What should happen at a week post-natal check? Doc has basically just chucked me out of his surgery!

[Honeybee79]

Hi

I have just had a combined appointment with my GP for a post-natal check and to check DS. DS is 6 weeks old. The Dr weighed him, did some obs and checked his hips. All is fine. But he didn't check my C-section wound or my tear (from failed ventouse) and when I said I was a bit worried about my stomach he shrugged and told me to be patient. I also wanted to talk to him about not being able to sleep - DS sleeps well at night but I am suffering from terrible insomnia which might be down to anxiety. Anyway, he dismissed my concerns and just told me to have a hot bath at night. Am actually worried that the anxiety might be leading to PND.

To top it all off, I was trying to finish getting DS dressed and strapped into his pram when the Dr opened the door and told me I had to finish dressing him in the waiting room!

What kind of things should be looked at at a post-natal check?

Get a new FEMALE gp. That's unacceptable.

that is bloody disgusting. I have a male doctor and he is wonderful. Our combined check was booked as a 1/2 hour session, he was very thorough with DD and asked me if there was anything I wanted to talk about. I had had a pretty easy birth and there was nothing I really wanted to talk about, so we just chatted about babies in general.
Is there another doctor you can see at the surgery ?

I was assuming that he would at least check that I was healing OK. Surely he should have had a quick look?

Erm SofiaAmes - my female gp checked DC very thoroughly at 6 week appointments and said, "And you're ok are you then?"as she held the door for me to leave, the only comment addressed to me rather than about DC.

I think that there has been a change in the focus of the 6 week appointment in some parts of the country, and if the mum has concerns (and lots do, of course!) then they need to book another appointment in their own right, IYSWIM. But please don't assume that it's a male/female gp thing.

Oh and yes, my appointments were still called 'post-natal appointments' - they just didn't seem to involve me...... pretty odd really!

My 6 week check was very similar to yours - thorough check for ds and I was given a prescription for the pill and sent on my way. My gp is really nice though and I didn't have any major concerns but I thought he'd at least check to make sure my episiotomy had healed properly.

I think you need to make another appointment to talk through your concerns, is there another gp at your surgery you can see instead?

I was thinking I should try another Dr at the surgery. He just didn't seem at all interested in answering my questions of even looking at me! When I asked when it would be OK for me to start exercising again (I'm dying to go for a gentle run) he just sucked in his breath and said, "It will be a while yet". When I pressed him he said I shouldn't expect to be able to run as I did before I was pregnant. WTF??!

Go back having made another appointment just for you, if you see signs of PND, you should share them. Could you take a friend?

With dd1, I told the GP that I felt my tear wasn't healed and was worried about it. He did check it for me but they wouldn't have checked it as standard iyswim. I think the fact you raised concerns about it means he should have checked you over. I would book an appointment with a different GP.

That said it took my tear 10 weeks to heal, so I guess that "being patient" was probably true in my case, though it was phrased much more politely and reassuringly.

Yep, thanks for advice. I'm going to make another appointment. The insomnia is driving me mental and I want my stomach checked out. Maybe I should have been more assertive at the time and actually asked him to look at it.

I had my postnatal check with the nurse, she went through a checklist of things, including a PND questionnaire, contraception and asked if I wanted her to look at the episiotomy scar (yes please, sutures fell out too early & it had to be redone , all ok now though). I had 20 minutes with her, she was thorough and reassuring.
My son had his own appointment with the doctor at 9 weeks for the development check which was all about him. We had 20 minutes for that too. All good again.
I think from my experience there is something to be said for separate appointments.

Ethelina - what was done at your DS' development check?

Sounds awful, definitely get another appointment.

And as the running comment, what an unhelpful git!

You are right to book another appointment and sorry if this seems obvious but it would be better if someone could watch your dc whilst you are in there, nothing worse than trying to get through an appointment with unsettled baby

hope you get some rest soon

Well the HV had already been out to weigh and measure him the the previous week. The doc did the rest of the checklist for the 8 week check in the red book, a good look all over his body, checked the natal cleft etc, eyes, hips, everything official, asked about the birth, feeding, general health and asked if I had any issues (no). Checked the hip scan report (fine). Prescribed some stuff for his dry skin and that was it. Sent us straight into the nurse for his jabs and she let me change his nappy afterwards. Told to wait 10 mins to make sure no reactions and went on our way.
20 mins with doc, 15 mins with nurse, 10 mins after. Great.
I'm sorry for anyone who doesn't have this service because they all should

Our post-natal check was booked automatically as a double appointment so plenty of time to perform all the required checks on DD, talk about how I was feeling, contraception, check stitches, pelvic floor and do a smear test.

It was very thorough and I found it very reassuring - everything was fine/healing normally so it felt a bit like the whole birth process was being signed off and I was free to continue with my life as a new Mum . Psychologically, it was a very positive thing.

I would have felt a bit in limbo otherwise so reading other people's experiences which aren't as good makes me feel very grateful to my GP. I agree that this should be the norm really.

I think my appt was 30 mins for me and DD together. Had some concerns about how DDs cord/tummy button was healing (granulated tissue) which the doctor checked and treated quickly.

No check of stitches or other physical check other than BP as mine had been high when PG. Just chatted about various things inc contraception.

It felt like the right balance between a focus on me and on DD (but we'd done the PND check previously and had a very good HV). I moved to a new surgery after DD was born as I was really unhappy with the MW and doc at the last place.

New surgery is completely different and I think very good overall. I know doctors are really pressed for time but I think you had pretty crap treatment and if you have an option to move surgery or to a different doctor then do it.