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i'm anemic :cry: and a few questions

hey all

i had my 28 week (well i'm actually 29 weeks) appoinemnt at the hospital today. i thought i would be seeing the midwifes to get bump measured and for them to feel babys position but instead i was seen by the dr (again!) she listened to babys heartbeat, which is only the second time i've heard babys heartbeat and it was good and strong and she has a quick (and i mean quick) feel of the belly but said she couldnt tell me which way baby was lying!
she also told me that i'm anemic because i look the colour of grey! and thats why i've been getting headaches, vision probs and really lethargic (ontop of having ME) so i've been put on iron tablets for a month and had bloods taken.
i get to have a scan in 4 weeks to check growth and stuff. should of been in 3 weeks but they didnt have any scan appoinments free for then. but yay, get to see baby again

also got to go to see the community mws tommorrow to have my blood pressure re done as it was in the normal range today which is actually high for me as i have normal low blood pressure.

question is. how often have you actually been seen by your midwifes and when did you get your bump measured etc? when are they able to tell which way baby is lying at that moment? when do you discuss pain reflief and birth plans etc?

thanks

beccie
29+1

Replies

  • 23 view but no replies :cry:

    anyone??
  • iv only had 2 app with midwife- i am 20 weeks- tht doesnot include the 2 scans(12 wks -20wks)... she has not yet even asked 2 see my tummy, or listened 2 heartbeat, or anything... i have a feeling i may be anaemic bt i dnt knw how 2 mention it as i dont hardly ever have apps...my nxt is at 24 weeks... i had app with consultant 2 discuss birth, as i had c-section with first... i told her wt my plan is, bt she said come bk at week 36 to discuss it again
  • I've only seen a midwife twice too - the rest of the time its been a Doctor or a Consultant.

    I had a blood test to confirm anemia and am taking iron tablets for it - I feel tonnes better but am suffering from bad constipation!

    Julie
    25w today!
  • I guess every trust is different. I was seen by my community midwife at 25, 28 & 31 weeks at the GP surgery. Each time my bump has been measured & palpated, asked about amount of baby movements & how I feel in myself, blood pressure taken, urine dipped & baby's heartbeat listened to. Also had bloods taken at 25 weeks. Due now to be seen again at 34, 36, 38 & 40 weeks at GP surgery.

    Only at 31 weeks did MW say she could feel baby position. Pain relief has been discussed when I've brought it up at appointments and I think we're covering the birth plan in one of the upcoming appointments.

    HTH xx

    http://newtickers.bump-and-beyond.com/25/2530/253062.png


  • im actually really shocked at all replies, because i am 17 weeks 6 day and iv seen my MW at least 4 times already, she has listened to the heartbeat twice, once at 14 weeks and once at 17 weeks and she has felt my tummy three times, 11 weeks, 14 weeks and 17 weeks. this is my second pregnancy and had no problems what so ever with my first so im very low risk too.
    like you say, i guess every area is different.

    XxXxX
  • I've seen a specialist and MW lots to due previous problems. However, my MW has not willingly discussed pain relief with me. I am currently going to antenatal classes and it is being discussed there.
    I've also discussed some of it with my specialist as he's been in the job many years (he was also my Mums OB when she had me 25 years ago).

    I was not measured until 28 weeks. You can try to do it yourself if you have a measure. They basically measure from your public bone (the bottom of your bump) to just below the bottom of your boobs (top of your bump). I was told it should measure 1cm for each week of your pregnancy; however, our ladies on the due in feb forum have also been told it can be 4cm either way (bigger or smaller) and that is fine too..... so I'm not 100% sure how it all works.

    I was also told my baby was head down at 28 weeks but only because I told the midwife that I thought my baby had turned (due to where I was getting movements). If I hadn't of mentioned it, I doubt I'd have been checked.

    If you are concerned, I'd phone a different Midwife and have a word with her. We also have a triage section on our Labour Ward that we can call to speak with a Midwife, do you?

    Oh, my Midwife does not listen to our babys heartbeat every time I visit her either. I brought my own doppler at 12 weeks so check on baby myself. I think they tend to do it less towards the end of pregnancy as they go by movement instead.

    To be honest, I have found most ladies on here get such a different type of care depending on where they live etc... My hospital has been fantastic but I'm not so impressed with my MW.
    Instead I look things up and find it out myself... then ask my MW about X,Y and Z...

    xx


    xx

  • Thanks for your replies. just got back from seeing the MW at my dr's for my blood pressure check and mentioned that i havent got a clue whats going on with mw appoinments and they were suprised that noone had told me that from now i will be having check ups in the community every 2 weeks, so back in 2 weeks.

    she did more bloods and ended up having to go in through my wrist using a butterfly and a syringe which took ages and nearly passed out. i have terrible veins. listend to babys heart again and measured bump which was measuring 29 (cm i think) then the student mw had a quick feel of bump and thought she could feel a foot and babys back but wasnt too sure.

    she asked me if id booked our antenatal classes yet (which we havent) and said they did a few sessions on a thursday morning (parent craft) and then a one night course on a thursday evening called labour in motion which i've now booked as we can only do evening because of oh's working hours.
    does anyone know the difference between parent craft and labour in motion?

    so i feel a little bit better now that i know i'll be seeing mw's more often on top of my hospital appoinments.

    isnt it strange the difference in care because of where you live? you'd think it would be the same everywhere

    beccie
    29+2
  • i you are anaemic ask your mw about spatone. i used this with my son its a liquid iron and gentler but as effective as the tablets x
  • Hello!

    I have seen the midwife 2 times - one was booking appointment, 2nd was dating scan and initial bloods. Not had my tummy looked at or anything. But I do have an appointment next Wednesday so I maybe then she will look at my tummy and listen for a heartbeat (i hope so!!).

    Ally
    xx
  • You might want to take spatone iron supplement instead of iron tablets. Spatone has a much higher absortbation rate (80%) rather than 20% with talbets. With the tablets you excrete most of the iron out hence why your poo goes black! You can get spatone on prescription but some GPS dont know this. Boots have it on offer on 3for2 at the moment.

    What is your HB levers?? This doesnt always indicate anemia. Do you know your MCV number, if its around 80 then thats good.
    It is also normal for your HB levels to drop in pregancy due to increased blood volume. This is called hemodilution.

    As for MW checks, at 28 weeks they can still be every 3/4 weeks til around 36 weeks.

  • I too would suggest ditching the iron tablets ...they are going to cause more problems than they cure if they are already causing you to be constipated. Spatone is excellent but also lots of green veg and orange juice will help greatly (red meat too if you're not veggie).
  • i've seen my midwife at 12 weeks, 20 weeks, 28 weeks, 34 weeks, 37 weeks & if the baby doesn't make an appearance in time will see her again at 40 weeks. Again, i think it really depends on where you live although in general you should be having at least 1 antenatal check a week (either with your consultant, GP or midwife) from about 32 weeks onwards - although thats jsut what happens where i am!
  • Also, I think I had my bump first measured at around 32 weeks (by consultant) & also had the position of the baby checked around then.

    If you have any questions, maybe you should give your midwives or GP a call and ask them what standard procedure is? I know that my hospital gave us a guide of what to expect & when in terms of appointments etc..
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