"Maternity services"

I had a difficult labour spiked a fever and then had real issues feeding my baby. I was on Wheel Fortune in RCH for seven days. 

Many of the midwives I saw were amazing. Very caring and I was well looked after in the early part of my labour. But the midwife who cared for me for the majority of the time was a really poor communicator. I realised things were going wrong (I could see the monitor) but they only really communicated when my birthing partners forced her to. The obstetrician and lead midwife kept coming in and they were communicating well with me but my main midwife didn’t tell me much. This heightened my feelings of anxiety. The care given was top but really needed to communicate with me and my birthing partners more who were equally concerned.

Wheel fortune was largely a very positive experience. The midwives and infant feeding team were always on hand and excellent. But it was the maternity support workers who really helped me. Not having visitors (due to Covid) was absolutely fine and they very much filled in the gap coming in and chatting to me and generally offering reassurance and support. Thank you!! But being on a ward was cruel. I was moved after a few days but the few days I was on the ward was hellish. I was only on a ward with one other lady and her baby but one night we were woken every 40 mins. I really feel wards in maternity services are inappropriate. You’re knackered as you’ve just been through labour plus you’re waking to feed every three hours if you don’t sleep in between it’s torturous. Once in a side room I requested that all visits were timed to coincide with me feeding and this made all the difference. I got decent(ish) rest and felt like i could cope. 

Once home the community midwives swung into action and were great generally in regards to our care but I was still really struggling to feed. I was advised to do top ups which I did but I really felt frustrated. The maternity support worker visited me twice but then made it quite clear that she couldn’t support me any more as I’d had my allocation. Due to Covid I couldn’t attend any peer support groups. They tried to help me online but feedings a kinaesthetic skill and to be honest as lovely as they were it wasn’t any help. I paid for a doula to come to my house and support me in the end. We got there but I worry that women who can’t afford private help would give up which (just reflecting on my friendship group) leads to feelings of failure. It was also nice to have the support of one person. I felt like everyone I saw gave me contradictory advice. I appreciate this is a result of funding and I feel frustrated for you. If we want more women to BF central government needs to fund postnatal services better I get that and realise it’s not your fault. You’re doing your best. 

Thanks for all everyone did for me. I feel privileged to live in a country with such phenomenal healthcare. My complaints in here are just points of reference, ideas on how my experience could be better which are shared in the hope they improve care but generally I came away from the experience feeling like I’d been very well cared for.