"Poor labour experience"

First off, we were asked to come in at 1 to be induced, then told it was handover time so we should go and get a coffee or something until 2. Possibly the biggest day of our lives and if this is the case, why ask us to come in at 1? I was then given a pessary at around 2: 30pm and then ignored.

By around 1 am I was pacing the halls of the ward and asked to go for a bath as nobody was examining me and I was in a bit of pain by then. By 3 am I Was bed bound unable to talk and shaking from the pain and was repeatedly told I wasn’t in labour as I wasn’t having stomach pains (the baby was back to back). At around 4 am I was finally examined properly and was told I was 4cm dilated and would be moving to the labour ward. I had to wait until 8am to be moved to the labour ward to finally get some gas and air. I had asked for a room with a birth pool in my birth plan - this was ignored as the 2 Rooms were both sitting empty. There wasn’t even any mention of this and I was in so much pain I couldn’t talk.

At around 9: 30 I was fully dilated, then our daughter was delivered via forceps at 13: 33. I sent my partner home to sleep at around 21: 00. Changing and feeding our baby was made challenging by the position of my cannula due to my poor veins. At around midnight I was told I needed to pack up all of my things as I would be moving to ward 8.

I packed everything up without any help and then at 2: 30 am I was told to get out of bed and push our baby’s crib otherwise they would need to go get another member of staff to push her as well as pushing me in the bed.

We were discharged the next day. By Friday I was feeling unwell and bleeding heavily so phoned triage and was told to come back in. After being examined I was told I needed to stay in over night however my partner would need to go home. My cannula was now in the vein on the inside of my wrist so I was unable to even pick up our baby never mind care for her on my own. Thankfully I got my own room so my partner could stay and help.

The next morning an ultrasound revealed a large part of the placenta had been left in my uterus - is this not supposed to be measured after birth to ensure this doesn’t happen? ? Clearly it wasn’t in this case. Next I was told I would need surgery however I wouldn’t get the surgery until Sunday and would need to fast from midnight. I was breastfeeding so was anxious this would impair my milk supply. All day staff kept coming in to replace my water and give me menus - is there no communication at all? !

I had asked for my antibiotics to b get administered in a bag instead of direct into the cannula - this was also not communicated across the team and was extremely painful. At around 17: 05 I was told my surgery had been cancelled and would take place the following day - it’s a 10 minute procedure, I was repeatedly told how serious it was but obviously not serious enough.

By this point it was established my cannula had tissued so none of the antibiotics had even been going into my vein. I had also had to ask for a drip as I was becoming dehydrated from feeding - this had just been going into my arm, not the vein but nobody but me noticed until that evening. Just as I was getting my dinner a rude junior doctor came in to replace the cannula, I asked to wait until after my meal as I had been fasting all day and I have a real fear of needles. After being told this wasn’t an option and after 2 failed attempts in the same vein, they said she usually takes 3 attempts before giving up - it should’ve been in my notes I had poor veins and a fear of needles yet I was sent someone who had no bedside manner at all and was in my view incompetent.

An anesthesiologist later came in and got the cannula in on his first attempt, however was annoyed about having to come and do it and asked if I had poor veins why I had not been told to meet with an anesthesiologist before having my baby as there is some form of clinic available - again, I wasn’t told about this.

On the Monday morning, again I was given water and menus when fasting. At about 12 I was told I was next and told to get into a gown and my bed was taken away from my room. At just after 2 I was taken to theatre however I had to walk myself and the person taking me got lost and had to ask for directions from another member of staff. The operation was fine and I got sent home that afternoon after being told I didn’t need an anti D jag.

I asked 3 times if this was the case as I hate needles and didn’t want to come back. After being assured it was fine to go home, the next day I got 3 missed calls and was told to go up for an anti D jag. Without a doubt one of the worst experiences of my life and I hope nobody else has to go what I went through, and I’d say there were only 2 members of staff that spoke to me like I had any intelligence at all. There’s absolutely no need to talk to me like I’m stupid, it’s patronising and clearly bed side manner doesn’t matter in ward 8!