"Disappointed at the care I have received"

I had a still birth due in January 2024 due to TFMR and the care we received through the investigation, birth and afterwards was truly second to none. After this we were promised a care plan for our next pregnancy and discussed what this would look like. Fast forward to May 2024 and we have fallen pregnant again.

Up until 20 weeks the care we received was brilliant. Since 20 weeks I truly couldn’t be more disappointed with our care - I cannot fault my community midwife and our consultant. I have been referred to extra appointments (scans and consultant reviews), referrals have been missed. I have had to phone the ante clinic asking for every single appointment I have been promised by consultant.

Each time I have phoned I have been made to feel like an inconvenience. I have been told they don’t have the referrals and then when I have spoken to my consultant and midwife to find out the referrals have definitely went in. I have been told I'm not the only pregnant woman, that they can’t imagine me an appointment because I want one, and I'm not even high risk (I am) - these are are amongst some of the disgusting things I have had to listen to.

I attended triage and had a midwife tell me my reduced movements were not much to worry about as I was green path (I am red path and had to explain to them as they hadn’t read my notes). That night I was left on the monitor for nearly 2 hours and wasn’t checked on. After my boyfriend pleaded with them to check on me as I was struggling to breathe because the straps was too tight, a midwife came back to learn the monitor wasn’t on properly so I had to be monitored again and they hooked it properly as it was on wrong.

At 32 weeks I was told my baby was measuring concerningly small and would potentially need to be induced early for the safety of the baby (this make me incredibly anxious as I have already had one loss). I was told I would get an appointment 2 weeks later to be closely monitored and the appointment didn’t come through. The receptionist told me I had to wait until 36 weeks for my appointment because they couldn’t just magic me one and I was lucky to have a 36 appointment as that’s more than some woman get. I asked for a scan and a consultant appointment (as promised) and they replied that I have an appointment and hung up the phone.

I am truly so disappointed at the care I have received and the way I have been spoken to. Especially after my positive experience in my last pregnancy. At a recent midwife appointment, my bump is now measuring incredibly small and maybe if I had received the appointment in time as promised, intervention may have happened but I am now left incredibly anxious about the future of my pregnancy. I should not be phoning the clinic constantly begging for appointments which I am entitled to and I should not be made to feel the way I do after these conversations. Based on my experience, the referral system is clearly not working.