Page 2 | To not wait at the maternity day unit

GreenHeather271 · 2025-10-20T12:58:22+00:00

38 weeks pregnant, had a routine midwife appointment today and she noticed one a ankle and leg was swollen (DVT risk indicator). Suggested I call triage who told me to come in, they did my observations, sent me to the maternity day unit, and I’m now waiting for a doctor. No other symptoms, just one leg and ankle swollen more than the other and a slight feeling of heaviness in that leg. No headache, no high BP, no pain, leg not feeling particularly warm. Wait to see a doctor is apparently 4-6 hours - as bad as A&E. AIBU to leave and pick up some compression socks, keep legs elevated and come back if it gets worse or any other symptoms appear?

shellyleppard · 21/10/2025 07:44

@GreenHeather271 sending hugs x

Barnbrack · 21/10/2025 07:48

GreenHeather271 · 21/10/2025 07:41

Morning, thank you for checking in. I was seen at 9.30pm. Doctor agreed there was some swelling and even though l was low risk for clot, age and pregnancy are factors so it was a possibility. It was too late for an ultrasound of my leg (waiting to hear if they can schedule one for me this morning), so I was given a half dose of a blood thinning injection (half dose to tide me over overnight as risk of bleeding increases if I go into labour in a short timeframe which is a possibility at this stage so a bit of a compromise) and discharged and was home by 10.30pm, and have managed to get a bit of sleep! Not a day I want to repeat any time soon - but it sounds like they were massively short staffed at the maternity day unit. One doctor only, who was running between maternity and A&E. There were expectant mothers who had been waiting since 10.30am who got seen just before me, and some new mums with newborn babies who had been waiting for at least a few hours. Some women self discharged due to the wait. The doctor who had just come on shift before I was seen was on the phone saying he had women waiting to see him - I hope everyone got seen quickly - but as soon as my injection was prescribed, the doctor was called back to A&E, so some women unfortunately may have had a long night ahead of them.

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I had blood thinners at full dose for the entirety of both my pregnancies and c sections and didn't bleed excessively either time so please don't panic about that. I'm so glad you stayed. For what it's worth no medical professional is making you stay unless they physically can't just send you away. I say that as an allied health profession (not a midwife)

Original poster

GreenHeather271 · 21/10/2025 07:55

GreenHeather271 · 21/10/2025 07:41

Morning, thank you for checking in. I was seen at 9.30pm. Doctor agreed there was some swelling and even though l was low risk for clot, age and pregnancy are factors so it was a possibility. It was too late for an ultrasound of my leg (waiting to hear if they can schedule one for me this morning), so I was given a half dose of a blood thinning injection (half dose to tide me over overnight as risk of bleeding increases if I go into labour in a short timeframe which is a possibility at this stage so a bit of a compromise) and discharged and was home by 10.30pm, and have managed to get a bit of sleep! Not a day I want to repeat any time soon - but it sounds like they were massively short staffed at the maternity day unit. One doctor only, who was running between maternity and A&E. There were expectant mothers who had been waiting since 10.30am who got seen just before me, and some new mums with newborn babies who had been waiting for at least a few hours. Some women self discharged due to the wait. The doctor who had just come on shift before I was seen was on the phone saying he had women waiting to see him - I hope everyone got seen quickly - but as soon as my injection was prescribed, the doctor was called back to A&E, so some women unfortunately may have had a long night ahead of them.

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Can’t edit my previous post, but meant to say the doctor was on the phone before seeing me saying he had 15 women waiting to see him

OP posts:

Adooree · 21/10/2025 08:02

GreenHeather271 · 21/10/2025 07:41

Morning, thank you for checking in. I was seen at 9.30pm. Doctor agreed there was some swelling and even though l was low risk for clot, age and pregnancy are factors so it was a possibility. It was too late for an ultrasound of my leg (waiting to hear if they can schedule one for me this morning), so I was given a half dose of a blood thinning injection (half dose to tide me over overnight as risk of bleeding increases if I go into labour in a short timeframe which is a possibility at this stage so a bit of a compromise) and discharged and was home by 10.30pm, and have managed to get a bit of sleep! Not a day I want to repeat any time soon - but it sounds like they were massively short staffed at the maternity day unit. One doctor only, who was running between maternity and A&E. There were expectant mothers who had been waiting since 10.30am who got seen just before me, and some new mums with newborn babies who had been waiting for at least a few hours. Some women self discharged due to the wait. The doctor who had just come on shift before I was seen was on the phone saying he had women waiting to see him - I hope everyone got seen quickly - but as soon as my injection was prescribed, the doctor was called back to A&E, so some women unfortunately may have had a long night ahead of them.

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Glad you were seen , and managed to sleep , hopefully you'll get called back for the scan today .

cannynotsay · 21/10/2025 08:05

people always slate the nhs staff and this person has done the best of their job, got you medical care and highlighted a possible health issues that could be life saving by getting you the help you need and you want to leave? Just because you don’t want to wait

Original poster

GreenHeather271 · 21/10/2025 08:07

lottiestars76 · 21/10/2025 07:38

About … 26 years ago my mum had my youngest brother - towards the end of her pregnancy she had similar symptoms in her right leg, 2 weeks before she had him she was admitted to hospital for several nights due to pre-eclampsia symptoms but they very quickly decided she didn’t have pre-eclampsia at all and let her go home, she mentioned her leg the heaviness and swelling and was told it was pregnancy and fluid retention. She had my brother 10 days later, and when he was 3-4 days old her leg had turned purple, almost black and she was dragging it whilst walking , at this point she obviously went to hospital where they immediately admitted her and found a huge blood clot just above her knee that had started travelling all the way to her lungs. She had to be kept in for over two weeks and wasn’t allowed my baby brother on the ward as she wasn’t breast feeding so my dad had him at home. Was the most traumatic thing for her, and the clot was absolutely huge and she was days if not hours away from it being another story and her not being here anymore. - she has since had two more blood clots in that leg and has severe damage behind her knee on that leg, her veins are permanently damaged, she is on blood thinners for the rest of her life, and her leg is now permanently stiff and more swollen than her other. Please don’t dismiss or think it can’t be as you don’t have symptoms. At the best you are checked over and have to wait hours to be told it’s not a blood clot and sent home, it’s a pain but if it was and you didn’t catch it early the repercussions could be huge.

I’m sorry your mum went through this!

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AhWeNoss · 21/10/2025 08:15

I had the same thing when I was pregnant (not the long wait, the swollen leg). I had to go in and was admitted overnight before a scan in the morning. They gave me the injection as well to be cautious ahead of my scan.

There is a risk of early labour with the injection and no idea if that was why but my waters broke just a few days later at 38 weeks, so make sure your hospital bag is packed!

OCDmama · 21/10/2025 08:17

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Comtesse · 21/10/2025 08:26

@OCDmamareported - I’m sorry you had a horrible day yesterday but being foul to someone else won’t help