Are there no more 9 week midwife appointments?

[Princess_mummy]

Hi everyone, I was wondering how midwife appointments work now during COVID. With my first baby, I remember having a 9 week midwife appointment where I met the midwife, got my bloods taken, asked questions etc and then a scan at 12 weeks but this time I only got a 12 week scan appointment via a letter. I haven’t had any more communications from the hospital since I filled in their online registration. I’m a bit confused on how it all works. Do hospitals not do midwife appointments anymore? I have registered with north Middlesex hospital. Has anyone had any recent experience with that hospital? Please help.

[Hidden]

I got my scan letter first after signing up to the online midwife portal. Then got another letter about meeting a midwife and having bloods taken etc and getting the notes. But this is in Essex it may be different in your area.

Hospitals are still open so you will still see midwives. Where I am out of my catchment area I have to go to the hospital at certain times to see a midwife for measurements, bloods etc.

If you haven't gotten yours by the time you have your scan speak to the midwives you should see for your bloods the same day.

I had my first scan and then went and saw them (it's routine to) a few mins later.

Hope this helps.

[Claireeeeeeeeeeeee]

I had an 8 week booking in appointment over the phone and my bloods taken at the 12 week scan. You should still hear something from your midwife.

[Lois11793]

I’m with this hospital too... I had a midwife appt at 10 weeks-had blood&urine taken then a 12wk scan and then midwife telephone appt at 16wks.

I self referred in august and heard from them on the 15th september to say I had my 10wk midwife appt on the 19th but didn’t get a letter till the day before my appointment! If anything phone the maternity department and ask if you’ve got an appointment xx

Congratulations x

[Princess_mummy]

Thanks for your replies everyone

Wow Lois their communication is really bad if they gave that short of a notice for the appointment How has everything else been so far at the hospital? Are the staff nice? Are they organised etc? I did expect the experience to be a bit different because of COVID but I don’t know why I’m feeling so anxious and scared.

[Lois11793 in reply to Princess_mummy]

Yeah it is quite bad,I wish I had gone with another hospital if I’m honest!the midwifes and nurses I had at my first appt and scan which felt with me were lovely! It’s never too busy there either which is good,quite clean..but there’s staff in the door as you go in they was a little rude, I had to go back for some bloods and the guy was just making me feel like I didn’t know what I was talking about as-if i had drank/ate the wrong thing that’s why I had to go back and have more so was quite uncomfortable! On my 16wk appt I was supposed to get a call in the morning no one had phoned me at all! I had to chase them to speak to a midwife and do my appt late afternoon! a little hard to find the maternity department if you’ve not been there before I did get lost! But other then for appts you don’t hear from no one at all! They send your letters in the post for appts and results from your 12wk scan if you choose to have the tests and that’s all.

[Afrohair]

I did have an appointment at the start of the pandemic but to my knowledge they are now trying to do scans and blood at same time it might depend on area but you don't see midwife much unless you have troubles such as past small babies or high blood pressure most people are just having initial bloods 12 week scan 20 week scan glucose test !and if they need seeing sooner are ringing triage

[Princess_mummy in reply to Afrohair]

Oh wow it sounds like there’s not much support then. Are you with north Middlesex Afrohair?

[Afrohair in reply to Princess_mummy]

No I'm in Yorkshire midwifery care has gone down hill in past few years wherever you are it seems there's some lovely midwifes just not adequate provision I'm on my 4 th baby and with each one there's less support I've already had 2 scans privately for peace of mind due to a previous misscarrige there always seems to be lack of communication at some points in the care aswell like your expected to text or phone your midwife mine never picks up or replies unless I've got onto the managerial department and said I can't get through to my midwife it's frustrating

[Hidden]

I had a 6w+5 day scan at the epu I’ve had mc’s so self referred for a early scan then rang my midwife got an appointment 3 days later for bloods then a week after had a booking over the phone. I arranged a private scan for 10+3 also got my 12w app letter for scan on the 25th. Pretty straight forward so far.

[136gxx]

I got a booking telephone appointment at 8/9 weeks, and right at the end of the phone call she asked if I could Bob down to the surgery so she could do my bloods. then had my scan at 12 weeks x

[Monkey2021]

Did you say you’re at the North Middlesex? I’m there and is he maternity unit really clean and friendly in there and there are a couple of people going around cleaning everything all the time so don’t worry about it from that point of view. But it’s all a bit disorganised, I got that letter for the 12 week scan and then nothing for a few weeks until I got a random phone call while I was at work from the midwife which was a bit awkward because I hadn’t actually told anyone there yet so I had to run somewhere quiet. She gave me an appointment for a couple of days later for a blood test which was a bit short notice. When I went for my 12 week scan last week (which was lovely to see) and was told i was only 10 so I have to go back next week for another. It’s fine because I’m now on part time furlough but as I’m not telling work yet but it would be a bit awkward to keep taking leave at short notice if I wasn’t. Also all the nurses and midwives seem very nice but it’s a bit sad to have to do it all on your own.