"Maternity services review"

I gave birth at the Whittington Hospital in September 2017 and feel that I should share my review in order to help others.

Firstly, the midwife led care before I had my baby by the community midwives was good. I didn't always see the same person (as others have said they did) but all of the midwives I saw were fantastic, reassuring, kind and took a lot of time at each appointment to help answer any questions, reassure or advise.

I went to triage a few times during my pregnancy and, despite often having to wait a long time, the people there were very caring and helpful. I think if you are prepared to go there and wait then that's fine. Go in and expect to be seen immediately, then you will be stressing yourself out! best thing to remember is if they see you first then you're an emergency. I would much prefer not to be seen first and not be an emergency!!

I was admitted into the birth centre and really enjoyed my time there and the midwive who looked after me. Sadly during my labour, my baby's heart rate started dropping and so I was rushed to labour ward. All of the doctors, nurses and midwives here were phenomenal. Eventually my baby was delivered by forceps and episiotomy and throughout the whole process (which was very scary), we were treated very well by all of the team and I will be forever grateful to them for their care of me, my baby and my husband.

The recovery ward was very quiet (it was 4am) and we only met one midwife there, but she was very kind and helped to show us how to dress our baby and put nappy on (sounds stupid now, but we needed it!)..

Sadly that's when the positive experiences start to come to an end. I was transferred to Murray Ward as there were no beds on Cellier. I was hardly seen at all during my time on Murray Ward. TO the point that my catheter bag was completely full up and nearly burst. I then got transferred to Cellier late at night and the experience did not get any better there. I was not given any meaningful support with breasfteeding and would go hours and hours without seeing a midwife. It got to the point where I was concerened as my baby had slept all day and not fed (I had been told to feed her whenever she woke up). I asked a midwife for help and she said "I am just eating some cake and I will then come". She then came over an hour later.

I received so many conflicting pieces of advice on breastfeeding that I left the ward none the wise on how to actually feed my baby. Then when I was back home & the midwife came to do the three day weigh in, my baby had lost 11.6% of her body weight and I had to take her to A&E (where I then received amazing care).

I just felt that the midwives on Cellier were really overstretched, but that some of them really didn't seem to care. I feel that their information on breastfeeding needs to be more consistent between the midwives as, if it had been, perhaps I would have avoided having to go back to A&E with my baby having lost too much weight.

Disappointing