"Unacceptable and completely unprofessional"

I was admitted to be induced at 40+3 weeks due to reduced movements. Agreeing to this was my first mistake, take the induction information leaflet with a pinch of salt because it’s certainly not as easy as it makes out.

On the Saturday night, the day I was admitted, I was told by the doctor who examined me after my third pessary that they would be able to break my waters the next day, by the morning I was getting a completely different story. The midwife who then examined me the following day (Sunday) told me that the doctor had got it wrong and that the doctors opinion of how dilated and favourable my cervix was, was completely different to theirs. Surely medical care cannot be down to a matter of opinion. I mean, a centimetre is a centimetre?!

Needless to say this palaver went on until the Tuesday morning, I had the full 6 pessary process, I was then rudely awoken at 6.20am by a member of staff on the induction ward, told to get all my things I was going down to get my waters broken. In a panic I phoned my husband who made it into the AMU for 7am… what was the rush. My waters weren’t then broken until 3pm. So why was I woken and told to hurry? Thank goodness for my one wonderful midwife. She supported me by listening to my frustrations, making both my husband and I feel really comfortable and helped get our day in before she could break my waters and start me on the hormone drop. 

The rest of the Tuesday is all a bit of a blur, thanks gas & air. I remember my midwife ending her shift and I was then being looked after by a student midwife. All I remember was a staff member continually saying in my opinion she’s over contracting the room seemed to be flooded with people, I got taken off the drip and eventually got an epidural to ease the pain of the constant contractions.

The rest of the birth of my wonderful son is a complete blur. I had an emergency section in the small hours of the Wednesday and both midwife and the student midwife were incredible. I cannot fault them at all. In fact my only complains are of those midwives who are on the ward.

After my section, I was told I would be kept in until I could pass urine. I had my catheter removed in the afternoon. I was continually told by one midwife to drink the jug of water so I could pass urine and get home the next morning. Jug after jug after jug… I only wish I could remember the midwife’s name… constantly being told to drink the water but nothing was passing. I was in AGONY - doubled over in pain. Of course I was, the water was stuck. My bladder wasn’t working. I was then given an in/out catheter to void the urine. There was 1800ml emptied from my bladder. It had swollen to three times roughly the size of what it should have been. Surely after the first jug of water not voiding they should have realised something was wrong? I can’t be the only person in AMU who has had this problem?

The next day was spent going back and forth of drinking jug after jug of water and needing in/out catheters. On the Thursday night I was given a more permanent catheter, I was told that I would only have it for 12 hours and it would be removed at 11am the next day (Friday) I agreed to this. The next morning 11am came and went, nobody removed it. I asked the question and was told by the midwife I charge it wouldn’t be removed and I would have it in for a week. I wasn’t told this, if I had been I would have requested another in/out catheter instead. Needless to say the catheter was removed as per my request and as per what I was told. Later that afternoon, EVENTUALLY, I passed urine.

Through the night I asked for a bottle of formula for my baby, he was screaming, I had been expressing colostrum as per my plan and wish to exclusively breastfeed. But this wasn’t working at the time. The same midwife told me they needed me to be aware of the decision I was making giving him a bottle of formula… yes the decision to feed my child… I am not a stupid young girl. I know what I was doing.

During my discharge, a senior member of staff told me they ad never been as glad to see a patient go home as they was with me as I was the worst patient they had ever dealt with. Now I presume this was tongue in cheek. But for a first time mum, who had an emergency section, has been separated from her family for 6 days with only 30 min visits from her husband… know you’re audience. Absolutely not the right time or place. Unacceptable and completely unprofessional.

If it wasn’t for the 3 lovely midwives my whole experience would have been tainted by the incompetence of some other members of staff. All the surgical staff were incredible and I can’t thank them and the 3 midwives enough for getting my baby boy here safe and sound.