"Not impressed!!!"

My experience of the maternity unit at this hospital is very poor. I went in to be induced due to reduced movements and babies heart rate kept dropping, 3 days later they broke my waters. I only saw 3 midwives more than once during my 8 day stay, the midwife that was with me in the delivery suite was brilliant, I wished they had been able to stay to see my child born but their 12 hour shift was over.

My delivery did not go to plan and was rushed into theatre, the theatre staff were absolutely amazing and considering the situation they helped put me at ease.

After my child was here I went back to the ward where a midwife said they would help me get to grips with breast feeding and gave me my child and then walked off and left me to it after being in labour for 18 hours I was exhausted and just needed some guidance but I never got it.

After my surgery I was bedbound for 2 days and I had to rely on the midwives to change/feed and dress my child, some of the midwives appeared to be inconvenienced by this yet others could not of been more helpful.

Also my child was on antibiotics and needed to visit the special care baby unit twice a day for her medication, on 1 visit a sister spoke to me about "safe sleeping" and told me that what I was doing was wrong, when I said I am following what the midwives have been doing they didn't care. I left that unit in tears being made to feel like I was a terrible mother, I then spoke to a midwife who had been caring for my child less 5 hours after going onto the ward.

They then told me that some staff have a different way of caring for babies and that they don't always now how to talk to people. They did re-assure me that I was doing everything right and that I should not worry, however the damage had been done.

During my stay I liked to have my cubicle curtains closed as I am a very private person yet some of the midwives chose to ignore this and kept opening the curtains, not only that they didn't ask they just did it and some where very rude.

Several midwives didn't read my notes when they came to my cubicle and expected me to explain things to them, whilst I understand there are busier times and sometimes it is not always possible to read everything but they should at least know the basics.

Not only that on the day I was discharged not 1 member of staff went through my medication with me and some of it was not labeled, it was a good job I knew what I had to take and when.

There was 1 midwife who's name I never got I can not say how amazing they were, they came and spoke to me on my day of going home and said they had gone through my notes and asked how I was feeling after all what I'd gone through. We spoke for ages and I said how my whole experience was ruined by several issues, they apologised and I said they didn't need to as it was to late.

When I left they came and said goodbye, hugged me and wished me all the best for the future. If only all the midwives were like this a lot could be improved!!!