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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Or is this antenatal care not good enough?

107 replies

murkoff · 22/10/2020 11:56

First baby, high rusk pregnancy. 34 weeks.

I’ve had a telephone consultation with midwife at about 7 weeks.

Then 12 week scan, then 20 week scan. Bloods done at 28 weeks. Then 32 week scan.

Surely I should be regularly seeing a midwife and be having some sort of consultation about giving birth? I’m starting to get very stressed and anxious.

OP posts:

violetclouds · 22/10/2020 14:53

Just to add I haven't been assigned a specific midwife either nor do I have a contact number - in case of emergency I've been told to call hospital

GreySkyClouds · 22/10/2020 14:54

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Monr0e · 22/10/2020 14:56

Are you booked at Liverpool women's?

howaboutchocolate · 22/10/2020 14:56

Did you mention the injury or possibility of a csection when you first booked in? It seems like the kind of thing that should have been flagged for consultant care at that point.

If the injury isn't noted in your maternity notes then I can see why it keeps being missed, even if it shouldn't be.

Original poster

murkoff · 22/10/2020 14:58

Thanks grey

No monroe I’m not in Liverpool itself

I have tried to talk about it at all my appointments but I just get ‘oh mention it when (it’s your 20 week scan / your next appointment / when the sky falls down’

OP posts:

ChristmasDeliverySlots · 22/10/2020 15:00

I understand your worry about going into labour before this has been discussed. Would do as others have suggested and ring community midwives to ask if you could be referred to consultant to discuss the options with them, as a consultant would be needed to book ELCS I think.

Aside from that, your care does seem about right and in line with the schedule of appointments on NHS website/is the same as my experience in both pregnancies. I think some mums (not necessarily you OP) are expecting more and thinking that care is reduced due to Covid when actually they are receiving the same appointments they always would have done (though I agree the appointment booking process is more chaotic at the moment!)

mysticpistachio · 22/10/2020 15:01

I had a baby in July. 5th baby. My care was much much better than what you describe.

LastRoloIsMine · 22/10/2020 15:03

GreySkyClouds

I am not being a dick at all.

I have offered advice and suggested the OP ask another person to help her navigate/make the calls. I have not once suggested this is the OPs fault but only her can fix this right now as clearly her care team are not communicating with her off their own back.

OP asked me not to comment again and I respected that and haven't but you have no reason to call me names.

slidingdrawers · 22/10/2020 15:05

@murkoff

Thanks grey

No monroe I’m not in Liverpool itself

I have tried to talk about it at all my appointments but I just get ‘oh mention it when (it’s your 20 week scan / your next appointment / when the sky falls down’

So you are receiving Consultant-led care?

Monr0e · 22/10/2020 15:06

Time to stamp your feet then OP

Do as suggested and make the call and state clearly you need a consultant appointment to discuss c section

Have you got another scan booked? Normally you would be seen after this but if not try and arrange one now

ChristmasDeliverySlots · 22/10/2020 15:07

@mysticpistachio just curious, whereabouts do you live and did you have special circumstances? The appointments OP describe seem really normal, even with an extra scan. Although normally there is a quick 16 week midwife chat

Original poster

murkoff · 22/10/2020 15:08

rolo I have no difficulty making calls and in fact made one on this thread. You replied and made that comment about ‘getting off my butt’ and making calls ... I seriously don’t think you realise what it’s like at the moment.

I’m sorry if I sounded sharp but I really have tried and got nowhere and what I don’t want is to piss people off and become known as a difficult patient when I’m really not! Anyway ...

I should be sliding but haven’t seen them.

My next appointment is my 36 week scan.

OP posts:

slidingdrawers · 22/10/2020 15:12

Okay so scans only since booking but not seen a Consultant or a member of their team after, is that correct?

If so, call the Labour Ward Coordinator or Manager on Delivery Suite at the hospital or Trust where you are booked. Explain this to them. They will escalate it.

LastRoloIsMine · 22/10/2020 15:14

murk I do realise what its like my grandchildren were born in the middle of this so your frustration is not lost on me.
I had to support my DIL to make many phone calls she shouldn't have needed to and she had no choice but to come across as difficult as she needed the proper medical support, first pregnancy with twins!
Your care is more important than somebodies opinion of you and sadly sometimes you have to be difficult to get what you need.

I genuinely wish you well.

I will not comment further as you requested unless Grey feels like delivering another personal attack.

Original poster

murkoff · 22/10/2020 15:14

Thanks

OP posts:

iolaus · 22/10/2020 15:25

Since the pandemic where I am for low risk

8(ish) weeks - booking done over the phone
12 week scan - in person at the hospital
16 week - over the phone
20 week scan - in person at hospital
24 week in person at midwife clinic/at home
28 week in person either at midwife clinic or hospital
31/32 week in person at midwife clinic
34 week in person at midwife clinic
36 week in person at midwife clinic/at home
38 week in person at midwife clinic
40 week in person at midwife clinic
41 week in person at midwife clinic

If you are high risk and seeing the consultant or having an extra scan - you then would be seen at the hospital instead of the midwife clinic

BoudicasBoudoir · 22/10/2020 15:36

I had a high risk pregnancy, and my care was wonderful. I had five consultants at one point, endless hospital clinics and scans, plus midwife every other week! I’m in England.

I’m sorry this is not the case for you. Your care doesn’t sound acceptable and if I were you I’d be going out of my mind with anxiety. There should be phone numbers on your notes?

zaffa · 22/10/2020 15:55

To everyone posting your schedule, how is your blood pressure and irons being tested with all the telephone calls?
I had my baby pre covid (just) and was high risk but only saw the consultant at 30 weeks. However I saw my midwife at least monthly in the beginning to monitor BP, glucose and heart rate. I thought that was standard so I know it's different during covid but surely those things still need to be monitored through out pregnancy for early intervention?

zaffa · 22/10/2020 15:58

@murkoff don't you have the contact details on the front of uour notes for the Labour ward and the midwife line? Also isn't your midwife in with your GP surgery? I booked all my appointments through them

zaffa · 22/10/2020 16:03

His urine not irons. Although also what about your blood tests for iron levels etc at the booking in and again around 26 ish weeks? Who is doing your flu vaccine and whooping cough vaccine?

howaboutchocolate · 22/10/2020 16:16

@murkoff

Thanks grey

No monroe I’m not in Liverpool itself

I have tried to talk about it at all my appointments but I just get ‘oh mention it when (it’s your 20 week scan / your next appointment / when the sky falls down’

But you say you haven't had any appointments apart from booking in and 2 scans? If you've only mentioned it at the scans then the sonographers can only really tell you to mention it at your next midwife appointment, they're not midwives or obstetricians and can't help.

I also don't understand why you're expecting extra appointments for a high risk thing that only you know about? They can't give you care for something you haven't told them about.

You need to ring up maternity at your hospital, the number will be on your notes, and tell them the seriousness of it. That you thought labour had started the other night and you are panicked about the risk of injury, and considering a c section. They'll have to book you a consultant appointment then.

RWK29 · 22/10/2020 16:43

@zaffa That was my main concern. I was told my case wasn’t quite “juicy enough” to see a consultant straight away (I have a high BMI) but I would be referred to the consultant should anything flag up at my midwife appointments. All seems fair enough, except I wasn’t getting midwife appointments!
My bloods/urine/BP were taken after 12 week scan as booking had been over the phone. Had a second blood sample taken at 22 weeks by a nurse as I’m Rh- and they needed a second sample on file. Nothing else checked that day. Glucose Tolerance Test meant to be at 25 weeks - cancelled due to covid. Urine and BP done at 28 weeks. Then urine/BP/bloods done at 35.5 weeks. Next appointment at 39 weeks.

Bloods at 35.5 weeks came back that I was anaemic - hadn’t been checked in nearly 2 months so no idea how long I had been anaemic for. Midwife simply left a message on my answer machine saying “you’re a bit anaemic so pick up some iron supplements if you can. If not I’ll have a prescription ready for your next appointment” 🙄 fine, but my next appointment is 3.5 weeks after that blood result.

ChristmasDeliverySlots · 22/10/2020 16:44

@zaffa booking bloods done at 12 week scan, repeat bloods at 28 week midwife appointment for iron etc

Called to book whooping cough jab at GP and had flu jab at Boots

Some trusts are doing jabs after 20 week scans and bloods then too

LouiseTrees · 22/10/2020 16:52

@murkoff

First baby, high rusk pregnancy. 34 weeks.

I’ve had a telephone consultation with midwife at about 7 weeks.

Then 12 week scan, then 20 week scan. Bloods done at 28 weeks. Then 32 week scan.

Surely I should be regularly seeing a midwife and be having some sort of consultation about giving birth? I’m starting to get very stressed and anxious.

I was in the same situation pre pandemic. There was a 16 week check up and week 24 bloods but rest was no different. The discussion about giving birth started at 34 weeks. You can ask them why they haven’t started discussing it though.

Lazypuppy · 22/10/2020 17:10

Oap scans and midwife appointments are seperate.

Scans at hospital normally 2, maybe more if needed

Midwife appointments done in community.

So staff at scans won't know you're not having midwife appointments

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