"Labour/Birth experience"

I gave birth at FVRH June 4th 2020 and wanted to share my story about my very positive experience in the labour ward at FVRH and more specifically about the amazing staff members who helped us during delivery - mainly our midwife Toni and our consultant obstetrician - Dorta (?) both of whom were fantastic.  I am sure all/the vast majority of staff in the labour and maternity wards are great, but we feel so very lucky with the staff we ended up receiving care from during our admission.

My baby was OP (back to back) so my labour was very tough as I was getting contractions for 5 days before our baby girl arrived and I was extremely tired and had no appetite and was nauseous for 3 days before being admitted so didn't feel best prepared when I finally was admitted into the labour ward.  We were actually admitted briefly to the labour ward the night before as it was thought that my waters had broken, but then it was decided this was not the case and I was discharged.  On this initial admission Toni was going to be the midwife in charge of our labour, and although we were only in the ward for a couple of hours, we could tell that Toni was fantastic - we clicked straight away as her manner and sense of humour is great, but she was also the perfect amount of being firm which I knew I'd need and I could tell she was very competent - so much so that myself and my husband both commented that we were very disappointed that Toni wouldn't be our midwife.

Fast forward just over 24 hours later at about 9pm and I am admitted as I'm 5cm dilated.  Toni is just going off shift, sees us coming in and says hi as I'm wheeled past.  It was nice to see her, but My husband and I both comment that we're disappointed she won't be our midwife.  However, at 7am (I think this is the time - I can't be sure exactly as I was a bit distracted!) at the shift change I am still in labour.  I have had an epidural and I am waiting to become 10cm dilated before "the final push". The midwives switch over and who walks in but Toni!  She immediately put us at ease with her confident manner and we were so right to be so confident and calmed by her!

On the final push, labour was not progressing.  Labour was a good mix of hard work, a bit of humour between all of us - Toni, myself and my husband - but also of Toni being firm as I was so very tired.  She was absolutely amazing and I should have mentioned that this is my first baby and first labour.  I didn't know what to do and didn't have a strict birth plan as I didn't want to have my heart firmly set on a plan, only to be devastated if it had to change.  The only thing I was sure of it I wanted to avoid a C-section if at all possible.

As we approached 50 minutes of active pushing, I was constantly asking if there was any progress, of which there wasn't much.  Again - I should have said - my epidural came out and although it was re-inserted and topped up, it wasn't working by the time of delivery and my morphine had worn off so I was on gas and air only and was in considerable pain.  Toni was so encouraging, but I was very tired and told her after trying for 50 minutes that I couldn't keep going and needed help.  Even though we'd been together only a couple of short hours, we had an understanding and great communication between us already.  I was pushing when she told me to and we'd been working together like that for a while.  Initially we'd had progress, but not any longer.  She didn't hesitate when I said this to her and went to get assistance from the obstetric consultant which I will always really appreciate - she knew when to push me and when not to and when to trust what I was saying, even though I was going by how I felt and didn't have experience of giving birth before.

When the obstetric consultant came in and performed an examination, she determined that our baby was lying OP (back-to-back) and that I'd need an assisted delivery -advising I'd need an episiotomy and ventouse delivery.  She is foreign and her name is pronounced Dorta?  I'm sorry I don't have any further details.  Again as soon as she arrived we were filled with confidence that she knew what she was doing.  Our baby girl arrived soon after this and it was such a relief after such a tough few days.  I'm so glad our girl arrived safe and well and that I avoided a C-section and don't feel this would have been the case without such incredible staff!!

My husband and I are so lucky and will be forever grateful to have had the staff helping us that we did - to Dorta who was great, and also to Toni who really was fantastic.  Our experience wouldn't have been the same without her as our midwife, we will remember her as part of our experience forever. She is a credit to your hospital.