First-timer question: what did you copy from maternity notes?

[sockgate]

In the usual pre-baby lists, lots of people say 'photocopy your mat notes'. Are there any parts you found particularly worth keeping? Did you photocopy your 20 week scan notes for example?

I'm figuring midwife notes are probably not worth copying, all they've noted is my low BP throughout.

I've never heard of this!

I didn't keep a note of anything and was really disappointed they didn't know my blood type as I've always wanted to know!

I'd copy the whole lot myself. It's interesting to compare any future pregnancy against. But then i like that sort of thing.

They will have tested your blood type, but may not have bothered telling you if you were positive (negative means they need to know in case baby's positive)

Nope not heard or seen that one. I think I saw several copies of birth 'plan' but not the lot. Most of mine is the postnatal forms ready to fill out anyway.

I'm surprised justmyluck as how else do they check if you need antiD? I know we discussed mine, but I already knew it (and DH's) as we've both given blood in the past and knew that I'd need antiD

I took mine to work at 37 weeks and photocopied the notes from all of my key appointments. I'd also had a couple of traces where they'd monitored his heartbeat and so I copied those printouts too. The midwife had marked on them where the activity coincided with kicking which made them more interesting.

I took photos of all the pages, just in case! I'm glad I did, as three years later I'm pregnant again and can hardly remember anything from first time around due to all the sleepless nights and baby brain. It helped me remember things like how often I had appointments, blood type and what I had blood tests for, NT results, etc. It has been interesting to compare them to this time.

It is worth getting a copy of your full notes after delivery. You can request this using the data protection act. My midwife used my notes from last time to understand what happened in my last delivery. Also a colleague at work had a couple of c-sections and later in life needed some form of gynae surgery and they wouldn't do it laproscopically because they didn't have her notes from her c-sections. So that's what made me keen to get and keep a copy of all my notes.

I agree with Apples you should get the copies done after birth. I didn't, went back for my sign off with the consultant at the hospital as I'd ended up in surgery and he had no idea what had happened as my notes had gone walkabout before anyone put them on the system. I'm about to go for a consultant appointment for my next one and I won't know what is relevant to tell them/if I've remembered correctly and she'll have no notes to look at.

This is really helpful, thank you everyone!

Sorry to butt in here but how do you go about requesting your previous pregnancy notes?

They would be from over 4 years ago from a different trust as I've moved. Just wondered if it would even be possible!?

I'll be taking a copy of them all this time around, not that I'm planning on doing this again.

I'm wondering about this too kate.

I'm pregnant again after emergency sections 4 years and 6 years ago. Got my booking appointment on Thursday so planning on asking about my previous notes then.

You can request your notes by making a subject access request under data protection. Usually to the hospital where you gave birth but you may have to contact the trust itself. I'm in Scotland so not sure if it's a little different elsewhere. I requested mine from the hospital. There can be a charge, particularly if your notes aren't recent.

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?categoryid=68

Try reading the link above

Thank you. I've just been having a Google based on that link (helped me find the right things to search for) and found a form to fill out for the trust - seems worth a go for the price of a stamp (to begin with)!

I had to do one request for me and one for the baby. Obviously depends if you want to have both but I thought I would mention it in case you wanted to do both together.

My midwife gave me my notes back when we were discharged after I'd had my children. My eldest is 23 and youngest 10. Ive got every set of notes for every pregnancy. When did they start keeping them?