"The operating team for my emergency ..."

What I liked The operating team for my emergency C Section - faultless. And the wonderful midwife who looked after me through my pregnancy. What could be improved? The maternity ward, full stop. Its a disgrace. Anything else? had my baby at Leighton Hospital in July 2007. I went 14 days past my due date and on admission to the maternity ward to be induced. I had to wait for 2 days for a slot in the labour ward as it was full. The first epidural was didn't work & the midwife and anaesthetist argued about it in front of me. Then I needed an emergency C section (this part of the birth was absolutely fantastic - I cannot praise and thank everyone highly enough for the speed and care). It was the time on the maternity ward after the section which was horrible. On the first day I did not know I was lying on a pad to soak up the blood and I was not given food or offered a drink or the pad changed until nearly 12 hours after the section - I was asked how many times I had changed my pad that day and that was the first time I knew I had one. I was lying in my own blood all that day unaware of this. The ward was packed and very noisy and the staff were visibly stressed & bad tempered. My catheter was not changed until it burst all over the floor. I was tired & unable to sleep for the first 24 hours and when I asked if my son could be taken to the creche for an hour I was told no it was full. I ended up with my son in my arms for the first two days because I could not get up to change him as I was so sore and stiff and was frightened to push the help button because some of the midwives were so hostile. I got no help about breastfeeding which I struggled with and gave up and switched to bottles (I didn't know there was a breastfeeding room until my last day). On the first opportunity I had to sleep which was about 36 hours after the birth I was woken at midnight for blood tests. During my stay the midwives did not realise the IV in my hand had slipped out of the vein and so injections were painful as they were going into my flesh not my vein. There were also painters and decorators on the ward. It was chaotic, noisy, unfriendly & I felt as though I was a nuisance.