Midwife Cannot Hear my Baby's Heartbeat

[MKay]

Hi, I hope someone can reassure me. Today I met my midwife for the first time, she has worried me something rotten - First of all she told me that my real father's medical records showed that he was Bi Pola (Manic Depressive), secondly she told me that because of this I would need to see a Shrink, because I may get really bad PND. She then asked me to lay on the floor so she could hear the Baby's heartbeat - I did this, she could not find one!!!!!!!!!!! She then looked a bit concerned, then tells me not to worry about it and that the baby was probably hiding!!??? Well thats all very well and good but I am 16 weeks pregnant, its my first pregnancy and my family history is that of Stillborns and Miscarriages, She booked me an appointment with the Barnsley General Hospital for a week on Wednesday, I am sat here thinking my god, I have felt no movement at all, and she is sending me for my first scan next week. I rang the hospital to be told off by a really snotty receptionist person - saying "You cannot just ring up here and make or change an appointment you know, it doesnt matter whether you can hear the baby's heartbeat or not, if you want to change an appointment your Midwife has to do it. HOW RUDE. I was also told by the midwife that they do not do the amniotic fluid test for Downs Syndrome anymore as this can cause miscarriage. I am going out of my mind - the hospital wont see me till next week, there is not Downs syndrown fluid test (only a blood one) that I have been told is not really all that acurate - What am I going to do. Mkay.

[jennababe]

oh my god that is not right at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i would go see your gp tommorow.. they can book u in to have a scan...

i wouldnt think they would treat a situation like this and have u worry sick for a week.. thats not right and id be complaining about it.. god thats like a story for today tonight... try not to worry.. maybe the babies heart beats arent very strong at 16 weeks.. and are hard to find.. i didnt hear my babies heart beat til i was 21 weeks.. she didnt even try to do it b4 then

[cmd'smum]

So sorry hun................. :hugs:

Honestly.... the only way is to rock up to emergency dept and tell them that you are having cramps and just want to make sure eveything is okay............don't wait till next week! :no: (not trying to scare you)

Thats your only option, if they won't let you go in sooner! they sound SOOO rude!!

I was 12 weeks pg when I had my m/c and went in with severe carmps. they took me in straight away and got a Dr to do a scan....... you need to put your mind at ease.

In relation to the bi polar issue.... I know someone who has it and her kids don't have it...none of them....... however, maybe know all the services you have available to you so that if you do end up with PND (:fingerscrossed: you don't) you know where to go to for help!!!! Maybe even see a counsellor for a chat before you give birth...just to make sure eveything is Ok. Lots of ppl think that just because your parent had BP you WILL get it...yes you have an increased risk, but doesn't mean you will!!


good luck...hope bubs is okay and please let us know the outcome! :hugs:

[MKay]

Thank you honey, I feel a wee bit better now I know someone else could not hear a Heartbeat at 16 weeks, and now has a lovely baby.

Im thinking about registering in a Doctors in my Hometown, I just cant believe how poorly I have been treated today, my Partner Paul is going spare, but they just wont speak with him. I figured that if I register myself at my Parents address in Oxford that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to travel there and back to get Doctors appointments and Scans. The people and Health Care up here seem to be awful. Thanks Jenna, I do feel a bit better now. x

[MKay]

I think I will go to the emergency dept, and say that I am having cramps, like you said they will have to take me in. Thank you, will let you all know what happens.

[MKay]

I think I will go to the emergency dept, and say that I am having cramps, like you said they will have to take me in. Thank you, will let you all know what happens.
Im sorry about you M/C. x

[cmd'smum]

thanks hun :hugs: :fingerscrossed: you see that strong little heart beating away :yes:

[becky_boo84]

Hi,
sorry to hear about your horrible treatment by them rude staff. Ive had complications throughtout my pregnancy and im only 17 weeks now. Ive been in hospital quite a few times and they have let me in emergency straight away. Last week I had an accident at work at hit my tummy and went straight up to the hospital. they let me in and asked a load of questions and were very supportive. they sent me in for a scan in about half and hour and all was well. I seen my baby's heart beat on the screen and I was so relieved as at my antenatal appointment 2 weeks earlier they couldnt find my bub's heart beat either. so dont worry to much Im sure everything will be ok big :hugs: to you and smile!
bec:)

[Mummabear]

I'd change carers or even hospitals if I were you. This is supposed to be a wonderous time in your life and you should be surrounded by people that are dedicated to making this journey a happy one for you.

Firstly - I have a personal history of depression myself. I suffered depression before my first child and then got it very badly after having him. This time around they have simply given me the phone number for the Moods Disorder Clinic at hospy and told me to call them any time of the day or night if I feel that I need to see them - no pressure, just letting me know that there is support out there and that I need to be aware that I am at a high risk (obviously :rolleyes: lol).

As for the heartbeat - both of my bubbas liked to play hide and seek in the woomb and never liked to have their heartbeat listened to. With DS it wasn't until right up until the end of my pregnancy that it was easy to find the heartbeat and that's only because he took up so much room, lol. This time around at 16 weeks it took 2 doctors and 30 minutes to find the heartbeat as bubba was hiding again. We also have a history of stillbirth and miscarriage in our family, but I try not to thing about those things. I have a wonderful GP and am able to see her throughout my pregnancy with only a few visits to the hospital so that makes it easy for me to have confidence in my care provider though. If you are at all worried (which it sounds like you are) then do what the others have suggested and go to the emergency department and say that you're experiencing severe cramps and they should scan you straight away, although by the sounds of your hospital I wouldn't be too quick to bet on that :rolleyes:

As for the amnio fluid test for Downs, no they don't do that as a routine test anymore. If you opt for the scan and blood test at 12 weeks you have a higher risk of returning a false positive (saying there is a problem when there isn't one) than if you just have the blood test at 16 weeks (this is more accurate than the 12 week option). Have the blood test. If it comes back that you are at risk of carrying a Downs child you will then be offered the amnio fluid test - but they don't do this as the first point of testing anymore due to the risks involved. So rest assured that the amnio test is still available to you - it's just a 2 step procedure to get to there now days.

We're all here to help you out with as much info as we can. We all know what it's like to be pregnant and scared out of your wits. If you need to know anything at anytime just ask - someone will be able to help you out or point you in the right direction.

I would definately consider changing hospitals though if there is another one you can go to.

[bronny-jane]

dont freak out just yet, i was 9 days overdue with dd 2 and was in the hospital bleeding huge clots........i was starting labour, and the midwife couldnt find her heart beat:eek: i was almost in tears until mum pointed out she was looking to high up for someone who's in labour:rolleyes:

at 16 weeks it can be hard for them to find, and if your midi was anything like mine, apparently its a challenge no matter how far along you are:D

[Mischief]

Hi MKay - Try not to stress just yet. When I went to the midwife at 16 weeks they told me not to worry if we couldnt hear the heartbeat as it was still EARLY and sometimes it cant be heard for another couple of weeks yet!

If you are really worried you could request your GP to send you for an ultrasound. That will pick up a heartbeat! Its just amazing seeing it beating away, even if you cant hear it yet!

[shed]

I can't believe the disgusting way you have been treated!!

I remember how it feels at 16 weeks and I also remember how I felt when the midwife couldn't find the heartbeat straight away. Well if she thought I was hopping up off that bed before she tried again and again again she had another think coming. She eventually found it much to my relief.

If I was you I would be kicking up a bit of a stink.

As for the PND, they do all sorts of questionnaires etc for your likelihood. I was found to be likely to suffer from it and talked to a counsellor which all felt a bit pointless really but its part of their "process". Needless to say I haven't got PND and I didn't even get the third-day baby blues, so that's their theory stuffed up. Everybody is different but you wouldn't know it from the way they treat you. Baaaaa.

One thing I learnt from being pregnant is that its your body, your baby and your experience. I changed from being a conformist to being a complete dictator. I don't think they have recovered from dealing with me yet :D

If you have to be a b*tch then be one. Otherwise they chew you up and spit you out. After all, if they don't get it right with you there's always the next one for them.

[jennababe]

:hugs: mkay we're all thinking of you and hoping everythings ok..

let us know soon..

hopefully u went to emergency last night and got the peace of mind you needed..

hope maybe your just having a nice sleep in.. and we will hear from you later xx

[cmd'smum]

One thing I learnt from being pregnant is that its your body, your baby and your experience. I changed from being a conformist to being a complete dictator.

Nicely put shed ;)

Hope everything went well last night....have been checking the post all day to see what happened! :o