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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Different midwife every time

22 replies

Brussels1 · 02/01/2017 11:00

Im 20 years old and having my first child I'm just over 27 weeks and every time I go to see the midwife at my local practices it's a different women, is this normal? I thought it would be the same women each time so they know what's what. Especially with me being consultant lead?

OP posts:

fuzzywuzzy · 02/01/2017 11:03

Hi Brussels, I'm also consultant lead and I also see a different midwife at each appt.

I have a team of midwives who cover my area so one of the team is who I see. I don't think it's possible to see the same midwife continuously during appts as they work in shifts and see lots of women.

Is it for reassurance you want the same midwife? They all have access to your records and obviously you have your folder which you bring to each appt.

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 02/01/2017 11:05

Depending on where you are, there are huge shortages in midwives and although continuity of care is ideal, it's not always possible. Some areas have One-To-One Midwives programmes but I think they're still trialling it at the moment, I know it's available in some areas of the North-West.

I wouldn't worry too much, it's fairly normal. Your maternity notes will be enough to tell the midwife what's going on, and if you're consultant-led too, there are extra eyes to look over your notes and make sure everything is ok.

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 02/01/2017 11:06

I was consultant led (in London) for my pregnancy. I never saw the same midwife twice, and then had three different ones when I was in labour.

My advice is to check your notes carefully at the end of each appointment and make sure you can read them. I say the is because there was some confusion due to poor handwriting in my notes that made me very anxious.

smEGGnogg · 02/01/2017 11:12

I'm under the consultant too. But i also see a community midwife. I have the same community midwife at all my appointments but I see the doctors at my consultant clinic and have seen a different one every time. Never met the consultant.

This is my 6th baby and unfortunately you will never get the continuity of care that you expect. It just isn't like that anymore.

When you give birth, you may end up with more than one midwife for that too depending on the length of time because they change shifts.

idontlikealdi · 02/01/2017 11:16

I was consultant led and never saw the same midwife either.

sj257 · 02/01/2017 13:22

I see one of two midwives at my health centre. However I'm consultant led and have most of my appointments at the hospital. I've never actually met my consultant, I'm due in 2 weeks and have seen a different registrar each time, they've all told me different things, it's very frustrating.

kel12345 · 02/01/2017 13:23

I started off in the north west and saw the same midwife. I moved to a different area, so I didn't see any midwife from 25 weeks until 37 weeks, even then it was the same one

OhTheRoses · 02/01/2017 13:31

I was consultant led and due to the myriad of different people, myriad of different opinions and errors in my notes I asked to see the consultant. They made me an apt and I explained my concerns. He said, he'd see me for the rest of the pg. This was my 5th pg to reach the second trimester though and I had one child, the last having died at 27 weeks and emotionally I just couldn't deal with crap care. Was 18 years ago.

PeachBellini123 · 02/01/2017 21:40

I'm in London - 40+4 weeks and never seen the same midwife.

I do think it's a shame as would be nice to build a rappour with one midwife but with the NHS the way it is it's unlikely to happen.

Marmalade85 · 02/01/2017 21:44

I seen a different midwife every time.

OhTheRoses · 02/01/2017 21:59

The NHS seems to have plenty of money to spend on things that aren't necessary. Universal HV, gov led 40+ health checks, cAMHS assessment after assessment leading to nothing, endless part-time doctors after that expensive training, lots of chat, little squeezy OD dolls for 50p a piece for managers, ...............

llhj · 02/01/2017 22:03

Odd post there. What are these 50p dolls?

OhTheRoses · 02/01/2017 22:24

Organisational Development. Went to a conference where an NHS manager was a speaker. They are on everyone's desk apparently. Made my blood boil!

SpookyPotato · 02/01/2017 23:29

I see the same one every time but she never remembers anything about me (wouldn't expect her to!) and the checks are just standard ones so I wouldn't mind if I saw a different one each time.

Dolwar · 23/01/2017 12:52

So doctors aren't allowed to work part time?

MrsGB2015 · 23/01/2017 12:56

Always saw a different midwife

mouldycheesefan · 23/01/2017 12:59

I was consultant led and had different midwife every time.
Can't see problem with it personally.
One of the midwives did come to the hospital when I went into labour but then I was transferred to another hospital. She wasn't very helpful anyway so I wasn't bothered.

SmellySphinx · 23/01/2017 13:01

I've been in the same area for all 3 off my pregnancys and for the first two I saw various midwives however this time I have the same one throughout for some reason. They all read from the same notes on the computer and whatever is in your green notes, I haven't had any problems but it is nice to see the same midwife each time

Mumchatting · 23/01/2017 19:59

I'm also consultant lead and had not only different midwife everytime but the consultant too. I have never seen the same consultant and they all have different opinions which was very confusing.
The midwives I met seemed all very bored with their jobs. If I didn't ask questions, they wouldn't even talk. I felt I never gained any information or knowledge from them. I find more useful information from Internet doing my own research.

Snifftest · 23/01/2017 21:19

Saw a rotation of about 3 different midwives and never saw the same consultant/ registrar.

peppatax · 23/01/2017 21:22

Wow - I have the same midwife throughout who also happens to be the same midwife I had throughout 6 years ago!

Sparrowlegs248 · 25/01/2017 19:20

I didn't meet 'my' mw til.last week. I'm 39 wks pregnant........ Also, seen numerous different consultants, spoke to three consultants and several.me about elcs v's vbac, they all told me different things.

I'm.glad I didn't have this experience with my first!

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