The hospital doesn't have any appointments for the post date clinic appointment next week - what do I do

[MLWfirsttimemum]

Sorry, slightly long and rambling but reeling a bit.

There seems to be a massive baby boom in my area. I am 40+1 today and had to see the doctor rather than the midwife for my 40 week visit as the midwife didn't have any appointments until mid-January (which obviously wasn't timely . The doctor suggested speaking to the midwife today about plans for next week if I am still overdue then. My baby hasn't engaged and there are no signs of labour (I think!).

I called her today as instructed and she told me to call the hospital I am due to give birth at to make a post date clinic appointment. She said she would normally provide more information but couldn't as I was talking to her over the phone (and had a lot of trouble getting through to her in the first place) which was a bit dispriting considering that I would have gone to see her if I had been able to get an appointment!

I called the hospital and they said that they were fully booked on Wednesday and call back on Monday to see if there had been any cancellations (and anyway the supervisor isn't in until then so there wasn't anything they could do in between!!)

Now, I am obviously worried that I will call back on Monday and with this being christmas etc that everybody else will also be vying for an appointment on Wednesday prior to the christmas break. Secondly, I have no information about what is discussed / done at the post date clinic appointment and therefore don't know how critical / not critical it is I get this appointment in a timely manner. I am also worried that I won't be able to spot anything being wrong with the baby. I thought they would start monitoring me and her more closely as soon as I am overdue, never expected for them to be 'fully booked' .

Please tell me what happens at the post date clinic appointment and whether I have any grounds to be worried (difficult to tell whether it is the hormones surging at the moment)

Hiya. Sounds a bit rubbish for you. Hopefully they will squeeze you in.

Nrmally they would offer you a sweep and make a date for you to come into hospital for the induction at 40+10.

You're not normally monitored any closer if you are less than 40+10. Just rememebr to keep an eye on baby's movements and ring the hospital or m/w if you think the movements are reduced. Fingers crossed you go into labour by yourself.

You need to have a sweep at 41 weeks and maybe a second before you are induced. You defintiely need a 41 week appointment but they don't monitor you or the baby. If they can't fit you in to be honest I would go straight to the labour ward and lie and say you haven't experienced any movement for 24hours and need checking out and there are no appointments. Problem is nobody has responsibility for you under the NHS so you have to take care of yourself! Good luck and hopefully you will go into labour soon - worrying is not good for bringing on labour though!

I sympathise - I'm 40+3 today and getting impatient. I don't think I would mind so much if it wasn't for Christmas and impending break etc... kind of puts an extra pressure on. I saw Midwife on Wed, and was basically sent away until at least 41 weeks, when they'll try a sweep, then book an induction date for around 42. I was told not to bother to try to get an appointment at the hospital clinic as they were fully booked, I'd just have to wait until I can see her on Christmas Eve. The main thing I was told is to make sure the baby is still active. If you don't feel much movement, that is a time to definitely get checked out - otherwise, try not to worry. Only 5% of babies turn up on their due date, and around 80% turn up within 10 days.... let's just hope we're both part of that, as it is just boring waiting at this stage!!! I had kind of assumed I'd be on time, as my first dd was spot on.

The midwife advised me to eat things which keep your bowels loose.... also tips on another thread on here include pineapple, lots of sex, etc etc...... Good luck!

Where did you call at the hospital? My hospital tells us to call the Labour ward team if we're worried about something, and that was also the more general advice given on my NCT course.

Personally if you get the run around from them when you do call I'd pull a bit of a sneaky and tell them you are worried the baby is not moving about and they'll whizz you in for a check then and there. You can probably ask all the questions you need when they are with you checking that your baby is ok.
Hopefully you wont need to do that as baby will come before - sorry you are getting poor help right now.

Thanks everyone for your advice - I'll wait and see what happens over the weekend, call again on Monday and then if I can't get an appointment then carry out your suggestions. Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully she's decided to come before then! And we'll employ all the 'tricks' over the weekend too.