Midwife never keeps to appointments.

[najs89]

Currently 18 weeks pregnant and my midwife hasn't been great. At my first appointment she was a bit rude. Kept me waiting for 2 hours just to tell me it was supposed to be a telephone appointment. Sent me away and said she'd call me later on. Never happened. Called the doctors surgery to get another telephone appointment and she never called. Following week I book another appointment and she finally keeps to it. I booked my 16 week appointment a week prior through my GP surgery and again she doesn't call. It's now the following week and almost 3 hours later I'm still waiting for a call. I understand it's a really busy time for everyone and they're under a lot of pressure. But I'm a really anxious young first time mum and I'm not quite sure if it's reasonable for me to put in a complaint yet?

@najs89 the 16 week one if they do it over the phone will just be asking if you have any concerns so if you have any I d ring triage but otherwise i might not be worth chasing them for it.

I didn't hear for my 16 week appointment and they said it was just a call to discuss concerns when I chased them up so it wasn't worth bothering.

Have you got your 20 week scan booked?

I agree with @1990shopefulftm - the call at 16 weeks was a very short call just to check in really. I wasn't given anything important information or anything of value. I'm a first time mum as well OP, I completely understand that it's a stressful time but try to relax a little. The most important thing is that you're able to go to your scans IMO.

Do you have a contact number for her? Could you just call / text rather than jump to complaint?

I would take it further. Although your 16 week call is just a few questions as a first time mum you may have lots of questions to ask her, especially if your anxious. This isn't acceptable especially as she's already messed you around.
My midwife rings me after my scans to check how they went and how I am in general (I'm high risk so have a few booked in) and I have her number if I need her. She's also booked my next appointment which will hopefully be in clinic by then.
I hope you get sorted

OP - I can only sympathise. I am now nearly 41 weeks pregnant.

I have not been too impressed by my midwife either and am also a FTM. I saw my midwife at 30 weeks and recently when I was 39 weeks (I am not overdue). I was hoping to use my 39 week visit as an opportunity to discuss my birth plan, get an idea on how I know if I am in labour, what happens if I go past my due date, etc. Instead I was told me to research these things online (I already have done so and thought that as a midwife she might be able to give me a bit more advice) and refused to go through a birth plan with me and told me I needed to write one up at home and take it with me to hospital. I am a first time mum so not sure what the procedure was but was hoping for a little bit of support. My appointment lasted about 10 minutes where my blood pressure, weight, and fetal heartbeat was monitored and that was it.

Fortunately, we have a local maternity assessment centre at the hospital and I called them when I was about 36 weeks as I was in pain and it turned out I had a transverse baby and needed a ECV to get the position corrected.

I have been booked back in this week with my community midwife (I will be over 41 weeks) - I got a text message with my appointment when I left the surgery so have no idea what it is for but from what other posters have said I possibly will be offered a sweep.

My plan is to just rely on the maternity assessment centre as they have looked after me so far and I know they are there if/when I need them. I have lost all confidence in my midwife.

Sorry I cannot be any help but I hope that it at least shows you that you are not alone and we are in the same boat.

Sorry, just to be clear I am NOW overdue.

Have you been given a 24 hours maternity assessment helpline number? For me it's written on the front cover of my notes. They always pick up the phone really quickly and don't mind if it's a non urgent question. I wouldn't bother putting in a complaint as it doesn't sound that bad, just keep calling that hotline every time you have a question. For me they've been heaps better than most of my community midwives (I think the hotline is more attached to the hospital). They've even had to correct my midwife's advice sometimes. Generally even when I've been told to do something by a community midwife I call the hotline anyway just to check quickly, and 50-50 they correct the midwife.