"A very positive experience from scan to..."

What I liked

after a long and traumatic labour with my first baby I was really nervous about having baby number 2 so had an appointment with the Birth afterthoughts service. this helped me understand what happened first time round and made me realise things could be different this time.

I had a few visits to the day unit with pains & baby not moving and was always seen as soon as was possible and made to feel that I had done the right thing in getting checked out.

When I went in to labour the midwife I spoke to on the phone was very helpful and reassuring as was the lady that examined me when I arrived on the labour ward.

The midwives (one was a student) that looked after me during my labour we fantastic! The encouraged me when I'd had enough and delivered my baby & cared for me amazingly.

My birth experience was completely different this time round and I cannot fault the care at all.

My stay on Burley ward was only a 24 hour one and in this time both baby & I were cared for very well considering how short staffed they were that day.

Also, both my 12 & 20 week scan were a great experience - the sonographers were friendly, professional, thorough and explained everything in as much detail as they could.

What could be improved

My baby required 2 hourly observations but there was only 1 stethascope on the ward (burley) & I was told that there should have been 1 per cot. this is surely a basic item of medical equipment that each midwife should be issued with?