Third trimester midwife appointments

[sarah13xx]

How many appointments do you have in the third trimester?

I had a 28 week appointment then nothing til 34 weeks, so 6 weeks without seeing anyone. Then saw on the nhs website it should be every 2 weeks after that but because of covid that’s forgotten so I have nothing til 38 weeks now, so another 4 weeks without seeing them. I’m having a section at 39 weeks so that will just be the week before he arrives. This doesn’t really seem much to me. Obviously you look out for signs of things like pre-eclampsia yourself in the meantime but would it not be safer to have more routine blood and urine tests even? 🤔 just wondering if this is right across the country. I’m in Scotland x

Had consultants at 27+6 & 31+6 inc growth scan. Booked to go back for scan and consultants at 35+6. Booked to see community midwife at 35wk.
England, 6th baby.

@Chelyanne so if you didn’t need consultant led care what would you have had? The 27+6, 31+6, 35+6 with a midwife instead?

FTM and community midwife at 28, 34, 36 and 38 weeks here (not sure what happens after that as I'm 37 weeks currently), plus I had two growth scans spaced a few weeks apart after going in for reduced movements at 30 weeks. I think all trusts are different though as someone I know who is in a different trust didn't get offered the growth scans after she went in with reduced movements.

@EdithGrantham that’s not much different to mine but think the extra one at 36 weeks would be good. I haven’t even done my birth plan with her yet, she said she’ll phone me when she’s got a minute because they’re so short staffed just now. I had a growth scan after the 28 week one because I measured small but it turned out he was average so we didn’t need anymore

I always thought it varied by area. I had one at 28 and 31 weeks, then my next one is booked in for 34 weeks, then iirc it will be 36, 38 and 40 weeks.

I think it depends if it's your 1st or not. It's my 2nd, so I get seen at 28 weeks and then again at 34 weeks.. I believe FTMs get seen at 31/32 weeks as well? The midwife said I could book in if I had any concerns, but so far all is well :)

Should say that's all with my community midwife

@SillyBry it’s my first so don’t know what the appointments between 28-34 were like before covid but there was no mention of me getting any extra ones

@sarah13xx that’s strange. In my maternity folder, all the appts are listed… and usually I book on with my midwife when I’m there, so it’s hard to miss them… maybe each trust is different?

I saw my midwife at 25 weeks. Then 31 weeks, 34 weeks.
My next is at 36 weeks, then I'll have a 38 week and 40 week unless baby is born before then x

I had my first baby recently and i saw the midwife at week 26, 31, 37, 39, 40, and 41.
Not in the UK but i would think this is quite standard!

And we did my birth plan between 37 and 38 weeks. It did sound late but everything was fine!

Probably would have had fewer apps if I was classed low risk.
I have only seen community midwife at 8+4 for my booking bloods and then a phone app for history at 9+3. Saw consultants at 16+6 and had my dating & anomaly scans. Felt a bit weird tbh as I had twins last time and was at the hospital every 4 weeks from 8wk.

I'm in Scotland and have on my list midwive appointment s at 28, 34, 38 and 40 weeks so same as you. First time mums get two extra appointments at 32 and 36 weeks

I went through my birth plan with MW at my last appointment, I used the NHS choices format and found I already knew what to put for nearly all of it, when I went through it the MW was quite hands-off as it were, she just checked I was clear on a couple of things and advised I put in extra details about a specific issue I want taken into consideration and that was it. She was more concerned when I admitted I hadn't got a hospital bag packed

@Scarletpig1 yeah that’s what I would have, it’s my first baby but I didnt get the 32 week one and don’t have a 36 week one 🤷🏼‍♀️ She did say only a few of them were working and they were so short staffed

Mine were/are:

• 12 week scan
• 16 week midwife appointment (by phone)
• 20 week scan
• 28 week midwife (in person)
• 36 week midwife (in person)
• 38 week midwife (in person)

So I don't actually see a midwife until 28 weeks! Then it's another 2 month wait until I see them again.

I'm in an area of the U.K. with very low Covid cases. I know trusts in areas with higher Covid rates are offering more support, it's a real postcode lottery.

I'm low risk FTM and I got seen at 28 weeks and then I've been seen every 2 weeks from then on. Just had my 38 week appointment today, and have another at 40 weeks if she hasn't already made an appearance. Seems maybe I've been lucky? I'm in North East England

@worrybutterfly that’s the same as mine (minus the 36 week one). Unless she’s counting the fact she said she needed to phone me about my birth plan as another appointment. She hasn’t told me when that will be, it’s just whenever she’s free. I think that would usually have been done in the clinic but because they’re trying to make the appointments short they’re doing that over the phone. My area has quite high covid cases and my hospital is very strict with the partners situation. My partner was allowed to scans but not to any short appointments after them for jabs, checks etc so he had to go and sit in the car. He’s allowed in for the birth then has to leave and only gets 1 hour per day visiting.

@RachShad oh wow, that’s good! I thought at first it was a long time between appointments (8 weeks without seeing anyone after 20 week scan for example) but presumed when you got near the end it was more like every few weeks. I seem to know so many people who have ended up being taken in to hospital early due to the results of their blood/urine tests so I just presumed you got them a lot near the end

@sarah13xx yeah I've had urine tests done every 2 weeks and blood test every 4 weeks. You'd think they'd be monitoring you more, seriously think covid has just took over everything!!

@RachShad I think I am quite low risk and really have no swelling or anything like that but I’m sure a lot of these things can come on just about overnight so you’d think they would do them at least every 2 weeks near the end. I’m probably fine but it might not be the case for someone else but as you say covid is more important 🤷🏼‍♀️ One of the midwives I had near the start said the list of all the weeks when you have appointments then after it said, but obviously a lot of them won’t happen due to covid. Surely if they’re necessary medical appointments for when you’re pregnant you can’t just not have them 🙈 It’s not their fault either, they’re just doing what they’re told

I was seen at 26, 28 and have my next one at 31.

I'm also a first time mum and have had no issues. I am in Wales though so not sure if it is different.

We do First contact, Booking, 16, 24, 28, 31, 34, 36, 38, 40, 41. You are also seen for Scans at 12 and 20

I'm in Scotland too and this is my third baby. I had a booking in appointment at 8 weeks over the phone and then a midwife appointment at 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20, weeks, 24 weeks, 28 weeks for gtt, then again at 32 weeks, 36 weeks, 38, 40 weeks and then at 41 weeks should I be allowed to go past due date. It really does seem to be a postcode lottery.

Hey I’m Glasgow and was told before after 28 weeks it was every 2 weeks but I had my 28 week last week and have my next appointment at 32 then 36, 38 and 41 if I haven’t gone by then.

The midwife did tell me that they aren’t discussing birthing plans but if I wanted to ‘doodle’ it down on paper I could bring it to hospital with me 🤔 that’s something that’s stuck in my head and is currently eating away at me!