"The birth of my son"

I recently gave birth to my first son and thought I would write about my experience in the South Eastern Trust. The reason I decided to do this was because of the midwife who cared for me during my labour but on reflection, there were so many staff who went above and beyond to make my experience, overall, a positive one.

My labour started at home with contractions that increased in intensity. When I had been having these for more than twenty four hours I attended the emergency obstetric unit. I ended up waiting alone for two hours on a wooden chair in the waiting area, having contractions every five minutes. I was told that I was dilated enough to be classed as in active labour but that there were no beds available. It was suggested that I go home for a while. My husband works in Altnagelvin and I had just called him to travel home. At this stage I was so anxious at the thought of being sent home alone, that my contractions stopped altogether. I told them I didn’t want to go, and eventually a bed was found for me in home from home.

My midwife in home from home was called Katherine. I cannot speak more highly of her. From the moment I walked in the door she put me at ease, reassuring me that I deserved to be there and that I was in the right place. In a matter of minutes of arriving in home from home I relaxed and my contractions started up again, quickly becoming very regular. Katherine sat with me and helped me to breathe through the contractions, knowing when to speak and when to allow me space. When my husband arrived, she gave us time alone, checking in at regular intervals. She had read through what was written in my birth plan and honoured every wish. I needed a lot of stitches following the birth, and she was incredibly skilled and thorough. I wholeheartedly trusted that she would do a good job. She stayed late past her finishing time to make sure everything was sorted. Following the birth, she looked after me again and we were able to chat about the whole experience. I felt completely at ease with her and it really helped to debrief about such a big event in my life. It felt like sharing the experience with a good friend.

I am also so thankful to the team in Home From Home for the care I received after the birth. The night following I was looked after by Amanda and Keira, both of whom were so attentive to me and brilliant in helping with breastfeeding.

Before and after the birth I was looked after by the community midwifery team based in Newtownards Community Hospital. All of the midwives that looked after us were kind and willing to help with any concerns. I saw Sarah for a number of these appointments and she always went the extra mile, answering questions I had and addressing issues that I didn’t know to raise. I am really thankful for her help.

Overall, my experience in the South Eastern Trust was tremendously positive due to the diligence and kindness of all the staff who looked after me.