"Giving birth at Croydon University Hospital"

The whole experience started when I arrived in triage at approx 7am, I was suffering from tummy pain but also severe vomiting which had been going on for 48hrs. I was 37 weeks pregnant. When I arrived I was examined and told I was 2cm dilated but because of dehydration I needed to be admitted onto the antenatal ward, this is where my awful experience began. I was connected to a drip an d given antisickness injections over the course of the day my contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Every time the midwife came in she just kept saying I wasn’t in labour and that at 37 weeks going from 2cm could take weeks. I knew something wasn’t right but she wouldn’t listen as a first time mum I didn’t know and i trusted her opinion.

Once the drip had finished she just kept saying I needed to eat a piece of toast and go home, every time I ate the toast I was sick again, this went on and on all day. Despite my husband measuring contractions she still wouldn’t examine me to tell me progress. Finally it was shift handover; once completed the new midwife came in and went through my notes- the midwife who had left had written that I had contractions one every 20 minutes and was going home , at this point I was in so much pain I refused until someone examined me. It took much persuasion to get examined. Only for the first midwife to say ‘I’m not sure of my findings’ this was repeated 2 times each time by a more senior member of staff, only for them to find I was 10cm and was rushed to the labour ward. 

At this point I had been in the hospital for over 12 hours and suffering with no pain relief whatsoever and certainly not the positive birth experience I wanted!

Luckily my baby arrived safely albeit with some complications,had I have listened to that first midwife and gone home he probably wouldn’t be here now!