"Maternity Services"

I’m currently 38 weeks pregnant with my first child and feel the pre natal appointments have been extremely poor. I appreciate a lot of services have had to change their practice due to covid but I feel there could have been better ways to change/adapt with the current circumstances.

First of all I had to chase up my own 16 week appointment twice, the first time I made contact to find out when it was going to be  seen/called as I was 16 weeks that week I was advised I would get a call back which never happened. I called again to enquire when I was due to see/speak with a midwife (I was now 17 weeks) to be told I would receive a call back. I did get a voicemail that day advising that I had been allocated a midwife but she was now finished until the next week meaning my 16 weeks appointment was now actually 18 weeks. As a first time mum having 0 experience or knowledge I was quite concerned as I had to date only a brief 10 minute call when I found out I was pregnant at 2/3 weeks and then a 30 minute call for my booking appointment and felt left with no information or support until my midwife was back on shift as she only works 2 days a week.

At 28 weeks I was offered my first face to face to meet my midwife however this appointment I was 2 days away from being 29 weeks so I feel my appointment are always a week behind. I feel these face to face appointments are not very personal and more a tick box for the midwife to check the progress of my pregnancy which I appreciate is part of the appointment however I feel you are in and out with barely any time to raise concerns/ask questions and if I did have any questions I was told it’d be discussed at my next appointment or that they were Wishaw midwives and since I’m due to have to my baby at the Royal they don’t have the same relationship/don’t know the answer to my question. I feel as I have opted to have my baby at the Royal it has hindered a lot of information/resources but if I was having my baby at Wishaw it would be entirely different and more information or consultant input would be available. 

 At 29 weeks I was diagnosed with low B12 where my GP received information from my midwife and arranged for me to have a course of injections administered by the practice nurse. During one of my visits for the injections I explained to the practice nurse I was concerned about a cramping sensation in my leg, the nurse checked me over for DVTs (which it wasn’t) and explained it could be related to the B12 injection or could be pregnancy related as it is common in pregnancy however if I have any concerns to contact my midwife team. A few weeks later I noticed swelling in my feet and called the midwife team for advice as instructed by my practice nurse I was asked ‘can it wait as my midwife doesn’t work a Thursday?’ As soon as I said ‘I don’t know if swelling in my feet can wait’ I was passed to a midwife to discuss. I don’t feel a first time mum who has concerns or questions however little or insignificant they are but feel huge to that person should have been addressed like in that manner.

Since my since my 32 week appointment I have been asking about my birth plan which I was told I’d make at my next appointment. At my next appointment I asked again where I was told I’d make it at my 37 week one, I’m not sure if this normal practice but I felt as though it should have been discussed prior as at that point you could go into labour at anytime and it made me extremely anxious that nothing had been discussed. I was also told to print off my own birth plan from the NHS website and fill it in, surely this should be given by the midwife as part of a pack available for expectant mums. 

At my 37 week appointment arrangements were being made for me to be booked in for my 40 week appointment and sweep, I asked if I could have an appointment for the Monday/Tuesday as I will be 40 weeks the Wednesday which I was told no, they don’t perform a sweep until 40 weeks I would need to wait til the following week where I will be 41 weeks. I questioned the date of the appointment as it falls on a public holiday to be told, no they don’t get that public holiday but it will be looked into and if it needs changed it will be. I received a letter today stating that ‘due to unforeseen circumstances my appointment has been changed’ I feel let down as I questioned the dates and was informed it isn’t a public holiday for the service but 3 days it now is and has pushed my appointments even further on and over my due date as I will now be 41 weeks & 2 days by the time I see a midwife again!

I have contacted the team to have the appointment moved which it has been but it is still over 40 weeks which has upset me a huge deal. I feel it is unacceptable to leave an already extremely uncomfortable and frustrated woman that length of time with minimal support & the only explanation of ‘it’s a public holiday’ I feel the appointments should be prioritised in order of urgency/consultation needs if the service is going to loose 2 days due to public holidays.