"Feeling abandoned after giving birth via EMCS"

I had a great experience in the central delivery suite despite a long, complex labour. However, my experience on the Percy Philips ward was dreadful. About 8 hours after an emergency C-section with my son, I was asked to get up at 4am, still with a catheter in and barely able to stand, and left to wheel my newborn son in his cot though the dark corridors, alone, to the NICU for medication. I felt utterly unsupported, terrified and physically vulnerable. I wondered if I was overreacting but on later telling this story to various friends who are doctors, midwives etc, they were appalled at this. I still feel traumatised by this experience today and this occurred two and half years ago.

I appreciate that staff were busy but I was in no fit state to be abandoned like that. It sadly coloured my memories of my early time with my son and I’m convinced that my state of anxiety and the lack of feeling supported contributed to my failure to make breastfeeding work, which is something I still feel upset about. Many staff were great but unfortunately one or two people let the entire team down. They seemed impatient when I rang the buzzer asking for help with feeding or asking to for help to lift my son after surgery.

I am still undecided about having another child but I would actively avoid Southmead after this experience as I still don’t think I could set foot in the postnatal ward without having a panic attack.