"Let down during my labour"

I gave birth to my daughter in February 2016 at Worcestershire Royal hospital. I had to be induced because my waters had broken prematurely 2 weeks earlier.

The care I received on the night of my waters breaking was brilliant, the staff I spoke with were very kind and caring people. The lady who I spoke with to book my induction was not so, she didn't take the time to explain anything to me or answer any of my concerns.

The day I went in to be induced I arrived at 10am but wasn't induced until 11: 50 (which didn't really bother me too much). About 10 minutes after the pessary was inserted I started experiencing a lot of pain. A midwife came in and explained that the midwife looking after me was on her lunch break and to calm down as they could hear me out by the desk. She said I should have gone to antenatal classes then I wouldn't have been this distressed. I spent the rest of my time on that ward in silence, embarrassed and ashamed.

An hour passed and a midwife came to check me, she said I was 2-3 centimeters dialated. I asked for some pain relief and she said we could look at that further down the road. Again, I felt embarrassed for asking.

By 4 pm I was in agony, my husband went to fetch a midwife who again, seemed to have little to no patience with me. She said as I was only checked a couple of hours ago, they wouldn't check me again, even though my contractions were much closer together and more intense.

I again asked for some pain relief, an epidural or gas and air, just anything to take the edge off of the pain. Again I was refused gas and air (even though it was right behind me) and instead I was given 2 paracetamol and another pill that I can't remember the name of. A belt was strapped around my stomach as they monitored the contractions, I told the midwife that I wasn't feeling any contractions in my stomach, they were purely in my groin. But again, no-one listened.

Eventually my husband called the midwife back again and I asked that the pessary was taken out and requested a c-section the following day. The midwife told me that most women would just get through it, but I have no idea how see expected me to on 2 paracetamol. I had to beg, but eventually it was removed. Moments later I felt an immense pressure and fell onto the bed. The midwife finally checked me and it turned out I was crowning.

As I was being rushed down to delivery, I asked if I'd be able to have any pain relief now, and two of the midwives just laughed slightly. I was petrified, in pain, about to give birth to a premature baby and not one member of staff listened to me or helped me. I feel so incredibly let down by the midwifes looking after me at that point. I feel let down by the hospital. This was my first baby, and while birth is never really great, it helps if you have supportive, friendly midwives who want to help you.

I must say the staff in the delivery suite were amazing when my daughter was born at 5pm that evening, as were the staff in TCU who looked after me and my litter girl for 10 days.

But as a whole, when I look back at my labour, I feel traumatised. I was so vulnerable and scared and it felt like not one person listened or cared.