"Overall I've had a fantastic level of care"

I recently gave birth to my first baby at Wishaw General Hospital. My maternity care has been provided under the community midwife programme "Best Start. I cannot fault the care I have received throughout my pregnancy from my assigned  Midwife. My midwife has been a consistent source of support throughout, making me feel comfortable & at ease from the very first appointment, offered valuable advice and kept me very well informed throughout. In light on the current Covid situation, I felt fearful & concerned through the later stages of my pregnancy, my midwife kept in regular contact, reassuring me & keeping me well informed of any changes etc. The one to one midwife care I received has without a doubt made my pregnancy experience a more positive one especially in the correct situation.

However, when labour started it was confirmed at my routine midwife appointment that day. When things progressed I made contact with the "on call" midwife who was already at a delivery with another patient. After being advised to contact maternity triage directly, I did so expecting to be greeted with the same compassion & understanding as I had with the community team. That wasn't the case, I was questioned regarding what level my pain was at, to be told throughout the telephone conversation I didn't sound like I'd had any pain or even contractions. Which was not the case. I felt I wasn't being taken seriously and was belittled. Being advised that it's was my first bay, things would be slow, if I came in my partner would be sent away etc. I was shocked, at my most vulnerable I expected to be taken seriously and be treated with some compassion. It was later confirmed that I was in fact ready for hospital and in early stages of labour. I felt nervous arriving at the ward due to the uncomfortable & unpleasant manner I was greeted with when calling. However, that was not the case. My experience with the team was fantastic, the assigned midwife was lovely & took great care of me until the "Best Start" on call midwife took over, who just happened to be my own midwife. 

Overall I've had a fantastic level of care provided, especially my midwife but I do feel the admission to hospital was upsetting and an experience that could have been avoided.