'Late booking' with midwife

[Meow69]

So I was just looking for experiences. I am currently 22+6 and only recently finally got booked with the midwife.

Me and my husband travel full time and live in our motorhome(all an elected choice, not because we are in a travellers community or anything, not saying theres anything wrong there mind), it's a nice 24ft long home with everything we need and more! To be honest, more than you get in a flat these days for a lot less money. Anyway, a mix of us travelling and due to horrendous treatment when we lost our twins in 2022, we delayed seeing a midwife and had scans privately. In turn this puts us as a 'late booking' which I now know is a red flag.

I have been through everything with the midwife and she has done a write up as to why we are late with things due to previous circumstances and we want as little intervention as required. I will be going to a midwife led unit to give birth, I've had bloods etc etc and all booked for scans and whatnot.

She has said is is happy with our reasons and will just do a write up so anyone who accesses our account etc are aware as its written and we don't need to keep repeating ourselves.

What I'm basically wondering, is she said that at any point, if one of the midwives or anything felt there was an issue with safeguarding, they would report us to social services for background check etc. I'm just wondering if anyone who was a late booking also, did anything happen in regards to this?

We have been fully honest and have nothing to hide and are staying within the area till our little man is born. The last thing we want is for anything to happen to myself or him. Then when we are settled once he is here, we will carry on with life, as everyone does!

So just looking for any experiences or any advice I guess, as I didn't know this 'late booking red flag' was a thing?

TIA

Sorry for your losses. It's a big 'red flag' to them because you've opted out of all of their care for over half of your pregnancy. That's huge. Blood tests, carbon monoxide checks, listening to the baby's heartbeat- all these things to check that the baby is ok have been voluntarily bypassed - so naturally they are going to be concerned. I would advise seeing the midwife and choosing everything offered to u going forward. Good luck.

Also there is absolutely no guarantee you will be able to give birth in a midwife led unit. It's a nice idea or possibility but If you don't fit their criteria you will be turned away. E.g. if you need a c-section. I couldn't give birth in my local midwife led unit because of a few growth scans, they simply said it was not their policy and wheeled me away and that was that. You just don't know what will happen.

I am having all my bloods, urine, monoxide, heart beat, scans etc now with them. Just went private beforehand and as said, being honest with them so was just looking for experiences

@bakewellbride I have been informed by my midwife that I can choose the midwife led as long as all goes to plan, if not then its upstairs to the other unit! The hospital has both so fingers crossed all continues as it should. If I need medical intervention then of course, hence I want all scans now etc, I was just so apprehensive from the past that I wanted to delay seeing them and choose a better hospital. Just didn't know about the late red flag so was wondering experiences. Thank you

Why would they report you to social ? Your not legally obligated to attend any nhs scans or midwives appointments. It's even written on government website.
I would say tho because you've opted in late , they could be iffy with your birthing preferences if anything but no matter when you opt in to midwife your entitled for all future relevant scans bloods ect providing tineline hasn't passed for those to take place. Some tests have to be done by a certain week

I was told in a meeting with midwives that they are concerned about late bookings because they are working to meet targets as a trust. The targets are there because prompt tests and scans really help outcomes across the population, so they have to justify all late bookings to make sure that they aren't being caused by problems in the maternity service
The targets aren't about you as an individual and if there are no other causes for concern, the fact you booked in late is irrelevant now you have caught up on all your checks

I have never been offered a carbon monoxide test and declined the majority of blood tests and nobody had any concerns. Also listening to the heartbeat was optional.

Adding comment to watch the thread as our preference is to have as little monitoring or interventions as possible ...