To think midwife should've taken bloods?

[TinyTino]

Had my booking appointment today. All went really well and midwife was lovely. In the letter I got from docs I was told to make sure I was hydrated and that I would have bloods taken today. Midwife however did not do my bloods and has given me a phone number to book in myself at hospital to have them done over 20 miles away. AIBU to think that she should have done them as this is what I was told would happen in the letter? I thought bloods were usually taken at the booking appointment.

The only good reason I can think of as to why she didn't take them is that she's not qualified to, in which case I guess there's not much more she can do!

Not overly annoyed just think it's a bit mad to travel 20 miles for a blood test!

I've never er known a midwife to take blood.

None of the doctors or nurses at any clinic I've ever attended do either.

It's always been done by a phlebotomist.

My midwifed have all taken my blood!

Sometimes it’s due to the hospital you’ve chosen. Where I live there are 3 choices, all
similar distance from GP. If you go to one of them, the bloods can be done at the GP by the midwife. If you go to either of the others you have to go to the hospital as the GP surgery sends the bloods to hospital 1 only.

That's interesting. In my area you don't get bloods done until your 12 week scan. They have a phlebotomist in the same area so you have your scan then pop into the next room for bloods.
But if in your area bloods at booking are expected, they should have been done there or referred to a nurse at your GPs, not to a hospital 20miles away.

Mine wasn't done at my booking in appointment during either of my pregnancies. I had my first lot of blood tests straight after my 12 week scan atbthe maternity hospital.

My midwife didn't take my blood because the hospital I chose was in a different county so they did it at the hospital.

I had mine done by midwife each time, I'd assume she's not qualified to do bloods yet as surely it wouldn't make sense to add all the blood tests during pregnancy to hospital workload.
Even when I had a midwife who couldn't get a vein once (dehydrated from hyperemesis) she booked me in with a nurse from the GP surgery rather than hospital.

@welshweasel maybe that's the case then. I should've asked whilst I was there but it was a bit of an info overload!

I'm not angry about it and it's a fairly light hearted AIBU, I just didn't realise it was the norm to travel so far for bloods!

Fair enough then I suppose!

A midwife should be able to take blood (I’m a midwife), most can put in venflons etc. She should have explained why she wasn’t doing it when the letter said she would, it does seem daft to drag you up to the hospital - maybe there was a problem with the courier system for getting the bloods to labs? Will you have them taken when you go for a scan or is it just an appointment to have blood taken?

I had my bloods done by the nurse at my GP's practice with my first and by a nurse at the hospital (over 40 so under consultant care) with my current pregnancy. Never by a midwife.

If you have a form, most chemists have a phlebotomy service.
If you don't then ask Midwife or GP for one

@BoyWithApple thanks for your response. Fab that you're a midwife. I wanted to be a midwife for the whole of my childhood!

I'm 10 weeks tomorrow and she said I should've had them done this week really (I had no idea, never had a baby before and presumed this would happen at booking appointment).

It's not at the scan it's just an appointment for bloods. As other posters have said, maybe it's down to the birth centre I've chosen?

All seems a bit rushed that's all. Trying to tell myself all this travel will be worth it for a healthy baby! It's just awkward having to travel so far on a weekday when I have work that's all. But needs must I suppose... moan moan moan (tells self to be grateful).

With my first DD I had my bloods done by my midwife at the clinic.

With my second DD I had them done at my booking in appointment at the hospital. The midwife sent me off the phlebotomist across the hall to do them.

I have had to go the hospital phlebotomy for booking bloods for each of my pregnancies. Which was fine when my booking was in the hospital for the first two but a bit of arse this time as I'm seeing her elsewhere.

I had a choice of 3 hospitals to book in to - hospitals a&b the community midwife took bloods, hospital c made you go there for bloods.

All midwives can take blood. I’m a midwife. It’s something you learn as a student (unlike nurses), so they can all do it on qualification.

If she didn’t even attempt then it’s not her choice or decision, it will be local protocol. Either the managers have decided that it’s not a good use of midwife time because there’s more and more for them to fit into a booking appt so you reallocate what you can or it’s an area/hospital boundary thing.

Looks like it's due to the midwife led unit I've chosen then! Bummer.

Fingers crossed work don't bite my head off when I tell them I need another day off. By the time I've got there and back there'll be no point in my commute to work! Maybe I should make the most of it...

I'm not up to date enough with current procedure toknow if it is normal or not to have bloods taken at booking in appt these days, but, if you had a letter from your doc saying you would, wouldn't the simple thing to have done have been to ask the midwife about it whilst you were there ???

Fair enough @MrsTylerJoseph - maybe they need to adjust their appointment letters to reflect this. I'm not miffed at the midwife, just wanted a little clarification (my whole family are medical so I understand the pressure and frustration that comes with protocol!).

As I said to pp, fab that you're a midwife. Very envious! Always wanted to be a midwife but never had the guts or confidence to go for it

Never too late to go for it!

@BackforGood thanks for your comment. To be honest, I was being bombarded with so much information that it just didn't cross my mind until I got home that I hadn't had my bloods done. I appreciate where you're coming from but I see little use in telling me what I should have done 10 hours ago!

I had to go to the hospital on a Saturday morning - check the hours of yours to see if this is possible for you. We all like little extra time off but, depending how the pregnancy goes, sometimes you need a lot of time off for appointments that can't be done outside of work hours.

I've had bloods done by midwife but not at booking in. 16 weeks IIRC (it was a long time ago!)

@MrsTylerJoseph you're right! I'm seriously looking in to it. Not until baby is born however  that's enough for me right now!

@hodgeheg92 didn't even think about a weekend appointment! This would be a much better idea. Hopefully they offer them! I think I underestimated just how much time I would need off. I've had three appointments... this week!

My midwife always took my blood she also did it at the booking in appointment as they need to find your blood type out! I would defo ring her and ask her why she didn't do it