couldnt make ANOTHER appointment cos of this snow *update - MIDWIFE GONE HOME! WTF! *

[MrsQ]

i am sat her in tears i was trying from quarter to 11
to get to the midwife. Car wouldnt move, and so i went and waited at a
bus stop for 40 mins only to find out that it stopped there on the way back i slipped and did the splits and have really hurt my back.
So then came home tried the car again and pouired boiling hot water all along
my pathway and cos i have tried so many times to get out the wheekls
are deep in mud and snow.
So i have had to miss on yet another midwife appointment. I called
them and said do they come out and she said no and if i had anything
wrong to go to the hospital! But i physically cant get anywhere!!!!
I am so scared as thats two weeks without a bp check and i still cant
get my antibiotics.
this appointment was to book an induction date and now i could go and
be pregnant till sodding march!!!!!

And on top of all that i feel like shit as i have a chest infection and a bad cold!

 

[Snoopy]

Have you got your MW's mobile number?

It's unreasonable to expect you to endanger yourself by getting anywhere. If you are hurt, you should call the hospital and demand an ambulance.

I'm sorry, I'm out of the loop - what's the urgency for the induction date? Could you arrange it over the phone?

 

[MrsQ]

Hiya

I have had a succession of high bp and they were worried about it, I also have a brain tumor which they are keeping an eye on.
the midwife i was gonna see is calling me back.

Induction date is urgent as its xmas time and they wanted to get me booked!x

 

[chuck]

Oh hun that doesn't sound like much fun...and as much as it isn't easy try to relax as worrying wont do your BP any good (easier said than done I know).

I'm sure everything is fine with babba, luckily the coughs colds and what not we get don't really affect them...I'm glad as I have a head full of snot and a sore throat the likes of which I haven't felt since I had my tonsils out at the age of 18.

If there was an emergency and you felt you had to go to the hospital you could call an ambulance.

Are there no community midwives in your area that could be sent out to see you and give you a quick check up?

 

[Phexia]

omg What did they say about your bp and antibiotics? Won't they allow you to come in for a quick appointment if you can get there?

How much snow do you guys have? Sounds like you're putting us Icelanders to shame, we have no snow at the moment What about taking a taxi?

 

[jmac]

Snoopy's right - the weather stopping you from getting out isn't your fault and if you feel the need for a consultation today you should contact mw/hospital to arrange appropriate transport.

Do you have a pharmacist local to you who might be sympathetic to your situation and make up/deliver your chest infection prescription to your house and pick up the prescription then?

 

[MrsQ]

Oh hun that doesn't sound like much fun...and as much as it isn't easy try to relax as worrying wont do your BP any good (easier said than done I know).

I'm sure everything is fine with babba, luckily the coughs colds and what not we get don't really affect them...I'm glad as I have a head full of snot and a sore throat the likes of which I haven't felt since I had my tonsils out at the age of 18.

If there was an emergency and you felt you had to go to the hospital you could call an ambulance.

Are there no community midwives in your area that could be sent out to see you and give you a quick check up?

It was the community midwife i was seeing. Basically my gp surgery is in my road but the community midwifes only go to one in a place called capel which is a 15 min drive from my house!

I cant stop crying i really also wanted to see if bubs was engaged as i am in so much pain down there.

 

[MrsQ]

Snoopy's right - the weather stopping you from getting out isn't your fault and if you feel the need for a consultation today you should contact mw/hospital to arrange appropriate transport.

Do you have a pharmacist local to you who might be sympathetic to your situation and make up/deliver your chest infection prescription to your house and pick up the prescription then?

Nearest pharmacy is about 5 miles away and is a bog standard boots so very much doubt it.
Hubs is trying to be able to get home to me but not succeeding at the moment!
x

 

[lisa35]

Your mw should come out and see you, well thay do round here...why don't they come out?

 

[chuck]

That doesn't sound right, if you cant make it to the surgery and there are midwives there that DO travel why cant they pop around to give you a quick check up!

Some policies surrounding health care just make no sense do they??!1

 

[MrsQ]

nope she definatly doesnt come out. and shes a community midwife so i guess once bubba is born i have to go to her too!
waiting for a call and everyone keeps calling me to see how i friggin got on at my appointment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Snoopy]

Hiya

I have had a succession of high bp and they were worried about it, I also have a brain tumor which they are keeping an eye on.
the midwife i was gonna see is calling me back.

Induction date is urgent as its xmas time and they wanted to get me booked!x

Then you're high risk and should be treated as such. If nothing else, you should be able to arrange at least a preliminary date for the induction over the phone.

Have you got a nice GP you could get on-side?

I find it thoroughly disgusting that I have the mobile numbers of my three community MWs that I can call any time, that they come to my house for appointments at this stage (36wks onwards) AND I can call the hospital at any time, and yet there are other women like yourself who can't get support

I'd keep pestering them if I were you. What would they expect you to do if you went into labour? Drive yourself to hospital on these roads?? (I'm in Surrey too)

If you need support or advice, you could try contacting AIMS...or have a look at their website at least. Gives you the lowdown on your rights and what you should expect from midwifery services.

 

[MrsQ]

Hiya

I have had a succession of high bp and they were worried about it, I also have a brain tumor which they are keeping an eye on.
the midwife i was gonna see is calling me back.

Induction date is urgent as its xmas time and they wanted to get me booked!x

Then you're high risk and should be treated as such. If nothing else, you should be able to arrange at least a preliminary date for the induction over the phone.

Have you got a nice GP you could get on-side?

I find it thoroughly disgusting that I have the mobile numbers of my three community MWs that I can call any time, that they come to my house for appointments at this stage (36wks onwards) AND I can call the hospital at any time, and yet there are other women like yourself who can't get support

I'd keep pestering them if I were you. What would they expect you to do if you went into labour? Drive yourself to hospital on these roads?? (I'm in Surrey too)

If you need support or advice, you could try contacting AIMS...or have a look at their website at least. Gives you the lowdown on your rights and what you should expect from midwifery services.

Well i have been told surrey ambulance charge you if you go into labour and call an ambulance??? I have emailed them to find out their prices o i have the money set aside but no reply and that was 2 weeks ago!

Where in surrey are you? I am going to epsom hosp to have this one. either that or give birth alone at home!

I dont have anyones number. the surgery that the midwife goes to on a wednesday, the delivery suite and the appointments line. Thats it.

I havent got the strength to keep pestering i feel so ill.

 

[lisa35]

OMG .You pay for an ambulance too what sort of area do you live in. Hope you get something sorted out

 

[Snoopy]

Hiya

I have had a succession of high bp and they were worried about it, I also have a brain tumor which they are keeping an eye on.
the midwife i was gonna see is calling me back.

Induction date is urgent as its xmas time and they wanted to get me booked!x

Then you're high risk and should be treated as such. If nothing else, you should be able to arrange at least a preliminary date for the induction over the phone.

Have you got a nice GP you could get on-side?

I find it thoroughly disgusting that I have the mobile numbers of my three community MWs that I can call any time, that they come to my house for appointments at this stage (36wks onwards) AND I can call the hospital at any time, and yet there are other women like yourself who can't get support

I'd keep pestering them if I were you. What would they expect you to do if you went into labour? Drive yourself to hospital on these roads?? (I'm in Surrey too)

If you need support or advice, you could try contacting AIMS...or have a look at their website at least. Gives you the lowdown on your rights and what you should expect from midwifery services.

Well i have been told surrey ambulance charge you if you go into labour and call an ambulance??? I have emailed them to find out their prices o i have the money set aside but no reply and that was 2 weeks ago!

Where in surrey are you? I am going to epsom hosp to have this one. either that or give birth alone at home!

I dont have anyones number. the surgery that the midwife goes to on a wednesday, the delivery suite and the appointments line. Thats it.

I havent got the strength to keep pestering i feel so ill.

I've never heard of such a thing. Labour is considered an emergency, believe it or not. Rightly or wrongly a labouring woman gets ambulance priority over even RTAs. I can look into it for you, but it sounds highly dubious to me.

I'm the other side of Surrey from you, near Guildford. I'm with Royal Surrey hospital, but as I'm having a home birth I don't have to have apps at the hospital or anything.

You know, I know you're feeling really down and don't want to fight (nor should you have to), but if I were you I'd be asking to transfer your care to a different hospital. If you weren't high risk I'd be suggesting you go with an Independent Midwife at this stage - the care you're currently receiving is appalling. I can't imagine not being able to call my MW with worries or concerns any time (not that I have, but that's because I've had no reason to).

Please, please do take a look at the AIMS website.

Oh, and if you do end up going into labour and you do find no-one will come to help you (say, if you're snowed in and can't get to hospital), do consider phoning an Independent Midwife instead - they are fantastic at short notice, they're usually happy to work out affordable payment schemes and it'd be much better for you to have an experienced midwife with you than labour alone with high BP. I've known of more than one woman who has been let down by the NHS at the last minute and has desperately found an Independent Midwife while literally in labour. The NHS is legally obliged to get a midwife to you if you're labouring and can't get to them....it's a legal requirement and if you put your foot down ("No, I can't get out of the house!") they will send someone, but the Independent route is also an option.

 

[MrsQ]

OMG .You pay for an ambulance too what sort of area do you live in. Hope you get something sorted out

I knwo this is what i dont get!!!! i work for london ambulance and was told by one of the Managers there that surrey have started charging!!!!

 

[MrsQ]

[/QUOTE]

I've never heard of such a thing. Labour is considered an emergency, believe it or not. Rightly or wrongly a labouring woman gets ambulance priority over even RTAs. I can look into it for you, but it sounds highly dubious to me.

[/QUOTE]

Labour isnt classed as an emergency (i work for London ambulance service in the 999 call out dept) and we got by red amber and green. Red is life threatening and amber is like a 20 min response and so on and so forth.
Depends on the RTC (called RTC now as accident was too broad???) but the only way you would get a red call out if its whats known as a BBA (born before arrival) are high risk but even then you are only high risk if you have placenta previa or whatnot.
which is why i have always refused to call an ambulance out as i know you would prob get there quicker than if you call an ambulance.
x

 

[chuck]

I've been told here in Kent you could be charged up to £70 for calling an ambulance if you go into labour because its not classes as an emergency because you should have planned for it?!!!!???!!

Until my OH passed his driving test thats what we might have been looking at because we know all of 2 people who drive and like we could get them to remain sober and available over the entire xmas period!1

And the other problem would be that if you did call as you were in labour and they got what was classed as an emergency call then you would be left until after that call...which yeah kinda makes sense but then you really would an emergency wouldnt you??!!

 

[MrsQ]

I've been told here in Kent you could be charged up to £70 for calling an ambulance if you go into labour because its not classes as an emergency because you should have planned for it?!!!!???!!

Until my OH passed his driving test thats what we might have been looking at because we know all of 2 people who drive and like we could get them to remain sober and available over the entire xmas period!1

And the other problem would be that if you did call as you were in labour and they got what was classed as an emergency call then you would be left until after that call...which yeah kinda makes sense but then you really would an emergency wouldnt you??!!

Yep thats how LAS (london ambulance work) they hoenstly dont class labour as an emergency!
May put £70 aside then in case i have to call an ambulance
x

 

[Snoopy]

Labour isnt classed as an emergency (i work for London ambulance service in the 999 call out dept) and we got by red amber and green. Red is life threatening and amber is like a 20 min response and so on and so forth.
Depends on the RTC (called RTC now as accident was too broad???) but the only way you would get a red call out if its whats known as a BBA (born before arrival) are high risk but even then you are only high risk if you have placenta previa or whatnot.
which is why i have always refused to call an ambulance out as i know you would prob get there quicker than if you call an ambulance.
x

It must be different for different areas - obstetrics isn't my area (I'm a pathologist), but I've always been told labouring women are considered top priority over everything else (which I can't say I automatically agree with). Oh, and the RTC thing came into effect because apparently there's "no such thing as an accident" *roll eyes*. I still call it RTA....I can't shake that habit.

You know more about the ambulance service than me, but I do wonder if your procedures are just a London thing?