"Great midwifes, terrible doctors"

I was admitted 5 days before my due date with pre-eclampsia. The antenatal unit was clean, and the midwifes were absolutely lovely. However after I was admitted the hospital became extremely busy and I felt forgotten. All of the doctors were locums and I never saw the same one twice. Had it been a straightforward birth I think it would have been fine, but as it was, after my waters broke i was left for 72 hours before a midwife said we needed to insist I was to go for a C-section.

I had been for several appointments at Burton hospital prior to this to discuss an existing condition I have, and it was decided that I was to be given 10 times the normal amount whilst in labour and after I had the baby. However after my C-section, despite me insisting this to be the case, they could not find the notes, and so was only given a single dose for the next 2 days until they found the notes, which led to me developing a serious infection.

I was also given a telling off in the middle of the night by a night matron for falling asleep whilst breast feeding, which as an ill, new mother with no support and trying their best, was devastating. I discharged myself after being in hospital for 2 weeks, and had to carry on injecting myself at home for another week.

August 2010