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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not heard from community midwives newborn 5 day check

18 replies

Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 10:40

So I’m pretty worried, baby born on Tuesday,had my day after phone call said I needed feeding support, support was promised Friday but never turned up- called the number given for the support working and left a message… nothing.

So now it’s Sunday and my day 5 check should have been yesterday I think, I’ve heard nothing and community Mw office isn’t open until tomorrow. We had some early doors feeding troubles due to tongue tie (which we got divided on Thursday) I am concerned about weight loss and his umbilical stump but no clue what to do?

I’m not being extra am I? Aibu? Any suggestions?

OP posts:
MrsBudd · 05/12/2021 10:41

Can you phone the unit where you delivered your baby? I'm sure when I had my DD last year I was able to do that for two weeks after she was born...

santasmuma · 05/12/2021 10:52

Do you not have access to a phone number for the midwife? Maybe if you call the ward they can help, both with the feeding issue and a phone number

Original poster
Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 10:57

I never had a named community midwife, never saw the same person more than once.

I called the MLU already and they are chasing for me, just a bit frustrating x

OP posts:
rainyskylight · 05/12/2021 10:59

There’s an NCT breastfeeding support line that is free and open every day. You could give them a ring today?
www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/feeding/early-days/breastfeeding-support-nct

BuntyCollocks · 05/12/2021 11:18

What time was your baby born on Tuesday? That will influence whether the midwife would be out yesterday or today, or maybe it’s because maternity services are on their absolute knees and because your check could be done today, it’s been put off until now. They should have called to let you know though.

Call the postnatal ward of the hospital you delivered at if you’ve not heard anything by probably about 2 just to make sure you’re on her rounds.

What’s wrong with the umbilical stump?

momamama · 05/12/2021 11:20

Community midwife offices work 7 days a week so if you call the office they should get back to you quickly.

SelfPortraitWithPterodactyl · 05/12/2021 11:22

Nothing useful to add but Flowers - hope they get back to you soon, and that you're OK!

KateLumley · 05/12/2021 11:26

If baby was born on Tuesday, today would be day 5. Birthday being day 0.

BuntyCollocks · 05/12/2021 11:26

@momamama

Community midwife offices work 7 days a week so if you call the office they should get back to you quickly.
Not necessarily. There’s always a midwife on for visits, but it might be not the midwife that covers that area in her normal working hours, and a lot of midwives work from health centres which are closed at weekends, therefore she may be working out of a centralised hub or sorting visits at home before heading out.
KateLumley · 05/12/2021 11:27

Which hospital OP?

BuntyCollocks · 05/12/2021 11:29

@KateLumley

If baby was born on Tuesday, today would be day 5. Birthday being day 0.
A lot of units count that as day 1 now including mine. We can’t do a day 5/6 visit until baby is over 96 hrs, which is why potentially she wouldn’t be visited until today, if baby was born at say 2000 on the Tuesday night.
Original poster
Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 11:43

He was born 12:45pm on tues. The community midwife office is open 10-4 Monday to Friday, I know community midwives work all week but I don’t have a point of contact. Umbilical stump has been bleeding a bit, looks a bit red can’t remember what’s normal and what’s not. Maternity triage already sent me to a and e about what I was told was lack of nappy output (which is why they were meant to be sending feeding support out) but a and e were like it’s fine, did blood sugar and did jaundice test and said all was ok. Don’t really want to turn up to a and e unless necessary again. Xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 11:44

@KateLumley

Which hospital OP?
City hospital Birmingham xx
OP posts:
BuntyCollocks · 05/12/2021 11:51

I think she’ll be out today ❤️

Is the cord showing signs of separation? Most likely it’s some gunge from that rather than actual bleeding. When you say red, is it red around the base or where the cord clip is rubbing, or is there redness flaring from the base up on to baby’s abdomen?
How many wet and dirty nappies? By this point we’re looking for 6+ wet in 24hrs and ideally 2+ poops. Are baby’s stools yellow? Is baby waking for feeds? Any dark urine or orange crystals in nappy?

Original poster
Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 12:11

@BuntyCollocks

I think she’ll be out today ❤️

Is the cord showing signs of separation? Most likely it’s some gunge from that rather than actual bleeding. When you say red, is it red around the base or where the cord clip is rubbing, or is there redness flaring from the base up on to baby’s abdomen?
How many wet and dirty nappies? By this point we’re looking for 6+ wet in 24hrs and ideally 2+ poops. Are baby’s stools yellow? Is baby waking for feeds? Any dark urine or orange crystals in nappy?

This is a super helpful comment, thank you!

It does look like dried blood when it’s on his vest and I feel it does smell a bit, it’s more like the bit that will become the belly button looks a bit red but I don’t know if that’s just irritation from tummy to tummy contact through breastfeeding and stuff. Does look a little like there is discharge but we’ve kept it dry, but because he’s a boy the pee sometimes goes upwards. Tummy in general doesn’t look red or warm to touch compared to rest of the body.

Feeding i think we’re in a better place now, poops are orangey yellow and about 2 a day (bigger than a 2x £2 coin size, wets yesterday we had about 7). We had what looked like urates and darkish urine on day 2/3 which is why I called triage but the paediatrician told me it’s normal, because we’d stil had 2/3 wet nappies that day but maternity triage said to go to a and e xx

OP posts:
BuntyCollocks · 05/12/2021 12:28

You’re welcome!

So this all sounds super reassuring. From your description I think the cord is just getting ready to come off - it’s decaying tissue so can become a bit whiffy just before it comes off, as well as a bit gungey. If it’s just around the base of the cord, I think it’s cord clip rubbing on the skin when pressed in from nappy or during feeding bit obv the midwife can confirm when she comes out.

Nappy output sounds great and appropriate.

You’re doing an amazing job - congrats on your little boy!

Also, in case no one told you - do stretches with his tongue tie division to make sure it doesn’t tack back down. Dr Bobby ghaheri or milk matters feeding solutions are both excellent resources on Facebook for tongue tied babes ❤️

bloodywhitecat · 05/12/2021 12:34

Baby's day 5 blood spot also needs doing so I would keep chasing them up.

Original poster
Kanfuzed123 · 05/12/2021 14:01

Thanks for everyone who commented. CMW came around, baby lost 5.7% so well within normal limits, umbilical stump looks like it might have or be brewing a mild infection so she said call GP in the morning and get an app might need some cream.

Baby has awful fussy periods at about 8pm and 1am whereby he screams bloody murder and is clearly hungry but won’t latch or if he does suckles for a few minutes and then start crying with nipple in his mouth and won’t suckle anymore… she wasn’t sure why that was but said his weight and nappy output is promising so not to worry. Xx

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