"Child birth"

In May 2019 I went to Lister hospital feeling pains as I was 9 months pregnant and felt I was ready for child birth, (1st birth) I had a difficult pregnancy and had miscarried before so I was very conscious about all the feelings I had.

I arrived mid day and the midwife told me to go back home as my water hadn't broke and I hadn't lost my mucus plug. I told her I felt pain and she gave me pain relief and said I had to go home, I wasn't ready, I forced her to check and she found I was 3cm dialated and still insisted I go home. I then said no and she went out to look for a waiting room where I could sit as I couldn't stay in the ward.

She was gone for 30 minutes and I started feeling more pain and urges to push. I then lost my mucus plug within those 30 minutes, I called her and she said that's normal I should still go home. I told her im not going anywhere and she should check again. Reluctantly she checked and I was 8cm dialated already and baby was coming without breaking the waters I started pushing and had minimal assistance and I had no idea what to do. After about 30 to 45 minutes baby was delivered, he was not breathing at first but he was okay after going under the light and other midwives coming to attend to him. I had to get injected twice to get the placenta out.

The midwife then said I had tore and she was unable to stitch me because there was too much blood, so I was left unattended while she looked for someone else to stitch me, didn't change the sheets and I sat in a pool of blood for a very long time. I then had another midwife come in and try to stitch me up but said she failed and I needed to change beds. Waited another hour for a bed, still bleeding and legs open and naked. Then I changed beds and another doctor came, failed again to stitch and said they needed better lighting, do I needed to change rooms. I waited again, blood was pooling. I asked why it was taking so long, I had delivered at 4 and it was now 7 and they said its handover now so I have to wait for the next doctor.

The doctor came and went straight in with any anesthesia and I was crying, they stopped and told me to shut up or else they won't be able to help me, they said " what are you crying for? I will not deal with you and you will not get stitched" my husband was so upset and angry, they then walked out and told another midwife to tell me that they have to take me to theatre because I tore so much inside and outside and it was pretty bad. I asked if I could get a different doctor and they said no.

I then went to theatre just after 8 and at this point I was tired and in pain and swollen. I then spent another hour trying to get spinal anesthetic which they kept failing and my leg kept twitching.  Finally after 9 they started stitching and the rude doctor was stitching and still failed and called another consultant who then finally stitched me up, put a vaginal pack and catheter and sent me to recovery at midnight. I had lost almost 2 litres of blood and had reached over 24 hours with no food. I was not allowed to eat for another 24 hours and I couldn't walk and I had to breastfeed a new born and wake up with him. I then asked the nurse for some milk or formula for my baby as I was so tired and I couldn't breastfeed and she said No, we do that, find someone to go buy formula and bottles. No empathy, no care.

I then had to be moved to another ward where I requested a private room (I made it clear I was aware of the cost) and I was told No its too far for us to get to you. I needed help with the baby and the private room would enable my husband to stay and help with the baby unlike the cubicle we were in. At this point I was fed up and so drained. I had to get blood transfusions. I was ignored multiple times and wasn't told anything. I later discovered that I was stitched up in a way that left me "deformed" down there. They didn't even bother to tell me.

Because of all this I question if I had gone home when they said my child and I would both be dead.

Their excuse when I asked was they were short staffed that's why it took so long. The rude doctor has had complaints before and they would speak to them. 

I found this very unacceptable and when I made a formal complaint they twisted the notes and made me seem crazy whereas I remember everything. They just said we will train better etc. That doesn't change what they did to me. 

I can never imagine doing this again and I wish they see this and realise how bad my care was. Its not fair that I trusted someone with the most important day of my life and this was their response.  If you aren't compassionate and caring dont do this job. You have to have a heart and these people showed no signs of having one, especially that doctor.