Cancelling appointment- would you?

[glueandstick]

I'm due to see the midwife tomorrow and currently there is a horrid virus/cold/flu thing going around. My family are all down with it locally and so many people we know. (haven't seen them since well before they got ill) I haven't been out recently (have you seen the weather?!) and keeping myself to myself. The people we know have gone on to get chest infections and are really quite unwell.

Would it be unreasonable to cancel my appointment tomorrow at the local surgery so I'm not sat around a load of sick people? I'm well, have no questions and the midwife isn't much use and just wants to give endless bloody bounty packs and tell me that breastfeeding is the only option. I only have 3 weeks to go. It has been an unremarkable pregnancy.

Is this reasonable or am I being a bit precious?

Not wanting to drip feed but I've also had pneumonia a couple of times and prone to chest infections. Also a bit run down at the moment as have been pushing myself a bit hard and coupled with the lack of sleep I'm a bit of a wreck.

I would go because it may be an unremarkable pregnancy but things could be going on behind the scenes. BP and urine checks are important. I went for a routine midwife appointment the other week and ended up admitted and I felt absolutely fine in myself. Why don't you phone and ask your midwife if she feels it's necessary for you to come in?

I would probably cancel too to be honest. She might want to check position of baby but other than that appointments at that stage are a bit pointless in my experience.

Been trying for 2 hours to get through so will try and talk to them!

I'm on the side of not going as so far the care has been so pointless. They've lost notes, cancelled appointments and not told me, forgotten to check things and offered nothing in the way of reassurance. I would walk over hot coals to get if I felt they actually did anything but as I've lost all confidence with them it makes me less likely to want to put myself in the firing line.

I would probably go because you never know, your bp might have risen or there might be something in your urine, mw might have some key last minute info for you etc, but I do understand your concerns & frustration.

I would just try to minimize contact & time spent there, so turn up just before your appointment, take & use some anti-bac hand gel before and after, keep yourself to yourself etc etc.

good luck with your impending birth :)

I spoke to them. They said they couldn't advise. Helpful.

The last midwife (never seen the same one twice) said I should avoid all people with flu like symptoms and places where they may be. It's the conflicting advice that gets me. Or utter lack of advice. They also cancelled a couple of appointments and said they didn't matter much any how so I'm wondering if they aren't worried then should I. I'll sit on it and mull it for a bit.

Can she come to you? Mine did towards the end of my pregnancy. Alternatively get there a few mins late so that you are more likely to be able to walk straight in..x

Community midwives, right? Mine have been useless, forgetting referrals, berating me for not making appointments when I actually have, running out of equipment so I missed blood tests, etc. They gave me a feedback card last visit, I didn't hold back.

Community indeed. No they don't come out around here. I was told last time I was being unreasonable as I felt uncomfortable driving as concentrating was becoming difficult as not sleeping. Was told to get over it.

It has been woeful. The last one actually called me a silly girl. Hence not really wanting to go back.

You need to make every effort to ensure the wellbeing of your child. Go, but arrive bang on time (wait in the car and even ring the gp to check if they are running later) then wait as far away from everyone as you can. Wash your hands asap etc.

Things can change in these late stages, it's important to go.

I think you sound a bit precious OP but I understand why!

You really should go- things like pre-eclampsia can have no outward symptoms so you really need your BP and urine checking regularly.

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"Silly girl"??

Oh hell no. Call up the head midwife / matron and complain.

I think you'd be OK with the flu as long as you take a bottle of hand sanitiser with you. But still, do not put up with being spoken to like that.

I'd go. I had low BP all pregnancy and it started to spike in the last few weeks and I had a urine infection and hadn't realised.

Blood pressure and urine may seem petty but very important, also presentation of baby is important at this stage. I would suggest you do go.

Yes, I'd go. I'd had no issues until my 38 week apt when I had glucose, ketones and leukocytes in the urine and the baby measuring small.

I'd definitely go. Everything will probably continue to be uneventful, but you don't know until it's been checked.

Personally, I wouldn't go. I'd trust my own instincts and having given birth once while full of cold I would go out of my way to avoid surgeries and ill people. You do what you think is right.

Do they not test your blood pressure, urine, baby's position etc? Doesn't sound pointless to me, but essential in late stages of pregnancy. If you don't go then you won't be on the radar for sweep, induction etc if it becomes necessary. My doctors surgery is always just full of pregnant people waiting for ages for the midwife on their clinic day!

The appointments are so important to pick up any problems that could be happening, even if you feel you are completely fine. You can't avoid illness if you see the midwife in the doctors surgery at any point given that it will always be full of sick people, it's unlikely you would pick anything up in a few minutes in a waiting room provided you use sanitiser and avoid sitting too close to anyone.

Please go. I had a remarkably smooth pregnancy. Signed off fit to fly at 32 weeks. At 33 weeks the midwife picked up the signs of pre eclampsia. At 34 weeks I was in hdu and my baby was in nicu. Past plain sailing is no guarantee that everything's still OK.

Check in with the gp surgery as usual, suggest to them that you'll be waiting in the car until the mid wife's ready to see you because you've been told to avoid contact with sick people, or ask if you can wait in another room. You see the midwife, you don't get unnecessarily exposed to sick people.

You're being precious and should go. They don't see you and do BP, urine analysis, fetal heart rate etc. for the good of their health but for the benefit of you and your baby.

You should go as others have said the checks are important ie BP, urine etc for signs of pre eclampsia, check position if baby etc.

Have you not had the flu jab given you are preg you are classed as at risk so are allowed it and given your history of chest issues. Ditto whooping cough jab both are offered to pregnant women in third trimester.

I would go just to get everything checked over, if your going to catch something you will catch it you can't just lock yourself away forever!

If OP waits in the car until the midwife is ready that keeps everyone waiting and will end up putting the midwife behind which will leave other pregnant women left to wait longer for their appointments later in the day, obviously nobody wants to be poorly in pregnancy but it is no different to the many other women the midwife will be seeing or patients with low immune systems, young babies etc.