How do I go through notes from previous birth?

[roundynotsquary]

Am 24 weeks pg with number 2 and have decided that I want to go through my notes from number 1. I am worried I will cry and break down though - it was a difficult time and I needed an op and our baby was a bit ill for a while. Will it just open up a can of worms? Will they mind me crying? If I do will they mark
me down as vulnerable and with potential problems for this time? And how do I arrange to do it?

Anyone else done it at UCLH? Was it helpful?

Do you have your notes? At St Thomas' when you request them you get a form and one of the questions is 'would you like to go through your notes with a doctor'

No not got them and they were lost at the time towards end of stay (we were there a week) but they seem to have reappeared as midwife had them at my last appt.

You can get them from your GP, who should have them from the hospital. It is a computer print out with lots of acronyms which your GP or obstetric consultant should be able to go through with you in their usual patronising manner. It's definitely worth doing.

I don't think it is unusual to cry (I know I did) - I don't think they read anything into it ( I guess unless you have underlying an MH condition)

I definitely don't want to do it with my GP. Have emailed the hospital to find out what the options are.

I had a traumatic birth and reviewed my notes with a supervisor of midwives (official title for a midwife in a senior role who has done loads of training etc). She was very helpful and clarified it all for me, and gave me much more confidence for my next birth. I phoned the antenatal unit and made an appointment with her to go through them.

I just looked back at mine - I have the print out from the records, which I went over with the hospital consultant, then they sent me a letter spelling it all out again in full sentences. It still makes me a bit teary reading it now and DS is now a teanager and taller than me .

Good luck with it.