Can I change midwife?

[Hopful85]

Hi all!

I’m 10 weeks with my first baby and had my first midwife appointment yesterday morning. The midwife center I went to is quite far from where I live as I don’t drive. It took me longer to get there then the actual appointment. Does anyone know if it’s possible to change my midwife for a more local one? If so how do I do it?

Thanks in advance!

[roxannacar]

You probably should call your midwivery team to ask. They might have appointments elsewhere if you transfer to a different team but it might mean a different hospital, so check with them.

[Major2116]

I have changed my midwife. Purely because I didn't like my other one. My midwife now is so much more helpful and caring. I got her mobile number off the gp surgery she covered and called her. She gave me the number of her manager to call n put me on her list.

I'd try calling your nearest gp and asking to speak to their midwife about changing to see that midwife. Ask if they have her number so you can call her n see where you go from there x

[Hopful85]

Thanks for the advice. My GP doesn’t have a midwife so I had to do a self referral. I’ll call my midwife and ask if there is somewhere closer. Just a shame because she was so lovely. I just can’t imagine doing the journey in months to come. I can’t imagine that’d change my hospital I live just outside London and it’s the only one here xx

[Major2116 in reply to Hopful85]

Ahh I see! Yeah that's probably the best idea then hun. She'll be able to point you in the right direction. I can imagine it's hard with not driving, especially in later months of your pregnancy. Hope you manage to get it sorted! Xx

[Kempton]

My colleague moved her care to a different hospital because she moved house during her pregnancy. I think at 10 weeks you're still very early on so shouldn't be a problem changing.

It's a shame at my hospital I haven't had a continuous midwife throughout my care as it's just not how they do it at the hospital. I was a bit confused about it to start as I was expecting to build up a relationship with one person over time but actually all the widwives have been lovely at each step of the way so feel much better about it now.

[Hopful85]

I’m going to call someone tomorrow to see if it’s possible. I hope it’s the same person continually though I’m not sure about how I’d feel seeing someone new each appointment. Will it be the same when your baby arrives? X

[Kempton in reply to Hopful85]

I really don't know! I guess I will be looked after by which ever midwife is working that day/night - but really they have all been really lovely so hopefully that's the same at your unit if they also don't have continous care.

[Hopful85]

Well that’s the mean thing that you feel looked after. I can imagine they’d prefer to be assigned to a woman all the way through x

[roxannacar]

I think very few hospitals provide the same midwife throughout. They definitely don't in my hospital and that's for a variety of reasons sick/annual leave, but also as midwives seem to rotate so they also attend home births in the community, do postnatal community checks on baby and mummy... sometimes they fill in shifts in hospital. All important so that they can keep their skills up to date

[Billiejean01]

Hello, there is a service offered called one 2 one midwifes where your allocated one midwife for your entire pregnancy and a ‘buddy’ when their off on annual leave. I didn’t use the service but I know a few people who did and they found it very helpful seeing the same person and she even came out to visit her at her own home. She even delivered the baby but that was a home birth. Might be worth looking at? x

[roxannacar in reply to Billiejean01]

Ah never heard of this... app only available in few areas

onetoonemidwives.org/about_...

[Hopful85 in reply to Billiejean01]

Thanks Billejean01 I’ll check it out! X

[Hopful85]

Sadly this service isn’t available in my area. Great idea though!