MSE Pregnancy Club 26

Birdie85

TeamLowe wrote: »

Birdie 22 weeks isn't on the list of appointments I've got, nor is it on the website
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/antenatal-appointment-schedule.aspx
however they did do a check up at clinic after my anamoly scan so it's probably wrapped up in that. looking at that list they don't get much more exciting and i got the list of antenatal classes and the breastfeeding workshop at the booking in with the bounty pack. for some reason in my area they're called 'Parentcraft' so I didn't realise they were the antenatal classes lol

Oh well that's good that I didn't miss a proper appointment but never had a check up after my anomaly scan either? The MW did seem surprised that I hadn't been seen since the 20w scan, or had BP checked since 16w! Who knows what I was supposed to do, too late to worry now, just made me feel like I could miss appointments and they wouldn't even chase me up! I didn't see anything other than leaflets trying to sell me rubbish in my Bounty pack so put it to one side and haven't looked at it in weeks so maybe there is some info in there, I just thought they'd have actually asked me about my plans to go to any classes or suggested some/helped me sign up, or even just a chat about how I feel about everything but nada.

SmlSave

I just thought they'd have actually asked me about my plans to go to any classes or suggested some/helped me sign up, or even just a chat about how I feel about everything but nada.

Hi birdie85 i think each area does classes completely differently. Our area doesn't offer them at all - just a 2hr Q&A session which I thought was pretty useless! We ended up doing the NCT course which I'd highly recommend.

Little madame scared me by being very quiet and not kicking for a day but she's making up for it now and like you TL its uncomfortable when sitting at my desk!

TeamLowe

Birdie85 wrote: »

I just thought they'd have actually asked me about my plans to go to any classes or suggested some/helped me sign up, or even just a chat about how I feel about everything but nada.

TBH Birdie, and i don't want this to sound disparaging/harsh to you or anyone else but i don't think women like us are their priority/concern. If you look at the first pages of your notes there's a social assessment and a mental health assessment - they know from the very beginning who needs their help and guidance.
I think they see women like us every day who come across as strong and capable and well informed and know what choices they want to make and think 'she's clearly fine, there's no medical worries, I'll just let her get on with it'

kerri_dfw

I'd echo TL, although I'm under consultant care, I would class myself as one of those women that other than my medical condition really doesn't need someone telling me about how to raise a child as I'll go and find it all out for myself anyway. I made an informed decision about the flu & whooping cough vaccines and was made to feel like an uninformed child when my MW discussed it with me, even though I'd thought long and hard about both. Women have been having babies since forever, I understand there are some risks, but I don't view it as a medical procedure unless absolutely necessary. Although I also haven't read any of the parenting books as every baby is different.This forum has been a wealth of knowledge about things I'd never thought about, much more informative than my MW has been Birdie if you have any worries, then I'd ask on here as someone will know the answer from previous experience.

Tigerlilley1980

Hi Ladies, well after a very long 4 years trying I can finally join this board, yay! My EDD is 21st July. So excited x

TeamLowe

Tigerlilley1980 wrote: »

Hi Ladies, well after a very long 4 years trying I can finally join this board, yay! My EDD is 21st July. So excited x

A huge welcome and congratulations to you there's a few of us here who have spent a long time trying, although possibly not that long!
There's also a less than 12 weeks pregnant thread if you'd like to join that one as well, there's ladies there you can share the joys of morning sickness with

kerri_dfw

The man hasn't come to fix the bits in the house, I can't remember whether he's just late or he told me Tuesday stupid pregnant brain grrr. Don't want to start painting to find he turns up halfway through.

Kynthia

Birdie, my notes state I should see the midwife at 16 weeks, scan at 20, then a GP antenatal appointment at 22 and 28 weeks (as it's shared care with the GPs). All they do at the 22 weeks is your BP, urine and a quick go with the Doppler. I also asked for my MATB1 at the 22 week appointment. I think you have lots of blood tests after the 28 week appointment but I got them early as I've been so ill and tired, which is how they found I was anaemic.

fran-o

re 28 week appointments - mine was the usual BP, urine and heartbeat, plus I got feedback on bloodtests I'd had at the hospital the previous week and a measurement of my belly. Think other posters are right about the MW appointments being in place for all, but with special attention paid to those who might have other health or social problems. I got asked twice at my 22 week appt whether there was domestic violence, whether hubby was hurting me. It took me aback but I realised if no one asks then there's no opportunity for new Mums to talk about it if they need to.
My whooping cough jab from Friday morning is still aching today! Cannot believe how painful its been...
Best wishes to all x

amyloofoo

Birdie85 wrote: »

Just 9 weeks left! :j Work are being good with me, being a lot more lenient about deadlines recently since I'm so clearly out of it most of the time they're lucky I remember to come in at all! Really looking forward to finishing but getting increasingly scared about what's coming at the end of the countdown! :eek:

Do the MW appointments get any better the further along you go? Got my 28w one tomorrow and so far they've felt like a bit of a waste of time, check my wee and BP, listen to heartbeat, ask how I'm doing but not actually offer any advice for anything I bring up, no mention of any ante-natal classes or BF workshops or anything like that which seems really weird. I missed my 22w check up (I'd lost my list of which weeks to see the MW and didn't realise I'd skipped an appointment until after my 25w check up and noticed ladies mentioning 22w on here! ) and they weren't even bothered. I'm glad that there's nothing worrying about my pregnancy so I am pretty much in-and-out but it is making me feel a little unsupported.

:j for only 9 weeks of work and some very sympathetic colleagues. I know what you mean about the end of the countdown being scary tho... I've been off work for a while due to health problems, but start my 'official' maternity leave on next Monday and it seems like a deadline looming - must be even more so for you!

Sorry to hear the MW appointments haven't been too helpful - tbh I think (hope!) I'm in a slightly different situation as they just presume I know everything already due to my training so tick them all off without checking :eek: I'd hope they wouldn't be the same with others. According to my notes, your 28 week appointment tomorrow should be largely the same as before but with a couple of extras: they'll measure your bump, check urine, BP and pulse, have a listen to baby's heart rate and do rhesus bloods and FBC to check iron levels and antibodies. Here they also do the breastfeeding discussion at 28 weeks but not sure if that's just a local thing.

I think you should bring up your lack of antenatal sessions tomorrow - it's bad that they've not been offered already. In this area you can book yourself on so it may be worth ringing up your delivery suite to ask about anything you're interested in, ours do seperate sessions for active birth, water birth, antenatal and breastfeeding. I know I bang on about them too, but if you're feeling a bit neglected then you can have pre-birth sessions with a doula or independent midwife to get some of the questions resolved.

AFM, appointment today went reasonably well. There was a first year student in with my usual midwife and she was really clueless bless her :rotfl: She'll get there soon enough, but at the moment she was definitely more of a hindrance than a help for the poor MW! Turns out I'm a bit anaemic which may explain why I've been feeling so pants so am picking up some iron tomorrow. Baby is still measuring big - estimated weight at 34 weeks is already nearly 6lb!!! However the midwife isn't sending me for a growth scan as I'm not showing any signs of GD or anything else concerning and am having a planned section anyway. If she's still big at the next appointment then the consultant may send me for a scan anyway though.

Despite baby being big I've only put on 6kg (less than a stone) but no-one seems worried, so hopefully I can avoid ballooning in the last weeks of pregnancy! I am literally all bump, it's really odd looking :rotfl:

ETA: Welcome to newbies!