"My birth experiences"

I was induced with my son in September 2019. My original induction date was a week earlier due to reduced fetal movements, I had been regularly monitored at DGH and was favourable enough for them to sweep before the induction date, due to there being no consultants available I would need to go to AMH for a full induction. So I finally got a phone call for my induction and was told to be in Aberdeen within 3 hours, so We dropped the lunch I’d just made, grabbed everything and hopped in the car. It was a very busy journey into AMH due to traffic & I remember thinking “I’m so glad I’m not in labour just now”.

No balloon was needed so I waited for a space on the labour ward to get my waters broken, 2/3 days later I finally got one. I will say that the labour midwives were fantastic, cannot fault them! However I had a failed epidural, the cannulas they put into my arm had to be replaced 6 times because they kept falling out - I had a clubbed left hand by the end and the episiotomy for forceps went wrong; causing a large haemorrhage: luckily I didn’t need a transfusion. The postnatal care was awful in AMH, full lack of support.. though I don't feel that this was down to rudeness or lack of ability.. they were just so so busy that I’m not sure they remembered I was there half the time. I saved my mental health by demanding to be transferred to DGH the next day to finish out my postnatal.

My second child was born March 2021, after the negative birth experience in 2019 I pushed to be allowed to birth my daughter in DGH - despite a trauma PPH with my first. I was told this was possible but not recommended and I would be doing so against the consultant advice - even though he himself said my previous PPH did not increase my risk this time. Around 36 weeks I began experiencing false labour every few days for many weeks - always being passed off as BH contractions. I was in DGH for monitoring twice as the false labour was restricting the foetal movement, this led to being offered an induction. I was absolutely terrified of going back into AMH and persuaded DGH to allow me an early sweep as the induction was booked anyway - I wanted so badly to be at DGH. But I was told that as I was booked for induction that I would have to be AMH due to my previous PPH. The only thing needed for the induction was for my waters to be broken - something that DGH midwives are capable of.

My induction call came a day late after midnight on my due date & I made my way to AMH. I will say my experience this time was much more positive, however had DGH had the resources available to birth there my experience would have been perfect as my husband, who had to stay at home with my son, could have attended with me instead of my sister in law. Or at the very least could have visited in DGH rather than meeting his daughter for the first time when I returned home the following day. Overall the anxiety I experienced on the lead up to the birth and the travel required for the birth could have been avoided with adequate resources in DGH.