16 week mid wife appointments ( outpatient)

[Jade2006]

I went for my appointment today , I’m giving birth not at my local hospital due to me choosing a much better hospital and receiving misdiagnosis which has caused lots of issues

Anyway this appointment today she was late , didn’t know what she was doing , couldn’t use the printer etc , told me not sure why your coming here but I can see you .

She asked where my notes where and what I weigh and height , I said I don’t know that , so you not have access to anything , we had to go through all my medical history even.

No urine sample no blood pressure checks just did my weight and height , see you on the 1st March.

I feel uncomfortable and feel the care I received was bad I wouldn’t want her looking after me. Help what’s normal at this appointment? Am I being unreasonable?

[Jade2006]

I’m having all my scans at another hospital but midwife’s locally to me .

[Seb9]

You should have been given a book of notes, when you had your booking in appointment with your midwife at around 8 weeks. They would normally do your weight, height and blood tests at your booking in appointment, so that might be why she was confused. For my local trust all our notes are in what we call our 'green book' bit for different trust they use different colours, not ours basically your birth bible and you take them to every appointment. They use these notes to put all your information in such as your blood results and scan results.

I saw my midwife at my local birth centre, my diabetes nurse at diabetes clinic and my consultant at a different clinic and they all used the same set of notes. Perhaps yours are electronic? I'm not sure if things have changed, but she might have been expecting you to take your notes with you.

Your 16 week appointment is normally pretty uneventful, but she should have done your blood pressure and urine dip, did you book your appointment directly with your midwife? It does sound unusual that she wasn't aware that you were going but could see you. My midwife always scheduled me directly into her diary. Have you been assigned a midwife?

[Jade2006 in reply to Seb9]

Thanks for your reply , Iv had my blood test with the first midwife I saw and medical history flu jabs etc , she said I would see one locally at my gp but it was the local awful hospital.

That’s what I thought she should of done my blood pressure and urine which wasn’t done .

I booked it through out patients who booked the appointment she will be my midwife but I have no confidence.

I will speak to the hospital I will be having my scans and delivering at as I’m seeing the doctor in 2 weeks too , just didn’t feel any care was there or basic checks x

[Seb9 in reply to Jade2006]

That sounds really strange, I could see my midwife at the local birth centre or she ran a fortnightly clinic at my gp practice. To go to through outpatients seems strange as normally the pregnancy routes are different to normal hospital bookings. If she's given you a direct number it might be worth giving her a call and asking her to go through the procedures and processes with you and what you should have with you and expect at each appointment and ask why she didn't do your urine or blood pressure. I can understand why you'd feel that she's not given you good care, but she might be able to reassure you. If not then you could all for a different midwife to be appointed to you.

I found that my midwife appointments if you were having a healthy pregnancy were fairly basic, if you're having a healthy pregnancy then there's really not a lot they can do for you, but if there are any issues, they were good at getting you the follow up care. I had a appointment with the diabetes clinic very quickly after my gestational diabetes test for example.

If you're giving birth at a different hospital and are seeing a doctor or might be worth asking if you could have your midwife care through them too?

[Jade2006 in reply to Seb9]

Yes I think I would rather have all my care through the hospital off my choice .

They don’t come out to my gp practice any more unfortunately so that’s why it’s done as a outpatient.

I said to my other half as he was with me , would you like her looking after you and he said no .

I have had very bad care previously so it’s one thing I won’t tolerate nowadays.

Thank you so much for your reply’s I do appreciate x

[Seb9 in reply to Jade2006]

It can be so frustrating, I definitely find when I was more vocal and advocated for myself, then I definitely got treated better. I wasn't rude or asking for special treatment, but I also was quite determined in what I wanted about certain things. Good luck with it all and hoping you have a healthy pregnancy x

[Jade2006]

The first midwife I saw said make sure that your midwife locally shares any test or results she said no we don’t share any results .

I’m like what is going on here , was actually a pointless visit nothing was done i had already told all my history to the other midwife at the other hospital if they can’t share notes then what’s the point x