"My birth experience"

I recently had my baby in PRM. I attended ward 72 for a Cook’s balloon induction carried out by midwife and student midwife. They were both lovely and talked me through everything and reassured me about the procedure. When the catheter was removed the next day, I was told that I was 2-3cm dilated and was suitable to be transferred to labour ward for my waters to be broken. I was told there was a waiting list for labour ward and I could be waiting a while which was understandable. 

The following day, my waters broke late at night while on ward 72. I informed the staff member on duty about this and they were quite dismissive and felt like they weren’t interested. I was scared after my waters had broken, I was by myself and nobody came to support or reassure me. My contractions and pain very quickly began and I was told to go for a bath to help with pain control. I was in the bath in agony for 1 hour 30 minutes overnight on my own, having strong contractions, and nobody came to check on me or make sure I was safe. Once I felt able to get out the bath, I told the staff member again that I had lots of pressure and felt I needed to push, they told me to go back to bed and would examine me in half an hour. I had not been examined to check my dilation since the induction catheter had been removed 41 hours prior, despite being in active labour overnight with ongoing contractions and severe pain. When they eventually came to examine me and said I was fully dilated and I needed to be moved to labour ward straight away as they could already see baby’s head. I then had to phone my birthing partners to inform them of the situation and they very nearly missed the birth of my baby.

I feel very disappointed and sad that my labour was managed in this way. I felt dismissed by the staff meber on the ward for while in active labour. I was by myself in complete agony throughout the night, I was terrified and nobody came to reassure me or support me. I was given paracetamol/ dihydrocodeine at 1am and was not offered any further pain relief for the rest of my labour despite telling the staff multiple times that I was in agony and rolling about the bed in tears. I was made to feel like I was being dramatic due to my severe pain when really I had endured my entire labour with very minimal pain relief, while being ignored by the staff on duty who I had expected to care for me and support me during this time.

When I eventually arrived in the labour ward, the midwives there were so kind and lovely. Midwives Jodie and Sophie delivered my baby and they couldn’t have been any kinder and reassuring to me. Soon after my baby was born, midwife Beth arrived, she was also so lovely and very supportive. I was so relieved to be greeted with kind, supportive staff who delivered my baby safely. I am so grateful that I had such a positive experience in the labour ward for the birth of my baby, especially after such a horrible time in ward 72 on my own. I was moved to ward 73 after my birth and the staff there were also kind and supportive.

I could not imagine ever treating anyone the way I was treated during my labour in the antenatal ward, with what felt like such little care and dignity. I would hate to think anyone else would be put in a similar situation during their labour in future.