Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Do you take you pregnancy notes everywhere?

50 replies

Madratlady · 08/08/2013 12:26

My DH told me off yesterday because I haven't been carrying my pregnancy notes around with me. I'm 16+6. His argument was 'what if I had a car accident and they didn't know I was pregnant when they took me to hospital'. Now, I think the bump would be a giveaway and that it probably isn't necessary to take them to a friend's house 8 miles up the road. But he disagreed, so I suggested I put them in the glove box of my car, but no, he says to put them in my handbag so I always have them.

Do you always carry yours around? Is it actually necessary?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

YoniMitchell · 08/08/2013 14:18

Mine are of dubious legibility anyway, as the midwives keep putting things in wrong, scribbling them out and re-entering in teeny writing to fit it in, or a messy attempt at over-writing the original error. It's a right old mess!

JRmumma · 08/08/2013 14:18

Im 37+3 and i should probably start carrying them i guess....

Im not going far these days though.

pumpkinsweetie · 08/08/2013 14:20

I'm 18+5 weeks and i don't carry mine unless visiting the mw or going for a scan.

From about 35 weeks is the time to carry your notes, i don't think there is any need to be carrying them around before that.

badguider · 08/08/2013 14:22

Yoni - are yours handwritten? so not on computer anywhere?

Mine are typed up during appointments and then printed for my folder. When I call the hospital to tell them i'm in labour they'll read everything on the computer screen before telling me whether to wait at home or come in. How will your hospital know your history?

islingtongirl · 08/08/2013 14:25

Mine are all handwritten from the midwife appointments - no computer! Think the only thing the hospital has records of are the scans and blood test results (I assume!)

AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom · 08/08/2013 14:25

Badguider - They have some basic information on computer I think, but English notes are generally handwritten and rubbish! No back up if a copy is lost. Sounds like the Scottish system is far more sorted.

badguider · 08/08/2013 14:37

Wow. Interesting!

ShadowMeltingInTheSun · 08/08/2013 15:18

My handheld notes are all handwritten during the appointments too.

No idea how much of what the midwives / doctors have handwritten is duplicated in the computers.

parttimer79 · 08/08/2013 15:35

I kept them in my handbag because the midwife told me to always have them on me and it didn't occur to me not to. At 40 weeks they look like they have been through several wars!

Charingcrossbun · 08/08/2013 17:43

On the subject of notes..... I got my scan date through today (very exciting) I'm 11 weeks and will be 13+3 for the scan. My scan letter says in huge bold letter - bring your pregnancy notes and blood forms.... But I don't have any! The scan is the first pregnancy thing I've done (if you don't count the disinterested 7weeks visit to my GP who proceeded to not book my scan so I had to chases it myself).
Should I have notes at this stage? Or shall I just bring along my baby name doodles??

On a different note - are there any techy mumsnetters around? Surely we need a pregnancy notes app to stop us ruining chic handbags with A4 folders?

Original poster

Madratlady · 08/08/2013 17:49

Charing have you not had a booking in appointment with the midwife? If not it might be worth trying to arrange one in the next few weeks.

OP posts:

CleverlyConcealed · 08/08/2013 17:51

I didn't take mine anywhere (other than appontments) until I was 36= weeks. And then when I went into labour with ds2 I left them on the kitchen table!

Charingcrossbun · 08/08/2013 17:58

Thanks madratlady. I go on holiday tonight for 2 weeks so have my booking appointment with the midwife the day after my scan. Hopefully that won't be a big problem will it......?

posybunchof · 08/08/2013 18:00

No. I hadn't even considered doing so!

YoniMitchell · 08/08/2013 18:26

badguider, as with islingtongirl they're handwritten and only scan and bloods (I assume - yet to see more results since the nuchal bloods) are done on a computer and printed out for my folder-booklet.

Charing I was the same - I had my scan at 12+2 and booking in at 14wks, just tell them and keep a copy of your scan report safe - you can add that to your file when you have your booking in appointment. Have you had any bloods yet? They should have booked you in form them when your 12 week scan was arranged.

LostMySocks · 08/08/2013 21:37

I was thinking of carrying mine from about 35 weeks although I do take with me if I go away overnight. However I started an UTI on Monday. Called the midwife who told me to go to the day assessment unit as I couldn't get a doctor's appointment and at 31 weeks they wanted me to beget it sorted. However I was at work and didn't have my notes - was told I had to take them. So instead of just hopping on a bus at the station I had to go home pick up notes, drive to hospital, realise that I'd forgotten notes, drive home again before I could be seen. If I'd had my notes I'd have been seem an hour earlier

TobyLerone · 09/08/2013 08:18

Nope, but I keep meaning to put them in the car.

Re the app, if only you knew how much my techy, paper-phobic DH is enraged by how much paper there is! :o

HotSoupDumpling · 09/08/2013 08:28

I take them almost everywhere with me. My midwives told me too and I didn't question them - it doesn't cost me anything except a bit of inconvenience. I swapped to a tote style handbag so I could fit them in. They're in a thin card folder to stop them looking so hideously battered.

Rockchick1984 · 09/08/2013 09:30

I took mine if I went anywhere that would have meant not going to my normal hospital. Good thing I did as I went for a day out in North Wales (I'm only north west England, so wasn't all that far away) got involved in an accident and they didn't realise I was pregnant until I told them (despite 25 week bump ). If I'd been unconscious then they would have realised as soon as they saw my notes.

I did buy a clear folder to keep them in, wasn't going to use the awful plastic bounty thing!!

ChairOfTheBored · 09/08/2013 10:20

I commute form Home Counties into central London each day, and with the risk of train based fainting (thanks commuters of the South East for the unedrstanding on non-offer of seats) and the distance to my home hospital, my Midwife suggested I take them with me each day, so if I did tipple over on the train an need an ambulance etc. they'd know, and take me to a maternity unit.

therumoursaretrue · 09/08/2013 10:26

I didn't carry mine with me but towards the end wished I had on a couple of occasions.

I had a car accident at 22 weeks where I was rushed to hospital, and was admitted every other week (literally!) due to complications before being kept in the last 2 weeks. Most of these times I didn't have my notes on me and someone had to bring them from home.

callofthewild · 09/08/2013 15:09

I've been carrying mine round with me since I was 9 weeks (now 31 weeks), however, between 9 and 16 weeks I had 5 large bleeds so have been fairly cautious.

Original poster

Madratlady · 09/08/2013 22:50

DH insisted that I put them in my bag in front of him. Bless him, he's only fussing because he cares :)

They are taking up far too much handbag space though!

OP posts:

mrspaddy · 09/08/2013 22:53

I was advised by my GP to keep them on me at all times - so I have had them in my handbag since I was about 2 months pg.

RNJ3007 · 09/08/2013 22:56

I don't, but I do have a single sheet of paper tucked in my handbag, with a copy in car with my name, hospital, due date, my details and name of next of kin, and details of medications and complications, just in case.

My notes are in my hospital bag, which only comes out if we're going out for a long day/somewhere far. And I'm 37w!

Flip

1 2