Do you think the midwife overreacted?

Question

Yesterday I visited the local midwife for a 24 week pregnancy check up. She asked me if I felt the baby kicking and I said no. Then she got very worried and made out as if something was wrong with the baby. She listened to the baby's heartbeat which is fine but she still phoned the hospital and asked if she can arrange for me to go down there. They said there's no concern at this stage. I tried to tell her that I'm a first-time mum and I wouldn't feel baby yet but she didn't listen. She expects me and baby to conform to set rules but we're not. She made me feeling very worried as I left the surgery and was that professional of her? She was also surprised I've got a temperature even though I have a cold atm. I don't feel confident with her and hope she doesn't attend the birth. She's the only midwife in the rural town where I live but I plan to give birth at hospital. Does the midwife seem overreacting to you?

Answer 1

Yes. If you cannot feel the baby kicking, the concern would be for a dead fetus - although at 24 weeks you may not actually feel the kicking. But if you had an ultrasound that was ok, then there is no problem. The midwife is over-reacting, and if you get negative vibes from this person, then I hope she does not attend the delivery as well.

Answer 2

I live in a rural place and even though it was maybe worrying for you - especially being a 1st time mum and not knowing really what you should be feeling - then I'd have been glad to have had her concern. Even with my 3rd pregnancy I was put to the hosp twice when it was thought my waters were leaking (turned out I was leaking pee but they didn't have any of the special swabs for testing for amniotic fluid!!) and I'd far rather have had 2 nights in hosp for no reason than to worry. Every pregnancy is different and noone conforms to a set of rule - you're right, but I think generally most will have felt the baby by 24 weeks. My first was a very still baby - hardly moved the whole time and a new dr made me take a kick chart towards the end. I had to feel at least 10 movements a day and I'd hardly feel that over 2 days. I was feeling a bit nervous with that even though I was sure everything was alright but a lot was to do with the location - had I needed to get to hosp then I'd need to work around ferries etc. I am sure over the course of the rest of the pregnancy you will be glad of her concern for other things. It's only a short time out of the rest of your life, so go with her and avoid raising your blood pressure over it! At the end of the day she has yours and the baby's welfare as her no 1 priority.

Answer 3

If the midwife was concerned wouldn't you prefer it that she said something?. It does seem that she should have tried a different approach. 1st pregnancies are worrying as you don't know what to expect (I have just had my 1st child). I was seen by 5+ midwives in my pregnancy, some I liked and others I didn't. At the hospital I ended up with a midwife from another area, and she was lovely.
IF she is at the hospital (which I think is very unlikely if she is the only one for your area), and you really don't want to have her looking after you, there will be chances to ask for someone else.
Personally, I would prefer to have a midwife who will speak up when concerned. I had one midwife who checked on me when I was in labour and she looked concerned and came back with a doctor and was whispering to her......now that is worrying!. I had to ask what the matter was (baby was asleep for a litttle too long, but soon woke up after a poke!).
Good Luck. You have a special 2007 ahead of you
xxxxxx

Answer 4

When it comes to pregnancy, conforming to a set of rules is the indicator of a normal pregnancy. Babies develop in a very similar way and there are millions of case studies that show the way most women feel at certain points of their pregnancy. The midwife would also have probably hundreds of women she has seen to compare you to. Midwives are generally pretty common sense people and not prone to over reacting. She has a duty to make sure you and your baby are ok and, while everything is probably fine, she has to check out causes of concern.
I am 24 weeks pregnant on Monday with my first baby and I have felt my baby kicking for the last 6 weeks. Not feeling movement at 24 weeks is definitely not the norm and I don't think your midwife was overreacting. She was doing her job.
I hope you and your baby are ok.

Answer 5

Well, I wish you all the very best with your visit today and all I can say is taht if it were me, I would be grateful to the midwife for giving me the best of attention and care and taking no rsks with my health or that of the baby. At 24 weeks it is unusual not to have felt some movement and a temperature is always a little worrying so she is being very careful and quite rightly so. If I were you I would be less concerned about the difficulty you have with the midwife's personality and more concerned about the wellbeing of your baby. I am sure all will be well but be glad you have such good medical care!

Answer 6

Yeah I think she over reacted. She had no right to worry you like that. If the heart rate is fine, then the baby is fine too. Try not to get stressed or dwell on it, as stress is not good for the baby. Chances are the midwife will not be at the birth, cos there are loads of midwives in the hospital and it all depends who is on shift at the time. And just remember that every pregnancy is different and no pregnancy is text book. Just forget about what the midwife said and look forward to being a new mum! :)

Answer 7

Do what you think is right not what midwife says.Did you have a 20 week scan? Did it come out normal? If so then there is almost certainly nothing to worry the baby has been moving you just didn't feel it because you don't know what to look for.

Answer 8

If you haven't felt the baby kick and your 24 weeks then no shes not overreacting, you should feel the baby move by now, it is policy if you don't feel the baby in 24 hours you have to go to the hospital to be monitored, but if she heard the babies heartbeat then I'm wondering why she is so worried, as all they do at the hospital is set you up to the monitor to monitor babies heartbeat, she shouldn't be worried about your temp if you have a cold, it's your choice if she's there at the birth as she's a community midwife, so you don't need to have her there as you will have midwives situated in the hospital

Answer 9

by 24 weeks you should be feeling the baby kick. i believe the "normal" is about 18. obviously there are exceptions to rules.
I think it was good that she sent you in "just incase" but maybe she could have explained it better to you. if you are not happy then you have every right to ask to change your midwife if she has caused you undue stress. (I reported mine for telling my mother i was pregnant without my consent and generally being rather unpleasent and making me upset and i was able to change to someone much nicer.) Just keep in mind she might have been a bit of a flapper but wouldnt you have been happy if there did happen to be a problem, at least you would have been in the right place.
good luck with your pregnancy.

Answer 10

i would prefer the midwife was thorough and caring for your health and checked with the hospital whether they want you to to be checked over rather than assume everythings ok when it might not be! when i was pregnant with my baby i felt him moving from about 18 weeks it wasn't very noticeable because he wasn't big enough by then but i definately knew he was there!
and no it's not very likely that she will attend the birth and as the one in labour if she was you could request another midwife and they must try to accomodate you... good luck with the pregnancy and i hope everythings ok

Answer 11

She probably didn't over-react in the medical sense, as there are protocols to say that a qualified doctor has to check it out if you haven't felt the baby move by 25 weeks. However, to my mind it was probably a bit unprofessional to deal with it in such a way as it gave you the panics. You don't need a drama-queen midwife at the birth!!!