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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Stupid question re reduced movements

69 replies

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 09:33

You wouldn't know that this is my second baby, I feel so daft.

What counts as reduced movements, and where is the line between being neurotic and being sensibly cautious?

26+5 with a low anterior placenta, but I've been feeling strong movements since around 19 weeks. He's definitely in a pattern now - lots of movement mid-morning, after lunch and then he has an after-dinner disco before I go to bed. In between, I'll have gentle kicks through the day. He has had a few quieter days over the last couple of months but just as I start to worry, he wakes up and starts wriggling again.

Since yesterday mid-afternoon, I've felt very little and nothing like his normal movements. A few gentle nudges and rolls, but not much more. I was fretting last night but talked myself out of calling triage, felt nothing overnight (I was awake for an hour or so at around 3am), and very little again this morning. I just called triage and the midwife was a bit dismissive - told me to have a cold drink and lie down and then call back if no change. I've obviously done that, but still not really getting anything more than a few flutters and very light kicks.

Should I call them back, or are they only really interested if you have no movement at this relatively early stage??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Lixon · 05/09/2021 12:32

I would make a complaint and change hospitals if there is an alternative option? Not sure if you could go to another triage for monitoring before switching but would be worth calling to find out as I imagine they must have provision for that. I have had less definitive reductions in movement twice in my pregnancy and in both cases been told off for not coming in sooner and given a full check up. Everything was fine with monitoring and I was never made to feel silly/was encouraged to come back again as much as needed.

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 12:50

@Lixon sadly no option to move. I'm five minutes from our current hospital, and the alternatives are both 45 minutes to an hour away, up and down a notoriously busy stretch of motorway, so there are frequent delays.

I'm not usually sensitive or demanding, but that was by far the most awkward and disappointing exchange I've had with any medical professional, pregnant or not.

OP posts:

Jeds55 · 05/09/2021 13:02

Terrible reaction on their part. I went in numerous times with my first (anterior placenta and some days just would not feel her move) and have been in once this time (posterior). Always told better to check it out than not and never made to feel like I was wasting their time.
They tell you to go in for a reason. I would be tempted to make a complaint

Rosiiiiie · 05/09/2021 13:07

Mm that’s not right. I’ve been in a few times for reduced movements and have always been checked out with a scan and put on monitoring for at least 30min so they could track movement/heartbeat. That was in Australia though.
I’m currently pregnant in Ireland and have defs noticed a change in care standards.

CornishTiger · 05/09/2021 13:50

Ring and ask to speak to midwife in charge and ask why they aren’t following the guidelines.

Just not good enough!

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 13:50

I've got a routine appointment with my community midwife in a couple of weeks and I will definitely mention it to her.

I'm feeling quite angry. I understand that the cautious advice to pregnant women re movements leads to many presenting at maternity units, and that it may feel a bit irritating to busy midwives. But the guidance exists and it is unequivocal - midwives shouldn't be making anxious patients feel stupid for following that guidance.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 13:52

To clarify - the maternity unit didn't appear busy at all (one other woman in a triage bay of six beds). And I still haven't felt him move in the way I've been used to.

She could at least have reassured me as to why movements might feel different, or told me what to do if I was still worried. I literally had "everything sounds fine. Have a nice day"

OP posts:

Rosiiiiie · 05/09/2021 13:54

How about booking a private scan?

SylvanasWindrunner · 05/09/2021 13:57

That's rubbish. I had reduced movements with DD at 28 weeks. They told me to come straight in, I was seen immediately and put on a trace thing with straps around my bump to monitor heart and movement and a handheld thing to squeeze if I felt baby, and then the midwife palpated my belly to see if baby was maybe just stuck in an awkward position (which it turned out she was and got dislodged and I started feeling her again!). I was then booked in the next day for a scan just to check everything was OK.

WhiskyIrnBru · 05/09/2021 14:57

I had a really poor experience with MAU and ended up emailing the head midwife for the trust which really helped. She ensured I was seen and a plan made for induction (after many back and forths and changes) I had high BP so was up at the MAU a lot. She was glad I had emailed as she said there were things she was looking to change. The diff after she was involved was unreal.

Might be worth doing? You can find out the head midwife for your trust by googling? You Def shouldn't be made to feel like this.

I think some midwives forget how scary pregnancy is.

messybun101 · 05/09/2021 15:01

I know it's still a couple of weeks away until you see your community midwife, but do you have her number to call? It might be worth giving her a quick message/phone and tell her your concerns

My community midwife is absolutely fantastic. I know if I had any problems re movements not being taken seriously, that she would at be very least phone the hospital again ahead of another visit/checkup

Don't let this go op x

serialname · 05/09/2021 15:33

Go back as many times as you need to for them to take you seriously

cactijones · 05/09/2021 15:40

OP I'm really shocked at how poor your care is! I phoned for the first time last week at 10pm 26+5. I hadn't really felt them the day before but we were in the car and busy all weekend, I had felt it move that morning but nothing since 2 so I just called to see if I should go in. They told me to come down straight away and I was in for 2 hours having tests. The checked my urine for infection, used a Doppler and gave the baby an ECG. I felt so much better and they didn't make me feel like I was wasting their time at all xx

merrygorounds0 · 05/09/2021 15:40

Definitely mention it to your regular midwife. It doesn't sound right at all that they are treating you like this. Are you able to ring/email your community midwife at all to ask about the further questions you have regarding his movements?

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 16:41

Home again after being out for the afternoon and I'm still hardly feeling a thing. Currently lying on my side, eating an ice lolly (I know this advice is bunk, but at least I can say I've done it) - no perceptible movement at all yet.

I felt some light flutters early afternoon and then very painful movement - felt like being kicked in the cervix - a couple of hours ago.

On top of that, I'm also now getting cramps quite low down. Trying to remember anything from my first pregnancy which might reassure me, but I'm not coming up with much. I'm pretty sure my bump has dropped and he's turned head down, so maybe the anterior placenta is muffling all his movements. But I have no idea. this is the conversation I wanted to have with a fcking midwife, not by frantic Google searches*

And the anxiety is exacerbated by the fact that I'm obviously not going to be taken seriously if I call triage again. I don't want to have to argue and advocate for myself, I just want someone to give me more than five minutes of their time

If he wakes up a bit, I'll settle for speaking to my community midwife tomorrow. If he hasn't given me some decent kicks in the next two hours, I don't feel like I have any choice but to go back in and roll up my sleeves.

Just want to cry. I'm not making this up, I swear!

OP posts:

Secretsout · 05/09/2021 16:51

Guidelines have recently changed and lots of Trusts will be following the Saving Babies Lives care bundle V2. Between 24 and 27+6 a CTG is not advised unless specifically requested by consultant.

RFM need to be seen within 2 hours of the call and Triaged within 15 mins of attending hospital.

OP, phone them back and go in. And don't wait for your community midwife appointment or to speak to her. I'm a community midwife and if you were one of my women I'd be a bit 😳 if you contacted me about this. Your concerns need addressing now, not tomorrow or in two weeks.

Rosiiiiie · 05/09/2021 16:52

You could call back after shift change? It’ll be a whole new team on.

FusciasBright21 · 05/09/2021 16:52

Hi OP,

You need to phone triage again and explain you are still not happy with movements and you now have some lower abdo pain. You need seeing and assessing again. I know you don't want to, but sometimes you need to not take no for an answer.

You are too early for a CTG but the hospital should have guidelines on repeated reduced movements under 28 weeks ie review by obstetric dr. If you were over 28 weeks they would have to do scans etc as well. Ask them what the guidelines are. Don't leave until you are reassured.

Best of luck

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 18:24

Thank you again. These recent replies made me cry, which tells you all what sort of state I'm in after more than 24 hours of worrying.

I called again and got another "you can come in if you want" response. They've said all they can do is ask a Reg to come down and have a look, but "you could be waiting for hours". They've obviously got me pegged as a neurotic (I'm really not, I promise!) and want to put me off. Naturally, I've said I'll go in.

Feel like such a twat. What a shit day.

OP posts:

CornishTiger · 05/09/2021 18:32

I’m glad you are going in. Ask them what reassurance a one minute Doppler gave them that there were clinical signs all was well. They won’t be able to answer that.

CustardGoodJamGoodMeatGood · 05/09/2021 18:48

Good luck OP, hopefully they'll do more to reassure you than a 1 minute check up with a doppler. Don't be fobbed off, this is your baby, not theirs, and only you know if there's something not quite right

StarshipsAreMeantToFly · 05/09/2021 18:57

Good luck OP. Do not leave until you feel reassured all is OK. I am shocked at how they treated you.

messybun101 · 05/09/2021 19:33

You're right to go back in. Only you know his routine and if it isn't what it normally is then you should be checked and taken seriously. I can't believe you're being treated this way.

Original poster

Mybobowler · 05/09/2021 19:39

The registrar has asked to scan me, so I'm just waiting for her to come down. Could be waiting a while, but I'm so glad I came back in. Midwife was a bit snippy but I'm too tired to care.

Typically, baby has just decided to give me a few little kicks, after I've felt literally nothing in over two hours. Argh!

OP posts:

Rosiiiiie · 05/09/2021 19:39

Good luck!!

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