"My stay at Royal Oldham Hospital - from Antenatal to postnatal"

So... I was just over 37 weeks pregnant when I arrived at in the evening due to contractions, baby moving slightly less than normal and feeling like my waters may have broke. After checks by 3 midwives (due to handover and a Dr, I was given pain killers and sent home at midnight, told to come back at early the next morning for a scan.

The next day, scan showed baby was fine but my contractions increased. I was eventuality moved to a room in Antenatal and told I’m in early labor. I felt like my contractions were increasing but I was repeatedly told to take pain killers- is this to delay the inevitable? ?

Anyway, here’s my main feedback.

1. Builders were right outside our Antenatal room (1st floor). Lots of drilling, dust came in when windows were open and very noisy (a lot of swearing too) staff unable to change room due to lack of rooms, even though we saw vacant rooms on same floor.

1b. Staff were reluctant to take us to labor room. I feel like they were very much keen on tactically managing contractions with pain killers to delay transfer to labor due to staff/room shortage. I got the impression labor ward was a very reactive place where they only take in emergencies (mothers who are literally about to give birth).

2. Postnatal staff were inconsistent in their communication with patients. e. g. some say they will store our baby milk in fridge (which they did first 3 days) and some say no - it’s against policy and we should refer to the policy online.

3. Postnatal staff handover wasn’t always clear. Though this has improved after complaining, initially staff weren’t informing us who the midwife is that would be looking after us when their shift started.

4. For people staying more than a couple of days and where conditions means plenty of light is required, I think the hospital should provide a room. We requested this numerous times. Only to be told first that ‘we will try when one becomes available’ then 2 days later being ‘educated’ on why ‘Jaundice doesn’t really require daylight’ by a Dr.

5. Everyone has a different opinion! Our baby is still under phototherapy for Jaundice. One Dr said he should be under the light for 6-8 hrs(or 10-12hrs in severe cases). Which is fine, until another blood test is done, Jaundice is slightly lower but then told baby should be under the light for 12hrs this time on the advice of another Dr!

I will add that some staff are extremely caring and do go out of their way to provide the best of care. However, given the above, I feel there is a lot of room for improvement.