My MW is really nice I just feel so easy talking to her- which for me isnt normal so thats a good sign! Lol
She told me if I ever have any thing I want to ask to ring up and if no-one answers to leave a message as its usually her or one other MW that uses the machine.
I can't wait for my next appointment to see her again lol

When I had my son it was a busy hospital I'm not sure I even saw the same MW twice!!

I just hope I get as nice a HV as my MW is!!!

Personally I think people expect too much from their midwifes. Getting seen once every 4 weeks is more than enough and you can always call your local labour or maternity ward if you have any queries. Midwifes do have a life to and it is a job for them so they can't be on call 24/7. And yes you might have to see several midwifes but so what? Nowadays you probably won't give birth with the midwife you see regularly anyway so what does it really matter if you see a new midwife each time. If you are high risk or have other issues, you will either be seen more or have consultant led care.

And lets be honest apart from answer your questions, take bloods, urine samples and check your bp there isnt alot else they can do. At the end of the day they are human beings to! They can't always be perfect! xxx

I love my midwife. She is super nice and supportive and has had tons of experience. I see her at every visit (except one where I got to meet her back up midwife, but it was planned that way) and my appointments are at least 30 min. I can always reach her at home or by emergency pager.

But I got to choose my MW and knew she was the right one for me during our interview.

Here in Australia i dont have a midwife, instead i have an obstatrician and he is wonderful

I love my midwives. I have 3 so one will always be available. (There are 3 teams of 3 at the practice I use) They take turns doing appointments, having pager duty etc. I was able to pick them as well. I'm lucky in that I'm very relaxed and haven't had much that couldn't wait 4 weeks to talk to them, but when I do bring up my concerns they are always very comforting.

i kinda second what Kitty23 has said, unless you're having a home birth or in a separate birthing unit, its unlikely that you'd ever hav the same MW providing antenatal care, as you do for delivery! And, although I know ther are several exceptions, I think most midwives do a pretty good job!

that aside, My Midwife IS amazing. She is friendly and attentive, and happy to listen to and answer any questions I may have! I have a direct number for her office and also have the back up support of a Maternity assessment unit up at my hospital for any out of hours questions/worries.
I see the same MW at every appointment at the GP clinic, and I am happy to see different ones when I go for my hosp check ups/scans etc!

Overall I think I am quite lucky!

In 2006 whilst pregnant with my daughter I had a midwife who gave me the wrong information, put off taking my bloods and whose attitude was just awful. I changed midwives to have my ante-natal care provided by another county as we live on county borders and I had that option. My care given to me after that was second to none.

With this pregnancy I decided it was three years on and that the midwife I'd had problems with may have improved so on contact with her again I thought I'd give her another chance. Yet again she gave me wrong information, was downright rude and left me feeling confused and a nuisance. I again have just changed my antenatal care to the same county I did previously and once again am very happy with my new midwife. She is absolutley fantastic and on my first visit she went through my notes and found my booking in forms which hadn't even been sent off to the hospital so I hadn't been booked into the hospital that I chose to have my baby at. I'd have turned up in labour and there'd have been no record of me as I'm having the baby in a different county to where my antenatal care naturally falls. Just another indication of the incompetency of the midwife I naturally fall under. The midwife I now come under is a bit of a journey but it's worth it for the reassurance that I am getting teh care I need.

I'd advise anyone who is in the same boat to check to see if you can have your care elsewhere. You may be able to so don't just accept that your midwife assigned is the only option for you.

Alex

both mine are/were shocking. so annoying when you feel you need to click. fingers crossed they aren't on shift when go into labour!