"Terrible postnatal ward experience"

Despite receiving good antenatal care, especially for a pregnancy complication which I experienced, my stay on the postnatal ward has left me with PTSD. I had a very long labour due to induction which was necessary because of my complication. I waited 8 hours for an epidural as only one anaesthesist was available - i was in agony.

After I'd given birth, I experienced a severe, uncommon complication and the midwives on postnatal ward treated me as if I was a nuisance - they had no idea how to deal with me and discharged me without a plan of action, having spent 3 nights on the ward. I was transferred to St Mary's as no one at Queen Charlotte's knew what to do with me. In the month after giving birth, as well as going to St Mary's for my main complication, I had to keep going back to Queen Charlotte's for other postnatal complications. Fortunately I was treated with respect by some of the registrars and consultants who came across me - they empathised that I was suffering from so many issues. But I can't let go of the fact that my postnatal stay was the most humiliating and traumatising experience.

In terms of antenatal care, waits are very long for appointments, I had one bad experience with a sonographer who was extremely cold. The other sonographers I came across were lovely though.

I had great care from one of the five midwives whilst in labour (who I later found out was very newly qualified) so I'm very grateful to her