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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take a 3 month old baby with me when I have a smear test?

77 replies

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:36

I have been sent an appointment for a smear test (they come through automatically here so I got no choice in the time) it is at a time when my DP is at work with no possibility of getting time off. I have asked all my friends and family if they could watch DS for me but everyone is working.

DS is 3 months old so not old enough to be traumatised by seeing a smear test but there is a chance that he will be screaming and I won't be able to relax enough for them to do the smear (although post birth maybe they won't have such issues getting the equiptment in)

What do people do with their babies when they have medical appointments? should I ask a friendly lady in the waiting room to hold DS? maybe there would be a spare nurse to hold him. hopefully he would be asleep but what to do if he is not?

OP posts:

AliceWChild · 12/03/2013 19:55

I'm still going to the hospital for all sorts of gyne stuff post birth. I take my son with me and cuddle him while they get on with it.

IneedAsockamnesty · 12/03/2013 19:56

Ask for a chaperone and put them on baby holding duties.

That's what I do.

Original poster

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:59

The midwife told me that breastfeeding my son after birth would mean i wouldn't feel her doing the stitches as bf would take the pain away (she lied) but maybe it would work with lighter pain.

OP posts:

ThreeWheelsGood · 12/03/2013 19:59

I had my first and only smear when pfb was 14 weeks (NHS guidance is to wait til 12 weeks after birth by the way). Baby was in the pram and getting grumpy, so nurse was extra quick, it was great! No time to feel nervous or uncomfortable.

ThreeWheelsGood · 12/03/2013 20:01

Re-book it so it's with the practice nurse at your GP, first thing in the morning (less likely to be running late!). You don't want to be hanging around a drop in for hours.

Daffodilly · 12/03/2013 20:03

Yep I also took 3 month old to double appt. first my smear then her jabs - proud to say I WAS the bravest!

Fortunately she slept through my bit, but even if she hasn't it doesn't take long and she wouldn't have suffered too badly for crying in pram for 2 mins. It isn't exactly a relaxing procedure anyway! Worst case I reckon you could hold baby yourself as you aren't required to do much.

mrsjay · 12/03/2013 20:04

We used to get 1 at our 6 week check (scotland) so baby was there anyway It will be fine feed the baby before you go it takes minutes the nurses usually are 'in' and out' quick

mathanxiety · 12/03/2013 20:04

I took all of mine for appointments (pap smears, pre natal, post natal, etc) and parked them in their buggy, plonked older ones (up to school age which was 5 where I lived) on a chair near my face so I could hold a hand and prevent wandering. None of them remembers any of it and neither do I except I know I did it. Even if a 3 month old cries a pap smear is over pretty quickly and you will be able to attend to him.

ImpYCelyn · 12/03/2013 20:05

I had DS2 sat on my tummy facing me for mine. 2.5 year old was in the pram.

They're used to people having children with them.

dizzy77 · 12/03/2013 20:05

Yes I think I was told after 14wks was fine as my call up was v close to my EDD. Worth calling to check & rebook for something more convenient (at least not drop-in) if poss.

mathanxiety · 12/03/2013 20:07

The cattle call system is the one I am used to -- arrive about 15 minutes early to get any paperwork sorted and get your name on the register and you should be called promptly as soon as they get rid of the previous 15 minutes' or half hour's patients.

Flisspaps · 12/03/2013 20:07

Granite Despite the fact I have a family history of cervical cell changes, and having had treatment in the past, had my surgery not treated me like a conveyor belt item and called me to book my appointment, to ensure they met their targets, I would have had further cell changes missed (which need a colposcopy appointment to look at further) because I would have kept putting it off. I knew I needed one doing, and I knew it was well overdue.

I generally get properly fucked off with the NHS's inability to view women and patients in general as individuals and just follow a protocol with regard to how things are done, but this is one thing that really, I am quite glad about.

If someone doesn't want a test, they can call and cancel, or just not turn up. They can ask to speak to the practice nurse before going ahead with the test.

OP, just take him with you :)

mathanxiety · 12/03/2013 20:08

THough I agree they probably won't want to see you at 3 months pp.

LunaticFringe · 12/03/2013 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

intheshed · 12/03/2013 20:11

I've always taken my two with me. In fact it's a pain now that they are 5 and 3 and just that bit too old now- it's the reason I am about a year late for my smear, I need to arrange for someone to watch them for me so I can get to the doctors

NoPinkPlease · 12/03/2013 20:14

This happened to me and ds was crying. Lovely nurse put him in the crook of my shoulder / arm on the wall side of the bed and I cuddled him while I had it done - gave me something else to think about!

Flisspaps · 12/03/2013 20:16

I had a smear when DD was 13 weeks old.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 12/03/2013 20:18

Managed to get DP to have DC for my smear test but did have to take baby DS with me to have the fucking awful implant taken out my arm. Doctor was fine with this. No issue. DS was not and the receptionist was summoned to take him off my hands for the 5 minutes it took.

I think its easier when they're little like yours OP as they're more likely to be asleep at the convenient time.

ThreeWheelsGood · 12/03/2013 20:18

mathanxiety - NHS says smear test should be 3 months post partum at earliest. Hence the OP's automatic letter.

Spookey80 · 12/03/2013 20:25

I am a smear taker and think nothing of parents bringing in their children, its a nightmare else. I would either bring him in the car seat or buggy, and hopefully it won't take too long and baby will be ok. The surgery I work at sends out appointments, but it is absolutely fine to ring and change that appointment.

MsElisaDay · 12/03/2013 20:25

If the NHS says smears should be six months post partum, I'm wondering why I - and others - had them at our six week checks. Does each GP practice make its own rules?

Anyway, at mine, the receptionists held DS as I also had a coil fitted. Bit more time consuming than just a smear alone.

OP, just take him with you, it'll be no bother. I just presumed that was what everyone did...

Spookey80 · 12/03/2013 20:25

Yes, smear test should be three months after having a baby.

MsElisaDay · 12/03/2013 20:26

sorry, you said three months postpartum, but still... why are so many people having them at six weeks if this is the case?

Original poster

honeytea · 12/03/2013 20:30

Spookey I was wondering if it will be harder to do a smear as I have not restarted my period yet, last time I had it done I seem to remeber they recomended I had it done at a certain point in my cycle (mid cycle I think) so my cervix was easier to reach. (sorry about the work question!)

OP posts:

AnyoneforTurps · 12/03/2013 20:30

"I think that the fact that you have been sent an appointment for a smear test in the first place is appalling!
First, how do the surgery know that it is convenient for you?
Second, there is no mention of informed consent - do they really just expect you to turn up without any discussion regarding your risk factors and whether or not you even want a test?"

Oh quite: bastard GPs offering the OP a test that she is perfectly at liberty to refuse. How very dare they?

Perhaps the practice think the OP is an intelligent woman who will re-schedule if it's inconvenient and make an appointment if she has concerns that she needs to discuss beforehand?

There are roughly 18 million women in the UK in the smear test age group, each having a smear every 3-5 years, depending on age. If GPs insisted that each one come for a counselling session before each smear, that would use up
about 4.5 million appointments each year, or the equivalent of 852 full-time GPs doing nothing else all year. Do you really think that's a good use of NHS resources - and our taxes? And what about the inconvenience to the patients?

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