Outraged!

[lockdownpregnancy]

I'm 4 weeks after having my DS and I was expecting an appointment through from my GP for my 8 week check up. I'm supposed to have my section scar checked, a blood test and a general check over with my GP.
I've had a letter today to say they won't see me and won't do my blood test because they don't want anyone in the surgery unless it's an emergency!
I'm disgusted! The overall care for pregnant women and the after care is practically none existent! We have literally been shelved!
I don't know if anything is wrong with me!
I had hypertension and my doctor is supposed to be monitoring my BP as I'm on medication for it and he told me to go buy a BP machine take my own BP and give him my readings when he calls me next week!

However, they will be sending an appointment through for DS's injections at 8 weeks so why can't they see me at the same time, seeing as though I will be bringing my son to the surgery???
I'll be calling them on Monday to ask the question, but I just wanted to have a major rant as I think it's disgraceful that the health care professionals don't seem to give a shit about pregnant women or new mommy's!
The only time I got amazing care was from when I was actually in hospital, as all of the midwives and doctors were superb!
Rant over!!

Your rant is entirely justified. How dare they abandon women like that. Absolutely not acceptable to not conduct appointments. You need and deserve appropriate care.

Thank you @lemorella for agreeing with me! it's just disgraceful and so upsetting!
The system really has gone to shit because of Covid! I understand they need to take precautions but to not provide care to those that need it is absolutely unacceptable!

It is disgusting OP and you have every right to be angry. Ante-natal care is equally as shockingly bad in my area. Blood pressure and trine samples aren't being monitored and potentially life threatening conditions during pregnancy aren't being discovered until it's too late.

I agree with you. This doesnt only happened now. I didnt get a check up after csection 2.5hrs ago. My go surgery said they only do it if you have a problem 🤨 made me wonder how they you have a problem if they dont check

*urine samples not trine!!

That's disgusting @Screwcorona
Honestly what on earth is happening!
My mom made a food point the other day. She said to put all the Covid patients into the nightingale hospitals so they get the specialist care they need and then the hospitals can continue as normal so everyone still gets the care.
As for the GP's well!..... I'm surprised the A&E departments aren't over run given that no one will see you at the GP surgery!
Something needs to be done, otherwise there is going to be a lot of law suits for lack of care, or not being as thorough as they should be.
If I could afford it I'd go private!

Definitly complain. It's so important. I ended up with an infection and scar opened up slightly. Not monstrous but it held me back a bit and made me feel emotional. Try to push to get seen even if they team up the appointment withyour little ones jab.
Or ask someone such as your mum or husband to do on your behalf. Keep your energy for you and your baby and stress levels low.

This is a disgusting way to treat people! You really should complain. I really hope you get seen soon.

I don't really have anything constructive to add, but just wanted to say a completely agree with your original post.

I had DS end of January and his 8 week check was due just as everything kicked off. It was cancelled and no one from the GP surgery or HV has been in touch with me since

That’s awful 😔

It’s true! I had my son in June. His 6 week check was done at 12 weeks & it was only due to me really pushing for it. The GP surgery wasn’t even bothered. My check was at 8 weeks - I say check loosely. I was asked what contraception I wanted & that was it !! Never even checked my tear.

@lockdownpregnancy

That's disgusting *@Screwcorona* Honestly what on earth is happening! My mom made a food point the other day. She said to put all the Covid patients into the nightingale hospitals so they get the specialist care they need and then the hospitals can continue as normal so everyone still gets the care. As for the GP's well!..... I'm surprised the A&E departments aren't over run given that no one will see you at the GP surgery! Something needs to be done, otherwise there is going to be a lot of law suits for lack of care, or not being as thorough as they should be. If I could afford it I'd go private!

Sadly there aren't enough staff to run both the Nightingales and normal hospitals at full capacity.

Yanbu wrt your postnatal care. It's disgusting that they won't see you, there seems to be a lot of inconsistency with GP surgeries at the moment. I hope the health visitor or someone can help you access the care you need.

I had the same back in May. The community midwife ended up diagnosing me with severe mastitis and rang the GP absolutely fuming with them. When I went to LO’s 8 week injections they asked how I was mentally and if I felt healed - which was something I suppose but then said that if I did have any problems I’d have to make an appointment!

I was meant to have baby's first jabs, baby check up and my check up all on the same day. Got 3 appointment through eventually, but wouldn't really even know half of the doctor appointment was meant for me. For starters it was with my baby's named GP which I hadn't realised was different to mine until I got there (he is the husband of my GP so they have the same name). He asked one question about my mental state and that was it, didn't ask about my c section scar at all even though he acknowledged that baby was born by section.

This was also once I actually managed to get in to the surgery due to the fact that the front door is locked as no one is allowed in the reception area. Nurse was not happy that I was left waiting outside while she was waiting for me.

Post natal care in the UK is crap. Even before covid the 6 week check was rarely anything more than making sure you were using contraception. Apparently in france women rarely have any bladder or incontinence problems post birth because their post natal midwifes manually check and then repair your pelvic floor muscle if required. Don’t ask me how but this is what a french friend was telling me the other day. If that truly is possible, then why is this not offered to British women? It very much feels like once you’ve had the baby you don’t matter anymore. I had huge post partum haemorrhages after 2 of my DC and I had to push like mad to get a blood test to check all my blood levels had been restored a few weeks later. Trust your instincts OP and if you feel anything isn’t quite right then push to be seen. Unfortunately you have to be your own advocate.

I had my DS before Covid kicked off. The only aftercare I had was being asked if I wanted any contraception during DS's 6 week check, no one checked my C section scar or anything.

I had hypertension (reason why I was induced) and was discharged from the hospital with BP meds.

My GP said the same to me, to buy a BP machine and to let them know the readings.

In the end I actually stopped taking the medication myself as I could not be bothered with the constant wait for a phone app. Funnily enough when I finally called them up (about three weeks after I decided to stop taking the meds) and told them my unmedicated BP for that day my GP very quickly told me to stop taking any tablets as my BP would go through the floor! Imagine what would have happened if I continued.

It's all a bit shit atm for pregnant women, new mothers and babies.

It's honestly disgusting and you have every right to be annoyed. I'm due to give birth anytime now and this honestly makes me question if there'll be any aftercare at all.

I agree op this is appalling treatment (or not as the case may be). Definitely push harder to be seen if no luck get on to your mp. It’s time people started to fight back on these kind of things.

It is disgusting. My GPs are not seeing patients until they have had a telephone call with the GP. Try telling that to an 84 year old that they have to wait five days for the GP to call them. The whole Covid situation in GPs means they don’t see patients. Just nonsense.

This is pretty bad, but I had my c section in February pre Covid and follow up appointment in march during lockdown, and my treatment was much the same. I had to book a follow up appointment with gp and was told it had to be by phone. The GP then called me and had no idea what she was calling me for, I had to tell her I was meant to have a post op check. She said 'oh er how do you feel' 'fine' 'well that's good then'. And that was it! No other questions and nothing about my chronic illness. There's absolutely a disconnect between hospital and community.

I totally agree with those saying that aftercare was awful even before Covid. I booked a double appointment for my baby and for me as advised and I felt rushed out of the appointment. Definitely not 20 minutes! Was really struggling with breastfeeding at the time and a couple of minutes of a GP just listening would have been something.

I'm so sorry, that's awful. It's shameful the way pregnant women, and new mothers are completely ignored.