Haven't heard from midwife and I'm almost 9 weeks!

[BBonBoard]

Received a voicemail from the midwife on Monday saying she would ring me back later on in the day but she didn't. She didn't leave a number and the number she called from says No Caller Id. Getting really annoyed and upset. When I try to call the hospital they just say you have to wait to hear from the midwife. My GP had no clue about the midwife and so I had to do a self-referral. SO FRUSTRATED!!! Anyone else experienced this?

I can understand you are impatient to get things moving, but most people wouldn’t be in touch with a midwife until around this stage or later. Also I have always had to self refer, I think this is normal. But I remember in first pregnancy it all feeling quite strange til that booking appointment, it starts to get more real. Good luck!

First appointment wasn't until 12 weeks when I had mine. It was just paperwork then too plus bloods

Yeah this isn't late to hear from her at all. My GP wouldn't even see/speak to until 9 weeks and would start referral to midwives at that point so saw them somewhere around 11-12 week mark

You seem to be very worried and upset OP. What are you worried might happen if you don't see the midwife quickly enough?
It is entirely normal at 9 weeks to have not had any midwife input yet, and self referral to midwifery services is typical in most areas.
Just ensure you are taking folic acid and vitamin D, and have a read on the Tommy's website about lifestyle things you should be doing to look after you and baby's health. There's not much else for the midwife to add this early on so try not to stress too much. You should have seen a midwife by the time you are around 12 weeks and would be due a scan around then too.

I thought everyone self referee? I found the midwife didn’t really get involved much other than initial bloods until a fair bit after the 20 week scan. In both pregnancies I’ve barely been examined until late 20 weeks.

The booking in appointment is a paper exercise that I did over the phone so I wouldn’t stress about that!

There is really nothing a midwife should be doing before about 12 weeks. There is a shortage of midwives and they need to be looking after women who are much further on in their pregnancies.

I self referred at about 6 weeks, and I did get a phone call back to fill in some paperwork over the phone but then it was radio silence until they sent me a letter to have a scan at 12 ish weeks and had my blood tests done immediately after the scan.

I think I only had the phone call appointment because the person doing the paperwork was at WFH otherwise I think the paperwork would have been done on the same day as the scan.

I didn't hear from midwife until about 10 weeks

Sounds normal to me, 9 weeks is early

I heard back at 5 weeks, but my first appointment isn’t until I’m over 12 weeks. Think they’re just struggling with staffing and high volumes of incoming babies!

I've never heard from a midwife before 12 weeks and they always call from private numbers, I've never had a direct number to call them on. I know it can be an anxious time but try to be patient, so far its all normal x

Self referral is standard in my trust, my GP knew I was TTC and had said (more politely) "don't call us when you get pregnant, look online".
Here you self refer after 6 weeks.
I had blood tests, height and weight measured around 10 weeks so that they'd have results for booking appointment which was by phone a few days before 12 week scan.
You can always call the hospital switchboard or look on your hospital website for contact details.

That’s completely normal. Self-referral is how you’re supposed to do it in most trusts. You are only 8 weeks pregnant. And you have heard from them, you just missed the call. Usually you get booked in around 10-11 weeks, have a first scan at 12 weeks, a midwife appointment at 16 weeks and anomaly scan at 20 weeks.

They haven’t done anything wrong, what is it you are expecting?

Congrats OP! Self referral is normal in most areas. I'm not sure what you were expecting? I did this at 4 weeks and got the 1st call at 9 weeks. Not from the midwife, but from an admin to check the actual MW could call me the following week!

There is lots of information on the NHS about safe foods, folic acid etc if you have concerns or need medical advice about staying healthy whilst pregnant.

This is going to be a long pregnancy for you !

I think it depends where you are based, however, where I am in Scotland, we phone a Health Switchboard who take our last period date and they book in our first midwife appointment at 10 weeks then a scan date for 12 weeks there and then. Do you have anything like that @BBonBoard?

Pregnancy and parenting is going to be a rough ride for you OP

I haven't heard either. I rang them a week ago to self-refer, was told I'd get a call back in a couple of days to arrange my booking appointment but heard nothing yet. I've left a voicemail today. I'll be 8 weeks on Saturday.

It might be different elsewhere but I know here they want to see you for the first appointment around 8 weeks and were pretty specific to get my bloods done before 9 weeks in my first pregnancy last November, so I was rushed in on a Saturday just for bloods as my booking appointment was the week after. So I don't know why people are saying it's normal to not hear from them until 10-12 weeks?

I would also say that a key part of delivering a service is manging expectations. If you're told "I'll call you later today" or "you'll get a call back in a couple of days" and that doesn't happen, it will create frustration. Whereas if I was told to expect a call sometime in the next week or two, instead of day or two, I'd be a lot more understanding about the delay.

I've now heard from them, all is well!

With DS2 I didn't phone the MW till I was 8ish weeks and got bollocked because I'd left it late and they'd struggle to fit me in for appointments.

With my MMC I'd text the MW at 6ish weeks and she didn't respond at all until about 9-10 weeks and I'd been seen by the EPU by that point.

I got a positive test a few weeks ago and had no intention of phoning MW at all as I don't believe I'm pregnant /that it will work out. My bereavement MW called for a catch up and they're bringing me in in a few weeks (if it's not all gone tits up by then) for an early scan, at that point they'll reassess and see if I needs bloods etc. But that's not usual.

It is fairly standard to not hear from them until 9-10 weeks for a booking in /scan appt.

What are you expecting to happen though? Why the impatience?

@JasonMomoasgirlfriend

What are you expecting to happen though? Why the impatience?

If this is her first pregnancy then that's the point, isn't it. She has no idea what to expect, what is going to happen, what's normal and what isn't.

Early pregnancy is an anxious time, especially for those who haven't been through it before. Information and reassurance from feeling you're being noticed and looked after is really important.

I didn't speak to mine until the booking in appointment at 10 weeks - I wouldn't worry too much yet!

Yeah. The NHS website says to contact your doctor/GP as soon as you know you're pregnant. Why, if they are gonna ignore you for months?
I would think someone showed give you a brief intro into what to expect (body wise, appointment wise) and what to avoid doing/eating during those early weeks.