"Maternity unit needs work!"

I chose to have my baby at sharoe green unit as it was my closest hospital. During my pregnancy I was given a strep b warning & was told I would need antibiotics in labour. When I finally went into labour I came to the hospital after having a bleed. They checked everything and said all was ok but my contractions weren't close enough together so I was sent home with pain relief and told to come back when 3 contractions in 10 min. 12 hrs in labour at home later and contractions were v painful and close together. My husband rang the maternity unit and told them my situation. Not only was he not listened to when he told them I had just had 2 contractions in 5 mins but was asked if I could hold on for another hour! He said no and told them we were coming in. When we arrived at the hospital, my waters broke outside and I struggled to get inside. I told the person at reception who I was and that I needed to go to delivery suite for antibiotics for strep b. I was sent to walk to the lift (contractions coming every 2 mins) and up to the second floor where I wad greeted by confused looks of "who are you?" and "you're in the wrong place, go back down to triage." I was obviously in a lot of pain and was not offered a wheel chair and had to struggle back to the lift again. When we got to triage I was put in a waiting area. At this point I told my husband I couldn't go any longer and to get someone. When he went out he found the staff talking amongst each other & not making any effort to deal with me, knowing that I was in advanced stages if labour. My husband shouted at them that I needed help and they were shocked when I told them the baby was coming. They asked again why I needed antibiotics (that should have been on my maternity records, which they never asked me for) by the time they got me back to delivery suite it was too late for antibiotics or pain relief and my daughter was born 6 minutes later. My daughter was taken away and given antibiotics which meant we had to stay in for 3 days. I have no concerns about the care I received during my pregnancy or after my baby was born. It was the lack of concern during my labour up until I gave birth that I have a problem with. I have also received a letter saying test results taken from a sample from my baby at the hospital have come back and my baby may need treatment. This is almost 3 months after the sample was taken! I realise that test results can take a while to come through but 3 months is ridiculous! It is due to these accumulation of reasons that I have decided that any future children I have will not be born at Preston hospital.