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"Pregnancy and Labor"

About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Maternity unit Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Women's outpatient clinics and investigations

(as the patient),

We have advised from the beginning of my third pregnancy that after my previous labor only being 29minutes that this one will be even shorter. My community midwife was amazing and suggested asking at my consultant appointments for an induction as I was clearly concerned about having this baby in the house/car. My consultant refused to induce me before nearly 39 weeks, even after I explained my anxiety about having her quickly and early, my baby was born in the house as a result of not having enough time.

I was also told by a triage midwife on the phone that I was just stressed and emotional when I called about my blood pressure after previously having preeclampsia and being high risk because of this. I had a midwife at the high risk clinic tell me that it was my own fault that my baby wasn’t growing quickly enough as I wasn’t eating for 2. The same clinic I sat crying on my own in a waiting room as I wasn’t allowed my husband with me and my scan said that my baby wasn’t growing much at all.

To make matters worse my daughter tested positive for COVID-19 the week before I was due to actually be induced, I was then advised that this meant the induction would be postponed and if the baby came before that my husband wouldn’t be allowed to be there if he tested positive and it was possible that he wouldn’t be allowed even as negative as he was to be self isolating - this was also very distressing.

When we arrived at labor ward with the paramedics we were greeted with them saying oh, she’ll just need to go into room 9. We were treated like this for the rest of our 5 hours in the hospital, people shouting from the door so they didn’t need to put on an apron, making excuses to not bring in water. We didnt want to be there anyway after already having our daughter in the house, but we had to be to have her checks done - we were treated horribly and just wanted to get home. I wasn’t going to share my experience as I really just wanted to move on but I really hope that no one else has to be made to feel the way I was.

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Responses

Response from Gail Bell, Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children, NHS Forth Valley 2 years ago
Gail Bell
Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children,
NHS Forth Valley
Submitted on 03/06/2021 at 17:11
Published on Care Opinion at 17:11


Dear k8d2

I hope your little girl is doing well and big sister is enjoying her new role.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story with us. I am sorry and disappointed to read of your poor experience in our care especially at what should have been a wonderful time for you and your family.

Covid has impacted on all of our lives in some form but has been especially hard for our mums-to-be so having the experience you describe with our team must have been upsetting.

You must have been so worried when your little girl tested positive. I hope she has made a full recovery.

It was however good to hear that your community midwife was amazing, thank you.

I know you are keen that this doesn’t happen again so I wondered if you would like to contact me so that I can look in to your care and share with those involved so that we can learn and staff understand the impact of their actions.

I can be contacted via email on gail.bell@nhs.scot or via telephone on 01324567484.

I hope this will help you move on as you said above and that you can look forward to all of the exciting, fun-filled times that lie ahead with your wee girls.

Kindest regards
Gail

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