"A lack of care and support"

Following a c-section I waited 9 hours within the recovery unit to then be transferred to ward 68. I was told that as I had a section there would be staff there to support overnight with my daughter, however this was far from the case. 

The ward was clearly understaffed and I feel that women who were breastfeeding were priorities over formal fed. I feel this way because I could hear the midwives supporting consistently throughout the night with feeds. I pressed my alarm  for help during the night as I didn’t feel comfortable walking to the toilet and my bed required changing due to a significant amount of blood. I was told that they were busy, therefore I was to wait which I totally understood. After 20 minutes a midwife came to take my daughter away for an oxygen test and told me I would be as well helping myself because staff are too busy. I asked if I could change my bed and as an alternative they put large pads over the blood. I asked if I could change the bed myself as this made me feel uncomfortable lying on a blood stained bed after undergoing significant surgery. 

On observation it appeared that most mothers had their partners staying ok the ward which made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. It was very loud and I could hear a male complaining as my baby was crying. It also made me feel incredibly uncomfortable waiting outside the toilet for non patients to come out whilst having a Catheter on display.

I could tell that staff were pleasant but clearly understaffed significant pressures as I would hear them discussing raising an ESPER.

Ultimately reflecting on my experience I do not feel that I was in a reasonable state to support my daughter appropriately during the night having had x3 morphine injection and a spinal within the same day. In my option there was a lack of care and support which tarnished my first night with my daughter.