"I wish I had complained to the hospital at the time"

I had my first baby here and it felt like the biggest mistake of my life. I was induced on was told I had to stay on the antenatal ward until I went into labour so my baby can be monitored regularly. There were some lovely midwives on this ward, however I felt like most had a terrible attitude towards me.

The first midwife that took my bloods gave it a few good goes on one arm before going to the other – while swearing every time they were unsuccessful! This left me with bruised and sore arms – finally to have a midwife that could draw bloods on thier first try!

I was on the antenatal ward for five days. The day time staff were great, but as soon as I didn’t have any visitors by my bedside, I felt neglected!

I pressed my buzzer a few times over the course of those nights. On one occasion when I was in pain I pressed the buzzer thinking someone will come soon as I could hear the midwives all laughing and joking amongst themselves at the desk – however some 20 minutes later a midwife walked in, saw me crying in pain, said “oh in pain”, switched the buzzer off and went out without saying another word.

In my view, I had no idea whether she had gone to get me something or they were just ignoring me again! At this point I started to regret picking Northwick Park as my hospital. Finally a matron on duty that night came in, and literally shouted at me every time I flinched when they tried to see how dilated I was.

Having been on the antenatal ward for a few days now, one can imagine how painful and uncomfortable that would be. They had no sympathy at all, instead their exact words were “stay still so I can check how far dilated you are and give you some drugs – or just wait until the doctors in the morning! ” I remember crying so much and trying to make them understand that I was trying my hardest but it’s painful. The midwife was absolutely lovely when I had visitors by my side during the day.

By Thursday morning the doctors said I was dilated enough to take down to the labour ward so my waters can be broken to help progress the labour. What every member of staff failed to tell me until Friday morning was that the labour ward was full, and they had no space for me downstairs!

They were on the verge of closing the doors to women coming to the labour ward. Friday morning the doctors were surprised to still see me on the antenatal ward. My baby and I were monitored once in the morning on that Friday and by 7pm I threatened to leave and walk out of the hospital.

I felt I was sat there needlessly. They kept insisting I wasn’t allowed to leave as we needed to be monitored. When they realised I wasn’t monitored all day they rush in monitored me for 30 minutes. They discovered my baby’s heart rate was sky high. Then they monitored me further on doctor’s order – an hour later still sky high at which point I was given a drug to lower the baby’s heart rate and then rushed downstairs coz there was miraculously a bed in the labour ward!

The midwives on the labour ward itself were AMAZING! Made me feel at ease and I was just glad I was finally out of the antenatal ward. Here I finally got my epidural to deal with the pain was I in for the last 4 days. The doctors that came in to inform me I was going to have an emergency C-Section as the baby is in distress were great and the surgery went well too.

The aftercare once I was in the ward has to be improved! Some of the midwives again were great and always ready to help. But on my first night on the ward I was surprised at what actually happened! A buzzer was going off at the midwives’ station, apparently it was mine. Mine was put so far out of reach I wouldn’t have been able to call for help even if I needed it … but a midwife insisted it was mine and came and PULLED THE PLUG!

Thankfully nothing went wrong with myself or my baby, I’d hate to think what would’ve happened if I needed any assistance during the night.

Over all I was appalled at the service I got on the antenatal and postnatal wards. I was just glad to leave the hospital on the Monday morning with my baby boy. Now pregnant with my second baby, I’m able to reflect on my experience properly and I can say for sure I will definitely not be picking Northwick Park as my hospital of choice.

I wish I had complained to the hospital at the time, but having to go through the pain of an induction, followed by an emergency C-Section was traumatic enough and by the time I had finally had my baby (15 days overdue! ! ! ) I just wanted to leave and forget about everything!

I understand that hospitals are under a lot of stress but I feel like there’s no reason for the treatment I had to endure by some of the midwives. I can only hope that two years on, things have improved.