"Neglected in the most important stage of labour"

One evening a few months ago around 9pm I was having regular contractions so I rang EOU in Antrim to be checked to put my mind at ease. I got a midwife who was sharp on the phone and told me not to come as she would just send me home. I left it a while and rang again around 11pm as my contractions were getting closer together, every 6 mins. I got the same midwife and was told that if I came she would check but would send me home and it would be a wasted journey. For a first time pregnancy all you want is reassurance that everything is okay. I was 4 days over my due date and had had a sweep that morning and I was 2cm dilated. Arrived at EOU I waited over an hour before said midwife came near me. I was checked over and told to go home. She told me I was only 1 cm dilated and maybe if she opened her fingers it would be 2cm which said it all about her attitude towards me. 

2 days later I had another midwife appointment in which I was given a second sweep and I was 4cm at this stage, which I was delighted to hear as I was slowly progressing. 

I was 1 week over my due date on the Friday so I was booked in that morning for induction. There were 2 women in front of me that hadn’t progressed any but I couldn’t be taken until my waters broke or they went before me. A few hours went by and it was the same story, but the midwife and sister on the ward kindly took me into the birthing suite around 3pm as the other 2 were still no further forward. My midwife was lovely. She was helpful and reassuring and helped me feel at ease throughout everything. My waters were broken around 6pm but nothing happened after that so I was put onto the hormone drip to speed up contractions. I started with gas and air but it had no effect.

It then switched over to the nighttime staff and I had a new midwife. My contractions were progressing and getting much stronger and I was offered the remifentinal or the epidural at this stage and I said I would start with the remi with intention of epidural if remi didn’t work, to which I was told “no problem”. I was informed that remi would be taken away once I go into the pushing stage as it could pass through the placenta to baby. Gas and air had no effect on me so I had asked about an epidural to which I was told sure, but keep going and see how you feel as you’re doing so well. I asked a further 2 times and was told they didn't think I needed it as I was doing well. That’s all well and good but I was going to have nothing other than gas and air during the pushing stage and I didn’t want to put myself through pain if it could be avoided.

The fourth and final time I asked for an epidural, I was told it was too late. Pushing had commenced and the midwife seemed to have more interest in the computer rather than how I was doing. Dare I even mention she was the only midwife that left me to go on breaks and was on them for an hour at a time! I had to keep asking whilst she was sitting on her computer, am I any further forward? Can you see the head? All I got in response was keep going, keep going, no I can’t see the head, just keep pushing. I cried saying I was exhausted and had nothing left, I felt there must have been something wrong that I was no further forward. Two hours had passed of pushing for all I was fit and I was no further forward than I was to begin with.

It was now time to switch over onto the daytime staff. The midwife who walked through the doors saw me and immediately knew something was wrong. Spoke to the nighttime midwife and asked questions then told her she should leave. The new midwife was solely focused on me as her patient and said that I was her priority. She was amazing from start to finish, the quality of care does not compare to what I had experienced with previous nurse where it was total neglect. She said to me, right, we’re going to try pushing here for 15mins and if nothing's happening, I’m calling for a doctor. We did just that and no further forward. There was no messing about, the doctor was called.

The doctor announced it would be forceps and she got stuck in. There was a cut made to allow for more room. 2 pulls and baby was out and set onto my chest for 30 seconds but then I had a PPH. Panic button was hit and baby was lifted off me and handed to my partner. I was slowly drifting away and was unresponsive to nurses who were trying to put cannulas into both arms. I had already 2 cannulas in both hands which were no longer effective so they tired multiple times in other places to which my hands and arms were left badly bruised. Luckily I was only unresponsive for a short period of time and they managed to stop the bleeding quickly. Although, when stitching me back up I was gave a local anaesthetic where cut had been made but it was ineffective and I felt every stitch being made with no pain relief.

The doctor and two of the midwives' care was exceptional but one midwife's level of care was practically non existent. No woman should ever have to experience what I went through as it was clear I was neglected and exhausted in the most important stage of labour.