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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Reduced movement confusion

51 replies

mistermagpie · 30/10/2019 17:20

So, I'm 35 weeks, third baby. I'm unwell myself (not sure if this has any impact) and have an anterior placenta. Since Monday the babies movements have reduced significantly in frequency and intensity, I'm still getting 'flickers' of movement but more like what you would feel in early pregnancy and yesterday I hardly had any of those. Overnight I lay for hours (can't sleep!) and waited to feel something but nothing.

So I phoned maternity assessment this morning expecting to be told to come in (which has been the case in previous pregnancies and on an earlier occasion in this one) but the midwife said 'the royal college of midwives guidelines say you should go and lie down for two hours and count the movements and call back'. I explained I'd been doing this overnight with no movement at all and wasn't sure it was worth doing all that again. She said 'well what do you want to do then?' and I said I was hoping she could recommend a course of action, which is why I was phoning, to which she said 'well I've given you the guidelines but it's up to you to interpret them, I can't tell you what to do'. I just felt totally fobbed off so got off the phone.

Surely this isn't right? As a back story I've presented once before with reduced movement and twice for bleeding in the last six weeks, never was I made to feel like I had to decide the best course of action/treatment myself and the midwives and doctors couldn't have been more helpful.

Movement has been slightly more today to be fair but I still feel uneasy and am not sure if I've done the wrong thing by not going in?

OP posts:
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crustycrab · 30/10/2019 17:22

Just go in or ring and tell them you want checking and you're coming in

Robs20 · 30/10/2019 17:24

Go in. Annoy them as much as you need to until you are checked over and are satisfied that baby is ok. I put up with exactly this sort of blasé behaviour. My dd was seriously ill and didn’t survive.

QuestionableMouse · 30/10/2019 17:24

Ignore here and make plans to go in.

Reduced movements can be a warning sign that something isn't quite right and need checking out.

Gettingonabitnow · 30/10/2019 17:32

Ring again. And whilst you’re at it get her name and then report her attitude after you’ve had the baby.

Maybbabi · 30/10/2019 17:44

OMG! Ignore the rude lady on the phone and go in. In our trust they advise you call triage straight away when you notice reduced movements. It happened to me last week at 25 + 3 and they asked me to come in immediately. I believe if you’re after 28 weeks they will (should) monitor the baby’s heart rate for 20 minutes as well as completing a full check-up on you.

Please don’t take no for an answer. Good luck!

RandomWok · 30/10/2019 17:59

Fuck her go and get checked if you want. I was told to go in as much as I needed. They would rather a hundred false alarms than something being wrong.

Fatas · 30/10/2019 18:01

I hope you've gone in now op?

mistermagpie · 30/10/2019 18:43

I can't actually go in now, I've got a two and four year old by myself, which is why I phoned this morning when they were at nursery. I think I should phone back though shouldn't I?

OP posts:
IfWishesWereFishes · 30/10/2019 18:45

Well you can phone back, but really you need to go in. You do.

AllFourOfThem · 30/10/2019 18:50

Go in. I had similar, put off going in for a few hours due to childcare issues, went in and had an emergency c section and baby died shortly after. It’s not worth the risk. Just go in.

bessie84 · 30/10/2019 18:58

@AllFourOfThem - good god, ive just gasped out loud - that is awful. so sorry for your loss. :-(

I have had a stillbirth myself at 41+3 - I was made to feel like a pest, in fact the day I knew she'd died,i rang asking to be monitored for movements, the midwife on the phone said "you were only here 2 days ago and things were ok" they weren't by time id got there. she'd gone.

im 27 weeks with baby number 5, id never take that risk again. I don't care who they are, if your worried, go. that midwife will have changed shifts now - if your still worried, please go - simply not worth the risk.

Stickyuptail · 30/10/2019 19:03

Please do whatever it takes and go in. Do not let them fob you off. You need to be checked out and monitored. Your gut feelings here are important and need acting on.

crustycrab · 30/10/2019 19:08

Take the kids. Just go in, it's really not worth the risk

Thescrewinthetuna · 30/10/2019 19:09

Take the kids and go, please listen to AllFourOfThem

NotSoThinLizzy · 30/10/2019 19:18

They honestly won't mind if you go in with the kids either take a buggy to strap 2 year old into and take your phone for the 4 year old. Hope's alls well

mamandematribu · 30/10/2019 19:18

Just go in. Good luck 😉

RandomMess · 30/10/2019 19:30

Please go on, that advice was so against current guidelines!!!

MadameJosephine · 30/10/2019 19:32

Midwife here. Call back and ask to come in to be checked, take the kids with you if necessary.

As far as I am aware the guidelines state that women who are unsure whether the movements have reduced should be advised to lie on their left side for 2 hours and monitor. You are not unsure. The guidelines also recognise that maternal perception of movement has been shown to be the most reliable measure of reduced movements.

PartyintheKitchen · 30/10/2019 19:35

That woman is horrific and a shame on herself.

Please ignore her and go in, don't bother with phoning, go in. I also had a stillbirth and honestly for the sake of "annoying" all the effing staff from here to kingdom come I'd go in. The best outcome is that baby is fine and you've annoyed a midwife. In subsequent pregnancies Drs have happily monitored baby and not made me feel any way guilty or time wasting.

You take care.

DeadButDelicious · 30/10/2019 19:44

Go in. Ignore the nurse. Trust your instincts. Go in.

mistermagpie · 30/10/2019 21:10

Honest to god, the day I'm having, I can't go in. My youngest fell and split his head open so he's currently at A&E with DH, I'm at home with the four year old but I can't drag him to maternity with me, last time I waited six hours to get seen.

I will go in but it will have to be after DH gets back. I'm really stressed now.

OP posts:
Stickyuptail · 30/10/2019 21:20

Oh no you poor thing. What a day. I hope DS is ok and is back home soon and you can get seen. Imagine that’s the last thing you want to do right now but it’s really important to get checked. Here’s an unmumsnetty hug.

mistermagpie · 30/10/2019 21:36

Thank you. Honestly my DS2 is a nightmare, he was at A&E two weeks ago after eating a tube of toothpaste, he's a total menace.

I'm so sorry for those who have lost babies, midwives have always been really encouraging to me to go and get checked which is why I was surprised by the one this morning. I'm going to get her name.

OP posts:
IfWishesWereFishes · 30/10/2019 21:52

A tube of toothpaste! He sounds like a menace Grin

You are having quite a day. Hopefully you can go and get checked out soon. Tomorrow will be another (better) day I'm sure.

Worlds0kayestmum · 30/10/2019 22:00

I hope your DS is OK. I had reduced movements at 31weeks. I wasn't sure all day whether to go in or not but eventually decided I wouldn't be able to relax if I didn't. Took my 7 year old, my wallet and my phone and told her we would be home quickly with a McDonald's, I just needed to be checked first. Ended up having an EMCS within 2 hours of arriving and a very poorly 2lb10oz baby. I'm so glad I went in, please do if you can Flowers

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