Midwife appointment

[Badassbreastfeeder85]

What happens if you don't attend your booking appointment or any of the subsequent ones?

If my scan is at 14 weeks it cuts it very close for the combined screening I also don't want a late 2nd trimester termination

Considering I'll be 10 weeks before I even see a midwife

Ten weeks is entirely normal for a booking in appointment.

What were you expecting?

I don't know if we have crèche here and even if so I wouldn't leave her in a strange environment with strangers, same with or suggestion of finding a babysitter, I wouldn't leave her with a random stranger, her dad works away Monday to Friday so no I can't leave her with him

As I've said a million times over the thread,8 weeks

My post was asking what happens if I don't go, all ppl are saying is go, that's not what my post was asking

Right but I know I haven't developed hiv or std since my last pregnancy, I know my blood group which I'm guessing hasn't changed either

My first pregnancy - completely healthy and no issues whatsoever.

My second pregnancy - several complications and concerns around baby’s growth with talks about early induction.

Don’t be an idiot and assume because your previous pregnancies were fine, this one will be fine. This appointment isn’t just about you and your bruised ego. It’s about your unborn child.

It doesn’t matter how many midwives post or how many knowledgable posters share their experience. The OP has clearly decided how it all works and that even though her booking in appointment is at the entirely reasonable ten week point, she is going to withdraw from all antenatal care. Best of luck to your future DC, OP. I hope you both stay well during the pregnancy.

Yes - but eight weeks is an entirely arbitrary time point. As everyone is telling you. But hey! You know how it all works, right?

you have had advice about that . It can be flagged if you don’t engage however you have said you have contacted someone to cancel . As long as you explain why you wish to not have any nhs antenatal care I don’t see why they would flag to SS. However you are best speaking to a midwife/ maternity unit in your trust if you are worried.

@Badassbreastfeeder85
"Right but I know I haven't developed hiv or std since my last pregnancy, I know my blood group which I'm guessing hasn't changed either"

Blood pressure. Glucose levels. Baby growth.

Obviously your choice. But basic checks are important for the health of you and the baby.

People have answered this already, you're just not paying attention because you're too busy arguing with everyone. You can opt out of antenatal care if you want to - it's not advised, but nobody can force you to have midwife appointments. It might or might not get raised with social services - this is almost certainly dependent on your individual circumstances and whether there are any other red flags, and the policy of the individual trust that you have self-referred to. But it seems very extreme to opt out of all antenatal care because you're not happy about when your booking appointment takes place.

I had my midwife booking appointment at 11 weeks last week - they said they needed to do it before 10 weeks. I have issues with childcare and transport so they came to visit me at home. Is that an option?

At the booking appointment they booked me in for a scan and I got an appointment letter a few days later - squeezed in again just under 12 weeks.

I don't think it's a case they don't care - they're probably overstretched. It's worth trying to work with them to find a solution.

That is annoying you aren't able to bring your little one. My booking appointment was over the phone but they allowed me to change it as we were going to be away otherwise (so at 7 weeks not 8 as they'd asked for) and I've just had my physical one with bloods etc. at 10 weeks.

Could you not ask to reschedule or to bring the baby otherwise you won't be able to attend? I appreciate it's my first but I did find the first booking appointment really informative and blood work, urine sample is always useful, they might pick up something important.

Edit: just to add, they've said my scan should take place at 12 weeks as well. We just had a private one done at 10 weeks but the private scans do say they don't look for all the things NHS ones do so aren't a replacement.

Nothing that early on. They may assume a miscarriage and you may receive written correspondence.

The appointments are fairly unnecessary before 4 and half months anyway. It's just collecting data and referring on.

If you have any pregnancy complications they have limited options before this time and often suggest to telephone alternative services such as early pregnancy units (which are unavailable at weekends), NHS111 etc.

Have as much or as little appointments as you feel you need. They offer so many by the end of pregnancy that you may as well move in with the maternity team.

With my daughter I had my booking appointment at 10 weeks and dating scan at 12 +3. This time I had my booking appointment at 7 weeks and the dating scan is at 11+6. In both cases the dating scan was arranged after the booking appointment. The booking appointment was only at 7 weeks and not at 10 weeks because I have red flags from my first pregnancy and will need referrals put into place.

I have taken my daughter along to other appointments, she came with me for my smear test. She was in her buggy so contained.

I think it is probably worth a phone call to ask about bring your child and whether it is possible to rearrange for 8-9weeks.

I've not seen anyone share their experience of not attending appointments and what happened, which is my orginal question.

As I said in my previous post, it depends on circumstances. If people inform us that they aren't going to receive midwifery care (which tbh never really happens) then fine, but if people simply disengage and don't inform us as to why, then it's our policy to refer to SS. Whether SS then do anything about it is very circumstance depending and out of our hands but that's the policy.

I have shared my thoughts with you about what will happen, as an NHS midwife, as have others.

They are probably concerned that someone like a partner could be preventing you from receiving antenatal care. Or that you need mental health support. They will want to make sure that you are making your own informed decision here.

Absolutely no need for name calling

There is potential for a SS referral yes, but completely dependant on the conversation you have with the midwives regarding declining care, your risk factors and if you have any safeguarding history or other “red flags”. Nobody here can tell you what exactly will happen as we don’t know your circumstances.

You are entitled to recieve as little, if any, AN care you would like, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to decline with no further action taken. Additionally, when you turn up in hospital in labour this could make things trickier for your labour care. Whilst they can’t decline you labour care, it does make things more difficult when you are not “booked” at that hospital and there is no record of any risk assessments during your pregnancy; for example VTE risk, fetal growth assessments, up to date iron levels etc. Not impossible to provide care but they may have concerns regarding water birth, or an epidural, or fetal monitoring, all of these things are based on pregnancy risk, fetal growth and blood assessments.

If they know you are pregnant they will want to know why you wouldn't want antenatal care for your baby. Midwives would initially follow this up and I think standard policy would trigger a referral.

As a SW, it would raise our concerns about why you don't want antenatal care - so you might get a call / visit to try to understand this.

Why don't you want antenatal care?

I think if you are thinking about a termination, then you are probably best to book at a private clinic, as I don't think terminations are offered on the NHS? But having never been in that position, I'm not 100% on that.

I am educated intelligent and articulate,I am able to read research and weigh up pros and cons and make an informed decision. This has nothing to do with a partner,I was looking for anyone who hasn't attended their midwife appointment to share what happened so I can be prepared,all I'm being told is 10 weeks is normal,but according to NHS it should happen before then. If they don't deem it necessary then neither do I

Again thats not what my post was asking. It was asking what happens if I don't go, not what time was everyone else's booking appt in their relevant trusts,which may not be the same trust as mine