Continuity of care - are you getting any?

[triceratops]

I am really disappointed with the continuity of care that I have experienced during this pregnancy. Out of 10 antinatal appointments that I will have attended I will have been seen by seven different people. I booked my homebirth back in March and assumed that I would at least have met the midwife who would be attending me before the day, but no such luck.

I am 37 weeks in and the woman who saw me this morning still had to ask me if it was my first child. I find it really difficult to discuss embarrassing pregnancy issues with a total stranger. I had such a lovely experience last time when the same lovely midwife looked after me all the way through and delivered my baby and did the aftercare.

triceratops, your experience sounds quite standard in some areas, have you moved since your first pregnancy? I rarely saw the same midwife twice, although was lucky enough to have someone from my own 'team' to deliver me, at the mo they are so short-staffed they can't even guarantee that. I would certainly have felt anxious if it'd been a completely unknown midwife in with me, instead of someone who I felt was experienced and trustworthy.

Seeing different midwives from the team was actually part of the policy, since it gave you a better chance of having met the lady who would deliver you. I agree, though, having the same midwife all the way through would be great - as long as it was a nice one. Less nice to be stuck with an awful one for the whole pregnancy!

Best of luck to you.