"My experience left me feeling isolated on the ward"

I had my baby over a year ago in BDGH. I had a great problem-free pregnancy.

I had a "show" at 6am the morning I had my little one. I had a midwife visit that day at 3pm so I waited for the visit. When I got to the practice I told my midwife that I had applied my TENS machine at 12noon because the pain was very uncomfortable. While I was being examined I had a further contraction which I was told was tightenings and not a contraction. Despite the fact that I was having contractions every 3-6minutes apart and the fact that I required the use of a TENS; the midwife still did not give me an internal examination. I was booked in for a membrane sweep the following day. I was full term plus 5days and was sent home. This was my first baby so i wasn't sure what to expect. Four hours later my Son was born (nearly on the bathroom!).

I think that if i had been examined internally that i would have been dilated enough to have gone straight to the labour ward.

When I got to the labour ward I delivered within ten minutes. I handed over my birthing plan but this was put to one side. My husband is a paramedic and we had agreed that he was going to cut the umbilical cord. This was not considered at all. The midwives were ending their shift and my husband and I both felt that we had been rushed. We were not kept informed; I was not asked if I wanted Syntocin I was just given it! I know this sounds crazy but the first I knew about this was when the Midwife was taking the needle away.

When transferred onto the postnatal ward the first thing they said to my husband was "Visiting is over, we'll have to kick you out soon". Half an hour later that is just what they did. I was left with this little bundle, still shell shocked. What a great start to family bonding!

A midwife came up to me once during the night and palpated my uterus, said "that's fine" and left. That first night I felt so alone and isolated. I felt that the midwives in general were very rude. I wish that I would have self-discharged it was that isolating.