Midwife has walked out.....I'm all alone!

[dizzymama]

I've just had my 32 week appointment with the midwife and was greeted by someone completely different. Our local hospital has been having all manner of problems with it's birth unit and she has just had enough and walked out. This wouldn't be so bad in itself (although a real pity as she was wonderful, slightly older and put me very much at ease as this is my first baby) except then the new midwife told me that they're being treated so badly at the moment that it is a very real possibility that they will all walk out. She then proceeded to give me a huge list of things i should chase up (test results, appointments etc) if I found she and the others were not there at my next appointment! I have Group B Strep and so far they weremonitoringme quite closely, now I'm very worried that I'm going to be left on my own to do this. Help!!!!

How awful for you . How about contacting your GP and asking him for a referral to a different hospital - perhaps the situation would be different there, and it might make you feel better to know there would definately be staff on when you go in. Wouldn't worry too much if this 2nd one is further away - 1st bubs don't usually come quickly. If you are flush you can hire a private midwife, or perhaps a doula. I know there are midwives and douls who post on here, so make sure you keep bumping this and hopefully one will pick it up. Have a cup of tea and a sit down, all will be well.

I'm afraid flush is something I am not! Beginning to wish I was though!! I had contemplated asking to be transfered to another hospital but the set up here is weird. My midwifery care is actually coming from a different hospital to that I will have the baby in!Perhaps I could tranfer my care to that hospital now? But then again, it's 32 weeks in and I can't help feeling it'sa little late. Pants!!

Dizzy - its never too late. If, say, you had gone to visit a mate in the next city and went into labour, you'd go to the nearest hospital and they would look after you. And at the risk of depressing you further you might be pregnant for another 10 weeks, so there's enough time to make a couple of calls if you are concerned. Try talking to the head of midwifery at your local hospital. Or put out a post for mears and keep bumping it - she's a midwife.

I suggest that you ring the practice manager at your GP surgery and ask which of the GP's provide obstetric care, it is likely that most, if not all, of them do. Ask for one of these GP's to provide your antenatal care if need be until any problems with the midwives are sorted out. It is not your responsibility to sort out your test results etc, the GP providing your antenatal care will do it. I suspect the last midwife you saw was trying to make a point but this was unprofessional whatever the problems at her workplace.

It is not unusual to have care at your GP's surgery from midwives based at another hospital and it usually causes no problems. However, if you are worried about the hospital that you've booked at then I suggest that you change sooner rather than later. You may also like to have a discussion with the Head of Midwifery Services about your experiences.

Changing hospitals shouldn't be a problem. A few of us have been trying to switch in Surrey (see 3 threads active today in Childbirth section).

I requested a tranfer this morning (GP). She had rung around and my second choice of hospital was happy to take me. I'm 31 weeks.