No appointments 16 - 28 weeks

[KinderWild]

Pregnant with second child (5th actual pregnancy). I have a span of 12 weeks without a midwife appointment. This seems unusual to me. But is it usual for a second child?

yes it's usual for a second and subsequent child. Don't forget you have your 20w scan appointment in that time too.

Completely usual on the NHS. I had a face to face at 28 weeks and then won’t be seeing anybody again until 34 weeks (just after Christmas) so unfortunately you don’t get many more appointments in the third trimester at all either

Yes (midwife here). That is the usual schedule if its your second baby and everything is relatively straight forward. Your midwife would have told you to book in at 25 weeks if she felt you needed it.
Usual schedule for this pregnancy will be 28, 34, 36, 38, 41 weeks. Personally I see all women at 40 weeks and 41 too. But that is my choice and not in the required appointment schedule.
You will have your 20 week scan, and if there are any issues you will be informed of a different schedule of appts.

@ThisMustBeMyDream
Hi sorry to jump in on this thread, I just wondered since you’re a midwife if you could please tell me whether the booking in appointment is going to be face to face or via telephone?
I’m 6 weeks pregnant (third pregnancy) and just wondering what to expect in terms of face to face appointments, etc? If it’s over the phone what happens re. blood tests,
Thanks x

You will need to ask your midwives as it will be different in each trust. We are tier 3 and ours have been telephone contacts from the start. Our face to face are from 16 weeks. Each trust has different arrangements for blood tests so again, you will need to check with them.

I suppose it depends on trust. I’m on my third pregnancy and I still have a 16w MW appointment in between the screening scan and anomaly scan.
Then 24, 28, 32, 34, 36, 38

I didn’t even have a 16 week appointment (well I spoke to a midwife for 5 min on the phone). All I’ve had so far is a 12 week scan, a 20 week scan and then 28 week appointment. I’m 30 weeks now and won’t see anyone until 34 weeks. The booking appointment was also over the phone due to covid. With my second child (a couple of years ago) I just had a booking appointment, 12 week scan, 16 week, 20 week scan, 28 weeks, 34, 36 and then I missed the 38 week one but gave birth before the next appointment. There really wasn’t a lot of contact but I didn’t need it as I had a healthy straightforward pregnancy. If you want to see them more or have an issue you can book more appointments where I am, I would only book one if I had an issue though.

Thanks all. It is reassuring that this is the norm. I am classed as high risk. Blood clotting problem, high blood pressure and had ICP last pregnancy. I won't see my consultant until 30 weeks, had a call with him at 14 weeks. The approach seems to be if you're worried, itchy, call the midwife helpline. Which I can of course do. It's more self initiated than I'd expected given my current health and history.

Thanks @ThisMustBeMyDream. I’m in a tier 3 area as well so sounds like it might be telephone.