If you have a premature baby, do you still have the 10 day midwife visit?

[LittleBairn]

Bit of an odd question, I'm currently trying to organise/prepare for a premature baby.
I have had serious issues with my community midwives in previous pregnancies, as far as in concerned their poor care contributed to my DDs death. I have refused to be seen by them in my current pregnancy, all my care is taking place a fetal medicine.

So if you had a baby early that spent time hospitalised afterwards did you still have the 10 day community midwife visit afterwards?

[GinGinGin]

So sorry to hear of your DD's death OP

In answer to your question, my dd was prem, we took her home at 10 days and the community MW came round the day after. I have no idea whether or not that was the 10 day thing though.

Presumably the health board is aware of your concerns? Have they offered any help?

[WhatKatyDidnt]

I'm so sorry about your daughter.

I don't know about the ten day check (we were both still in hospital then), but I found my local health visitor type stuff did kick in once I brought my prem DD home aged four months. It was pretty useless though, they had no idea what I was talking about when I described DD's issues to them. I felt they treated us as their "interesting" case but did not find their visits useful. They forgot about us after a while and I was glad - I prefer to go by DD's many outpatient appointments instead.

If you don't want the community midwives to visit can you ask your GP to do your checks instead?

[bonzo77]

So sorry about your dd.

My community MWs were hopeless when DS 2 was prem. I'd even called them to say not to visit me at home because we were in NiCU. They turned up anyway and left a rude card when we weren't there. I called them and then they did the same the next day. Once we did get home they refused to visit me to weigh him, so I had to take him out in the snow having just had a cs and travel to get him Weighed. When I got to the appointment they had no record of me or my appointment. I get very cross and upset as they'd kept me waiting an hour. She then got arsey with me and said I'd have to go to a mother and baby unit as I couldn't cope!!

[LittleBairn]

bonzo they sound useless! And typically threatening once your dare question their practices or authority.
I can only hope they don't bother to turn up.
Can I ask how long your DS was in the Nicu?

If my DC survives long enough I expect he/she will spend quite a bit of time in the Nicu.

[Annbag]

So sorry about your daughter x

I had a late pre-term baby in September, and we were in hospital luckily on the ward 8 days. I was told the community midwife would visit me the next day at home so I'm not sure if it was a 10 day visit or not? As it happened she didn't turn up and I phoned and some rude lady told me visits were prioritised. I did kind of enjoy saying 'oh is that so because I had a grade 2 emcs, blood transfusions and a premature baby so not sure why I'm low priority'

Sorry, rambling, but perhaps you can decline the visit if you feel you don't need it? She just asked about DS feeding, my emotional state and looked at my scar

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

We were in NICU 7 weeks. I vaguely remember meeting a midwife in NICU but it was all a bit of a blur. I think I'd only met the community antenatal midwive once too as I was straight under consultant care/frequent scans eetc with the pregnancy.
Once we were discharged there were a couple of home visits but obviously I had all been signed off by that point, and the DTs had lots of follow up appts, so it was just a bit of box ticking.
We went to the weekly weigh ins quite diligently for hte first few months, which was just for my peace of mind (and every.single.time. one of hte HVs would muck up the growth chart because of the 10 week 'backdating' for corrected age). But any actual 'health' concerns I always waited until the consutlant follow ups.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[WhatKatyDidnt]

Bonzo your post has reminded me that we also had tersely written cards from midwives through the door on a couple of occasions. The system does not deal well with unusual cases.

Little. Best of luck. I knew DD was going to be very early and tiny for about 5 weeks before her birth, and lived with constant fear that she wouldn't make it. It was extremely difficult. to you.

[LittleBairn]

Annbag they sound very similar to the community team who refused me care after DS died (I've lost two babies) shouting across the reception "why is she phoning us her baby is dead we only deal with the living..." Despite the fact hospital only discharged me because they were told the community midwife team would keep an eye on me due to amount of blood loss.
Thankfully I have a brilliant GP who took care of me.

Twelve I nannied premiee newborn twins and constantly had the weight problem too and comparing them to full term babies it was so frustrating.

what katy thank you. I'm 19 weeks on Saturday so have another 5 weeks to get too the important 24 weeks viability. Time seems to have stopped.

So it seems it's a bit random if they will bother or not. I'm thinking about trying to hire an independent midwife for the 10 day visit its just so difficult to plan for because we have no idea what will happen.

[SoonToBeSix]

Littlebairn am so sorry for the loss of your two babies. When my premature twins were discharged from SCBU we were visited by the SCBU midwife team who were based at the hospital.

[IAmAPaleontologist]

So sorry you have had such terrible care.

Postnatal care is as much about you as it is the baby and you certainly should still have your checks to make sure all is well with you both physically and mentally.

If your baby is in hospital they may be happy to do your checks on the ward or day assessment unit when you come in to visit baby to make life easier for you.

[Bramshott]

Sorry to hear about your losses and difficulties Little.

We brought DD1 home at 3 weeks old, and didn't have any dealings with the community midwife team at all. My (luckily brilliant) Health Visitor did a few home visits once DD was home to do things like a hearing check, weighing etc, and then I continued to see her at the clinic weekly (always adjusting the weight for prematurity).

[Annbag]

So sorry you've had such awful care LittleBairn and wishing you all the best for this pregnancy and getting through the next few weeks x

Anything outside of a textbook case they don't seem to deal with very well do they? Only minor things compared to you but I have to constantly remind about the corrected weight and milestones

[hedwig2001]

I work in a Neonatal unit. Often women have their postnatal checks at the hospital by the midwives in Triage. In my previous hospital, women attended the postnatal ward for their check.

[LittleBairn]

Thank you all that's really informative I feel a lot more relaxed now having a bit more info.

[bonzo77]

littleb DS was only in for 8 nights (he was 5 weeks early). Was consultant lead, and if I'm ever lucky enough to be pregnant again I will avoid midwives like the plague. I Guess there might be some good ones out there, I did come across one pleasant (but ineffectual) one with DS1.

[LittleBairn]

bonzo I think it can be very dependent on the senior management of the area. My community midwives dreadful, the local hospital midwives fantastic but the new hospital I'm at is more mixed. Probably because they are seriously over stretched. But the have the best neo-natal unit in the region so I'm sticking with them.
It's hard to trust strangers with the most important thing in your life.

[LittleBairn]

I should add my I see the consultant too my midwifery care is now being done at the same time by a specialist fetal medicine midwife. Its just the post natal care I've got to worry about.

[Poppet45]

Dont know where you are but where I am in Scotland post-natal care was amazing. Dd was in for 81 days so I got a private room postnatally they kept me in as long as possible so I could be near her, all my postnatal care just involved me popping downstairs to maternity triage, and after discharge I had a real fight your corner amazing hv visit us at home to weigh her each week for a good three months. They did have a dedicated neonatal hv team but they lost them due to cutbacks. I found the triage trip for postnatal care abit unsettling - I ended up in the same room as I di when her labour was kicking off

[CrispyFern]

Best of luck with your pregnancy. X

[LittleBairn]

fuckwittery thanks that's pretty much at what we are looking to pay too.

poppet we are going to S.G in city if that rings any bells. It sounds like you had great care. That said I'm not sure I could out up with a HV for 3 months.

[LittleBairn]

Put not out.

[Poppet45]

Hmmm it doesn't ring any bells actually... I'm in Fife though so we're a law unto ourselves. :D Three months sounds alot but we really needed it. My dd had 60 outpatient hospital appointments and three rehospitalisations and the first three months were very very much of a slog. It took five months til she was in 'newborn' clothes. My HV became such a cheerleader and ally. She was lovely.

[Poppet45]

Does the s stand for Simpson? My brain is working again.

[LittleBairn]

poppet I'm a little further south, central belt. No to Simpson.
Yes I suppose with a premature baby there is going to be a lot more input from others I will have to learn to let go a little.
I will at least meet with the HV first hopefully I'll have one of the good ones.