"Grateful my baby was born safe but angry with the Hospital "

The first 8months of my pregnancy was great and I enjoyed being pregnant so much!

On my due date My local midwife (not from Peterborough) came to give me a sweep, however she checked my blood pressure first and it was sky high so she had to refer me to the hospital, They thought I had suspected Pre-eclamptic toxaemia (PET) so I was in and out of hospital all week so they could check my blood pressure and monitor my baby. Going back and fourth to the hospital worried me so much and I barely slept a wink! On the Saturday they took some bloods and sent me home with the all clear saying that they would contact me if there were any concerns with the blood results. Finally, I thought, I could enjoy the last few days of my pregnancy! But i was wrong.

On Monday I got a call from the hospital asking me to come in ASAP because there was concern with my bloods. They did want me in Sunday but they lost my notes so they couldn’t call me. When I arrived at the hospital I was waiting 2-3 hours ( I do understand that they are very busy and this isn’t there fault) But when I finally got called in they had no idea what I was there for, but they wanted me in?

After the doctor spoke to someone else she came back and told me I had suspected Obstetric Cholestasis. But they never explained what this meant or if it would affect my baby. They did however give me a sweep and said they would induce me on the Thursday and sent me home.

I beat induction and went into labour on Tuesday night, went to the hospital Wednesday early morning. I was 4cm dilated so I asked for an epidural which I was given straight away (this is one thing I was pleased with). Half an hour later they said I was 9cm dilated so would get me to push at 9- which I did for two hours and I was yelling at the midwife saying its not working I don’t think I am ready but she wouldn’t listen. I was getting more and more tired so she went and got the Dr who checked me and told me i wasn’t even fully dilated and me pushing was making my cervix swollen and thicker.

Within 5mins my baby’s heart rate dropped so they had to perform an emergency c-section- which was so scary- when I was on my own laying on the table getting prepped they didn’t even reassure me. Luckily my baby was fine and weighed a healthy 8lbs 7oz! My gorgeous little boy!

Un my opinion the after care I received was awful!- I was on a ward with 3 other new mummies who had normal births and the midwifes didn’t even know I had a c-section! I couldn’t even pick my baby out of the cot to fed or change him so I had to buzz the button each time he cried, some midwifes were fine with this but others made me feel like I was just being lazy and bothering them.

I was told to give my baby 30-40ml of milk (just over an oz) which didn’t fill up my 8lb 7oz baby at all so I gave him about 3oz but got "told off" for over feeding him. I begged to go home because it was really upsetting me being stuck in there. Even though I was in agony I knew if I went home I would be surrounded by people who cared and wouldn’t mind helping out. So on the Saturday I came home, but when leaving I asked for some pain killers and I was in agony which they replied get some paracetomol over the counter- there cheap enough. For me, they don’t even get rid of a headache let alone subside the pain of surgery.

When my local midwife came to see me (who is great) asked what pain killers I was on and she was horrified that I had been sent home with nothing and no wonder I was having a really hard time. So she ordered me some strong pain killers which were like a god send!

its now 3weeks since I had my baby and the thought of what happened still really upsets me and makes me very angr!- if I was checked for dilation again I wouldn’t have been told to push so I think that it would of never ended up in a c-section.

However I am grateful my baby was born safe but I’m still angry with Peterborough hospital.