Anyone think there aren't enough appointments for subsequent pregnancies?

[Teakind]

Hi,

Does anyone else feel a but vulnerable as there are so few midwife appointments when it's not your first child?

I got told at my 20 week scan my placenta is low and so I might need a CS. I was told to book another scan at 36 weeks and a consultant appointment for after the follow up scan to discuss. I wasn't given any further information at all. My next midwife appointment is booked for 28 weeks which is a long time to wait to ask questions.

Obviously I googled it and found all sort of information regarding what to do if you have bleeding, being careful with lifting things and some people told to abstain from sex etc... 36 weeks also seems quite late to be scanned again based on what I've read from other people online.

In my area you don't have contact details for a midwife but you can leave a message on an answer machine and someone will call you back. I really do understand that budgets are tight but it's quite an impersonal system. I have spoken to a midwife via that system who told me to be careful.

I also have an existing health issue that caused problems during labour with my DD. I've raised it with a doctor who said to discuss with my midwife so I'm hoping there is enough time to get a plan in place when I next see the midwife at 28 weeks (haven't seen one since 16 weeks). When I was in labour with my DD it felt like no one was taking it seriously and my DH and mum had to really fight to get me the care I needed so that makes me nervous.

Anyway I just wondered if anyone else feels this way or if I'm just being overly emotional (for which I blame hormones!)?

Hi yes I completely agree I've only seen my midwife twice. I'm almost 30 weeks and see her again in 2 weeks but you can never get hold of mine either. I know that I know what I'm doing but it isn't very reassuring if you need to ask something

Must depend on area, this is my second baby. I’ve seen a midwife at
8 weeks community midwife,
12 weeks hospital midwife after scan,
16 weeks community midwife,
20 week scan but no midwife after
I’m 23 weeks now and I’ve got appointments at 25 weeks for the community midwife and 28 weeks for the hospital midwife for some extra tests.

Why not call and ask for an appointment to discuss? Although 36 weeks is normal for a placenta scan especially if it was just low and not full on placenta previa.

Theres definitely not! I'm shared care so consultant and midwife led. Getting growth scans since 26 weeks now with consultant every 3-4 weeks. Midwife kind of left it up to me when to see her - arrange it around the consultant appts. Even though 25 week appointment is for FTM I made one with her any way hadnt seen anyone since 20 week scan (urine and BP) aren't checked but at least you know baby's ok. MW was lovely never said a thing about being 2nd. I ring GP surgery to arrange the appointments she's only there once per week. I fainted few weeks ago and got appointment few days later with her to do bloods even though had consultant app later in the week. But I wanted it checked ASAP and I was right needed iron tablets. If you feel you would like to be checked I'd arrange appointment any way hopefully like my MW they'll be fine.

I was happy with the number of appointments with my second and third (even thought there were too many towards the end!), but I’ve had uncomplicated pregnancies and no health issues bar low iron which was identified early on and dealt with.

There’s pros and cons to fewer appointments.

Like a op I’ve had straightforward pregnancies. I like that you’re trusted to get in touch yourself if anything seems out of sorts and appreciate not having to hang about in waiting rooms for ages waiting to get my blood pressure and pee checked every 2/3 weeks.

However, if something is missed then it takes longer for someone to potentially pick it up. For example, last week I was MNing and saw a post mentioning the whooping cough vaccine. I’d completely forgotten about it as my MW didn’t mention it and the GP hadn’t been in touch. I was 32 weeks so right on the edge of being able to pass on immunity. If I hadn’t realised, it would be 36 weeks before my next MW appointment and it would be too late to be of any use to baby.

In my area they have changed it so the appointments are exactly the same regardless of how many pregnancies. I have to say it does make me feel more reassured as I was expecting to be on a different schedule.

I’m in my second pregnancy and my midwife said to book the 24 and 31 week appts anyway. My pregnancy has been very straightforward so far. I agree that otherwise, 16-28 weeks is a very long time.

I had my fourth last year and I felt like I barely saw anyone. I think once you’ve already had one or two DC they don’t give a shit anymore because you obviously know what you’re doing. I’d had a six year gap between DC3&4 so it all felt quite new to me again and I was annoyed by the lack of appointments.

I’m on my second pregnancy and have seen my midwife loads... but she is brilliant she will see me pretty much whenever I ask her to!

I'm finding there's not enough during my first pregnancy. Booking app, 16 weeks, 25 weeks (not sure when others are I'm currently 24 weeks). Just massive gaps between them especially after 2 losses! X

@june88 with your 12 and 20 weeks scan a health care professional has checked baby every 4 weeks. You should have an appointment roughly every 4 weeks as routine. Do you have your notes? That used to detail what appointments you should have. The next should be 28 weeks.

Yeah suppose your right it's just so scary and the weeks drag so much! Especially after previous losses and complications with this one (thankfully all sorted now) suppose it just makes me more anxious x

Expecting DC2.

I last saw MW in late November, not seeing one again until late Feb. That does feel like quite a long time but to be honest, when I see them they just take my BP and hand me leaflets. It's never been the same one twice. I'd rather not go along just to be told things are fine when I kind of know that from feeling ok, anyway.

The phone line thing they do is rubbish though, takes ages for them to call back and then they always say to see a GP.

It's interesting how it differs by area but it seems most people agree with me.

Penny I forgot about the whooping cough vaccine too until I saw it on here.

June88 I know exactly how you feel after having losses. I had recurrent miscarriages before my DD and it makes pregnancy a really nerve-racking time. Hopefully there's a plan in your notes about how often you will be seen.

MynameisJune that's great you have so many appointments. I wish it was like that where I am.

It would be great if there was a drop in clinic or something. I've had three UTI's already this pregnancy (hardly any symptoms) and low blood pressure so it would be handy to just be able to pop somewhere to get things checked.

@teakind depending on how far along you are some Ante natal departments are walk-in so that might be worth looking into. And if not you can always ring the labour ward. We have teams here, I have an out of hours number for the labour team I’m under, I’ve been told I can ring them if I can’t get hold of a midwife.

@june88 I had a loss in 2017 and then took a year to get pregnant again with this baby so completely understand how nerve wracking it is. Don’t forget you can always call and ask for an appointment in between if you’re worried. Or ring your local hospital ante natal unit.

mynameisJune Unfortunately there isn't a walk in centre in my area. I wish there was. There's a day unit you can call for advice at the hospital if you are concerned about bleeding, lack of movement etc. They told me to come in a few times when I was pregnant with my DD as I was concerned about reduced movements. Mostly they were lovely but I do worry about being considered a time waster.

I guess there is also a grey area about what is considered an issue for a GP and what you should speak to a midwife about. For example, although a midwife can pick up a UTI, I needed a GP to give me antibiotics. I also had to call the GP and ask to bring in another urine sample to check my first load of antibiotics had worked to clear my UTI. I had no symptoms but they hadn't worked so I needed different ones. It just feels like you have to advocate for yourself all the time and it's a case of finding a balance between not being OTT but being on the ball.

I’ll go against the grain, and say I’m actually quite glad there are less appointments - but I’m someone who’s had low-risk pregnancies with no underlying health problems.
With my first, I was 19 and married when she was conceived and 20 when she was born - even so, I had to have all my usual appointments and the “teenage pregnancy support” appointments too. It was made quite clear that if I didn’t attend, I would be visited by SS after my baby was born Never felt so bullied in my life.
Second baby came along 17 months later, and I was glad that I didn’t have to see HCps very often. The odd pee sample and blood test and 2 scans. And that was fine by me.
I’m expecting DC3 and am declining a lot of antenatal care this time around. I’m happy to go along with the fundal height/palpation etc and will have the two routine scans, but I’m declining being a human pin cushion this time. I’m pretty sure if I wasn’t rhesus negative, a carrier of thallesseamia or sickle cell disease, in either of my previous pregnancies then those things aren’t a concern this time either! And I have the sticks to do urine tests for protein/sugar etc at home.

I know what you mean! I'm consultant led due to taking thyroxine. I saw my midwife at my booking appointment and then I found out she left! Then I missed my 24 week appointment as it fell on Xmas and my daughter had croup so we were in and out of hospital. My 28 week was with a consultant and my 34 will also be with consultant. So that means the first time I'll meet my midwife is at 36 weeks! Almost no point seeing her at all this pregnancy lol.

I’m also annoyed by all the post birth appointments... this week I’ve got to sit in all day tomorrow for the midwife to come (14 day post birth visit) and all day Wednesday for the HV to come and do their new baby visit. I hate sitting around the house all day waiting for them. DH goes back to work next week and I feel like most of his paternity leave has been wasted waiting for the midwife to come!

@SoyDora I found this really annoying when I had my dd. I used to politely ask them what time they would be round. If they wouldn't say when I would just go on with my daily routine and if they missed us they missed us.

I don’t feel like there’s enough with my first either, so I can’t imagine what it must be like for your second. I am seeing a consultant for a specific condition but otherwise I feel like I’m just meant to figure things out for myself.

My midwife told me I’d have the whooping cough vaccine at the hospital. They didn’t do it there so I asked, and they said there was no one there to do it.