growth scan and GT testing then I called to check and different people told me different things. I was booked for both and at latest midwife appt, she spent a considerable amount of time saying she was surprised, it's not policy any more. I felt fairly irritated as consultant plus GP and a previous midwife had all said I'd need GT test. I don't know whether I should have had one with PCOS or not, I would be happy to do whatever policy is at St Thomas' but not happy when everyone has differing views.

This is just one of the inconsistencies that has come up and it is beginning to really scare me. I feel that, thank god, baby is doing fine, but I've had scares and that I shouldn't have to repeat the pregnancy medical history every time that I go to an antenatal appt. Midwife yesterday didn't even bother asking how I was, how pregnancy had gone so far and she started reading the 28 week growth scan as if it were the 20 week anomaly scan. She felt the baby, heard the heartbeat and measured the bump without addressing me once - she had a student there and just talked to her. The student was super lovely and I understand they need to learn but not a great experience for me. Unfortunately all of my experiences with the different midwives in this team have been just as bad - at the booking in appt, I was waiting for a total of 4 hours and had the first (information) part shared with 2 other women as the midwife had got so far behind. She dipped our urine in front of all of us and then forgot to do bloods.

My confidence has totally gone in this team of midwives and I am concerned that postnatal care for my baby and I will be just as bad, with mixed messages and no-one being responsible for us.

So, after this ridiculously long post (just wanted to explain the whole situation), do I stick with care at St Thomas' or do I try to change to Kings where I'd hopefully be under one case-load midwife? We moved into the area when I was 12 weeks pregnant and had booked at St Thomas, thinking it was equidistant and we loved the birth centre/ home from home birthing centre there. However, Kings is actually much nearer and would be in catchment for case-load... if I could get on it at this late point. I hate making a fuss and do not want to complain, feel so lucky to be pregnant and it seems like baby is doing well despite the ongoing spotting, but have got so worked up about the midwife care.

[Junosmum]

It was similar with my care. Different midwives/drs/consultants = different advice. But on times I did see the same hcp they never remembered me anyway (not that should, they see 100s of women) and they also gave conflicting advice.

I just rode it out, did my own research and used services as needed. So no advice, just to say you'd probably not get the same information if you had the same midwife every time.

[BeardMinge]

I had much the same experience at the Whittington, and I suspect it would be similar at most large London hospitals. I spent more time than I would've liked chasing up stuff and having to query things. I also had a shitload of appointments and extra scans and GTTs. It was a bit irritating, but all absolutely fine ultimately. I just sucked it up as they are incredibly busy. I never really had any fear that my care was substandard, just a bit perfunctory at times.

[carebear841]

Thanks Junosmum and BeardMinge. I never had any worries until last couple of weeks when I've been given lots of different advice etc and I panicked after last midwife appt. Will probably stick with it then and keep following things up as needed.

[EleanorofCastile]

I'm booked in at St Thomas too. I've had two midwife appointments with two different midwives so far (and a consultant appointment which the midwife said I needed but was a waste of time at that point in the pregnancy) but didn't have the negative experience you had at your first appointment - they have all been fairly prompt so far. That sounds terrible. I'm wondering if your last midwife was the one that I had at my last appointment who gave me a long and completely unnecessary lecture on how babies mostly don't arrive on their due date...

It doesn't sound like you have much to lose by transferring at this point if that's what you would feel most comfortable with. I know two people who recently had very positive experiences having their babies at St Thomas' and couldn't recommend them enough, which was part of the reason why I chose them. However I am actually quite a bit closer to King's, and I think traffic and distance wise I should have chosen King's as it will be easier to get to in labour.

[LumpishAndIllogical]

I am ay Kings and see a different midwife everytime unfortunately

[LumpishAndIllogical]

*sorry mean 'at Kings '. I don't think it would be much different there

[carebear841]

Thanks LumpishAndIllogical and EleanorofCastile, I think I will stick with it at St Thomas and just accept that every time I see someone I have to explain the pregnancy history etc and not expect consistency from different hcp. Will obviously continue to make sure any concerns I have are heard though...

But I think I will call and ask about which team I will be under to do postnatal visits at home. At the moment I can deal with inconsistency and I have the time/ energy to push any concerns, but I would like to feel confident in care after baby is born.

[smellsofelderberries]

I'm at St Thoms too and was told at my booking appointment I could request consultant lead care or request the same midwife, but it would mean I need to find out what shifts the midwife I wanted to see worked, and book my appointments in those times.

[carebear841]

Really smellsofelderberries? I wasn't given that option (booking appt was a joke though) and I don't think I need consultant led tbh, have been under a consultant for 2 appts and due for another because of another health query though. Midwife appts don't work like that in the team I'm under. You get booked into one of two possible diaries and whoever is working that day picks up one of them. Yesterday midwife did offer to try and see me next time but as I was really unhappy with her, I chose to book my next appt on a day when she's not in.

[plimsolls]

I'm at St Thomas' and have seen the same midwife every time. It's a case-led team and I will see her for every appointment unless she has been called to assist one of "her" other women in labour, in which case I will have a named other midwife as the kind of deputy. She sees me at home and we choose the time/date of my next appointment together.

I wonder why my antenatal care is different? I was under the impression it was all community case teams at St Thomas. Can you speak to the midwife and find out? Maybe its to do with whereabouts you live or something but perhaps they could change your team or something.