Please DON'T hesitate to call labor ward if you are worried ....

[fluffyraggies]

I wanted to tell anyone who (like me and DH last night) would worry and dither about calling the labor ward about reduced movement/change in pattern of baby's movement.

I noticed last night that i hadn't felt the usual regular violent kicks (i'm 38 weeks) for a few hours. DH and i dithered and fretted and at 11.30pm finally plucked up the courage to ring labor ward.

THEY WERE LOVELY. They said come straight in and we'll check you over pop you on a monitor. Turns out baby was fine, thank god, and was probably just napping :) She began kicking the MW during the examination! They tracked the heart beat for an hour and then i could go home. All reassured.

But just to repeat - everyone without exception kept saying to us ''Never hesitate. We'd rather you ring and come in and we check than have you worrying at home. NEVER hesitate.''

The labor ward never sleeps! They're all there for you all night and day, all cheerful and you wont be being a nuisance!

Just wanted to say I totally agree. I had some reduced movements and the same experience as you, MWs were lovely and said don't hesitate to go in.

The MW did tell me that often the monitors they strap you onto wake the baby up so they're used to seeing women who's baby's haven't moved for a whole then go mad as soon as they're strapped up to the monitor :)

It's just SO worth it isn't it tinsel? We didn't get to bed till 3am, and are both shattered this morning getting up, but we would have both been laying there awake worrying all night anyway if we hadn't gone in! And then worried again this morning.

It's not worth risking baby's health worrying you're going to be a nuisance to anyone. They want you to ring!

I couldn't agree more - slightly different prompt but I called my community midwife for an extra bp and urine check on Monday am as my face and neck were a bit puffy. Nearly cancelled because the swelling went down a bit before I set off and didn't want the embarrassment of being sent home and told I'd eaten too many mince pies.

Community team sent me to obstetric-led triage at the big hospital with a skyrocketing bp and was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia which they're now actively managing before it's started to impact too much on the baby, so if all continues well I'll be able to get to 37 weeks under control and hopefully with a safe delivery and healthy baby.

if in doubt, ask don't put it off out of busyness/fear of wasting their time/pride (they won't judge a pregnant lady for having a bit of a double chin if it turns out to be that rather than pre-eclampsia!)

Agree absolutely. I did the same, 12 years ago, and something did need doing -- I had a mildly distressed, nearly-fluid-less baby, who was induced the following day and is now a strapping lass in her first year of secondary (wistful sigh...)

Totally agree too. I fell flat on my front on New Years Eve at 26 weeks and my usually wriggly baby went still for ages... my stomach was sore so I rang my local hospital/mlu and they got me straight in and onto a monitor. They were fantastic and luckily all was fine... but it really made me feel looked after and not silly for worrying.