Do I really need to see midwife?

[CatSmize]

Hi! I'm 16w and just wondering if it's really necessary to make an appointment to see the midwife.

I live abroad so things are a bit different here. So far I've had the following appts:

5w - saw GP who referred me for scan with Ob/Gyn doctor at hospital
7w+4 - first scan. Ob/Gyn weighed me and took blood pressure. Gave me info pack and told me to contact midwife
Horrendous morning sickness for a few weeks, couldn't leave the house, let alone work hence the reason I didn't call midwife
12-13w - scan, blood test for abnormalities, GTT 1-hour and 3-hour tests
14w - Ob/Gyn doctor appt to get blood results (all good). Weighed and blood pressure taken again
17w - appt with endocrine re GTT results

The next appt is scheduled for May which is the 20 week scan. I'm self-employed and it's hard taking time off for so many appts, especially as I took so much time off for morning sickness. It's not considered a high-risk pregnancy.

I'd really appreciate your advice on whether it's necessary to see the midwife now or if I can wait until further down the time. Is it terrible that I haven't seen her yet?

Thanks in advance!

I don't think anyone can really advise appropriately if you live abroad and the system works differently? But if I was advised to contact her in sure I would do it to be honest

In the U.K. you would need to so you can have your booking appointment, arrange your scans and be seen routinely at 16 weeks, 25,28 and so on. Seems like you already have done those things with your OB? What will the midwife add?

In the UK you would have the booking in appointment to get you into the maternity system (I think) but you’ve had the scans and immediate tests. I had a low risk pregnancy but the midwife usually checks for heart beat, UTI’s / protein, high blood pressure etc and takes the bump measurements for growth. You really might want to consider seeing them as you need a pattern for spotting issues.

My MW identified slow growth, UTI’s, and suspected breach then preeclampsia - plus it doesn’t really take more than an hour total unless they identify an issue. I’m sure a MW will be able to offer exactly why or when you must see one by but why take the unnecessary risk?

Congratulations on your pregnancy

Thanks so much for all the replies! I really appreciate hearing what the midwife did for you.

I feel like most of the things mentioned above have already been seen to at the hospital appts. The only thing I might be missing is bump growth, although the 2 scans I've had showed growth as bang on and isn't it too early to be measuring my bump when I'm just 16 weeks?

How often do you normally see her? Does she normally measure the heartbeat/bump between the 12 and 20w scans?

At 16 weeks the heartbeat was checked but bump not measured till later on

Ah ok. So it sounds like it's worth making an appt for this/next week so I can get the heartbeat checked and anything else she sees fit.

Just booked an appt for next week! It's been really helpful to know what she did/when you saw her. I don't feel like I've missed much so far but I think now is probably the right time to have her start to follow my progress.

Thanks again and good luck with your pregnancies!

I didn't have a 16 week appointment for various reasons, wasn't a big deal. My midwife said it wasn't anything other than a chat and being given blood test results (which I'd already had). In my hospital, they don't try to hear the heartbeat or measure anything!

Thanks for the info @mynameiscalypso Very reassuring

I skipped the 16 week midwife appointment too.
I couldn’t think of a reason to see her when I already had my letter booking me in for the 20 week scan.
Good luck with your pregnancy.

Is this your first pregnancy? It sounds like you're getting more where you are than we do in the UK. My midwife told me at 16 week appointment that they no longer listen to heart beat as so often they can't find it at this stage but can't offer a reassurance scan should this be the case so it causes more distress, so she literally checked my urine and blood pressure and gave me my blood results then sent me on my way telling me to book in next with her at 32 weeks as its not my first pregnancy and I get a 28 week appointment for anti d at the hospital anyway so no need to see her unless I really want to before then, that to me speaks volumes at how necessary the appointments are until the end of pregnancy. I am also consultant led as precaution so not like I'm considered lowest risk. X

I'm overseas too. We don't really have a midwife system here. We just see an obgyn every 4 weeks and then every 2 later. The country I plan to give birth in also runs a similar system although my obgyn there works with a midwife so I'll see her about birth prep and breastfeeding. Not about the pregnancy per se. I've had my bump measured once in the 31 weeks I've been cooking. I've had a few growth scans instead though. My obgyn does them or I go to the antenatal clinic at the hospital and a sonographer/doctor does them there. Personally I've been hugely comfortable with the systems I'm in. So far, so good.