Had a mw check-up this morning. Everything fine. She asks me to book in for another appointment and possible stretch / sweep in three weeks time, at which point I will be 41 weeks pg (or have had the baby). Fine.
"No appointments" says the receptionist.
Okay... but the midwife just said she wanted to see me at 41 weeks.
"Sorry love, I've got no appointments. I could maybe squeeze you in the week after?"
That's nice of you, but I won't be 41 weeks pregnant the week after. I'll be 42 weeks and arrrgh!
The thing is, if they have no appointments then don't ask to see me. If they want to see me, then work out a system whereby I can have an appointment. I know they can't magic appointments out of the air, and I sympathise that they're obviously overstretched, but it's not as though I've suddenly sprung my due date on them.
The exact same thing happened last time when I was a nervous and tearful first timer. I was wussier then and ended up going home with no appointment booked until 10 days after my due date, worried sick that something would go horribly wrong. I'm not worried this time, and I'm hugely appreciative that I seem to be having an uncomplicated pregnancy and don't really need to be poked and prodded every 5 minutes.
But still, it's bloody exhausting and dispiriting to arrive on time for an appointment, wait an hour and 15 minutes (no explanation or warning) trying to entertain an increasingly bored toddler, be seen by a locum midwife (no explanation or warning) and then find yourself appologising for not being about to move your due date to suit their computer.
Gahh, this turned into a right old rant.