"Bad maternity experience"

I delivered at St. Thomas's this year. After I dilated they moved my bed into the middle of the room, put the bed super high (which I pointed out as uncomfortable and not natural for me, unheard by everyone) and guided me to push to exhaustion until my baby got trapped in the birth canal. Then, about 4 doctors came running, stopped the drip, let me rest for another 10 min, and assisted me to deliver the baby.

I was feeling so vulnerable, so uncomfortable, so sad by the moment they put my baby in my arms that, until today, only remembering the situation is so difficult for me that I haven't been able to put it into words in order to send my testimony.

After giving birth, I mean, right after -right after 'stitching' me- they asked me some very out of place questions such as, if the environment at home was ok for the child and if we (me and my partner) did drugs or smoked tobacco. I was so in shock, just laying there after all the day, that I remember saying something like 'Why are you asking me this now' and the answer was that those were routine questions. If that is the case, honestly, that is definitely the worst moment to ask anyone anything.

It only got worse. We were moved to a room with (at least) 5 other couples. No shower for me (it was too late) I had to 'sleep' sharing a bed with my partner (because men or any partner has no space to be there supporting and accompanying us when we need it the most). I had to sleep in a single bed with my partner. Dirty, after giving birth all covered in blood and fluids.

There was no nurse assisting when the button for the painkillers was pressed (I wasn't asking for much) until the next morning. I managed to get some painkillers on the second day and they stopped responding again, so I went all the way down (hours after delivering) to get painkillers by myself. I was so upset and in so much pain when I went back that I begged for them to let us go home and rest. And they finally did.

After that, probably a week after, I ended up going to emergency 2 times. From the emergency of St. Thomas´s they sent me to the maternity wing.

After leaving me sitting on a chair (I couldn't even sit) for around 8-10 hours, after having seeing me, with an infected open wound and my breasts about to explode full of milk, when I said I was leaving one of the nurses urged to say the Doctor was going to see me next 'but if you want to leave... ' Hearing a woman cry in pain, desperate for hours, and the Doctor couldn't even turn to show some humanity. I left. I left home in the middle of the night, fully unsupported, with an open wound, after sitting on a chair for about 9 hours. If that is not failing a woman in her most vulnerable moment, I don't know what it is.

2 days after I had to return and stay to get re-stitched.

I pray for you to stop treating women like you do.

We are the ones taking care and protecting those babies. If you abandon us you are abandoning those babies. And those babies are the future.