Not booking to midwife appointments

[FloozieFay]

I'm having a bit of a nightmare with my midwife appointments.

Our old MW retired recently -just after my booking in appointment & since then I've seen 2 different MW's. Apointments have always been on a Wednesday, my day off so nice & easy.

I now need to make a 34 week appointment which I've been told will be with yet another MW who is only going to do Mondays. By that point, I'm only going to be at work on Mondays & Thursdays, & the way I'm set up, if I don't work I don't get paid. I've told them I can't do Mondays & there's a choice of 3 other days a week but they're telling me there's no choice.

Will it really matter if I don't go to any more appointments? I'm due another scan at 30 something weeks so it's not like I won't see anyone at all. This is my 2nd baby too, & I've had no issues at all with either pregnancy.

Thanks

If you are employed by them you will be entitled to paid time off for appointments, you could just make your appointments first thing or last thing so you aren't missing too much at work.
Failing that could you register at a different doctors surgery locally or visit the midwife at a different clinic?

And yes it does matter that you go to appointments, your pregnancy could change at the drop of the hat and the midwife can check for warning signs

Your employer is legally obliged to pay you for ante natal appointments.
Yes you need to go the appointments. Ask them to let you know of there is a cancellation in another day. Ring daily and check.

I could have gone to appointments on my day off but would have had to take DD - my employer said to do whatever was most convenient for me so I made all my appointments on work days instead. It was fine. Definitely go to all the appointments.

Especially important to go to these late appointments, they need to check growth and heart beat. I have 3 dc, I have realised just how important it is for monitoring at the end so they can pick complications up

Yes, you need to go to all your appts.

I understand it's not as cut and dried as "you're legally entitled to paid time off for appts" as some posters have mentioned.

I wouldn't have been paid if I'd had to attend appts during work time either (subcontractors/agents/self-employed aren't entitled to the same as employees). I got round this by signing up to a different clinic (same PCT, but different care centre about 6 miles away) who do evening appts.

Are you self employed? If the company you work for employs you, you are entitled to paid time off for appointments.

I think you need to go- it's important.

You may be able to see your GP instead - they are perfectly capable of doing the necessary checks

Thanks AWaspOnAWindowInAHeatwave, I know all the rules, entitlements etc but I fall into that grey area category where I don't come under normal employment laws.

First thing in the morning or end of day aren't options as the hours they do are only 9.30 til about 3 & work's an hour away. From experience the appointments are never on time too -even first of the day. I had those every time with my first & she was always late.

My boy comes to all my appointments with me so that's not a problem.

I'm not sure what other clinic options are but I'll have to ask, nowhere round here do evenings though!

Are there many more appointments are 34 weeks for a 2nd baby?

There are more and more in the last few weeks I am afraid, as this is when real problems can start to develop - anemia, pre eclampsia to name a couple. My DD turned breech between 34-36 weeks too.

Could you go to an antenatal clinic at the hospital you've booked into instead? As I'm out of reach for community midwives for my hospital, I have had appointments at the hospital instead. They run clinics daily, and I can always get one on a Thursday (my day off so I don't miss work). You don't see the same midwife each time, but that really doesn't bother me.

Your green pregnancy book should have the list of appointments in it.

I agree with special. Have you checked your hospital? Ours does appointments on the weekend as well.

It must be possible to see a mw on a different day, in a different area or at your hospital.

I am a midwife. I would advise you to call your unit and ask to speak to the manager for community midwifery (or at least get her email). Explain that since the local mw has changed her day you have difficulty attending. Ask her to help you find an alternative.

It is so important to attend your midwife appts. You should have an appt at 34/40, 36/40, 38/40, 40/40, 41/40. Monitoring for pre eclampsia, diabetes, polyhydramnios, reduced growth.

Hi OP
It would be ideal if you could go to a mw's app but is visiting gp an option ?
I am high risk pregnancy and my gp always does all check that mw does

Hi OP. I am expecting DC2. My pregnancy with DC1 was completely straightforward and this one has been too so far. However, I had my 34 week check yesterday and there was some protein in my urine which may (although hopefully won't) indicate pre eclampsia. I'm now currently waiting for test results.

As others have said, your pregnancy can change at any point.