Is it normal for midwives to give so little information?

[Cosycomfortable]

I’m 30+1 weeks pregnant with my first baby and just wondered if others have experienced lack of information from their midwives? I see my midwife every few weeks. She takes my blood pressure, listen to baby’s heart and sends me on my way. Is this normal? I am yet to be told where I need to go in my hospital when I go into labour, signs I’m in labour, how long I leave it when I’m contracting before calling hospital, info on pain relief, just general stuff I thought she would tell me as this is my first baby.

She told me there were no available spaces on NHS run antenatal classes so I have been getting as much info online about how to care for a baby as neither myself or my husband have any experience with babies.

Im not a needy/anxious person at all, quite the opposite but I do like to be prepared (or as prepared as I can be). Just wondered if it’s up to me to ask the questions or if she should be providing me with the information voluntarily?

Speak up and ask her questions?
We were handed most of that information in a folder.

I’d say you need to ask! I knew all these things before having a baby but asked any other questions I had

Don't you have the internet?

https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/preparing-for-labour-and-birth/signs-of-going-into-labour/

Feel free to Google your local maternity unit.

I am 32 weeks (with my first) and haven’t had any of this info yet but they have said they’ll be discussing it at the 34 week appointment when we go through the birth plan which I believe includes when to call the hospital. I think the reason for this is that things can change - they have for me, I was initially going to have a homebirth due to my location but now I’ll be going to the Labour suite under consultant care. I guess I kind of understand why the birth stuff hasn’t been discussed because like in my case, things can change.

I am booked onto an online antenatal course which is next week.

Does your trust offer online antenatal courses?

I will ask her my questions but just wondered if the reason I haven’t been given it is because I’m only just 30 weeks? Just looking for others experiences. ShetlandishMum thats what I thought I would have been given a folder with the information I needed.

Mine was useless (the mw with my first). She made huge mistakes (think not telling me it wad a high risk pregnancy, no alert sticker on notes) etc. Then I wasnt booked in for induction until after 41 weeks as the miserable older woman covering "forgot" at my 40 week appt. There were no signs of anything, and I ended up not being induced until 42 weeks (earliest I could get a space). It was shit tbh, and I was a nieve first timer.

Sorry me again. I have my 32 week appointment in a few days (and a 32 week scan). I’ll come back and post on here to let you know if the discussions change.

I have only received info on breastfeeding and kicks. Not much else about the Labour, when to call, track contractions etc.

Have you toured your Labour suite? I had a tour yesterday - midwife did say that the tour is from 34 weeks but because I had an emergency last week (which changed the birth plan) they booked me in sooner for a tour. It was really helpful and I am sure she would’ve answered questions about when to call etc - I was just more focused on what the suite was like and having access to a pool.

Have you had a look on the NHS website? The vast majority of this info is on there, any questions you can ask.

You do have an appointment I think its the 36 week one which is your chance to ask, discuss birth options etc

That would be sooo helpful if you could report back 🙂 really appreciate that. I didn’t know you could ask for a tour of the labour suite but that will be something added to my list to ask. Thank you!

Yes, I have had a look at the NHS website which has been some help, but some of my questions are more specific like where do I go in my hospital when I’m in labour. I think maybe I’ve jumped the gun and you don’t get told all this info until you are later on in pregnancy than I am 🫣

You go to labour and delivery? But yeah, you should have chosen your hospital by now surely?

I learnt everything via magazines and the internet myself and I think I got regular appointments with the midwives when I could ask questions.

Admittedly my DC are 12+ but I don't think the lack of information is uncommon. I dared to ask about antenatal classes at one of my appointments and the midwife was so rude and dismissive of my question she wouldn't answer it. I think it's so standard to them that they forget it's your first time and you want to know what is happening and when.

are you going to do NCT or equivalent? As my midwife asked, and when I said we were; she said she wouldn’t bother telling me everything we’d cover at NCT.

Just FYI you dont just turn up at hospital - you have to call first and they will tell you when to come in and where to go. Also in our area they often have to send you to one specific hospital depending how much they are all

My hospital have a carousel thing (that’s their wording) when you can go to the hospital and have a look around etc. Like a meet and greet once a month in the evening.

Ask your midwife if there are any events at the hospital you can attend. I’m 38 weeks and at my 36 week appointment they talked through birth preferences.

Do you have the badger app? There’s some leaflets on there.

NCT could be a good option but obv a private cost.

Im not a first time mum so feel free to ask any questions here or private message. Nothing is a stupid question!

Ah I'm sorry OP. I remember excitedly scouring the internet with my first so cant remember exactly where I gleaned all of my information, but I do distinctly remember being quite disappointed with my midwife appointments and the lack of information and discussion.

I remember reading in my notes we could discuss birth plans at the 34 week appointment and midwife wasnt interested at all. I was so disappointed and I was only 21 so I honestly could have used the support.

Keep posting here and we can help with stuff as much as possible!

I know what you mean - it can feel quite basic and tick-box and I also know they're stressed and stretched (mine told me she was!). I learned most stuff through my NCT course and then reputable Instagram accounts!

I get where OP is coming from. All of my appointments have been in the community because the hospital is 50 mins away - so she may not be aware of the Labour and delivery area. I certainly wasn’t and have only been made aware of where to go since an emergency last Monday. Otherwise, the only place I’ve been to at the hospital is the ultrasound area for the 20 week scan only, all other scans have been at a totally different health centre in a different town. All my midwife appointments have been at the local leisure centre where the community team are based.

I have ‘chosen’ my hospital but like I say, all appointments have been with the local community team. It may be the same for OP also.

OP - defo give the maternity triage team a call, and ask to book a tour of a Labour suite. Or, the MLBU if your hospital has one and you’re low risk 🙂

I don't recall being given all the information you mention, an antenatal appointment is usually 20min long, a midwife isn't going to sit and talk you through labour, breastfeeding, caring for a baby in any great detail when they have only 20min with you during which they have to do all their regular checks which take about 20min, they are more likely to signpost you to places. There was always space to ask questions if I needed to ask anything though. When I had my first 10 years ago they did an antenatal class (a saturday morning) where they talked through birth and did a tour of the maternity suite, but these had stopped when I had my second 18 months later.

You can find most the information you need on the nhs website, you need to be proactive and read for yourself, they don't have time to talk through everything, but there are excellent resources out there.

Google the name of your local hospital and maternity ward, that should tell you where to get to.

When you get there in labour they triage you and either send you home again, or give you a bed on antenatal ward, or take you straight to delivery suite.

The rest of your questions- you need an antenatal class like NCT. They'll talk through signs of labour, pain relief options, birth interventions, breastfeeding, practical baby care, what to expect in the early weeks. It is common sense but you also meet people at the same stage as you which is really useful once the babies are here and its 3am and you have a little panic about something but your NCT friends are also awake with their babes having a similar panic. It is reassuring!