"Delivery Unit Amazing - Postnatal unit needs..."

I recently had my first baby at stoke & I rang MAU once in my pregnancy & once when my contractions started - on the phone MAU didn't seem that interested but when I went on to the unit the staff were lovely - I was then transferred to delivery & I cant thank the staff on there enough. My midwife & their student were both so lovely to us, they listened to what I wanted & went above and beyond to make me comfortable. The anaesthetist that did my epidural was brilliant and After a long labour my baby finally arrived via a forceps delivery, all the team worked great together!

Then I became poorly very quickly - I was conscious but not exactly alert, suddenly there were alot of doctors & nurses in my room putting needles in & fluids up - I was aware there was something not right but I knew all the staff were trying to help me. I went to theatre & my partner was left with our new baby. He told me he was supported by the midwives & they ensured my baby was fed & that he got to have skin to skin with her as I couldn't.

In theatre all the doctors, porters, nurses were amazing - banter the whole time keeping me relaxed.

Once out of theatre the theatre nurse had him bring my baby round & even though I had alot of things attached to me, blood, fluids & monitors, they gave me baby for skin to skin in recovery. I appreciated this so much!

I then spent one night on the HDU part of the delivery unit, I couldn't lift my baby up & I thought id be a burden to the midwives but they couldn't do enough for me- they didn't mind at all having to help me and even helped with trying to position baby to breastfeed.

The next day I was moved to the postnatal ward & this is where it went downhill. I ended up staying there 5 days & not once were my bed sheets changed - well they were but only as I did them myself. I think patients should at least be asked if they want their bed making up as you can feel pretty grim after giving birth. The meals were announced by someone shouting from the corridor & then after being in bed for 2 days and having major blood loss I had to make my way to the day room leaving baby unattended and line up like prisoners do for a cold meal. The choice of food is ok as far as hospitals go but only if its hot when you eat it.

Visiting is very strict - my parents cant drive at night but they were not allowed to come early (visiting is 6-9pm) My 8 year old nephew was also not allowed on the ward even for a second for my partner to take him for food while my sister visited.

I struggled with breastfeeding and it wasn't until the night staff were there that they helped me express and offered an electric pump.

A big issue I had was when a lovely midwife on my 6th night in hospital gave me a sideroom to get some rest, I was aware I may have to move back to a bay if needed, but the next morning I heard the day staff moaning about me being moved as I had to move back again. I appreciated that night so much & I found the night staff were far more helpful.