"Horrific postnatal ward, I still have nigjtmares"

I was hoping to give birth in the birth centre but as my baby went overdue I ended up on the labour ward for an induction. My midwife was very young and inexperienced. I had to argue for pain relief despite having been in early labour for 3 nights and having heavy contractions, I did not feel that I was taken seriously. Eventually I had an epidural which fell out and at the same time I had overstimulation from sintocin which caused non stop contractions for 3 hours. Nobody gave me my additional pain relief when the epidural failed they did not explain to me what was happening or say sorry. When examined I had barely moved at all so had an emergency c section. The c section was great, doctors very kind and helpful.

I was later moved to the postnatal ward which actually was more traumatic than the birth! In the day it was ok but at night the buzzers were turned off, I had to shout for help to get up to go to the toilet, I bled through all my towels and had to beg for pants. I was told off when I said I was bleeding because I wasn't hemmoraging! when someone came to help me out of bed they were so rude, they seemed really annoyed. I'd had a C section, I couldn't move!! Though the night nurses kept coming in and taking my baby out of my arms and into the crib - he then cried and nobody was there to help me get him so I had to drag myself up to pull him back to me. I could have ruptured and I could have dropped him but I had no choice. At one point a nurse actually wheeled him away saying the baby needs to learn to give mummy a break (I don't think so! He'd just been born) and I could hear him crying for 30 minutes before they brought him in saying he needs to eat. I had been feeding him when they took him away!!

By the time I left I was sobbing uncontrollably, the nurses made me feel I was failing at breastfeeding because my baby wanted to feed all the time, I now know my baby was doing an excellent job of bringing my milk in but I felt like a failure. One of the midwives was very rude to my husband and told me he had lied to me that he thought he wasn't allowed to stay overnight! I still have bad dreams about being on that airless ward feeling like an inconvenience after major surgery. What's worse is I know if you have a baby in the birth centre you by a double bed private room! It's as if you are punished if you have an induction or any other intervention. I will be making a formal complaint and would never recommend this hospital to anyone.