No maternity care

[maria860]

I've had every midwife appointment cancelled no calls nothing. I went for my twenty week scan a few weeks ago baby all ok but didn't see a midwife once again.
A healthcare assistant asked me for a sample did the dipstick test said there was blood and cells but she couldn't give me a prescription and I will get a letter with one in the post been two weeks nothing has arrived.
I rang they said someone will call me no one has. My 25 week one has been cancelled I've had a text today telling me my next appointment will be at 31 weeks and it's not even in my area it's another area so I haven't seen a midwife since my booking in now at 8 weeks gone and won't see one till 31 weeks.
How is this being allowed to carry on I know services are stretched but I feel like it's taking the Mickey I was very anaemic with my last child but with no bloods being done how will anyone know? I've got a water infection I've rang the docs someone was meant to call me back today from the GP but they haven't as yet and not looking good as it's 6pm my back hurts it burns when I wee.
I'm getting sick of this now

That sounds pretty rubbish OP. I’d call 111 if no joy with your GP to try and deal with your UTI.

There must be someone in charge of the midwives in your area? Can you complain? Is there anything about complaints in your notes?

PALS might also be worth’s call and the practice manage at your GP’s.

Good luck, I hope things improve.

I totally understand how you feel, I thought I was the only one feeling abandoned! Midwife rang last week and cancelled 16 week appt, didn’t even ask me how I was getting on! I’m 18 weeks with my first baby and feel a bit lost. I don’t quite understand why appointments can’t go ahead, you can easily social distance with just yourself and your midwife - it would be nice to have some support and reassurance!

I might have to ring 111 as I'm in pain now I was ok two weeks ago when I saw them but the infection must of been there and now it's escalated.
I rang a number they gave me and they said someone will call I don't understand it all now as the trust is different to where I'm having the baby it never used to be like that. I've never met my midwife at my booking in one I saw one at a different hospital but she told me they won't be dealing with my care it's all very confusing to be honest.
I feel like we're just being left to it no one rings my maternity book has never been filled in since March.
I'm just accepting I won't see anyone till 31 weeks and hope I don't have any problems they aren't picking up. It's making me upset now.

@Alychloe I understand totally i asked someone else I know who's pregnant this morning and she's said she just seen her first proper midwife at 32 weeks and they picked up problems rushed her to hospital and she's still there. So it's not just me it's happening to so don't feel alone I feel exactly the same.

If this is your second pregnancy NICE guidelines state you should be seen at booking, 16 weeks and then 28 weeks. You don’t normally see a midwife or have any checks done following the 20 week scan. The 16 week appointment doesn’t involve any essential checks - only filing blood results taken at booking (though these would have been checked weeks prior to the 16 week appointment). Therefore, some trusts are cancelling 16 week appointments as there is no medical need for them.

It seems you haven’t had missed any essential care yet, but you are symptomatic of a UTI and this needs treating. Can you phone your GP again in the morning and explain that as you’re pregnant and symptomatic of a UTI you need an urgent telephone consultation.

Your 28 week appointment is medically essential, as blood tests are repeated and midwives start to measure and plot your bump size. Can you phone your community midwifery team for clarity on why this appointment is being delayed until 31 weeks?

I would call everyday until you get an answer from a midwife. The UTI needs dealing with ASAP so definitely call 111.
Have you had your whooping cough jab?
You should be seeing someone at 28 weeks for bloods. I would be insistent with everyone you spoke to.
I got told my appointments would be by phone, however I said as I am under consultant care I should be seen, and they have agreed. Make sure you stand your ground as that is not right xx

@maria860 32 weeks?! that’s awful :( we definitely need more support during this time!

I’m a 111 pharmacist and regarding your UTI if you ring 111 you’ll be put onto a triage system and you may be able to get a prescription scanned over to your local pharmacy by an on call doctor! Because of the pain in your back it seems like you may of had the UTI for some time, which to me is saying you need antibiotics ASAP! Whilst you are waiting to speak to a pharmacist or GP after ringing 111 I would contact your local walk in clinic to see if they have any availability for a quick walk in appointment! Hope this helps!

Please push to have the UTI sorted. I had this and it ended up in my kidney s and I was really poorly x

Have a 2 week old and have had next to nothing postnatal care. Not once been asked about mental health (which isn’t doing great tbh)

Well they wrote to me saying as I missed the 16 weeks I will be seen at 25 weeks instead. I had bloods done at the first scan but today I've had a text cancelling the 25 week one and moved it to 31 weeks. It's also not in my area so not sure what that is about.

@Alychloe I'm going to call them now as the pain has got worse since last night flank pain and in my back and a weird sensation in my lady area like a stingy pressure tickle feeling not very nice.
I'm going to see if they can do a prescription for me if that is possible.
I don't feel 100% well today then to get that text just drove me over the edge that I won't see anyone till 31 weeks felt like crying must be hormones.

What a mess OP!

It sounds like you were probably booked before covid kicked off and you have fallen through the cracks as the maternity services have transferred over to a different schedule of appointments.

In my area you would have had a telephone call at 16 weeks (in place of that appointment) to check your blood results etc had all found their way to you, a blood pressure and urinalysis after your 20 week scan, and then a fave to face consultation at 28 weeks (with blood tests). This follows the national guidance for appointments during the current crisis.

Are you booked at a different trust than the one covered by your local midwives? This may have caused some confusion. You need to telephone the community midwives office relevant to your local area (your GP surgery will know the number if you don’t) and find out what is going on. Failing that, telephone maternity triage at your booking hospital and they will find out who you need to contact.

Re: UTI it sounds like this wasn’t well explained to you. Usually a prescription would not be done without first sending a urine sample to the lab. The results of that sample may have been negative at that time. The best people to ring about this would be your GP surgery as they will likely have received the results.

Yes it's booked in at a different trust I think that's why it's happening and I'm not being seen.
I have defo got some kind of uti now because I'm in pain.

@ChickenMidwife I will ring my GP again tomorrow someone was meant to call me back today and haven't all day.
But it hurts when I see now woke up like it I told the receptionist and she said I will get called at some point but no one did and I don't like hassling people but I need to I'm to passive and laid back.

Sorry was meant to say 'wee' not see

If you’re having pain I’d call 111 and get an out of hours appointment. Untreated UTIs in pregnancy are no joke.

Just another thought - your local midwives might be expecting you to have a 28 week appointment at your booking hospital due to the need for blood tests. Blood results often can’t be accessed from one trust to another. It’s definitely worth phoning them to clarify.

You poor thing! I've had it the other way. I've been a baby and not wanted to go to appointments and they've been harassing me. Offering to meet me elsewhere for some things that don't need a hospital. That's how they all should be so complain

I think at this point I’d also give triage a call. Explain that you think you have a bad UTI and have not been able to see your GP.

Not trying to scare you, but UTI can lead to preterm labour (I had this with my son) so they need to sort you out ASAP.

@ChickenMidwife maybe I haven't had a letter or anything with a 28 week appointment all I get is text msgs cancelling and this one today for an appointment in July but in another area it's very strange.
I am waiting for a nurse to ring me now off 111 service so maybe I can get some antibiotics.

Just to say that I am also giving birth in a different trust to that which I live in and it has caused endless issues! I would definitely recommend calling the antenatal unit in the hospital of the trust you live in and speak to the community midwifes for clarification regarding appointments.
I had a nightmare sorting out my 28 week bloods and was told I would have to go to the hospital I was giving birth it, which after persistent questioning turned out not to be the case!
Hope you get the uti sorted via your GP as that must be making you really fed up xx

I have to ring up to book my 28 wk appt, maybe you need to do the same?

@Wingingthis do you have a number for the community midwife you can call? Or call the maternity ward where you gave birth? Do you live with your partner? Make sure you tell them how you are feeling and they can help you get support. You don't need to suffer in silence

Do you have a medicom in your area that you could ring?

@Firsttimemama2017 yes it's so confusing I've not had it before and I ring one number then get give another number always chasing my tail with it don't know why it's all changed.