"Supportive and kind maternity staff"

Myself and my partner would just like to pass on our sincere thanks to ALL the staff we met at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. Our beautiful daughter was born in November via an unplanned C-section. 

We are both healthcare professionals, so we understand the pressures the NHS and staff face. It is very different being on the patient side! Everyone we met from Domestics, Healthcare Support Workers, Midwives, PAs, Doctors and Allied Healthcare Professionals were supportive, kind and professional. 

Initially we presented to the triage team with reduced fetal movements 5 days post my due date. They were all lovely, kind and explained everything to us making us feel more at ease and that we had choices of what we wanted to do. I then began the induction process a couple days later with a Cook balloon, again the Midwives made me feel at ease and the experience was not as bad as I had imagined. 

Having a C section was not on my birth plan (when do plans ever go to plan?) but when the team explained why they recommended it and gave me the choice of what I wanted to do, I knew it was the best thing for us. Everyone in the theatre suite made us feel calm about the situation. It only took 14 mins from opening me to delivering our baby girl. It was also so lovely that my partner was able to tell me that we had a baby girl as we did not know the sex. 

Another thing we would like to mention is the professionalism and knowledge of all the Student Midwives we met. We were both very impressed with them all and wish them all the best in their future careers. 

I’ve tried to remember as many names as possible from our 3 night stay…

Labour ward: Midwife Annabelle and student Shannon, SCN Alison (day shift), Midwife Alicia and student Amy, SCN Eilish (night shift) - a sign of what was to come for us?! 

Doctors: Andy (Anaesthetist), Sarah and Natalie (Obstetrics).

Theatre Nurses: Elaina and Bronwyn (sorry I know there were others there too). 

Summerfield ward: Midwife Cara and student Eve (nights), Midwives Kay and Hazel and student Rima (days). 

I also want to thank my community Midwife Lauren who has been there for us from the start of our journey! If I’m lucky enough to have another baby in the future I would love if she could be my Midwife again. Also thanks to her students Beth and Katie who we also had the pleasure of meeting. 

 

Thank you all again, we are doing well at home with baby and I am recovering from the C section.