"Mary Ward"

The experience was very hit and miss depending on the staff that dealt with me.

Breastfeeding

I had my baby in SCBU and no-one came round to offer advice or ask me what my plans for feeding were. I had to get advice from Facebook.

One one occasion, I heard a dad approach a midwife concerned that he and his wife didn't know how much milk their newborn was getting and asked if giving a bottle of formula would be better. The midwife simply said 'yes, we can help with that, we can provide equipment and show you how to give formula. The dad went away reassured but I was shocked at this missed opportunity.

I had trouble hand expressing colostrum. I was told to use a syringe. I approached the midwife's station and was told simply to squeeze my breasts harder. She sent me away to try again. I was unsuccessful and just cried in my bed. I wasn't about to get up again and ask that midwife nor would I ring the bell as I didn't want to wake up my neighbour. When I proudly presented the measly syringe to the nurse in SCBU I was told me they would have to give formula. I approached someone more senior and was shown an electric pump. No more formula!

I ended up severely engorged as a result of overpumping though and was finally told about the breastfeeding counsellors, who were wonderful.

I was discharged from Mary Ward quite early. When I said I was demand breastfeeding my baby in SCBU and so it was essential I stay in the hospital, they argued with me and said since I was fit and healthy there was no reason for me to stay. But how could I feed my baby on demand from home?? I know there were enough beds as I saw a few rooms of empty beds towards the end of the ward past the kitchen area.

Privacy

I had to share a room with another woman and her husband who was with her 24 hours. This was wonderful for her, but as a practicing muslim, I found this very awkward. I kept the curtains closed as much as I could but found it very frustrating that staff kept coming round and opening them without warning. Cue frantic emergency scarf wrapping! They told me that it was in case I died in my bed and no-one noticed!

Sometimes I went to the kitchen area in order to have private conversations as my neighbour and I could hear EVERYTHING the other said or did. This was awkward when I had to explain embarrassing complications I was having whilst her husband in earshot. I sometimes left when I felt SHE wanted privacy as she pretty much bed bound. The rest of the time I was in SCBU! I got the impression this annoyed the midwives in Mary Ward. But what could I do? My baby needed feeding!

The open curtain policy is just ludicrous and when you are at your most vulnerable wanting to sit around in your pyjamas, it's not comfortable for strange men and other people's random visitors to see you like that. And sometimes not even pyjamas... I was told to sit with my legs up without underwear in order to aid healing. I did try this but it ended in humiliation!