"Birth experience"

I recently gave birth to my first child in the Ulster Hospital's Maternity unit in Home from Home. 

My first experience was waiting outside EOU, where other ladies were also waiting to be triaged and it was a little overwhelming seeing other people being distressed as I was having contractions waiting. I was glad this was at night time, as I was sitting for 1.5hours prior to being taken in to be assessed with no staff members visible in this area apart from calling in people.

Once triaged all of the staff were lovely in EOU. At the point of examination I had reached 7cm and I was allocated a bed in the Home from Home unit.

At Home from Home I was introduced to midwife Sue and student midwife Hayley. From this point my labour continued to progress quickly and Sue and Hayley did not leave my side throughout the night. I was aware both did not get breaks and continued to prioritise my care politely and professionally. Sue and Hayley both filled me with confidence and made me and my partner feel comfortable and well looked after throughout. I will forever be grateful for the positive birth experience I was able to have with their amazing care.

Due to complications I then ended up requiring to go to theatre postpartum. Before I left Home from Home I was reassured by both Sue and Hayley further and reviewed by Dr Breen and Dr Doherty, who were personable, professional and filled me with complete confidence, making me feel I was in safe hands.

At this stage I was brought to recovery, then theatre under spinal and back to recovery. All the staff I met were friendly and again reassured me throughout the procedure - due to timings I have forgot names due to shift change and a turnover of all staff apart from surgeons mentioned above. 

Retrospectively I found it upsetting leaving the baby and my partner found it overwhelming being left with the baby having little experience of caring for one. I raised this and was reassured that he would be supported. However on return he had said he was told to dress the baby and felt lack of support.

I was not able to return to Home from Home due to spinal which was also distressing to me, having had a natural birth.  I still find it silly the spinal stopped me, even though I was allowed up out of bed within 6 hours and had no further medical requirements.

In the postpartum bay I was cared for by Rebecca who was proactive in  teaching my partner how to dress/change the baby. She was only working an early and after she left I felt less supported. That night I felt alone and stressed overnight as my baby cried and I worried about wakening other mothers and I felt it was evident they were short staffed and stretched, although my midwife was nice.

I was unable to have my partner stay with me, which I had planned to have in Home from Home and he had to leave earlier than 9pm due to being up the night before and having nowhere for him to rest in this area. We had noticed a pull out sofa in Home from Home prior which would have been ideal. The morning after birth I was cared for by midwife Rebecca again who seen my tea/toast sitting from the night before and took my baby and told me to eat my breakfast which I really appreciated. I felt Rebecca went that extra mile even though she was clearly busy and she was great and carried out person-centred care.

I would also like to feedback here that I did not get any appointments during pregnancy for education/tours etc which I raised at appointments but it never was organised. I feel these would have lessened my stress with breastfeeding in the early days. I also recently seen on social media a breastfeeding support service which I have also had no input offered to me from.