Are 6 week postnatal checks failing new mothers?

[TooMuchNutmegCanKill]

I'm still cross about mine and that was a few years back!

Examples:

Kept waiting with a tiny baby in a room full of sick people for over 40 minutes. No hello, no apologies.

Was having a few health issues post birth (as you do) and not once did the GP check me over.

No referral to specialist despite symptoms indicating this was clinically necessary.

Actually rolled eyes and said they had "just logged out of the system" when asked about recent test results.

Got annoyed when I refused hormonal contraception.

Did not address my concerns re baby and kept repeating "all perfectly normal".

Left room while I was still there changing baby, without so much as a goodbye.

Is this normal practice? Please share your experiences of the 6 week check.

OP, as for keeping you waiting and not being particularly friendly, that seems to be the case for everyone I know at the GP these days.

Thanks @Pistachiocake. I'm annoyed with myself for not making a formal complaint at the time. Like I said, the GP practice is usually very good and it didn't seem fair on the other polite, lovely, helpful members of staff. Let's just say I won't be darkening this particular doctor's door ever again!

What a complete shit show @NameChange0101010101

I didn't know this. Thankyou x

This echoes what older ladies have reported. Completely different experience on the wards/maternity units too.

Did you manage to get your iron levels back up? @Chunkychips23

Voted YABU as none of that is systemic - it’s all issues with your specific doctor.

I am not sure why you think you shouldn’t have to wait before the appointment? You almost always have to wait before any GP appointment, why should this be different?

I've had 3 children but only one proper post natal appointment and that was with a wonderful service called one to one midwives which sadly no longer exists.
My first I had at 23 but looked about 15 so I was really brushed off and patronised by a male gp. He told me historically girls had babies at 14 and that was all fine and how our bodies where made to be able to give birth and go back to "normal" afterwards. He clearly assumed I was very young. No one checked my body at all.

I had a lot of of issues with spd and diastasis recti which no doctor or midwife seem to really understand so I had to really push for any treatment.

My 3rd was during the ridiculous heatwave of July 2022 it really felt like no one could be bothered baby had their checks and no one checked me. I had a dislocated knee at the time (gave birth in the shower and slipped) no one ever asked about it or checked it over at birth or later. I had to push myself to have a mri scan etc

I still have diastasis recti no one is interested in that I'm told I need to pay 12 grand to get it fixed myself. Even though it really complicates other issues like I feel I've got a slight prolapse and possible hernia. All of this is just seen as oh well you're a women you've had children what do you expect.

I'm tired of trying to fight my corner. I've got an audhd child who needs all my bandwidth for ehcp,school meetings and all the meltdowns. I don't have the extra energy to keep going back to the gp for me.

That sounds really poor. I'm in Finland and our 6 week checks are done by OB-GYNs rather than GPs which makes much more sense as they are the experts, and my check was thorough, proper physical exam and discussion of how I'm recovering.

Poor quality care for new mothers clearly is systemic.

I think it's fairly obvious why you shouldn't keep a small baby waiting around in a doctor's surgery.

My GP booked a double slot, one for me, one for baby. Generally very good. She did try to refer me to women’s health physio for a prolapse but the hospital rejected it and said you have to have the problem for a year. I didn’t want to wait a year and was luckily able to afford to go to a private physio.

2023

I had to fight for an appointment for my 6 week old who still had bad jaundice. My health visitor ended up driving to the GP surgery and demanding one on my behalf. When I queried about the 6 week check whilst there, I was told they don’t allocate them automatically you have to ring up and book one, if I waited till the end of the surgery he would do it. Sat in the waiting room for hours as we had one of the first appointments of the day. He looked at the baby for less time than it took me to get her clothes off and on again. I asked about a 6 week check for me to be told they don’t do them for the mothers, even though I’d had an episiotomy, infected stitches and mastitis during my week in the hospital.

I never knew babies who had breastmilk needed vitamin D until a health visitor told me months down the line.

2025

I knew what to expect this time, 30 second check of the baby, only comment was that she was massive. Still no 6 week check for me even though I was on the blood thinning injections because I’m over weight. I was also horrendously anaemic and was clueless until my discharge appointment with the midwife when she asked how I was getting on with the iron tablets. The iron tablets I’d been prescribed at the hospital but never told about or given.

No mention of contraception, no blood pressure checks or anything else from the NHS list you posted. Only thing I did was book a smear but that was off my own back.

I could write a novel on all the poor care from the pregnancies and births.

I wasn't offered postnatal checks after my last 2 dc.

Mine was fine. I wonder if you had my parents’ former GP practice, they were awful.

You should have been.

My first 10 years ago was brilliant, they checked me over made sure my section scar was ok, had eldest check done at the same time.

This time my GP (different one) refused to book one for me until baby was 11 weeks old and would only offer a telephone appointment, despite me having an infected scar, I would describe the appointment I got as a waste of time for me and a box ticking exercise for them, not once was I asked about my physical health, all they wanted to know is if I was depressed or not, had I had a period after birth yet and to try convince me to use hormonal contraception.

https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2023-03-14/six-week-postnatal-checks-are-failing-many-new-mothers

Tick box exercise is spot on @CinnamonBuns67

In 2024 6 weeks after my daughter was born, I called to chase mine up. The receptionist told me that they no longer did these checks. So I never had one.

Swansea, South Wales

My child had a 6 week check.
I was asked what contraception I was using (absolutely no chance we were having sex: a 6 week old ebf baby who didn't want to be put down and me still recovering physically).
No check of c section scar, no discussion about my PPH and how I was feeling after needing 2 iron transfusions.
Medical misogyny is a serious problem in this country.

NHS 111 Wales states,

Your postnatal check
You should have your postnatal check 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth to make sure you feel well and are recovering properly.
Your GP surgery should offer and provide you with a postnatal check. You can request an appointment for a check yourself, especially if you have any concerns. It's a good idea to make a list of questions to take along with you.
Your baby’s health should also be checked at around this time by a GP. This check is known as the baby’s 6 to 8 week check.
Your postnatal check can be done immediately before or after your baby's 6 to 8 week check. But it can also be done at a separate time if you would like it to be.

You were misinformed @GLC789

Seems so doesn't it. Thankfully I think all was and is well. But imagine how many have just been sent their merry way and had to struggle. Awful

imagine how many have just been sent their merry way and had to struggle.

Indeed @GLC789 this is what worries me - so many poor women must be suffering in silence.

Medical misogyny is a serious problem in this country.

Absolutely @CurbsideProphet. My appointment was with a woman - with children herself - which makes her behaviour all the more disgraceful.

You can absolutely get pregnant while breastfeeding and I am an example of that (I know many!)
Combined contraception is not advisable when BF however progesterone only pill/implant/coil is fine (like mini pill)