No point in going to midwifery appointments. Rant post.

[kittykat7210]

Finally managed to convince my midwife to see me this appointment rather than just be over the phone. 34 weeks. She measures my bump. Checks the chart, decides she doesn’t like the measurement she just took, so measures from halfway up my ribcage rather than the top of my bump, to below the top of my pubic bone (all the while checking the tape to see how much further it needs to go) JUST so it Goes along the same line on my chart. That’s not the point of measuring!!! I should be having a growth scan, but she’s buffing up the measurements so she doesn’t have to send me for one!!! I understand the NHS is under a lot of strain but thats not giving any form of care! I can’t even self refer for a scan. It’s just made me so so angry!

Did yo u say anything to her? What I would say about bump measurements is they can vary massively based on position etc so ours wouldn't have referred for a growth scan based on one measurement alone.
How are movements? I feel so sorry for anyone heavily pregnant right now x

My sonographer did this at my 12 week scan. Measured the baby 3 times, didn't like the due date it was giving (a week away from my due date based on LMP). Proceeds to measure the baby over and over again at different angles until the date the computer gives is closer to the due date she expected 🙈 what's the bloody point, might as well just make it up 😄

Are you concerned? Try ringing the EPU or similar at your hospital. They would rather see 100 healthy pregnancies than miss one with an issue. Trust your instincts.

Those tape measures should be banned, they are completely pointless.

@SleepingStandingUp

No, I have bad anxiety, I can’t even tell my hairdresser if she messes up my hair. Movements are quiet but unsure if that’s just my anterior placenta (as babies movements have always been erratic) or not (I also said this to her, she brushed it off)

Where I am any fall in bump growth needs a scan, it says so on my notes. I’m just fed up of being tossed aside, and fed up of my anxiety stopping me saying anything 😔

You need to call epu/etc and tell them you've had a drop in movements x

You can self refer for a scan, don't be so silly.

You call up the main midwifery department and say you've had a drop in measurements, and that because of whatever condition it is that you have this needs to be looked into further.

However, I've never known anything that requires a scan after 1 drop in measurements, normally it's 2

I would call in reduced movements just to be safe. The tape measurements are rubbish! One GP (shared care) measured out x weeks then put that across my tummy and said yes perfect

If your baby’s movements are quieter than normal, then you need to get that checked out.

It may be because of the anterior placenta, but best to get checked out anyway to be on the safe side in case it’s not to do with the placenta’s position.

(a little word of comfort op my first dc didn't move much -turned out she was breech which could explain it - mark 2 moved more - both dd by the way- dc 3 was like having an acrobat/footballer - turned out he was a boy - not that I should be sexist but he was amore physically active kid as he grew - who knows) still if worried not enough movement OR more importantly decreasing get it checked asap for your piece of mind as well as anything else. Its a blinking stressful time to have a baby. My best wishes op,may the rest of your pregnancy be nice & uneventful & may you have a straightforward easy labour & bouncing baby

I think unfortunately this is happening a lot - despite a lot of health areas not actually being unusually overstretched health care providers are acting like they are. My 98 year old grandmother was treated so badly and dismissively during a recent regular eye appointment (that they told her not to cancel even with COVID) despite the fact that at that time our county only had about 40 cases...

You may just have to pull up your big girl pants and be more assertive than you are comfortable being and ask for a scan for your baby’s sake.

Do you feel that your bump is growing OP? Or are you concerned? If you are concerned please do self refer.

I was measured worryingly small by my midwife and her trusty tape measure (honestly baffling that this method is still used) and then had a growth scan, which concluded that the baby was in fact massive, not tiny. Had a second scan that concluded that she is measuring normal. Three measurements, three completely different outcomes estimating the baby to be between 5th and 95th percentile. Ultimately the measurements and scans really can't be trusted too much. This might be why she hasn't referred you - because there is so much margin for error and she might not think its worth you risking another trip to the hospital.

Saying that, you know your body and if your instincts say you need a scan, please do ask for one.

I think that these tape measures have a large margin of error.

DS measured (slightly) small for dates, was born weighing 9 lb 5 oz.

My baby measured normal on the tape measure. He was 4lbs full term and I had undiagnosed pre-eclampsia. They are dangerous.

The tape measure method is pointless op, I think even midwives realise it! Phone the hospital if you need some reassurance.