Hi,
I have finally, just recently been booked in for my hb, which has taken a lot of chasing on my part and visiting the SOM amongst other things, partly due to my medical history, partly due to the fact that I have had three midwives so far in my pregnancy, and no-one seemed to communicate anything to each other.
So, the third calls up to arrange my hb talk at my home, and 37 week check..well, I phoned her, of course, because it seems nothing gets done unless you do it yourself around here.
She tells me I will have to wait in all day and she might not be able to come out - ok, fine, I understand, but not very positive...and this is just before the easter hols, which if I have to wait for another appointment will make me 38 weeks, when I say it would be cutting it a bit fine to be leaving it another whole week..'oh well, in my exerience, hb never happen as early as 37 weeks anyway... (you have control of my uterus do you? right, could you just tell it to book me in for a birth at exactly a week before my due date then please, would suit me better..)
Then she tells me 'oh we are very wary of doing hb in your road, because of the parking... (we live in a permit street, I have a permit which I already told her she can have when she comes for appointment)
when I then said well I rang the council, because another midwife mentioned getting a ticket in our street at a hb, they said that all they need to do is display a notice saying midwife on call or whatever, and if they get a ticket they can appeal, she then starts arguing with me that they still get tickets, no-one she knows ever got their money back, and that they cant 'be attending births when it might cost us £70 in fines' (its actually £35, but I am sure she thought £70 sounded better)the parking restrictions are only 9 - 5 weekdays only anyway, and I explained that I will park my car somewhere else, and one midwife can have our permit, whilst the other chances it - she just kept going on about it, and then started moaning that she will have to leave early, as she would be coming to me on a thursday 'and town will be busy'. really? do I care?
20 mins on the phone, never once said and how are you getting on, or how is your iron level (it was low last appointment, with a cover midwife, because she was on holiday..) or anything about the hb itself, just about bloody parking - oh, and trying to get me to change my appointment to my last day at work - I told her neither me or DH could do that - kept mentioning it anyay, even when I told her there was no way I could change, I teach, and its my last day of term.
Aargh! Is this normal? Should I have to worry about where my midwives are going to park when I am in labour? I can't believe they dont have an on call arrangement - its mad!
I get the feeling she has seen my notes, and isn't happy about me having a hb, and possibly is setting up excuses for not attending....
right, bit of a rant, but any advice? I so desperately want this hb to at least have a chance, and have been fighting for it for so long...for it to be jepordised because of parking...ffs!