AIBU to be very pissed off with my maternity services? I don't know what to do and I am panicking! HELP!!!!!

[CrazyChristmasLady]

Was suppose to have MW today. I am almost 33 weeks and saw her 4 weeks ago. She was adamant she wants to see me after the receptionists last time told me to see the doctor at 16 weeks which means I have seen my MW twice in 33 weeks of pregnancy.

Due to weather appointment was cancelled. Was then told next appointment is 17th January! I will be almost 38 weeks and DS was born just after this time. To me it is not good enough that I am expected to wait with no checks at this late stage of pregnancy. I have a consultant appointment on 5th January to discuss my birth after a previous forceps and 3rd degree tear birth. I really really wanted today to go over my rough plan with my MW (who is fantastic and supportive) as I am also worried that the consultant is going to dismiss my plan and possible senarios and outcomes.

I have been told I can see my doctor if I am worried. She wasn't there today and has no appointments until 10th January. I can try and phone first thing in the morning to get an appointment for that day (I loathe doing it, it is going to be a nightmare trying to get one but it seems it is my only choice).

My MW is at the childrens centre 1 morning a week, that is it. I asked if I can leave a message for her to phone me so I can at least speak to her and they said they can't do that as they won't see her. She told me last time she isn't allowed to give out her mobile number (some people on here suggested asking for that, as that is what they have). I have no way of contacting a MW. My surgery tell me to go to the childrens centre, the childrens centre tell me to ask the surgery.

It is a complete fucking shambles and I am sarting to get worried because of the birth I had last time. I am allowed to have an elective c section but I am keen to avoid this but if I can't talk to anyone about it, I am getting so worried I am thinking about just doing it (even though I don't want to). I have to give them my decision on the 5th which is why I want to discuss my plan first!

I am freaking out!

Sorry to hear you are being messed around.

Can you get to the GP's surgery, being heavily pregnant and weather permitting? If so, ring and make an appointment for the necessary tests.

If not, ring the local midwifery team and explain your concerns. The necessary checks do need to be carried out and I am surprised that the midwives have cancelled on you due to weather (especially if they would prefer a heavily pregnant woman to go to the surgery).

Definitely contact the GP first and see what they can do for you, and consider complaining about the lack of support you feel you have received during this time.

I agree that maternity services at this time of year are beyond crap. I'm 36+1 today with dc4, haven't seen my MW since 31 weeks, did my 34 wk A/N with my GP as I couldn't get an appointment I could get to with the MW (MW clinic once a week between 2pm-4pm, only had 3pm appt left, have 3 school age dc!). I have another A/N tomorrow, meant to be with MW - had to book with GP again as MW on holiday.

Plus my surgery will be shut totally (only one GP, he's on holiday) from Thursday 23rd December until Monday 3rd January. I'm now meant to be having weekly A/N's from now on due to being high risk (epilepsy, previous pre-eclampsia, currently showing + for protein in Urine an blood pressure slowly creeping up with each A/N, have been induced at 34+5 with one of my other dc). I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to get ANY antenatal care over the christmas period!

Loudlass - you can get antenatal care from the delivery suite for that sort of thing. I visited the delivery suite for a CTG every day for 3 weeks before I had DS induced and with DD I visited 2/3 x per week for a CTG for 3 weeks before she was born. Different complication though. The system operated in the ones I went to was that you phone them up and ask them if they are busy - they will tell you whether they are busy and they'll either say come in now or come in later.

I am really shocked at this thread. You had no checks at all between 28 and 37 weeks? how can that be possible?. I had all my antenatal appointments at the hospital(after many many complications and miscarriages) but I had to insist on this. Found it much easier as didnt need to repeatly explain my v complicated history to various midwives.Also meant I always knew who to call when I had a query.
Sorry not really being helpful am I?! I think you need to be alot more forceful.Complain to both your gp and head of midwife services.Contact hospital directly if you have any worried(please dont dismiss the pains you have been experiencing-just in case).
Good luck.

I had a very similar situation to yours for my second pregnancy, but didn't even have gp's to turn to...they decided to dump me from their roster 6 months into my pregnancy as a punishment for making a complaint about the behavior of one of the staff to the practice manager. There was no new gp available as there was a shortage in the area. I could have applied to be assigned to one, but it would have taken more than the 3 months left of my pregnancy to get the new gp and it would only have been a temporary one anyway. So I marched into the head midwife's office on the natural birth floor at the hospital where I was registered and burst into tears. Staff were lovely and organized for me to meet with a senior midwife then and there. In addition, they phoned the head midwife (who wasn't in) on her mobile and had me speak with her to organize an appointment the next day. She took me on personally and agreed to deliver my baby by VBAC herself (which she did, despite living several hours drive from the hospital). She also dealt with the obnoxious consultant during the pregnancy and the idiot surgeons after delivery, resulting in a fairly stress free experience the second time around.

Your practice manager would be a good person to talk to. They employ every HCP who looks at you so if you have a complaint going to them is going directly to their boss. Definitely ring your triage and ask them for help or your consultant's office. You should be able to get seen at the Day Unit (ours is like a mini-ward you go in and get tests/ scan/ CTG, I used to have to go three times a week).

Have you thought about getting a Doula? They will be able to help with things like your birth plan, although obviously they're not medical professionals so can't do your checks but they might be able to put your mind at rest.

I'm not sure what else to suggest other than what has been said on here.

Are you from Plymouth by any chance? Sounds like my maternity care.

confuddled - sorry but that's just not true. Here in Scotland GPs only employ practice staff - so HVs, MWs, DNs and every other HCP in the practice is employed by the Health Board. Practice managers are certainly not MWs boss - wouldn't have the professional links to allow them to be

You don't need a GP appointment today, just 1 this week, so explain to receptionist that midwife appointment was cancelled and you need to see someone for a maternity check up this week. That's assuming you have shared care with your GP. If it's supposed to be midwife only care then I'd phone the midwifery unit before phoning the GPs as they should be responsible for getting you an appointment this week, not your GP, and should be putting on extra sessions if they have alot of women to see. Waiting until Jan is mad in late pregnancy. If they are very busy though there may not be time for a long discussion so make sure you have clearly sorted out the points you need to discuss with the midwife. I'm not sure why you can't discuss these with the obstetrician in Jan though before coming to a decision.
Agree that midwives are not employed by GPs but by hospital trusts.

I hope you managed to get some advice and help, CrazyChristmasLady - as others have said, you don't need this stress.

Lifeforrent - yes, you don't need lots of midwife checks in a healthy, uneventful pregnancy - but you don't know that a pregnancy is going to be problem-free until afterwards - hindsight is a wonderful thing - and the checks that the midwives do can pick up potentially life-threatening conditions such as pre-eclampsia before they can cause any problems to mother or baby.

In your position, I would contact the maternity unit and ask to see one of the midwives there, CCC.

armani yes I am. Take it you have had the same bother then?

2rebecca my surgery have no appointments that can be prebooked this week which means phoning everyday at 8 and hoping for the best. DH pointed out to me last night that there is no point doing this today as I will not make it to the docs as it is hidden away in a maze of tiny side roads on a very steep hill.

I'm going to phone the midwives at the hospital in a minute and see what they suggest.

I can't believe they expect a pregnant woman to go from 28 to 38 weeks without being seen for any checks.

lal sorry but it just is true. It doesn't matter who you see - A&E doctor, cardiac surgeon, hospital midwife etc - they're all employed by the practice manager to treat his/her patient. They might get paid by someone else but they're contracted by your PM to look after you.

My doctors surgery certainly doesn't have a whole hospital on staff, not sure if that's what you imagine down here in England

Crazy, could you ask for an emergency appointment?

phone derriford they have the telephone numbers of the community teams, even if your mw is not available today one of her team should be able to get back to you.

I'm plymouth (just outside) too and mine definitely worked as teams.

confuddledDOTcom - not true Practice manager does not employ those people - it may be pct might be NHS Trust depending on area - but they are the employers. The practice manager on behalf of practice may have an agreement with PCT/NHS Trust regarding services but most definately don't employ them. However the practice manager would have ability to get you appointment with GP

Sometimes, MWs can come to your house. Is that an option?

from hospital website

Midwifery Supervision:
Every Midwife has a supervisor, who is herself a midwife who has undergone further training for the role. Supervisors of Midwives ensure that midwives provide safe, high quality care.

Supervision of midwives is a legal requirement, set within the Midwives Rules and exists to protect women and their babies from poor practice.

A supervisor of midwives has been nominated by fellow colleagues usually because of her/his approachable nature, leadership ability and good communication skills. They are available for both midwives and women. The supervisor is not "in charge" of the midwife but often works in partnership with the midwife and women.

All supervisors have additional roles, some are midwife managers and many are midwives who work in the hosiptal or community.

Supervisors are there to be a support as well as giving sound professional advice. Women are entitled to talk to a supervisor of midwives in confidence if any issues arise with which they may need assistance.

All supervisors are accountable to the Local Supervisory Authority (LSA) and have standards to achieve; for more information visit: www.midwife.org.uk

If you wish to contact a supervisor of midwives about any aspect of your pregnancy, labour or birth, please call 01752 517888 and ask for the "on-call supervisor of midwives".

I would call them.

OP definately ring the Labour Ward! I am in SW too but north so not much help - we don't get given CMW mobile numbers either but I am only 32 weeks and saw midwife yday and she said to ring Labour Ward direct if I am worried about ANYTHING over Christmas and NY.

Our services here are known for being very good so shocked yours are so bad down there.

If not your GP surgery should have "emergency" appointments which they keep back. You need to state that it's an emergency to get one though they won't just offer.

Also have a look at the NICE guidelines

here

We are TTC#2 - this has reminded me of the rubbish service we receive also. Fab!

Well, I phoned the community MW today. She didn't sound particularly nice or want to be that helpful, more like I am being difficult (it was the number you gave Diet).

She said I can go to the drop in place, which is what everyone has said to me and to everyone I have said "no way" heard awful things about it. It is a converted flat in a really rough area (that in this weather is not accessable to me as I live slightly outside of the doctors area anyway but didn't want to change GPs when I moved as I really like mine). The 'waiting room' has patio furniture and the people who use it are, well, 'colourful'. A friend of mine had to go there and said there were a load of people calling each other fucking cunts in front of toddlers there and didn't give a damn, they were all really rough. She was there for 45 minutes with no one coming in or out and she ended up leaving as it was so busy. She complained to the surgery who said they had received complaints before and they wanted to get it shut down so if my friend knew anyone else, to get them to complain as well.

Told the CMW I had heard bad things and I also have M.E. and a toddler and I have been ill for the last few days and I don't have the energy to sit and wait around, hoping I get seen at some point, its too exhausting. She just said "but you will get seen" and when I pointed out that my friend didn't, she just said "well she didn't do it properly then" in a really huffy voice. I said the hospital was far more accessable to me, being a 10 minute drive on main roads from my home. She told me there is no clinic at the hospital. Then she just said "well I don't know what to do" (I pointed out that it is unacceptable for me to go from 28 to 38 weeks without being seen,), then she said my MW is at my surgery tomorrow doing the booking in appointments so I should phone there and ask to speak to her and see what she says.

She said about the different days my MW is here and there and I did point out that I was willing to see anyone but she just didn't respond to that at all.

Basically sounded like she just wanted to get rid of me and that I seem to be asking for something that is a huge inconvenience.

A friend of mine is due 3 days after me and at her check last week, she is measuring small so had to go and have another scan, its only through these checks that things like this are picked up FFS!!! Why can't they see how frustrating it is (I have actually been making my asthma worse through stressing and having a cold at the moment) and they are of no use!! Grrrrrr.

Did you speak to the supervisor or just a Community Midwife?

Thinking back, I think she was a CMW. I'm sure thats what I remember her saying. I didn't think to state I wanted the supervisor, I just left a message and got phoned back. She caught me as I was literally getting DS out the door.

If I don't get more joy from my own MW tomorrow, I'll try again and ask for the supervisor, I hope that wasn't her, she was not approachable or appreciating of my concerns at all.

blimey she sounds rude. I would call back or ring derriford switchboard and ask to speak to head of midwifery services.

I never said they are the employers. Doctors, nurses, MWs etc work for their respective hospitals/ PCTs whatever. When you are seen by them they are in effect contracting out to them. Just like if you employed a builder to work in your house they would still work for their company but you would be the one giving them the work.

I had this when I had to make a complaint, I wasn't sure who in that particular incidence was the person to speak to and I was explained to and told the PM for what I've said.

Crazy, I think you need to start making calls to the hospital. Call your consultant's secretary and see if they can see you. They may be able to get you into Day Assessment Unit or onto someone else's clinic. Sometimes you have to make a fuss and ring people yourself to get things moving.