to think my care has been awful

[Boudica1990]

hi all (waves) new here so be gentle please.

So to cut a long story short I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant (yay) I have suffered with infertility have had 16 (yes I wrote that right) previous early losses, so against all odds this little trouble maker is doing great :)

Now my complaint....my midwife, my gosh she is as useful as a fart in a thunderstorm.

She has never weighed me (I mean I look healthy a normal size 10/12 when I got pregnant, and yes I have gained weight like most pregnant women do but I don't know if its a healthy amount. I can't weigh myself as childish as this sounds but I have suffered with a eating disorder in the past so refuse to keep weighing scales in the house, and go off the old tell tale sign of trousers are a bit tight cut back a little. So I have no idea if I'm OK or putting myself at risk or anything. I have not gained a excessive amount I mean I look slim except for bump, but it would be nice to know!

My second and more serious issue is she nearly killed me or my baby! ...she has never tested my waters, not once! So que me at a and e on Friday in agony tears in the waiting room, nusrses were coming out to cuddle and comfort me. My back was burning and the pain was horrendous. Turns out I had a aqute kidney infection if left untreated could have led to septicemia! My blood work was shocking! Now no I had never noticed the burning feeling when I pee because it didn't! I drink water constantly all day and my pee (sorry tmi) is very diluted! But even my diluted pee showed a urine infection on a dip stick test!

So am I being unreasonable in thinking the water infection at least should have been picked up at my appointments with her? I have had 3 so far!!

Maybe I'm just being hormonal and dosnt help that OH is away but I feel like shouting at her for the agony she put me through :(

I work in ante-natal. Your weight should have been taken at booking to calculate your BMI, but not again unless you develop symptoms.
Urine should be dipped at every appointment. We are looking for protein, glucose, ketones and leucocytes as routine. This is to pick up early warning signs of pre eclampsia and gestational diabetes. And will also indicate if mum and baby are getting enough nourishment ie if suffering from hyperemisis mum may need a hospital nourishment.
BP should also be taken at every visit.
If the midwife is testing urine after visit that's very poor practise. If there is anything abnormal in that reading mum may need to be seen by the doctor before leaving the clinic.

"hospital admission, not nourishment"

Hello all,

Thought I'd update you, so after mulling over everything and speaking to DP I have made a plan of action. I spoke to my gp surgery today to a lovely Dr who was a little shocked that I ended up in a and e with a kidney infection. I said I didn't want any complaint or anything said just to be cared for. So we mutually agreed that when I felt any burning on urination I can pop in to the surgery and have a simple dip test and they will send a sample off to see what is causing it. If I have no symptoms I'm still to pop in once a fortnight for a simple dip stick test with the practice nurse to ensure everything is OK. She might not do it then and there but if I leave the sample she will do it and I'm to phone for the results before surgery closing times. I have an appointment with the same Dr tomorrow at 10:50 to have my blood pressure, urine and a chat about my anxiety issues.

I'm feeling much better about it all :)

OP

Dr here- routinely only a booking weight is measured, we don't weigh patients throughout pregnancy unless there is something specifically worrying us.

When you see your midwife, she should routinely do things like check your blood pressure and do a urinalysis. Same if you went to an hospital antenatal clinic.

With regard to your kidney infection, if you had no symptoms at the time you went to your midwife appointment, then it would be unlikely to show up on your urinalysis (or if she had taken bloods).

What you had sounds like an acute pyelonephritis (kidney infection)- the key is the "acute"- it can be serious, especially in pregnancy when your immune system is effectively compromised BUT it is not a chronic thing which would show up even a few days in advance in the vast majority of cases.

The fact that you are pregnant means infections can have a much more rapid onset of systemic infection than might be the case if you weren't, so you can become much more unwell before you have the signs/symptoms which would trigger treatment in a slower onset infection (IFYSWM).

All that said, if your midwife hasn't been checking your blood pressure etc, she should be. How often are you seeing her?

If you are really unhappy, ask for another midwife (if the community team have one that covers your area). If you don't want to ask for a different midwife, perhaps you could discuss your concerns with another midwife or your GP (who should be doing shared care if you are a community based patient)?

Hello,

She didn't weigh me at booking in that part of my notes is blank along with many other pages. I have not had my bmi calculated either I don't think. I have seen her 3 times and am supposed to go for my 25week check up soon. That will be the last appointment I have with her.

There is no other midwife only her for our area, I am seeing my GP tomorrow so will discuss ongoing care :)

Thank you for your informative post

That sounds a very positive outcome from your visit to the doctor.