"Slow recovery from Emergency C-Section"

Last year my waters broke on my due date I was soo excited/ nervous as this was my first baby. I went to Crosshouse Maternity at 12 noon after my waters breaking at 8am, I was 3cm dialated and was in agony. I was sent home to take paracetamol and have a bath. It was a 35min journey home, I got home and I was in pain that I could not cope with and headed back up to the hospital.

I was supported throughout the day with gas and air, I asked and asked for an epidural and eventually this was given at 11pm that night, I was then left till 7 the following morning. I was pushing for around 3 hours with no baby coming and the doctor agreed to try forceps in the ward.. still no baby. I was absolutely exhausted and agreed to an emergency C-Section. Once in theatre staff agreed to try forceps again but still no baby.

The anaesthetist was trying to rush the epidural through as I could feel my legs and stomach the surgeon was stating that they had to get baby out now. The C-Section started and I was screaming I could feel everything and hear everything. The anaesthetist was saying I will put her under general but the consultant was stating NO. It was absolutely horrific. Baby was stuck and eventually she was born with the skin missing from her eyes, nose and lips which took months to heal.

In High Dependency both myself and baby were on antibiotics for sepsis and the consultant came round to discuss "what went wrong" and apologised for the mess they made of baby's face.

I then spent 5 days in the ward where the care was just awful, no care or compassion, in hindsight I am furious I allowed nurses and care staff to treat me the way they did. I had been in bed now for over 48hrs and asked a member of staff to assist me out of bed so I could go to the toilet and the reaction was no get out of bed yourself which I did in tears.

I was on strong pain killers which hadn't been given to me and when I asked for these I was given a response of well not just now because they would need to get another nurse as it takes 2 nurses to sign for that medication. In this day in age I think this is shameful!

I was then advised my baby was jaundice, the blanket machine was given to me and I was left to set this up...Really surely if you have a poorly baby at least a trained member of staff should at least show you how to set up this equipment? I have never felt so lonely and inadequate as a mother. I never saw a doctor until day 4 when I was advised I have been discharged. This was 7pm on the Friday night, I asked for a bottle of baby milk to take away as it was night time and I had nothing to which I was told no.

I left the hospital, I could hardly walk, Adoc and community midwife came out to the house the following morning and were horrified I had been discharged, the discharge note did not even state I had had a C-Section or any of the complications I had endured.

The treatment I received in the hospital and lack of follow up care has had a detrimental affect on my mental well-being resulting in post natal depression and the fear of ever having to go through something similar again.

I did find the courage to meet with a doctor at Ayr Hospital to discuss what happened and the treatment I was given, once again I was horrified at how I was treated, being told I only had a 5 minute slot and the asked if I wanted them to cancel all the other girls in the waiting room to hear what's wrong with me.

I work in the Care field myself and I would never dream of treating any individual in this way, the lack of respect, dignity, compassion and basic care is disgraceful. I am thankful my baby is alive and well and I am slowly recovering however I do believe this experience will haunt me for the rest of my life.