anti-natal care is a let down.

[Cixes]

Ok so this is my 4th baby and i should be a dab hand at it all by now, and i suppose i am much more relaxed about aches and pains this time even with my placenta problem but i just feel that the state of anti natal care and of the midwifery system where i live is shocking!

My named midwife is not very friendly and i sort of feel like i am just an inconveinience even though i have only seen her twice so far. I turned up for my appointment on Thursday to be told that there was no midwife available and that one would visit me on monday at home (today).

Midwife who i didn't know turns up and asks why she is actually visiting me So she checks my urine (fine), B.P (fine) has a feel of baby (fine) measures me (first time this has been done) and takes my blood.
She didn't let me have a listen to baby's heart - now i know i have heard it before in my past pregnancies but it's something all mums look forward to. The only time i have heard my baby so far was when i went to hospital with a bleed - i have never listened to him at any routine anti natal appointments.

I can't help but feel that if you have done this a few times they just don't give you the same amount of care anymore.

The midwives aren't even friendly at all, they seem depressed and barely talk, no chit chat at all just talk about the job in hand, as she left today i felt like i had wasted her time or something!

Considering midwifery is a difficult profession to get into, there is a clear lack of personality and caring where i live at the moment!

 

[gracie]

I'm so sorry to hear you've not had a good experience. This is my first but i agree that it doesn't matter how many children you have i'm sure i would be just as worried with my next (if we decide to and we were that lucky) as i am with this one.

So far all the the ones i've met have been great which is really surprising as i'm a nurse and usually other nurses don't go anywhere near other nurses. I'm hoping that my midwifes realise that i know practically nothing about having children so i need just as much info as everyone else.

I also been lucky and i thought that it was the norm to listen to babies heart beat at every check up (they have with me). Hope your next appointment is better.

Grace xx

 

[Cixes]

Maybe i just expect too much!

I am due to start studying to become a nurse in September (had to put back a year due to this baby!) i have lots of friends who are nurse or training to be nurses and some who are training to be midwives and i know how hard they have worked to get there. Maybe its once the excitement of becoming a midwife has died down it can become a chore!

I have met some lovely midwives at the hospital but the community ones have been a real let down.

I have also read some posts on nursing forums from midwives that leave alot to be desired!

I sound like i am slagging the profession off, i'm not and i have a lot of respect for midwives but i just wish they could remember what a special and nervous time having a baby can be even if you have done it a few times!

 

[scones]

Im so sorry your experience isnt one that you expect and deserve, is there anyone you can complain or talk to about it? Maybe you should speak out hun.
At my doctors surgery where I go for antenatal, there is a team of 4 so I could see any one of them when I go, however one of them is so lovely and shes made sure she sees me on my next appointment, she got the doppler out last time and spent ages listening and being so lovely, so all of the MW's arent the same hun xxxxx

I hope you can speak out and get something done about the level of care you are receiving, I mean, they arent exactly preparing you for a nice labour and delivery are they????

 

[gracie]

You are not slagging the profession off at all. You've just not had a great experience. I had visions of them not wanting anything to do with me as when i had my ectopic the nurses never came near and i had to look after myself really (well appart from one nurse and thankfully a couple of healthcare assistants recognised that i needed some mental support so they were good). I hope that you get to hear the heartbeat at your next app and i'm sending you some hugs as i think you could do with them.

Grace xx

 

[kaybee]

My MW doesn't always offer to listen with the doppler - so I always ask! She's fine about it though, doesn't make me feel like a pain. I think she just forgets sometimes!