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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Granitetopping · 12/03/2013 20:35

Or put another way - the millions of pounds of NHS money spent on screening women who have a less than 1% lifetime risk of cervical cancer.

renaldo · 12/03/2013 20:37

Granite topping nobody is forced to have a smear

StrawberrytallCAKE · 12/03/2013 20:37

I have just had my 3 month pp smear done by a consultant as I had some cin3 removed a few months before we conceived. I did call at 6 weeks to check and he told me before 3 months there is a high probability that abnormal results will come back but after 3 they will have settled down. I'm anxiously awaiting my results!

I took my 3 month old to the appointment in her car seat, was fine!

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 12/03/2013 20:40

I had a smear test and had to take DS with me. He sat on my belly whilst it was done! I was so relaxed looking at him I didn't even feel it.

StrawberrytallCAKE · 12/03/2013 20:40

Granite what would you rather, no one was tested and the rates of cervical cancer deaths soar?

I feel so lucky they caught my bad cells just before something awful could have happened and grateful that there is so much money spent on screening.

missuswife · 12/03/2013 20:42

I had my two week check up yesterday and brought my baby, had no choice. I fed and changed her before the exam but she was wailing so doc handed her to me and I cuddled her on my chest while the doc poked around down there. Nothing like multi-tasking!

Granitetopping · 12/03/2013 20:46

I work for the NHS. I am not anti cervical screening. I am anti wasting public money. Time and money wasted sending out invitations and making phone calls. If a woman wants a test - she can have one!

Cervical cancer is and always has been a rare cancer. I believe money should be spent elsewhere. Just my opinion!

moanymandy · 12/03/2013 20:48

I thought you had to have your smear at certain times during your cycle? seems strange for them to send you a date when they wouldn't know that info? (only had one myself, so no expert but sure this is what I was told when booking mine)

regardless I took my 18mo with me when I had mine.he just sat in his buggy was fine. yanbu

HollyBerryBush · 12/03/2013 20:52

What do people do with their babies when they have medical appointments?

For the love of God, strap them in a buggy and get on with the business of dealing with your health issue. Ditto the other thread with the woman who needed a dental check up.

Original poster
honeytea · 12/03/2013 20:52

Granite I don't live in the UK, I am not sure if it is the same in the UK I seem to remeber I was called and asked about my cycle and then booked in for an appointment when I yurned 25 in the UK.

OP posts:
AnyoneforTurps · 12/03/2013 20:55

The cost effectiveness of screening programmes is certainly open to question but you are hardly going to improve things by dragging everyone in for an additional counselling appointment before each smear, are you? That'll double the cost to the NHS, not to mention the cost to patients in lost working time, transport etc.

justabigdisco · 12/03/2013 20:56

The official guidance is 12 WEEKS postnatal, not 3 months, or 6 months

justabigdisco · 12/03/2013 20:57

Oh and with modern techniques it doesn't matter where you are in your cycle, and long as you're not bleeding heavily.

Original poster
honeytea · 12/03/2013 20:58

I thought that anyone who had had unprotected sex was at risk of cervical cancer, and as I gave birth 3 months ago they know I have had unprotected sex.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 12/03/2013 20:59

I don't think day of cycle is important at all.

Meglet · 12/03/2013 21:01

granite risk factor for cervical cancer = having sex. Which as she's had a baby means she is at risk of it.

Meglet · 12/03/2013 21:03

I assume cervical cancer is a rare cancer because of the screening programme.

XBenedict · 12/03/2013 21:03

I am a practice nurse and bringing you baby wouldn't be a problem for me I would be able to get someone to hold him for us.

I've recently done some training on carrying out smears and was taught it does matter when you have your smear, it's best done in the middle of your cycle.

jamdonut · 12/03/2013 21:11

Well, it was nearly 13 years ago, but I had a smear test done at my 6 week post natal check -up. Presumably the rules have changed since then?

And I was always told that smears are best done mid cycle. Which reminds me...I recently had a letter to make an appointment for a smear test!

fromparistoberlin · 12/03/2013 21:19

yanbu

my ds came to a full on legs up zstirrups gynae appt.

he is 15

not, he was 3 mo

BikeRunSki · 12/03/2013 21:46

DS came to a smear test with me at 3 months old. Three years later DD did as well (DS was at nursery, not sure that I would have wanted a 3 yo there).

Rhubarbgarden · 12/03/2013 21:55

I took dd to a gynae check up when she was a few weeks old because I wanted the nurse to check everything was ok with my bits after the birth - I had some concerns. I was told by the receptionist I couldn't take the pushchair in due to fire regulations, then when I walked into the nurse's room carrying dd, the nurse had a go at me asking why I'd brought the baby and what did I propose to do with her while I was being examined? I explained that I hadn't been allowed to bring the pushchair in and she barked "well don't you have a car seat?" at me. I was so shocked. Dd was my first baby, I was still figuring out how to go about things with a baby in tow, I was sleep deprived and quite emotional and had to bite my lip to stop the tears. Dd picked up on me being stressed and went berserk. The nurse had to call another nurse to come and hold her (fortunately this one was lovely and she calmed dd down pretty well) and she then lectured me about wasting NHS time expecting nurses to provide free childcare. I then got shouted at about being too tense for her to examine me properly. Hmm

It was fucking awful and I wish I'd complained. I'm very relieved to hear that everyone else on here has had better experiences. Needless to say I've never taken the dcs to gynae type appointments since - I've made dh work from home to mind the kids while I go.

Actually I'm quite Angry now thinking about this.

XBenedict · 12/03/2013 22:09

[Rhubarb] how awful Sad! Come and see me, bring your baby, car seat and pushchair Wink

XBenedict · 12/03/2013 22:09

Not sure why your name is in brackets though!!

goingupinfumes · 12/03/2013 22:24

I had a similar situation I had my smear all booked and my DS then turned out to have an inset day, so he came in with me at the grand of age of 5 so old enough to chatter away and ask me lots of questions - but with the curtain up and just explained to him it was private he was fine. I wasn't happy leaving him out in the waiting room alone, so he just came in, the nurse gave him a colouring pad and some stickers!!