"Maternity services, induction and birth"

I had a straight forward pregnancy the whole way through. At 38 week appointment I was told to go to day unit where they informed me I had to go immediately to ward D to be induced and that I had no choice. 

On the ward they stated I couldn't be induced because I was already contracting and they'd check again in 3 hours. After checking the midwife gave me the induction anyway (stating again she really shouldnt as if she thought she was doing me a favour) they said someone would check on me in an hour and a half. Midwives sat outside my room laughing and joking as I stated there was no gap in my contractions and requested pain relief. 5 and a half hours after the induction someone finally checked on me only to discover I was hyperstimulating and rush me down to delivery suite with little information and told not to contact my partner.  

I was given drugs to slow my labor again without much choice (it was that or the life of both myself and my child remained at risk) and then was informed I was to be on 24/7 monitoring and couldn't move from my bed except to use the bathroom. I was then told to contact my partner by a midwife, upon his arrival he was not updated and they gave me another induction to speed back up my labor then broke my waters. At staff change over I was given another midwife who ran through my birth preferences to which I stated no students and to ask before a doctor was called in, I also specified I wanted only female staff involved in my care. 

At 5pm I was told I had to wait till 6pm to push because they could -control my labour- and all doctors were in a c section. At 6:05 in floods a male doctor with around 7 students who went straight down to my vagina and began touching me, No consent or concern for my previously stated preferences.

Due to the wait in mr pushing my baby was now showing signs of distress and the doctor told me he was to perform an episiotomy to which I said NO several times. I was then shouted at by every member of staff and student present and bullied into consenting (which is a major breach of birth rights). After my baby arrived we were left in the room with no answers or acknowledgement for 5 hours upon which time I was taken back to the ward and my partner was given 5 minutes to say goodbye and leave. 

The ward staff were unhelpful and treated me as if I were a burden. I was shouted at for members of staff for having my baby in my arms on the bed (not sure how I was supposed to breastfeed her in the bassinet provided), I was told to leave her in the room unattended to use the bathroom and when I asked for help with her latch feeding had a breastmilk substitute bottle thrown at me by a nurse who then slammed the door (this was the only 'assistance' in feeding my child I received despite them advertising Henry teams help). 

I sat awake all night waiting for morning to come so that my partner could come back on the ward and I could be discharged only for the doctors and pediatricians leaving out my name on the list and leave without doing our paperwork despite me being on the list. When they eventually came back they did the checks then left again without filling in the paperwork which was then left for a midwife to do (luckily one who seemed to think I was less of a burden). 

I was discharged and sent home. 

2 days after a midwife contacted me asking why I wasn't answering my door (no appointment just called round) I informed her I wasn't in and was told they'd call back the next day. I waited in all day for them to call at 4:55pm and state that they expect you to go about your normal day to day activities yet apparently don't think to book a time and are annoyed when you are out.

After 6 weeks I returned to day unit suffering from headaches, dizziness, a pain in my right upper back and blurred vision with spots to which I was left with a newborn sat in a waiting room for 5 hours to be seen at which point the doctor went off for handover another hour later I was told I had an appointment with the medical registrar the next day and could go home to return in timr for my appointment. The next day I was told they knew nothing of the appointment and left waiting for a further 6 hours. I was told I needed an MRI which I had to wait a further 2 hours for (all again with a breastfed newborn who I couldn't leave at home). 

The next day I rang for MRI results to be fobbed off and told it wasn't day units problem (they said it wasnt related to my birth) and to go sit in A&E who at the time had 22 hour waits. Instead I consulted a private GP who advised what the problem was and perceived medication to sort it within 2 hours of talking to them (turns out it was related to my birth afterall). 

Submitted complaint to PARS team in November and still no response. Clearly complaints are not taken seriously and patient experiences don't matter. I am now left to relive my experience and the trauma of it daily.