"A mixed experience with some shining stars."

I’ve had a mixed experience of Oldham maternity services with shining stars in the community midwives and the labour ward so I’ll take each part in turn;

Anti-natal clinic: Some receptionists quite rude and abrupt but the midwives, junior doctors and sonographers we encountered were all lovely.  To say I was high risk and supposedly under consultant care I never actually saw the consultant, they passed on their plans through midwives or junior doctors which was frustrating when they passed on the thinking they wanted to induce me if I passed my due day due to thoughts baby was big.  It would have been nice to have been able to challenge and ask questions directly.  Due to this and some other concerns I eventually agreed to a sweep at 38 +6 and baby came spontaneously at 39 weeks weighing 8lb 1oz, so not excessively big after all.  I was aware inductions/interventions are not always benign and had questions to ask.

Triage : Due to being high risk and having what I perceived to be reduced fetal movements I ended up going quite regularly to the triage unit for monitoring at the end of my pregnancy.  I had felt throughout that medics had wanted to pressurise me into interventions more out of covering themselves than through weighing up the risks and giving both sides of the evidence, so I could make an informed choice, it was my own research that allowed me to do that. I found most of the midwives on this unit to be of a very medicalised model and things were done to, rather than with me.  As a fellow healthcare professional I wanted to know at all times what was going on and not to be patronised. 

Labour Ward: I was really lucky with the staff that worked with me on the day. The midwives did a brilliant job along with the anaesthetist. I felt like I was quite a difficult patient but one midwife in particular was calm and collected and just got on with the task. I can’t believe they are so good after being relatively newly qualified and they have a very bright career ahead of her as long as conditions in the NHS allow her to develop, flourish and feel valued.  It would be a shame to let good midwives like this get jaded by the system.

When it became clear we would need an instrumental delivery under a spinal all staff pulled together very quickly to open and staff a second theatre.  The ODP and the anaesthetist were both really reassuring and the consultant also.  I can’t fault them on my episiotomy, never has it been painful.

Post Natal Ward: Again some nice staff but very disjointed and disorganised at times which reflects on the current pressures within the NHS.  Getting answers to any questions about blood results etc. was very difficult.  On a couple of occasions I was told mine and babies IV anti-biotics could probably stop after the next set of bloods and then when they weren’t there was little explanation about what still needed to happen. Upon being ready for discharge an item had been missed from my take home medications which delayed us further when already frustrated.

My baby had a tongue tie and when asking for breast feeding support I was given conflicting information about how much this could affect feeding and the response seemed to be just to place baby a bit more firmly on the breast each time instead of understanding the complexities of the condition.

Community Midwives: My Shaw community midwives have been the shining stars of my experience.  All I can say is that they are good examples of working with people rather than simply doing to them.  They present all sides of a case when there is a decision to be made and support you voicing your opinions. They are problem solvers and are warm and kind whilst doing it.

The only slight gripe is that some of the other community staff should be reminded to introduce themselves when they have never met you before.