Infrequent midwife appointments

I didn’t get any measurements for bump until my 28 week appointment which is the norm for some trusts, but others start at 25 weeks for the bump measurements x

I wasn’t measured until my 28 week appointment.. i did have a 24 week appointment but it was just to see how things were check BP etc x

If you're a FTM, you should have an appointment around 25 weeks. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-appointments/ I had mine last week at 24+6. They didn't measure bump, but did check baby's heartbeat and my BP. I get what you mean, sometimes you just need that reassurance that everything is okay x

I only had 12 week and 20 week scan as a ftm they didnt meaure my belly at all

I had a 12 and 20 week ultrasound scan and they didn’t measure my bump.. I’ve only met my midwife once and she never replies to any texts 🤪 but chatting to others around my area this sounds the norm unfortunately, they’re just drowning. I think I do have an appointment with her in a few weeks when I’ll be around 26/27 weeks.

My trust does 24/25 week appointments for first-time mums and 28 weeks for everyone. They measure your bump at both appointments. My precious appointment was 16 weeks and they just listened to the heartbeat, and only if you really request it.

Thanks for the reassurance. Was just seeing a lot of people referring to 25 weeks appointments and measurements at 22/23 weeks.

@Carrie I'm at higher risk for my BMI and only have my Glucose test before my 28 weeks appointment now. They did ask me to meet with my GP at 25 weeks but have to book that myself. Not sure if that helps in anyway. My 22 weeks had them just look at blood pressure and see the doctor

I have just had a midwife appointment at 24+2 and she did BP, urine, listened to baby’s heartbeat and measured my bump. I think it all depends. If this is your first baby you tend to get a few extra midwife appointments. However if you’re worried that she hasn’t done this yet then maybe drop her an email or give her a call. She might reassure you and say that it will be done at the next appointment! X

If your low risk they will prioritise high risk, I’m high risk and wish I didn’t have to have appointments every 2 weeks it’s draining. I’ve never ever had my bump measured not really sure why but they just said my bump is tiny and because I’ve never really “shown” or had a bump, I have regular growth scans as my babies are predicted small

Because I’m classed as high risk I had appointment at 24 weeks normally they don’t measure bump but she was concerned I look big, when she put it on the system she said yes just as I thought , your 24 weeks but the size of a 31 weeks so I now have a scan tomorrow to check his growth this is my 3rd pregnancy but like I said I’m high risk with hypertension x

@Courtney I feel you I’ve had 3 this week and 2 next week x

Im 26 weeks today and had midwife on Tuesday, we’ve booked an appt at 28 weeks and she said that’s where she will measure me :) x

@Kirsty the anxiety is next level I’d love to only have like 2 scans and that be it and be told everything is ok! Scans every 2 weeks is so exhausting X

@Courtney it’s really hard Ain’t it I’ve told my husband this is the last baby we’re having , it will be my 3rd n his 2nd,my anxiety just can’t take it I went to midwives of Monday and my blood pressure was 160/83 Id id been sat in the waiting area for a good 20 mins , I have a feeling I’ll have baby around 35/35 weeks maybe before if my blood pressure don’t calm down, I said to my husband 4 to 12 weeks we have the worry then 24 weeks until we give birth we worry as we have to focus on movements, it’s not a wall in the park pregnancy is hard . Wishing you all the best xx

@Kirsty so hard, my babies are small as my placenta to produce enough protein so have constant scans to check they’re growing enough I honestly get so anxious every time people don’t realise how lucky they are to just have 2 scans! I don’t show either so it looks like I’m not even pregnant which worries me also, my first was 5lb so they’re expecting another small baby, wish you all the best too lovely xx

Oh wow, I wish I had a scan every two weeks with the NHS—that would save me so much money! 🤣 I'm doing private scans every other week instead 😅 For me, the stress comes from not having enough scans. Seeing my baby regularly gives me so much peace of mind! That’s why I travel to Portugal to see a private OB and get extra tests. I did it for my first pregnancy, and I’m doing it again now. Honestly, best decision I made. With my first pregnancy, everything was fine. But with this second one, I flew to Portugal the day after I found out I was pregnant for my first OB check-up, and my doctor immediately found two hemorrhages (the blood pooling near the placenta—also called a subchorionic hematoma). She put me on progesterone and strict precautions, including avoiding sex, because hemorrhages are a major risk for miscarriage. The NHS would have never caught it early, since the first scan isn’t until 12 weeks! When I got back to the UK and submitted my Portuguese OB’s notes to my GP, requesting an

8-week scan to monitor it, they rejected it. I had to pay for a private scan, which confirmed one hemorrhage was still there and had grown. My Portuguese OB then upped my progesterone prescription and mailed it to me. At 10 weeks, I started bleeding. I was terrified I was losing my baby. The hospital finally gave me a scan, confirming my baby was fine but the hemorrhage was still there. Only then did my GP take me seriously and prescribe me the exact same progesterone. I just laughed and told him, "Mate, I’ve been taking this for weeks now!" And it’s not just this. My iron levels were dangerously low, on my OB check up and the NHS wouldn't catch it because they don’t test iron (ferritin). You get a test at 28 weeks with your GTT and even then, they only check hemoglobin, which only detects anemia—not low iron before it becomes a problem. My hemoglobin was fine, but my ferritin was low, likely from still breastfeeding my toddler. My Portuguese OB tested it early and put me on iron supplements right away.

In the UK, I probably would’ve become anemic by 28 weeks, which is so unnecessary when a simple early test can prevent it. This is just my personal experience and opinion, but I truly believe the NHS is failing pregnant people when it comes to antenatal care. And unless you’ve experienced maternity care in other countries—like Portugal or elsewhere in Europe—you don’t know what you’re missing. The UK has some of the highest stillbirth rates and maternal complications in Western Europe, and it’s no surprise when we have so few routine checks Just to be clear, this isn’t a dig at NHS staff. Midwives and doctors are doing their best with the system they’re trained in, and I hugely admire their work. It just saddens me that we don’t have a stronger system that prioritizes early checks to prevent complications rather than waiting for them to become a crisis.