19 weeks and NO antenatal care to date!

[MammyT]

Is anyone in the same position?

Despite calling the community midmives every week (and every day in the last week) for weeks now, I still haven't been booked into my local hospital and haven't met a midwife yet. I have had NO antenatal care whatsoever.

I had my 12 week dating scan at 16 weeks, only because I called the hospital repeatedly. I went along for the blood tests but as I haven't seen any midwives, I haven't got any results.

Is anyone else in the same position? The hospital in question is Barnet hospital near London.

HI Mammy T,

Yeah my experience wasn't the best - so I'd give the North Mid a big body swerve...

Where in N London are you? I'm in Wood Green/Ally Pally (depending how snobby I'm feeling on any given day...) and am now at the Homerton - which I've only got good things to say about (they even fitted me in for an antenatal appointment when I stupidly turned up on the wrong day so I didn't have to come back - how nice is that!?).

The consultants are fab and midwives obviously stretched/busy but don't seem to let it affect the quality of their care... It's 45 minutes from me, so a bit of a trek already, and if you're closer to Finchley/Barnet area it might be that bit too far...

A friend had her twins at the Royal Free and gves it the thumbs up - not perfect, of course, but she was happy... however 'cause she was having twins she might have had special treatment. Another friend recommends the Whtttington, which apparently has improved a lot recently.

Thinking about it, a third friend was at the Royal Free, and was having a pretty good experience with them, until a staff shortage meant that she had to transfer from the midwife-led unit to the labout ward mid-labour, which she didn't like much. Having siad that, she had a difficult a long birth, but all turned out OK in the end.

If you search under my name you may find a thread I started asking about North London hospitals - quite a lot of feedback there you might find useful.

I'd seriously get your bum down to your GP ASAP and have a frank chat with him/her abot the situation and refuse to leave until they sort it out. Looks like you're not having much joy, and you need to bring in someone with some clout...

And like I say, they can give you a once-over in the mean time...

I didn't get my blood results utnil I was 27 weeks - I queried my doc about this, and they said if there was anything wrong she would have been notified... so try not to worry too much on that count...

HTH

DB
xx

You SHOULD be contacted if there is a problem with your bloods, but unfortunately I don't think you can rely on it. I had bloods taken at 29 weeks and despite calling the surgery several times was told that the doctor would contact me if there was anything wrong. It wasn't until my 31 week antenatal check-up with the gp that she finally looked at the results and discovered I had been suffering from liver damage due to severe pre-eclampsia for the last 2 weeks (and not indigestion as everyone had been telling me ). Don't know what would have happened if I hadn't had that appointment, I was fortunate that my antenatal care was actually pretty good with regular check-ups. Can't believe the lack of care that some people on this thread have received ! Personally I would go to your gp and ask them to check your bp and urine (and find your blood results) as you can't get a midwife to do it - maybe that would result in some action!

Hi, I'm another North Londoner and had a similar experience but with the Royal Free. After 5 letters/faxes from my GP which were all 'lost' I finally managed to persuade someone on the phone to give me an appointment anyway at 14 weeks. I turned up and was told that I didn't have an appointment, it wasn't the right day for booking appointments and the person I was booked in to see I shouldn't be seeing anyway. At this point I started to cry, more due to frustration and just feeling left in the dark (this is my 1st pg) - which worked a treat! In about 10 mins I had a new appointment with a midwife for 2 days later. When I finally got to see her she was great - very reassuring and I now have a list of future appointments. So, while the Royal Free certainly also has issues with its admin staff, the medical staff have been great to me (so far at least!) so am now happy to stay there whereas we had also been about to go elsewhere.

Get your doctor to help but at the end of the day its really up to you to keep ringing or alternatively just march into the hospital and demand to be seen - I'm sure when the midwives realise whats been going on they will sort it out for you.
Good luck!

Thanks to all of you for your words of advice. Every one of them means a lot to me and is giving me courage to not put up with things as they are.

I have my 20 week scan on Tuesday (because a very nice nurse at the hospital gave me the scan dates just in case the midwives never got to me in time) and I will kick up quite a fuss while I'm there. My husband will be there too and will give me moral support!

We discussed our options in depth the other night - stick with the devil we know (Barnet), transfer to Royal Free or go private while we don't want to do. We're basically waiting until Tuesday to decide.

We're in Totteridge so in terms of distance, Barnet or the Royal Free are our best options. I'm delighted to read the feedback on the RF so will seriously consider this option.

Thanks again for all the advice. I'll post again after our appt on Tuesday and will let you know if we have any luck.

Just a thought, but the later they see you the more your options as to where to go will be limited by hospitals already being booked up. Now, if Barnet is realy having isues retaining mothers, could this be a factor?

FWIW the first MW appt I was offered was at 6 weeks, though I ahve delayed until 11 weks myself (easier post school hols).

peachy - that's a good point - I never thought of it that way. My DH is worried about transferring to RF for that reason, i.e. if it took 4 weeks to sort out, I'd be 6 mths pregnant by the time I met a midwife, LOL!

6 weeks is really efficient.. I don't think I've heard of anyone else who was contacted before 12 weeks (or maybe that's just this neck of the woods).

I had a similar experience at the Royal Free. I arranged my own 12 week scan, but only had my booking in appointment with the midwife at 23 weeks . I had all the blood tests then too - much too late of course. I had all 4 of my children there though and only 1 bad birthing experience (post-natal care not brilliant though).

We don't get contacted- go to GP, book with MW on way out

Just found my local hospital is baby friendly accredited to so well chuffed (we moved after last baby- alst time round I was the only BFI trained person there and asked to help out when ds3 was 3 hours old LOL)

Pollyanna - sorry to read you were in the same situation with the Royal Free. Just shows they're all the same..

peachy - I could have done with you in the next bed to me last time around! Imagine being asked to help out like that? I think BFI is breastfeeding instructor?

The update from me is that I had my 20 week scan and the baby is small. So that seemed to rush everyone into action. Suddenly a midwife found all my test results, booked me into the hopsital, had the admin team update my computer profile, filled everything in, did my BP - in short, she was great. But it was sad that I wouldn't have had that if there hadn't been a problem. I have to go back in 2 weeks for another growth scan and to meet the doctor.

I guess that's the thing - the NHS swings into action if there is a potential problem but just isn't great if everything is going swimmingly.

Thanks again for everyone's advice..