Guest post: “Midwives and maternity teams are working hard to make sure maternity services continue to be personal and safe”

[BojanaMumsnet]

I know that many of you are feeling anxious about being pregnant and giving birth during this uncertain time. But I want to reassure you that midwives and maternity teams up and down the country are working hard to make sure maternity services continue to be personal and safe during this period.

We know that the NHS is under pressure at the moment due to COVID-19, so some local teams are making adjustments to keep you and your baby safe. Some appointments may now take place over the phone or by video call. Some women may need to have their babies in a different place to where they had planned, and they may see staff wearing protective clothing.

As anyone who has ever given birth or worked as a midwife will tell you, when a baby is ready to be born, he or she will never wait - our midwives continue to always be prepared , willing and very able. Since 30 January, I have seen first-hand how midwives have encouraged women who feel nervous about attending appointments to do so.

Every maternity unit has amplified their efforts to engage with women above and beyond their usual practice, such as the , who, despite wearing masks, smile with their eyes to reduce the anxiety that PPE may create for some women.

But, whatever the changes made, I really want to address some of the concerns that I know are worrying many of you.

Firstly, it's vital that you have a midwife with you when you are birthing, to ensure that both you and baby are safe. I want to reassure you that maternity services are completely separate to general NHS services in hospitals treating coronavirus patients, so the risk of catching coronavirus from these patients is minimal, as well as from other pregnant women with coronavirus symptoms, who are cared for in another dedicated area in the maternity unit.

We also know that having a trusted birth partner present throughout labour is known to make a significant difference to the well-being of you in childbirth. At times like this, when coronavirus is heightening anxiety, that reassurance is more important than ever. While we support decisions to restrict access to birth partners who have, or are suspected of having, coronavirus in order to safeguard both the health of the woman and the maternity staff supporting her, NHS Trusts should continue to follow guidance allowing asymptomatic birth partners access to the maternity unit during labour and birth.

But most importantly, I want you to know that the NHS is still here for you and has gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of you and your baby. If you’re worried about your health or that of your baby, or you have a concern, no matter how minor, please contact your midwife just as you always would, and if you’re asked to come in for a planned or urgent check, it’s vital that you do so.

If you get coronavirus symptoms, they are likely to be only mild or moderate, such as a cough or a high temperature, and the rate of contracting the virus is no higher than the general population, so please contact your midwife or maternity team who will advise you about what to do next. If you have coronavirus symptoms when having your baby, then you will be cared for in a dedicated area in the maternity unit with a midwife. This is to keep you and everybody who uses or works in our services as safe as possible.

Don’t forget to go to keep up-to-date with all the latest coronavirus pregnancy and birth advice at //www.nhs.uk/pregnancy-and-coronavirus, which has links to helpful resources, including a range of leaflets and an .

Good luck and don’t forget - your midwife is always there to help you!

The Chief Midwifery Officer's team will be able to respond to some questions next week.

[LesbianMummies]

@Rosabuddy That “nurse” doing your blood pressure is a midwife, you have seen one. You are consultant led having growth scans, you have no reason to see the community midwifery team, what care do you think you have missed? Your consultant should be doing everything the community team do plus more.

[Ladybyrd]

This is my second baby. I'm booked in for a c section on Friday.

A couple of the MW appointments were by telephone rather than in person. I've been to my scans on my own. Nevertheless, I've felt just as supported as I did the first time around - MW always underlining the importance of calling if I felt something was up and keep asking how I was emotionally.

I realise this may not be everyone's experience, but to me they've been friendly, kind, and generally pretty amazing, considering they're going out every day putting their health on the line. I feel nothing but gratitude and respect personally.

[Helbelle17]

I'm in Lincolnshire and can't fault the care that we've had. I'm an older mum, so had extra growth scans and none of my appointments were cancelled. I saw my community midwife as usual.
Baby is now 6weeks old and we had to have extra checks due to baby's weight loss. We opted to go to the new community midwife clinic instead of them visiting at home. Nothing was too much trouble and I've felt very confident and very much cared for.
I'm sorry that has not been the case for everyone.

[MVDorset]

That “nurse” doing your blood pressure is a midwife, you have seen one. You are consultant led having growth scans, you have no reason to see the community midwifery team, what care do you think you have missed? Your consultant should be doing everything the community team do plus more.

Community midwife care is about so much more than checking BPs and urine. Mothers are much less likely to be able to open up about their emotional wellbeing or have a supportive discussion about birth plans or infant feeding with a consultant. I was consultant led but still had a community midwife and the content of those appointments was completely different.

And it’s likely that the person checking BPs in clinic right now is an MCA or MSW, not a midwife. But that’s all beside the point - if women feel that their care is lacking and they haven’t had the opportunity to talk things through with a MW, that is valid and impacts their perception of their care, even if technically they have had contact with a MW. We need to know these things so things can be improved.

[Ladybyrd]

For PP saying how awful it is that partners get kicked out straight after the birth, I know to some extent it's hospital specific, but that isn't the case with mine, and never was apparently.

I went for my pre-op assessment yesterday and was told my partner would be allowed to stay for at least 2-3 hours after the birth. The nurse said it's been like that all along, but she keeps hearing stories that panic and everyone.

My partner won't be allowed on the maternity ward, but that's fair enough. Last time I was in with women who had all had c sections and their babies. They've all been tested, but partners haven't. I find it reassuring there won't be every Tom Dick and Harry wandering around when we're all there recovering from surgery with our newborns.

I do feel sorry for people who are going to through their first pregnancy. I have had several extra scans this time but first time around, there seemed some huge gaps between appointments, when you're desperate to know everything is alright. My MW seemed more than happy to ditch the telephone appointments ASAP though. I think, first time around, I would have been going a bit crazy not being seen in person.

[firstbabybell]

@mvdorset I'm with you. Consultant appointments are not the same as midwife appointments & are designed to achieve totally different things surely?!

I have been waiting a week now for a call back from my midwife who I have never met despite chasing.

It's great some people feel looked after but I feel the opposite.

Luckily I am not "vulnerable" but I feel for women who are.

[LJC1234]

I'm 37 weeks and have such a mixed experience!

I've been almost lucky ( can you call it that) because I've been suffering with anxiety so although all my appointments were initially cancelled including scans because I was considered high risk. Due to anxiety they have been re instated and been face to face again since 30 weeks .

Initially when they cancelled everything I felt so lost. My trust cancelled all appointments so essentially from my 20 week scan to 36 weeks I would have seen no one. Thankfully for me that's changed and I cannot fault the care I have received it's been incredible but I wish it had not just been offered due to my anxiety and I feel for all the other mums to be that haven't had appointments re instated

[fedupandlookingforchange]

My care has been fine. I had a telephone booking in appointment and then went in for bloods, thought I was further on than I initially thought so saw a midwife at the end of the bloods appointment, scanned the next day.
Telephone consultant appointment but I only needed an agreement for a c section no issues during pregnancy. I've had another scan and two more midwife appointments. I've had to call the midwife and hospital once and they were really good. The care has been as good as last time.
It unfortunately care seems very patchy across the country, I'm in an area of low birth rates so maybe that makes a difference.

[Edemummy]

So strange to read all the bad experiences, sorry you've all had a terrible care. I would however keep calling my midwife if I felt I wasn't seen enough.
I am only 13 weeks, so far I had a booking in first appointment over the phone, I am glad I didn't have to go to a hospital unnecessarily. I then had an appointment for bloods and scan at 12 weeks. Yes it was sad not to have husband with me but I understand why it is necessary. They've let me take a little video if my moving baby instead which I shared with my husband and family and friends. I have another appointment in a couple weeks time. It's my second so I am quite chilled, I don't remember having too many appointments in the beginning of my first pregnancy either. I did want much more information first time around so I joined an NCT group. I think the midwives do the best they can and I am understanding of the current situation and don't want to create unnecessary demand on services if everything is going well with me.

[LeSquigh]

I thank my lucky stars that I am not pregnant at the moment. Whenever I see a pregnant woman out and about my heart sinks for her being in this position right now. Maternity services in this country are appalling. I have two children, both pregnancies and births had various difficulties. My community midwives (in separate areas) were brilliant but I don’t have much good to say about midwives in hospital, especially post natal, which on both occasions was like a cattle market.

[RobynNora]

Just wanted to add as well that all pregnant women here are doing amazingly well and shouldn't be afraid to speak out if they've had a poor experience. I was reluctant to mention my experiences to anyone as I didn't want to be perceived as 'anti NHS' or undermine anyone's work at a horrible time like this. But we still deserve access to quality ante natal care.

On the recommendation of someone on this thread, I've just sent my comments and some recommendations to my local Maternity Voices group. We're the end users of maternity services and living in unprecedented times so hospital trusts don't necessarily know what we're going through unless we tell them.

We can definitely join the NCT, self educate and keep hassling for the care we deserve (I've done all), but not all pregnant women are in a position to advocate for themselves - maybe they are under confident, really young, speak English as a second language etc. Everyone should get good care without fighting for it and it shouldn't be a postcode lottery.

[TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun]

You might want to sign this petition to include partners in appointments and scans:

www.change.org/p/nhs-expand-maternity-care-during-lockdown-for-mothers-and-partners-whilst-lockdown-eases

Thousands of signatures already. It's ridiculous to me that my partner, who has been isolating with me since March and lives in the same household, could meet me (and a dozen strangers) without a mask in Tesco's or at a garden centre but can't come into a scan to support me even wearing full PPE!

I should not have to pay for private medical care for us both to have the reassurance of seeing a scan or asking questions to the consultants!

[MummyShark97]

As lovely as my community midwife is, as a first time mum I feel completely abandoned. I saw my midwife at booking in and won't see her again till 28 weeks. I'm left guessing about whooping cough vaccine, MatB1, dentist exemption etc etc No antenatal classes...(going to source them ourselves via zoom) Could go on and on. As many others have said, surely we should be receiving at least as much care! So much has been cut out. This is what our tax goes on ladies.

[Dogssox]

Sorry to see all the negative experiences here.
I had a baby in May amidst the lockdown. My whole pregnancy and planned c section I had a very good experience, much better than previous experiences at another hospital.
I was happy (and extremely so due to past birth expectations) and found the NHS staff to be very appoachful and 100% focused on amazing care while following ppe guidelines.

[Dogssox]

I should add to that I am in Scotland.