39 weeks and feeling lost!

[minniemummy0]

I'm 39+2 with my first baby. So I've been under consultant care due to raised BMI and have had the multiple scans (30, 33, 36, 39 weeks). I went for my last scan today and then saw the midwife and then consultant afterwards.

The midwife was very good and did all the usual checks. Then the consultant came and it was a different one than the one I've been seeing. The midwife had said they will probably want me back next Monday to check things if I haven't gone into labour. However the consultant said she didn't know why I was seeing them (this hasn't been questioned before, I'm on fragmin, I've been told I can't go to midwife led birthing section etc). She said that I won't have another appointment and will only need to see anyone now if I go more than 12 days overdue.

I felt like she was really dismissive and now I've just been left to it, after having to go to an extreme amount of appointments and not being able to have eg a water birth etc, now when I'm getting more stressed and near the end I've been dismissed and made to feel like a time waster.

I have an appointment at my doctors with the community midwife on Thursday (the above was all at the hospital) and she told me that I should just cancel that as they wouldn't give me a sweep before my due date - I hadn't mentioned wanting a sweep or requested one in any way.

I've also had a bloody show and suspect my waters are leaking but she said as it isn't filling a pad with water it can't be. I've had no vaginal exam but I am reassured from the scan as the sonographer said the fluid is good.

Is this all normal? What usually happens when you get to or near to term? Is it normal to leave you without any appointments? I am tempted to ignore her and keep the appointment on Thursday, but I don't want to be a time waster.

I'm sorry this is so long but I'm feeling alone and worried.

Hi OP, I'm 39 weeks today and also consultant led due to bmi. Like you I've had lots of appointments and scans. At 36 weeks I was diagnosed with polyhydramnios which is excess fluid around baby and his growth was tailing off. I was given steroids and lots of monitoring and told they'd induce me at 38 weeks. I went for another scan 2 weeks later and was told everything normal again and on track so I've been referred back to midwife and no more appointment now until 40 weeks. It does feel strange after all the close monitoring to suddenly be on my own. With ds I was left to go overdue and the only thing they said is that they'd want to induce me no later than 10 days overdue. Luckily he came in his own before then but it seems it's totally normal to be left for things to run naturally at the end, as long as there are no other complications. Good luck!

Honestly? I'd proceed as normal as though I had not spoken to this consultant. She has probably barely read your file, and made one set of judgement calls. The other consultant who has seen you throughout pregnancy made a different set of judgement calls. Unless you know their grades in medical school (lighthearted) how will you know which judgement call to trust?

Keep an eye on the waters, call the MW line as needed, and if nothing has happened by Thursday definitely keep your appointment.

I would probably even just ring in on Monday to the mw and check what they suggest if the waters continue to leak.

MrsCharlieD kind of reassuring to hear from someone in a similar situation! What I'm not sure about is if I go so far overdue, in my area it's 12 days over, and they would want to induce me, who am I supposed to contact or do they contact me?!! Did they give you any idea?? I should have asked but didn't think until after!!

Bisquick thank you for the advice! I think I was spoiled because the consultant I was seeing was an older man who is very high up and has a lot of experience; I really trusted him and was a bit taken aback by the change. That is NOT to suggest the doctor I saw doesn't know what she's doing, I'm sure she does but not everyone makes the same judgement as you say! I think I will keep the appointment on Thursday and write down the questions I'm wondering about then it's not a waste of the midwifes time, I'll know what the process is!

Thank you x