"Improve post-natal environment"

I have just returned home after having an elective c section at the NNUH. All the theatre staff were wonderful and really put me at ease. They were all friendly and approachable and I felt very well looked after. I had more blood loss than they anticipated so I went to a room on delivery suite following recovery so I could be monitored longer. This was really beneficial as I had time to rest and the midwife helped keep me clean under the sheets which put my mind at ease as I couldn’t feel anything as I was still numb from the spinal.

After a repeat blood test I was allowed to be transferred to Blakeney ward. Unfortunately this is what let the whole experience down. There were 6 beds crammed into a bay. There was hardly enough room for one person never mind two parents and a newborn! It was obviously really noisy as there were so many people but even at night the staff made no attempts to be quiet. It doesn’t help that the bay didn’t have doors as you could hear the whole ward and the midwifes and light flooded in from around the nurses station. There were some reclining chairs for dads but not enough for everyone. My husband managed to get one and had a bit of sleep-more than he would have in a standard chair anyway. I think it’s important to look after the fathers too-it is their baby too and many husbands are caring for the babies as well as their wives-especially ones who have just had surgery. Unfortunately we got the impression dads weren’t particularly welcome, which is a ridiculous and very out-dated notion! I noticed a very bad attitude towards dads-particularly from catering staff. (By the way, dads need to eat too-why should they be forced to leave their new family to get overpriced food from the canteen? It should be a good experience for them too! -at least offer them a coffe! ) Of course as a woman who had just given birth and trying to establish breastfeeding I would prefer more privacy-but that’s from everyone, not just other people’s partners. Ideally the ward would be made up of all single room with a bed for dads. This would help resolve many issues mentioned. But even a 4 bedded bay with doors would greatly improve the experience! I feel a better post natal environment would better aid recovery as there is more chance of getting some rest.