So disappointed with my midwife care :(

8 replies

littlelamb · 10/04/2008 14:26

I know I shouldn't be complaining, but with dd I had 1 midwife throughout my pregnancy and she was really lovely. This time, I had one midwife who emigrated, which I only found out about after going to be an appointment and meeting the new woman, and this morning I have just had a letter saying I have been passed to someone else I have had 2 appointments each with my previous midwifes, and I just don't want to have to explain everything again (have had problems with dp and depression this pg). I am 32 weeks and just dreading my labour. I had to stay overnoght in hospital a few months ago and the staff shortages were clear to see. I know continuity of care as a reality is a long way off but I feel completely unsupported by the very people who are supposed to be looking after me. Right, self-indulgent whinge over

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callmeovercautious · 10/04/2008 14:33

littlelamb - I know how you feel. My Midwife saw mw to book me in and then was either on Holiday, Sick or at meetings whenever I had an appointment due. I think I finally saw her at about 38 weeks and then on my Due Date when I was already in Labour. I also had 2 differnet Midwives in Hospital due to Shift changes. I guess I am just unlucky too

The main problem is the repeating yourself thing - it drove me mad!

callmeovercautious · 10/04/2008 14:33

The main problem is the repeating yourself thing - it drove me mad!

callmeovercautious · 10/04/2008 14:34

Opps - I sneezed and hit post twice

theyoungvisiter · 10/04/2008 14:38

LL so sorry to hear your care has been rubbish - but honestly you are lucky in a way - in my area we don't even HAVE a named midwife, just a team of 7 or 8 (I think).

Given you only have about 7 or 8 appointments you are exceedingly lucky if you see the same person twice.

They justify this by claiming it's to maximise the chance of you having a midwife that you know while in labour!

While in labour I had 4 midwives and not ONE was on the team I was assigned to.

newbishad · 11/04/2008 12:01

LL,

I have had similar experiences to you throughout this pregnancy. The hospital I am attending is great in most ways but there are shortcomings. I had to be admitted recently for a DVT and the staff on the ward seemed never to have heard about basic nursing care. Information was passed slowly to me. I wasn't treated until late afternoon (I was admitted early morning) despite having a potentially serious condition. This is hard for anyone let alone someone with anxiety. At night they failed to understand my severe insomnia and when I got cold a nurse just threw a blanket at me.
I do not suffer from depression but I have had severe anxiety during the second 1/2 of my pregnancy. Pre-natal anxiety is not properly understood by the midwives and I have felt judged by one member of staff. Everyone feels I should be delighted to be pregnant after my history of infertility ( 4 years) ectpoic pregnancy (plus two) and IVF (sucessful cycle). I am now 33 weeks pregnant). I am of course and I wouldn't change anything for the world. It feels like magic to have a baby move around inside you after all that. I am shocked though that some staff (and it is only some) look at the current picture without seeing the whole. LL I hope you get it sorted. I too am nervous about labour (I will now have to be induced because of the DVT). Hope all goes well.

Lots of love and hugs

NS XXXXX

babytime · 11/04/2008 19:02

i saw a different mw for every app both times.

feel envious of people who have the same one.

babytime · 11/04/2008 19:03

and both labours never seem the mw before even when they changed shift.

EyeballsintheSky · 12/04/2008 10:17

Same here - a team of community mw so different one at each visit (all lovely). Different mw for every shift at the hospital (half lovely, half not). MW I had never seen before in my life, have no idea what her name was, in the delivery suite (not nice at all). I don't think she ever introduced herself, or in fact, said anything to me other than something along the lines of stop making a fuss.

Still, at least I know what to expect if I ever do it again. Rosy cheeked, smiley mw are mostly a myth, at least in this area.

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