"The system needs to be as good as the team working with it"

I had a planned C-Section in the RAH maternity unit after quite a traumatic birth with my first at a different hospital.

Naturally I was a bit anxious in the run up to this but with the help of Stephanie from the MNPI team I created a birth plan to help me feel more in control. We prepared a playlist, wrote a plan A and plan B which would allow my husband to cut the baby's cord and have skin on skin after delivery as these were all things we missed out on with our first - the experience with our first was probably worse for him than me as I don't really remember much so this was important to both of us.

From the minute we arrived at the hospital my midwife Margaret made me feel really at ease and when I explained my biggest fear was getting the canula in off she went to find me some emla cream to numb the area make sure I didn't get myself worked up over it, this was just one of the many little things she done whilst looking after me that morning and made this birthing experience completely different from my first (the tea and toast will also never be forgotten!)

When it was our turn to go to theatre the panic set in when I realised hubby didn't come in while I was prepped but Margaret was by my side keeping me calm and then Alistair the anaesthetist joined in, he was literally the most calming presence and very sneakily got my canula in without me even realising - I really thought he was squeezing my arm to comfort me haha!

Our baby girl arrived safe and sound at 11:31am just 4 hrs after we arrived at hospital as I say completely different to the 3 days 19hrs with my 1st!

After delivery there were definitely a few things I think could improve within the RAH maternity unit but I want to ensure that what I am about to list does not take away from the amazing care that we received, because I honestly am so grateful for how things went.

Having said that I am not sure why we are asked to complete a birthing plan on Badger App or to complete consent forms at prior appts, as on the day my notes hadn't been sent to the labour ward, we had no offer of playing our playlist, there was no delayed cord clamping for my husband to cut the cord and no skin on skin baby was wrapped up in blankets with her hat on before being brought to us.

After a few hours in recovery I was taken up to the ward and our care was passed over to Jenna (so so grateful she was my midwife because she is one of the most attentive and caring people I have ever met). I must admit I was pretty taken a back that in 2024 I was in a room with a complete mix of situations and this is where I feel as new mums we were let down by the system not the staff!

4 beds in the room which had myself still unable to move from spinal block but with my healthy baby next to me, another mum whose baby was born at 34 weeks and in NICU, another mum whose baby was just brought down from NICU and finally a mum in labour! This made me uncomfortable because I felt guilty that I was there enjoying my new born baby while others were worrying about theirs and going back and forth to NICU.

When my visitors came up I felt guilty that them being there gave the woman in labour even less privacy than she was already getting, I think my poor dad couldn't get away from his new granddaughter quick enough when he realised what he was hearing!

Thankfully I was able to get home the next day as that was a very awkward 24hrs on the ward and I literally didn't shut my eyes for even 5 mins as I couldn't relax in that room at all and I'm sure the other mums felt much the same if not a lot worse than me.

Again the care from the team I cannot fault in any way, shape or form, and I am so grateful to them from bringing my baby girl safely into this world, but I do think the system itself needs to be as good as the team working with it.

Stephanie, Margaret, Alistair, Jenna & all the rest of the team involved in our care, thank you so much, our baby girl is thriving.