"Positive Planned c-section followed by aftercare from hell"

I ended up having a planned c-section at 36+6 weeks after a number of reduced movement incidents. I had a very positive c-section and couldn’t fault the amazing surgical staff at all. They kept me calm and informed the whole time. The staff in recovery were also amazing helping me to express colostrum for my baby and paediatrician checking in on my baby as he had breathing difficulties. After 7 hours with my baby he had to be taken to neonatal to be monitored as the paediatrician still wasn’t happy with his breathing. This is where my care and positive birth story ends.

My partner went with our baby to neonatal and from there he had to go home. I was taken to the ward and placed in a private room due to me not having my baby with me. I managed to get some rest until neonatal called to say baby needed fed. A member of staff took me in a wheelchair down to neonatal to feed him. I was struggling to get him to latch but had no one to help me in neonatal as they were busy looking after other babies. I sat and cried while trying to feed him knowing he needed my milk. After a while he latch and fed and then I was taken back up to the ward.

I was called again a few hours later to feed again so went down to feed him. I returned to the ward and finally managed to get some sleep. I was woken by a member of staff to tell me that they had just given my son some formula as he was hungry  and they didn’t want to disturb me. I hadn’t be asked once if I wanted to give him formula so this was totally against my wishes and should have never of happened.

By lunchtime my son was returned to me in the ward from neonatal as he was better. He needed his nappy changed and with having a section and him being in neonatal I hadn’t done this yet and so asked for helped as I wasn’t sure where to change him as I was very sore. A health care assistant came and was very degrading towards me and said just change his nappy it isn’t difficult. I was quite taken a back by this as I was only asking for help due to being in pain and my partner was only allowed onto the ward for two hours a day due to restrictions.

Later that day his blood results came back to indicate that he has jaundice which was quite severe and he would have to be placed under the lights. They brought in the lights, I had to take him down to his nappy and place a mask over his eyes and place him in. The same health care assistant came in and said oh he’s quite jittery isn’t he, I’m going to have to speak to someone about that as it isn’t normal and they left the room. Obviously at this point I was panicked thinking what could be wrong with him. I was them bombarded with staff asking questions if I had taken anything during pregnancy and they wanted to test his urine.

Although I had told my midwife at my booking appointment of previous recreational drug use it wasn’t something I had done while being pregnant but yet I was being accused of it. One member of staff claiming that I may have caused brain damage to my son. I spoke to the paediatrician and it was decided that his jitters where from environmental factors as he was next to a window and cold. They told me if I needed to feed him or just comfort him then I could take him from the cot and just put the top lights over him while I sat. Which I did a few times but not for long as I know he needed to be under them to get better. One staff member came in while I was doing this and said you do know you’ll just be in hospital longer if he isn’t under the lights and made me put him back.

I asked for help numerous times to get him to latch to no avail. One midwife finally came to help and suggest I used a nipple shield, this made all the difference and he was finally feeding better. After 4 days in hospital we were able to go home finally which came as a relief. I had cried constantly the whole time I was in hospital to which I was told was normal and just baby blues.

When I got home this continued and eventually after 2 weeks of suffering I was put on medication. I have anxiety and was seeing the perinatal psychiatrist while I was pregnant, they phoned a week after my son being born and they told me that they should have been informed I was in hospital as they would have come to see me but they hadn’t been told. I feel this was a major issue and possibly I could of had better care and been started on medication earlier to help.  I feel I missed out on a lot of my sons first few months and don’t actually remember much of it due to my lack of care. He is going to be 2 in a few weeks and all I can think about is how I was treated and it brings a sadness to what should be a happy time. I have also found out I’m pregnant again and everything has just come back to be and I don’t even want to go anywhere near Aberdeen maternity this time after what happened.