After being induced and giving birth to my little boy I spent four nights on the maternity ward (can't remember which ward number). During the very long and difficult labour the midwives and doctors I came in contact with were amazing and I can not fault their care at all.
However, it was a different story on the maternity ward. Reasons below:
- During the four nights I were there I never saw the same midwife twice, each and every shift there was a different midwife. Surely for continuity of care it would make sense that the midwifes would spend an amount of time on one ward before moving to the next.
- Each midwife on shift would also give conflicting advice, whether it was about feeding my baby, the care of my baby or my recovery following epidural/forceps.
- Once I had made the very hard decision to formula feed my baby due to baby not latching onto the breast after trying for 2 days and becoming dehydrated, I felt I was then just forgotten and I was not given any advice on how to feed/how much to feed my baby with using the bottle.
- The cleanliness of the toilet and shower was dismal, I understand a hard job to keep up with when there are 6 patients who have just given birth relying on the one toilet. But when in recovery myself and super aware of the importance of good hygiene, cleaning down the toilet and shower prior to using them wasn't something I felt I should be doing.
- I felt one of the midwife assistants was not very approachable or helpful, I was given the third degree when I politely asked if my bed sheet could be changed, which was hardly changed at all during my full stay.
- I felt my dignity was also forever being compromised each morning when the cleaner/food server would walk in around 7am and pull every ones curtains back, without asking first!
- I had no room for my belongings around my bed, I could not get into the cupboard due to the bed being in the way and could not move the bed otherwise I would have been in the next patients space. This also caused the cleaner some annoyance due to my belongings being on the floor and her being unable to clean around my bed properly without me having to lift my belongings onto the bed each time.
- I was given pain killers but never did the midwives explain to me what I was getting and why.
- Why do the midwives want to check you over in the middle of the night and also take the baby away to be checked in the night. I've never heard of other hospitals carrying out this procedure routinely during the night. For example, I was asked to call for the midwife when baby wakes for a feed in the night, so she could take him away prior to feed to be checked. I did what she asked but I guess due to checking other babies, she did not get to me for an hour and by which time I had fed my baby and lay him back to sleep.
I understand services are stretched but I just feel care could be improved if there was continuity of care, better communication between staff and patents and if patient's dignity was considered important by all staff. I hope my story will help you to consider future improvements to the service.
"Maternity Ward Experience"
About: Glasgow Royal Infirmary / Maternity care Glasgow Royal Infirmary Maternity care G4 0SF
Posted by myexperience (as ),
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