To expect to be able to change midwife appointment?

[coverp]

Just found out I am expecting DC3. Submitted the booking in form at local hospital and had an email back with an appointment for last week of August. I replied saying sorry, I am away the last week of August so could we please do it the week before or week after. Had a reply saying the week before is too early and there are no appointments the week after, so if I want an appointment it will have to be the one offered.

What am I supposed to do? Surely I can't be expected to change my holiday for the appointment? YANBU - they should offer an alternative, YABU - you need to accept the one they offer.

As they are full the week after, see if they have one the week after that maybe?

Does the unreasonable vote honestly think you should cancel/curtail your holiday for a midwife appointment 😂
Yes good advice to try the week after & keep going until they have an appointment

I'd just inform them I wasn't going to be able to make the appointment, then book for whenever they do have availability, even if it's a couple of weeks after you get back. It's not like they're going to deny you antenatal care because they don't have any appointments in the weeks either side your holiday. Some people don't even realise they're pregnant until quite late on...

Ask them to do the week after that's full?

I'm a community midwife, doing bookings. We simply don't have enough staff or rooms to do bookings half the time. Honestly, it is a nightmare. Your only real option is to book one in several weeks time, and ask for them to contact you if one is cancelled. We hold a cancellation list. We also ring women to come sooner if we suddenly get a bank midwife in, or extra rooms avaliable.
Each hospital is different in how it is organised, but I can totally see how they don't have another slot to offer you right now. Sorry. It's shit. Totally shit.

Yeh just ask for the week after. The booking appointment is just some blood tests and a chat which can be done whenever.

Does it need to be in person? Could they go through everything on the phone while you're away, then you just pop in for your bloods when you're back? Not ideal but potentially workable

You shouldn’t be being unreasonable but are to the state of things at the moment, you are unfortunately.

It was the "if you want an appointment it will have to be the one offered" that made me nervous about asking for the following week! But that seems like a good option. I didn't ever see a midwife in person until my 12 week scan for the last baby due to Covid so wasn't sure whether the booking was essential or not!

I refused my booking appointment with DS2.
It was a group session, on a date that wasn't particularly convenient.
It was fine. They were a bit bemused at my first midwife appointment, as I didn't have the folder I was expected to have, but no problems.

I got mine through today and I'm on holiday I just replied sorry I'm on holiday until 23rd please could I have an alternative date and she replied with a different week. I can't see how you would be expected to cancel a holiday it is the summer holidays also so common if you already have children/are a teacher

Agree that you need to ask for the week after that. I was pregnant with my youngest when I also had a baby with health problems. The maternity department used to get annoyed with me that sometimes I would prioritise my son's appointments over mine, depending on the urgency but I couldn't be in 2 places at once. I'm normally in favour of appointments coming first before fun things but a holiday is different. My health visitor wanted me to go and find a baby weighing clinic when I was on holiday to weigh my 2 month old (holiday booked before pregnancy, holiday with 2 month old not recommended!) so you can ask if you can do it where you are on holiday if you want to appear obliging. It won't be possible but at least you will look like you are trying to be helpful.