to be rather annoyed with midwife?

[loisstella]

Bit of a rant here....

I went to see the hospital's midwife for the 12 week appointment last week. We did all the basic stuff. height, weight, blood pressure etc

She measured me and anounced I was 5.1 - I said, no actually I am 5.4 - I'm 165 cm and that translates to 5.4... she then looks back on her measure thingie and said...no you really are 5.1....
She then continues to take my blood pressure and measures it at 120/60 (or the other way round I never know how they write it down).

I get home and feel rather frazzled (the fact that they took blood in a really weird place which left me with 2 big bruises and did my scan external only with very little to see and a terribly unclear photograph didn't help).
After a few days I measure myself and of course, I am 5.4. Which changes my BMI.
I call my friend about the blood pressure and she says its not a weird blood pressure but as I used to be high, better have it checked it out again.
Go to GP, blood pressure is indeed 83/117 - closer to my normal BP.

I explained to this woman I am a nervous first time pregnant woman with a history of anxiety... am I right to be a wee bit pissed off and thinking if this woman can't get the basics right how am I to expect her to deliver my child properly?

With my luck I'll probably be the only one to get a consistent midwife at a the NHS hospital. Should I request to be helped by another?

Theres a huge difference between colluding and sympathising.

Lorayn, I actually earlier wondered if maybe the OP is not in the UK....in Germany and I believe in the States internal scans are common....now, I know a private scan might give you an internal one...however it obviously isn't clear why all the friends also were talking about them, unless they all private ones or indeed we are talking about a diffrent country.
Again, macs blunt reply really was to mosschops, claiming that 117/83 is high...indeed possibly worrying someone who is anxious already!
And I don't think there is anything wrong with asking why op considered blood taking weird....without further knowing what op meant by it....iykwim...

I know its not very nice when you are worried and anxious to get someone who appears not to appreciate your concerns. It is unlikely you will see this midwife again, but if you dont want to have her involved in your care say so. She seems to have done everything she should firstly height is not a big issue, just ask them to correct it at the next appointment or if you have your own notes do it yourself.

Blood is usually taken at the elbow, or if thats not possible from the back of the hand which hurts and bruises.

Suprised you had a scan most places dont unless you are unsure of your dates.

I wouldnt have been worried about either blood pressure, both within normal range.

Hi guys... wow quite a few comments (and no not offended by anyone's bluntness - was looking for some answers...and hey, I got them).

to clarify some things (for those interested):

1. Suffered from anxiety in past and treated for it. Okay now - but am on alert as I have turned out to be a bit of a nervous first timer with this pregnancy thing... so questioning midwife didn't help - but I agree I shouldn't have over reacted

2. I was annoyed with midwife regarding height thing...but undertsand now its not such a big deal
   The reason I thought it may be a big deal is because due to anxiety and medication taken a while ago (long story) I gained weight. Not got that off yet... and am 3 stone heavier than I was 3 years ago. I got pregnant quicker than expected (have lazy ovary - was expecting this to take a year at least etc and had only lost the one stone untill I discovered the pregnancy) and so when I was measured 5.1 my BMI was set at nearly 40 - this has come down to 36 now.

3. Didn't know what to expect about scans. Am from Holland, lived in US for 3 years. The friends I spoke to who 'warned' about internal are based both here and in Holland but as I had had a private scan at 10 weeks (due to combination of nerves and just being nosy) which did offer an internal - I guess I just expected the NHS scan to be the same. And they did say it wasn't necessary - but if I wnated it they'd have a look - epsecially as I wasn't exactly 100% about last period date.

4. The 'weird' place where blood was taken was not in the fold of my elbow but kind of 3 inches under there...so middle of my under arm. Have had blood taken in the past due to several surgeries etc - never in this place tohugh - so thought was odd and it bruised so intensly... I just found it odd.

5. My GP who checked my blood pressure said both were fine too. As I was used to 83/117 type of measure I was just surprised at the other number, especially in rleation to the height and BMI thing. But GP explained that both were fine and often bloodpressure goes down in ealry pregnancy so nothing to worry about.

thank you all for all your feedback - even those "tough" ones.
I guess I needed to express myself and hear your thoughts.
I shall -a s some of you recommended - calm down now

Hi,

Having had many blood tests over the years for ongoing medical condition I can tell you that I've never had one in where you're describing. They've all (with one exception of in hand) been in the fold of the arm usally on either side as that's where my veins are. If you bruised badly the chances were they did it badly. My antenatal blood lady was the best I've ever had but there are some real incompetents out there.

Blood pressure - it can be low in early pregnancy or go higher as it goes on. Can also be raised because of "white coat syndrome". Something to bear in mind particularly if you suffer from anxiety.

I had an internal scan at 6wks cos of excess pain to check the pregnancy wasn't ectopic but my dating one at 8wks was external so even less to see than at 12wks.

If the mw upsets you - avoid her. Why not ask if you can go to AN on a different day when she isn't on? My hospital had different teams for different days.

Good luck.

lois,
so indeed your scan expectations did come from experience of different countries...I moved across from Germany to the UK about 1/2 way through my pg with es, and it took me a while to get used to the different system.
Also, the place where your blood was taken is not the most often used one, however, especially in pg it can be hard to get blood for many reasons, and I suppose the m/w might found that she was able to see your venes better, etc... at the place she did it. The bruising can happen anywhere, btw...depends on the persons blood, as much as on the technique of the bloodtaker...and if anything, a lot of people experience more bruising when blood is taking from the inner side of the elbow, because an automatic reflex is to "fold" your arm up, which makes bleeding etc...more likely.
BTW, your bp was definately 117/83...not the other way round...the higher number is always first
Anyway, I hope you will find a way to relax a bit more...maybe taking up somehting like Yoga/meditation would work for you!

3and...

actually...it was my english friends had "warned me" about internal scan.
I left Holland 9 years ago to come to UK. so more familiar with this system than dutch one.
Was in US in the 90s... so it wasn't that I was confused with different systems in countries.

To clarify my blood wasn't taken from elbow crease...but 3 inches under there...mid lower arm.

and yes you are right - about bloodpressure - probably other way round - as I said in my first message never sure which way round it is.

unusual for english people to warn you about internal scan's...don't think that many ever exepereince them ....

and I did understand right...I said it's an unusual spot in general...however, bruising can happen no matter where the blood is taken...so, your bruising is not necessarily to do wiht the m/w's choice of spot, iykwim...

3and... I don't know what to make of your message... do you need to be right or something?

???????? what is your problem?

btw, I just tried to clarify that I didn't misunderstand you....

sorry... must be a german thing

are you always this rude or just when ou are pregnant?

just want to apologise for the harshness of my last post...but I got a bit wound up...as I really wasn't being nasty or anything, so, really could not understand why you got funny with me...and I still can't see why....but well...still think I was harsh!