No available midwife appointments?!

[iMombie]

Hi all,
I'm 9weeks pregnant now and rang GP at 7weeks to get an appointment but was told the midwife was on annual leave and the next available appointment was in September. I would then be a couple of days off 12weeks, I explained to receptionist that I was pretty sure some tests had to be done before then and she just told me to call the local midwife led unit.
So I've rang them and chased multiple times for 2weeks now and no one has called me back!
Not quite sure what to do now?! Starting to feel really anxious, anyone have any ideas?x

Hi,

I'd just keep calling and calling until you get somewhere! At 8 weeks you should be having a booking appointment to go through family history etc and like you say 12 weeks is your dating scan. Just keep pestering them. It's so important. Hope you get somewhere soon! X

iMombie I am 9+4 awaiting my first midwife booking in appointment. I rang them this morning & was told it will be before 12 weeks! My scan is booked for 12+6 & I have had my first bloods taken as they posted the form to me. Not sure why such a long wait though. In my previous 2 pregnancies I'm sure it was much earlier. I hope they get back to you & you find out what's going on soon as it is frustrating.

Keep trying but FWIW I only had my booking appointment at 12+2 due to hold ups and had my scan a week later. Had the screening for Down's syndrome etc and was all fine and done in the time.

NHS website says it should be before 10 weeks, so maybe quote that to them next time they don't give you an answer or a date for the appointment?

Thank you ladies for the reassurance. It's just really annoying when you get told the midwife will call be back later that day or tomorrow. I totally understand they are very busy but when she hasn't called back in weeks I was starting to panic a bit. I'll keep trying :) xx

I'm sorry but I've never heard of this in my life. There surely is one more than one midwife?? Keep at them this is ridiculous as you go and see the midwife early and get your scan all booked in for the 12 week mark. X

That's mad, but I know everywhere is different. Where we are there is a separate midwife who does all booking in's in the wider area (next town) and then you go to your local midwife for all other appointments. They are just booked behind the scenes and you get a letter telling you the time.
I agree you should have a booking in app asap though, I've always had mine 9-10 weeks (4th pregnancy).
They do seem to be a bit chilled about it all until you are much further down the line. You're not missing much apart from getting in the system and as long as you've had your scan in the right time frame it won't matter.

I had my booking appointment at 12 weeks last time - found out late and that was the first time they could fit me in. They've apparently had a push to get them done early since then because my booking appointment this time was at 6+2!

I didn't have my booking appt until 12 weeks as my GP were useless and never sent the forms. Ended up ringing MLU to self refer. Is there a booking coordinator you could speak to? That's who sorted it out for me.

I think keep calling. Are you sure you're calling the community midwives and not like the labour ward reception? It is different here. We self refer, not through the GP. In fact, I have literally never seen my GP at all either of my pregnancies. We just call the midwife team. But it does take a few weeks to schedule an appt. I've always called right at the start of 5 weeks. With my first, the booking was at 7 weeks and the 2nd it was at 8 weeks. Still they will need to book you in for your scan by 12 weeks, especially if you are having the nuchal scan and blood tests as they have to be done before a certain date to be accurate. They likely don't know you are so far along and I would keep on top of them.

I had my booking appointment at 14 weeks having spoken to midwife at 10 weeks and that was earliest she could do. She did arrange my scan from the phone call and I had that at 13 weeks. Not the end of the world...they are crazy busy.

Don't get a booking appointment here until 10/11 weeks and then the scan appt comes through pretty quickly after that. Please try not to worry and good luck with your pregnancy.

I self-referred myself through hospital, as my GP had a first available appointment 4 weeks (!) after we found out I was pregnant, which was at around 4 weeks, with no guarantee where and when they would refer me then.
The midwife from the hospital rang me the next day and scheduled my appointment at 10 weeks and a dating scan at 12 weeks, so I knew straight away what was going to happen when.

Thank you so much ladies for you responses. I kept chasing the midwife led unit, the lady I spoke to a view times was very cross that my midwife never got back to me, so she has just booked me in to see a midwife tomorrow at the unit. Also turns out that there would have been no appointments left on the date I was offered and I wouldn't have been seen until 13weeks!xxx