Requesting birth notes

[PiggyMad]

I'm just wondering if you can request to read or go over your birth notes if you didn't have a traumatic birth or interventions?
My labour was 5 hours in total but the pushing stage took nearly 2 hours and I ended up with a 3rd degree tear and I'd just like to understand what happened a bit more.

I would request but you do have to pay unless you get your midwife to request. I am going through the same process as I have been put under dual care this time round due to complications with a twin birth 9 years ago. Everything is fine & I had no problems with the birth after that but they won't take my word for it. I wish I had my medical notes to prove that it was just down to a twin birth so I didn't have to go to the hospital every month
But on the other hand I suppose I should be grateful for the extra vigilance.

What I meant to summarise in my rambling post is that I think it is best to request & comes in very handy for future births as they may not necessarily have immediate access to you past records which can cause problems.

Ahh that's good to know needsome. I don't mind paying. I have a feeling that my labour slowed due to arriving in hospital as I arrived fully dilated after 3 hours of contractions, then things seemed to slow down. I'm debating a home birth second time around, but don't know of the tear would influence that decision.

I hope that getting your notes means you don't have to keep up with the hospital appointments!

It takes a while apparently as they have to dig them out of the archive so best to get them when you don't need them iyswim.
I wanted a home birth this time but will have to see what they say at my next appt

Piggy I had a similar situation with my DD. Arrived at the hospital at 9cm, waters broken, having gone from 1cm to 9 in maybe 2 hrs, then according to the brief notes I have, it took 2hrs to go that final 1cm. Seems odd to me. I would like to get my notes anyway, just for curiosity, but I think the facts would also help make my mind up about homebirth this time around (am 12wks).

needsomesunshine are you award that you can decline consultant involvement (you don't 'have' to have dual care) and it's up to you and you alone as to whether or not you have a homebirth, even if you're considered to be high risk?

No I wasn't aware of that. I will speak to them at my next appt. thanks for that

Phone the hospitals medical records department. You have to request your records in writing but if it's only your maternity notes that you want you can ask to go and view your notes and take copies of the parts you want. I was advised to do this by the records department otherwise it could cost £50 (this is the maximum they would charge) for a copy of your whole medical record. It's not a quick process. I requested my notes when pregnant with ds2 but maternity (who were holding my notes) weren't keen to let the records department have my notes in case I was unexpectedly taken into hospital and they needed them. Ds2 was born a month ago and I still haven't seen my notes.

No worries. I was supposed to have consultant led care for DS but declined it, in writing, via the Supervisor of Midwives. I was cared for by the community midwife team and was at no time was consultant care discussed any further with me.

I also wrote to her with my intention of having a homebirth against medical advice and was supported in this plan.

Mine cost about £30 from Kingston hospital.
The firm is available from the medical records dept n hospitals, or often online.
I requested mine 3yrs after delivery of DS1 in anticipation of my second birth, just to understand my first birth better. No issue.
Took about 4wks to arrive.

As part of the data protection act can you not request them anyway?

Where I live there is a birth afterthoughts service. Very helpful