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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do you really carry your pregnancy medical folder EVERYWHERE??

49 replies

angels1 · 04/08/2010 14:42

I'm 11 weeks and had booking in today. Was given my pregnancy medical folder thingy you keep and told to take it to all appointments (understandable) but was also told I needed to take it pretty much EVERYWHERE with me should I suddenly be taken ill/something go wrong and have to go to hospital they would need to see it straight away.

While I understand the logic, if I take it everywhere with me I know that I'm likely to lose it somewhere along the lines (or spill juice on it or something). I suggested to my mw I just kept it in my car, as if I go anywhere then I go in my car so it would always be with me, but she told me not to do that should the car get stolen.

So, do you actually take it EVERYWHERE you go?

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oldmum42 · 04/08/2010 14:45

No. But if I was away from home for the weekend, or went further than my usual trips to the shop,ie hours from home, I'd take it.

Original poster

angels1 · 04/08/2010 14:46

yes, that's what I thought, but midwife told me if ever I went out anywhere I should take it with me 'just incase'.....seems a bit OTT to me.

OP posts:

Rockbird · 04/08/2010 14:47

I photocopied the key bits from mine and took the copy with me. Certainly didn't lug round the big folder.

hoolabombshell · 04/08/2010 14:48

Er, 'they' say you're meant to but I only take it to appointments. I don't drive so I aint lugging it to work on the bus and back every day. Oops

Meglet · 04/08/2010 14:49

Yes, but only the 8 page medical notes in a plastic envelope. We didn't get fancy folders.

I have a big handbag too.

daisystone · 04/08/2010 14:49

No! Are you kidding? I would never remember to do that, plus by now they would be all dogeared and tatty.

Maybe when I get to about 36 weeks I might start putting them in the car when I go out, but certainly not now.

PrivetDancer · 04/08/2010 14:50

No. I dig it out when I have a midwife appointment and that's all.

I guess if you had a problem that might need special attention if something happened to you it might be important (e.g. need anti-d injections or something, I don't know) in case you were unconcious or something!

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 04/08/2010 14:50

No I do not, it wouldn't fit into my handbag anyway. I only carry it everywhere with me when I nearly due to give birth and of course if I went away somewhere.

addictedisgettingexcited · 04/08/2010 14:50

nope, and i dont take it when i go to visit my parents or inlaws either (both 1.5 hour drive away) but thats more because i forget!

i did take them on holiday with us, and will be taking my hospital bag on our next holiday 'just in case'!

Original poster

angels1 · 04/08/2010 14:55

mw actually told me to buy a bigger handbag so I could fit it in everywhere with me!!! but nothing especially 'high risk' with me.

Glad it's not common to lug the whole thing everywhere - didn't fancy the extra luggage.

OP posts:

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 14:58

No!

I take mine to the appointments and that's it however, at 27 weeks I went to France for the week, I took the book with me then. Other than that they stay at home, even if I go away for weekend. Not sure when I will start taking them everywhere.....I'm 30 weeks now.

Julezboo · 04/08/2010 14:59

I keep mine in the car, but only because I have awful sickness and have to keep pulling over, was approached by a police man once and was so glad i had it with me otherwise he would have thought i was drunk or something!

addie81 · 04/08/2010 15:01

god no! No one has ever suggested to me that I should take it everywhere I go. I just asked my sister about this (she is a doctor), and she literally laughed in my face at the suggestion. I take it to medical appointments and that's it. The important info in it is on the NHS computer system anyway.

LadyintheRadiator · 04/08/2010 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

notso · 04/08/2010 15:09

God no, mines massive and full of stuff.

I'll prob take it on holiday and when we go to V Festival.
I do carry a card in my purse and handbag with my name,EDD, blood type, NHS number and medication details as I have to take blood thinning injections and have been prone to fainting late on in previous pregnancies.

Swazzee · 04/08/2010 15:10

I didn't think I had to carry them around, apart from appointments, until the day (at 13 weeks) when I had to go to A&E after a fainting episode on the bus. The ambulance staff said I should carry the notes everywhere with me, and since then, they're always in my handbag.

Not sure what you mean by 'folder' though - mine's just a green paper booklet which I've stuck in a plastic wallet thing and folded into my handbag. Doesn't really take up much more room than my ever present paperback. It's getting a bit dog eared, but I feel better that all my notes are with me should I ever have any problems again.

AnnaAug · 04/08/2010 15:13

I've been carrying mine everywhere since about 33wks when the midwife sent me to the hospital for a couple of checks and I watched some poor lady arrive - in labour - to be sent away again because she didn't have her green book!! I went through a phase of close monitoring, so made sense to have it handy - agree it's a faff to lug around if no health concerns though.

I keep it in plastic folder and it fits in my handbag without any probs - will be weird to be able to travel minus green book soon!!

Fibilou · 04/08/2010 15:14

I certainly didn't - in fact I forgot to take it to several appointments.
My notes said almost nothing as I had a textbook pregnancy so it wasn't as if there was anything in there I couldn't remember myself

whirleywoo72 · 04/08/2010 15:16

im 33 wks, and had a scare in town 2 wks ago, and had no notes for them, so i carry them with me, in the car, but they are left hanging on my coat rack with my labour bag, and dh knows where they are if needed, xx but i only take the relevant bits with me

JamieJay · 04/08/2010 15:20

I generaly chuck it in the car if I'm heading out and it stays in there until I get home then it comes back into the house.

Yeah there is a risk that the car could get stolen but there's just as much risk that your handbag could be stolen with your notes in them so don't really get that logic!

Original poster

angels1 · 04/08/2010 15:26

DO you ladies that carry it around with you have very large handbags?! My notes are an A4 paper 'booklet' with lots of (currently blank) pages. Probably about half of the thickness of the NHS pregnancy book. I'd never fit it in my handbag!

OP posts:

cardamomginger · 04/08/2010 15:40

Am 32 weeks and, er no. Was told I was supposed to though. Feel less worried about it now - if anything were to happen to me it's obvious that I am pregnant. Have also not been worrying about it too much because I've had no problems and am low risk. But I suppose if something were to happen to me the medical team treating me wouldn't know that unless they could read it.... Hmm. I do have the number of the labour ward and the hospital in my mobile... Oh dear - maybe will photocopy relevant bits and take them with me.

stressheaderic · 04/08/2010 15:49

Ours were given out in a white Bounty plastic folder which I saw everyone with at the hosp, but i swiftly binned the Bounty thing. My actual notes were A4 on yellow paper with hard card cover so couldn't really be folded.
I loved reading them - gutted when the midwife discharged me when DD a week old and had to take them away!

cinnamongreyhound · 04/08/2010 15:56

Nope, did take them on holiday with me at 24 weeks but otherwise they stay in my bookshelf unless I have an appointment. Probably should live in my hospital bag from now on though, am 36 weeks.

Porcelain · 04/08/2010 16:04

Mine are in a plastic polywallet. When I was working my work handbag was big enough to take A4 sheets, so they were always in my handbag, mostly because work is in the same town as the hospital, so a 10 mile drive home to get notes and back again to the hospital would have been a pain. If I am in my home town, and not doing anything risky or baby related, they stay at home, if I drive anywhere out of town, they tend to come with me, just in case.

That said, now I am imminently due, my labour bag gets thrown in the car when I leave town too!

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