Midwifery Today Community

I have a client who birthed with me 6 weeks ago - it was a long labour that eventually we transferred for (waters broken 60 hours and mama's fever started rising), and baby was born in hospital vacuum-assisted with relatively few interventions - I would consider a good outcome considering the situation, and both parents seemed fine with it all.

I did PP visits when they came home from hospy at 4 days, 7 days, and 2 weeks, everything was fine, mama, papa and baby all seemed happy, and happy with my care.

I since called 3 days after my last visit, and got no answer, left a message. Called the next day, same thing. Called 3 days later, same thing. Called a week later, Same. and the next week.

Now it's been 10 days since my last call, and I'd like to do a final PP check-up (I generally do weekly checks in the first month and another check at 6-7 weeks and regular phone calls in between times). But I can't seem to get in touch with them, just the voice mail.

I can't tell if the clients have gone away (would be strange, no?), or decided for some reason not to talk to me and are screening my calls, or something terrible happened. I don't want to be harrassing them if they really don't want to hear from me. I've already been paid in full, though I have lent one of my breastfeeding books to the mother and would like it back.

So that's the situation. What would you do? At what point would you give up and stop calling?

 So you have left 4 messages?

I think i would continue to call up to the point you'd have stopped PP care, then maybe write them a short letter saying you're sorry you couldn't get in touch with them, and you hope mama and babe have been ok the past month and got a 6-weekPP check (or whatever it was you were going to provide at discharge from your care) if they'd decided not to see you again, and that you can do it when they're ready if they'd prefer (if you're cool with that).

TBH they could have decided that they didn't like the birth they got and are feeling bruised, or they could have had a death in the family and had to go away to attend to it, or anything in between.  I wouldn't assume i'm being screened unless i KNEW they were there.  You could take a drive past their home and see if they seem "home" or even hand-deliver the letter to give them a chance to speak to you if they want to?

I wouldn't worry about harrassing them - it's your job to be concerned about mama and babe right now, they PAID you for your concern.

I hope you find out what's been happening soon. xxx