Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

... to be totally peed off with my midwife?

27 replies

fattybumbum · 18/09/2009 20:49

I just had what was actually my third (and last) MW appointment as I am having an elective section in 10 days. I went today in tears as I am struggling anyway but the last straw has been that I have been in excruciating pain with a sinus infection for the last 2 days. I knew I wouldn't be able to get a GP appointment at such short notice but I remembered from last pregnancy that your midwife can usually get one for you.

So I go along to my appointment and start crying really hysterically as the pain is so bad (think facial migraine). The midwife says she can't get me a GP appointment. I ask her if I can take sudafed, she says she doesn't know - to ask the chemist. She tells me that if I go to a local walk in clinic they can give me HOMEOPATHIC medicine (WTF!!!!!). My husband was shocked. In the end she told me to go to triage at my hospital but I was going to do that anyway as she was obviously a waste of effing space.

She took my blood pressure (fine) and measured the baby's heartbeat (fine). When I asked her which way the baby was lying she replied 'I don't know I haven't really been trained in that.'

So what the hell has she been trained in? In the end I went to triage and they were very nice. They gave me codeine and told me that sudafed is fine to take after the 1st trimester. Surely she should know things like that? I can't be the first woman to turn up with sinusitis during pregnancy. I am really shocked that she was trying to give me homeopathic medicine. My god! I wanted really strong DRUGS!

Is this what counts for midwife care these days? Thank God I won't be seeing her again. BTW, the pain is still so bad that the codeine has only taken the edge off it.

OP posts:

ChunkyMonkeysMum · 18/09/2009 20:51

YANBU !!!!!!! I think the question is not "So what the hell has she been trained in?", but "Has she had any effing training AT ALL ?" !!

Mybox · 18/09/2009 20:51

Was she actually qualified? Hope you're feeling better soon & best wishes.

LittleSilver · 18/09/2009 20:54

Have you complained? I am REALLY shocked re: the homeopathic recommendation!

LovelyTinOfSpam · 18/09/2009 20:55

Oooh sinusitis is murder. I find sinutab work nicely but not sure about pregnancy etc and yours sounds baaaad...

Homeopathy WTF????

YANBU hope you feel better soon and good luck with your section

bigchris · 18/09/2009 20:55

complain definitely

BetsyBoop · 18/09/2009 20:59

YANBU to expect her to be able to palpate baby's position, to me it's odd that she is working unsupervised if that's the case? (I'm assuming student m/w?)

YABabitU to expect her to know what drugs are safe in pregnancy at what doses, m/w's are not Drs or pharmacists (who would probably have to look it up anyway to be sure)

homeopathic medicine??? WTF??/

Original poster

fattybumbum · 18/09/2009 20:59

Glad to know it's not just me then. Have been told I can take a combo of paracetamol/codeine/sudafed by the hospital so that should achieve something.

Thinking back, the first time I saw her I asked to be referred for SPD and she told me to get accupuncture. Must be her 'thing'.

OP posts:

Original poster

fattybumbum · 18/09/2009 21:00

Surely it would make sense for a midwife to have a drug book?

OP posts:

girlsyearapart · 18/09/2009 21:00

YANBU!!

Sinusitis is the most evil of evils, I found childbirth more bearable. My FIL swears by snorting salt to clear it..

Didn't try that one but lying with a hot flannel on my face helped.

I hated the midwife I had with dd2 and one of the things I'm thinking of now we're thinking of number 3 is OMG do I have to see that rubbish old bag again??

Good luck hope you feel better soon x

curiositykilled · 18/09/2009 21:02

She might not have been willing to do something about the sinusitis but why would she not know how the baby was lying?! Is she really a midwife?

BetsyBoop · 18/09/2009 21:03

yes m/w could have a copy of the BNF (drug book) but still doesn't alter the fact that they are not trained in prescribing as Drs & pharmacists are

Actually I had acupuncture for SPD (along with physio etc) and it works quite well

LovelyTinOfSpam · 18/09/2009 21:03

I think you need to complain fatty. It's all very well offering alternative therapies as, well, alternatives. A lot of people swear by them even though lots are cobblers.

However they should always be presented as alternatives to the usual ie medical solutions not the only thing.

Complain complain.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 18/09/2009 21:03

I expect a midwife to know at least the most common drugs that are safe to take in pregnancy. I mean, pregnancy IS their job after all.....

BetsyBoop · 18/09/2009 21:05

sinusitis is horrid, I always fine a steam inhalation with menthol crystals helps to shift it. Even a hot bath/shower is good, hope you feel better soon.

pigletmania · 18/09/2009 21:23

what a rubbish MW sounds like a total quack, and as for the sinusitis it is murder i have recurring sinusitis and it was hell.

kateGB · 18/09/2009 21:36

She couldn't tell where your baby was lying ??? Am horrified and would complain about that. Surley she should be able to make some sort of educated guess ???

What is she trained to do? Surley midwives need to be able to tell which way is up ?

Or is it just an old wives trick when they feel your bump and tell you that the head is engaged ??

As for the treatment of the sinusitus, she show know that you can take codeine based stuff and paracetomol. Or at least suggest steaming (which is what my GP's have always suggested when I explain that the front of my face feels like it's being slammed into a hammer...)

cory · 18/09/2009 21:51

complain complain complain

curiositykilled · 18/09/2009 22:00

Pffft - You really can't expect a midwife to give info about drugs, if she gave someone incorrect info it could be very damaging. People would all cry out against her if she had given info that was incorrect and something had gone wrong. It is not as simple as looking in a book to see which ones are safe.

mazzystartled · 18/09/2009 22:06

YABU

I have had sinusitis and it's awful - but the issue here is that you couldn't get a GP appointment.

Midwives are not general practitioners. It is a shame that she could not bump you up the priorities for a gp appt (are there not emergency procedures at your practice?) but beyond that you don;t have grounds for complaint imo. In the end you followed her advice and went to triage who treated you.

Hope you feel better soon.

donkeyderby · 18/09/2009 22:43

Was she a student midwife? Not knowing which way the baby was lying seems very odd. If she was a student, she should have told you.

Curiosity and mazzy are probably right about midwives not being the right people to ask about drug interactions in pregnancy. They could get in deep shit if they advised when they are not qualified to do so.

Perhaps she didn't make you a GP appointment because she wasn't aware she could or the GP's have changed their appointment systems. Who knows - you should probably make enquiries first, rather than go headlong into a complaint.

willowstar · 18/09/2009 23:03

Hmmm....I have been to the midwife in excruciating pain (rib flare and damaged ligaments finally diagnosed) anyway she helpfully suggested rest and paracetamol and told me under no circs to take anything else, this was about 28 weeks while I was still working full time. What a load of crap, I was unable to function - finally saw GP and got paracetamol and dihydrocodiene which did bugger all but at least I wasn't fobbed off. they are crap when dealing with pain in pregnancy in my experience but yours sounds inept in plenty of other ways too. so no, YANBU

willowstar · 18/09/2009 23:07

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 18/09/2009 23:23

I'm a m/w and wouldn't have been 100% sure if sudofed is safe to take in pregnancy without checking. But then I'm not a community m/w and women in labour don't tend to ask me that! But if she's not sure its good advice to ask the pharmacist as they would know.

Terrible that she said she hadn't been trained to tell which way round the baby was. That's definetly part of m/w training.

curiositykilled · 19/09/2009 14:16

It is thought sudafed can delay contractions in late pregnancy. In the OP's case this does not matter because she's having an elective CS. The effect of taking drugs during pregnancy can be very complicated - often it is best to ask a doctor as even some pharmacists might be unwilling to advise. Pharmacists know about drugs but not necessarily a women's history or health during pregnancy.

It is always better to seek proper medical advice before taking any drugs during pregnancy. Paracetamol is safe in small amounts but when taken over enthusiastically even this can damage a babies kidneys, antacids are thought to be safe but not ones containing sodium bicarbonate. Codeine based drugs can affect the babies breathing when taken in late pregnancy.

The reason you need to visit the doctor is because the doctor can determine if the benefit to you and your baby outweighs the risk of taking a particular drug. A midwife actually couldn't advise on things like this and shouldn't be expected to.

curiositykilled · 19/09/2009 14:17

Well, not about drugs anyway. She could advise about alternative methods such as massage, steam inhalations e.t.c.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread