help - midwives, feeling rubbish and where to give birth?!!

[hatcam]

does anyone else have a similar experience of their midwives? I know they're really, really stretched which is not their fault BUT I think it seems unreasonable to wait a couple of weeks for a midwife to call back with some simple info on where I can have the baby....

am 32 weeks, just been told that our local hospital will have no doctors available when I go to have the baby. If any doctor intervention required, it's ambulance time and off to another hospital. Had totally straightforward birth last time with no doctors (barely saw a midwife) but do feel nervous about the fact that there's no doctor if something went very wrong.
Any opinions on whether I'm just being a scaredy-cat?!!!

final part of rant - haven't seen the same midwife twice yet, when mentioned SPD was told that it would just go away on its own (not true) and that physio waiting list is 9 weeks (taking me to after the baby's born), was told that midwife couldn't remember whether canesten or alternative thrush cream suitable during pregnancy and that she's not sure of alternatives to the iron supplement that I'm taking (that's giving me diarrhoea).......deep breath.

sigh. and I'm asked at each appointment if this is my first baby - surely that should be on my notes?!!! (it's not).

sorry to rant, just wanted to get some of that off my chest, hear anyone's ele's wise words of reassurance or experiences....anything really...

that is appalling. Can you contact the hosp direcly or maybe the PALS service?

If there isn't a doc at the hosp I'd be tempted to have a home birth if you'd be transferred for problems anyway

no idea re SPD but you shouldn't have to wait 9 weeks

That must be so frustrating.

Go and see your GP, they can answer your questions re thrush cream, arrange for you to give birth at another hospital and refer you to physio if that is what you feel you need.

I've had SPD with both pregnancies. The first time I saw the physio while pregnant who gave a corset, some crutches and told me to do kegels, pelvic tilts and rest and said they couldn't to much until the baby arrives. For a lot of mums is really does go away when LO arrives. Mine lasted 6 months and the only useful physio happened after the birth.

If you are really fed up call the hospital and speak the the head of midwives for your area.

my expereince of midwifes in hospitals are shocking- including labour, delivery,post delivery and more recently ante natal as admitted for hyperemesis.

However my experience in the community are fab.
Do you not a have a midwife asigned to you from your gp practice?

It should be normal practice to have previous births on notes.

Also some hospitals are midwifery led hence no docs.
However you will blue lighted across town if there are any complication....not good enough for me I am afraid, I want everyone available there and then should I have any trouble. so no not being scaredy cat at all.

thanks ladies, I feel better already!

We have a midwife team do appts at the gp practice, I've never seen my assigned midwife and when I've had appointments it's been with someone from another team as they're so overstretched. Feel pretty sorry for them, as I know they don't feel like they're doing their job properly either.

At this rate I may just waddle down the end of the garden to give birth and get the dog to fetch hot water and towels, have sorted out an osteopath myself for the SPD (think made worse by early engagement of baby) which has had nothing short of miraculous effects, solved the thrush problem (ouch, phew) and will get myself down to Boots to buy Spatone instead of the foul Sytron, but you know when you get that feeling like WHY IS NO-ONE HELPING ME (cue tantrum worthy of my toddler!!!!)

Seriously, home birth right now is very tempting - is it too late to decide (31/32 weeks)

No.. I'm having a homebirth and they are booking me in at 34 weeks.

Homebirths are normally attended by the community midwives so if they are overstretched you might find they are very reluctant.

You could always look at getting an independant midwife to attend your homebirth but they do cost a lot.

Hatcam - just a quickie! Do you have low iron? If so, I was told that Spatone will "maintain" iron levels but not build it up if you are low.

I take Floradix which I find quite effective.....

fmnow, yes low iron - so am guessing not the spatone! Am taking Sytron but it's giving me really bad diarrohea which prob defeats the object of taking it in the first place, will try floradix. merci.

I've been told by my midwife to get spatone as it is as effective as the tablets that the DR gives out (proven in clinical trials) and doesn't make you poo bullets. They are pushing to get it made available to pregnant women on the NHS but it's not likely any time soon.

While your iron is low you can take two doses a day, dropping down to 1 a day after a while.

Hatcam - sorry your midwives are being so totally and utterly useless. Speak to GP about thrush (I used Canesten in last pregnancy on GP's recommendation with no problems - only cream, not tablets). Also, speak about being referred to a different hospital if you're really worried about it - though as you've given birth once already, you'll hopefully be fine with this birth too and not need any doctors around (think of it as a homebirth away from home I guess...)

Floradix taken with orange juice at the same time is supposed to be good for iron - as well as eating your body weight in dried apricots...

Best of luck.

Hi - Having a similarly dissapointing time with midwives, nurses, neurologists and obstetricians (i've got epilepsy and it's gone a bit mad since i've been pregnant). I know they are all short staffed and overstretched but am sick of repeating my medical history to different people every single time!!

Spatone is supposed to be excellent,(am a pharmacist and lots of women have said it helped them) and as far as thrush treatments go you can use everything apart from the oral tablet. If you choose a pessary then insert it with your finger rather than the applicator.

Hope this helps.