Carrying maternity notes around?

[JosephineMaynard]

Do people carry maternity notes around with them everywhere when nearing full term?

I'm almost 36 weeks now - 3rd pregnancy and furthest along I've got before was 37+1 weeks - and at the minute I've generally been leaving them at home unless I've got medical appointments.

Does that sound okay, or should I be taking them everywhere with me in case things kick off suddenly and I don't have time to stop off at home to pick them up on the way to the hospital?

No you really should keep them with you! I know it's a pain but it's pretty vital.

Got a massive bollocking from my midwife for not carrying mine about.

They're big and it's a PITA but they tell you for important reasons

I kept mine in the car from about 36 weeks onwards as then they were always at hand - I drove to work and, well, everywhere really so if something happened they would be with me. If they fit in your handbag I would definitely keep them in there, or in the car if appropriate.

If you have a car leave them in the car.

35 weeks here. I don't carry mine around and I've not been told to. They're with my hospital bag at home. Having said that I'm not planning on traveling far from home or the hospital in the last few weeks due to a fast labour last time.

Nope. Got a memory like a sieve so forget them all the time anyway. Don't know why it's not all computerised tbh, seems really archaic

I've been told to carry them from the outset. I just leave them in the car. In the last pregnancy I photocopied key pages to take when on trips away.

I was never told to carry mine with either pregnancy.

I suppose it's not all computerised as appointments may happen in different places?

E.g. My routine midwife appointments are at the GP surgery. Scans and consultant appointments at the hospital I'm planning on giving birth at.
Theoretically possible baby will be born elsewhere - say if I go into labour while a few hours away, or if labour ward is so full they send me to another hospital when I go into labour.

So paper notes avoid the situation where it's all on someone else's computer system as the NHS computer systems aren't all interlinked?

The notes won't fit in my handbag. I guess leaving them in the car if I'm out in that is an option.

Only 19 weeks but from 16 weeks after being in hospital I was told to keep them with me at all time (I keep them in the car whenever I go anywhere including work) Was told should anything happen in an emergency whether I'm close to home or not it would be helpful.

I kept them with me all the time, ether work bag or oversized handbag. Was very helpful when I had to do an emergency stop in the car and was worried I'd hurt the baby, I was told to come in as soon as possible, I was 5 mins from the hospital my house was 35 mins and they wanted me to bring my notes. It's really not a huge inconvenience to at least have them in the car.

Take them with you! Keep in the car or in the changing bag if you have another little one and still use one.

I didn't. Had my first baby overseas and the midwives kept my notes. Second baby in the UK and I had no idea it was a thing. I think if you are unlikely to go past 37 weeks and you are 36 weeks now, it seems like a good idea to shove them in the car but I think unnecessary to carry them about your person 24 hours a day!

4 babies and never carried mine about, just lived on top of fridge and taken to appointments

All computerised notes in my trust thank God.

My midwife did say she recommends paper copies (which are free and take about 5 days to come) after 36 weeks if you plan on travelling anyware outside of area and/or have a complicated pregnancy.

I didn't bother despite having hypertension and obstetric cholestasis since I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere.

I kept mine in the car once I hit my third trimester. My last labour was really quick so I wouldn't have had time to go home for them (went into labour in the middle of the night anyway).

You are supposed to, but I didn't, unless I was going somewhere far from home or DH wouldn't have been able to collect them for me

I was worried I'd lose them (public transport/ walk everywhere so couldn't leave in car)
Also they are huge

I'm a doctor so I remembered the important details and figured I could weather any midwife bollocking!

Oh shit, this didn't even occur to me and I'm 40 weeks tomorrow! Mine aren't even in my hospital bag and I never bring them anywhere except Midwife appointments, and definitely wouldn't have thought to grab them before setting off for the hospital

Good thread OP!

I don't understand why it has to be a giant folder to lug about! I wish they'd a) get on with the NHS database they keep talking about, or b) give everyone some sort of credit card-sized thing to carry, which has vital medical details encoded on it and could be read by any hospital system.

I did have mine with me but baby number 3 only gave me 19 minutes of labour so. I one had time to read them

*no one

I didn't carry mine anywhere

I found myself 2 hours from home when I needed mine.
You should carry them with you.

What information is in these notes?! I'm in Ireland - we have a small cardboard card (think a4 folded in 3) and that's it!

The notes I have are an A4 book. It has scan details, details from all appointments, birth plan etc

Last time round I kept them in my work bag, this time of have kept them in my car. Which means I can't really go too far without them.