"After care was appalling"

I gave birth to my son in Watford in 2015.

I feel bad giving it 1 star when thinking of a couple of midwives I encountered as they were incredible.

However, overall I feel pretty traumatised still by the experience.

I was nearly 42 weeks pregnant and was in to be induced when I started laboring on my own after a 2nd sweep.

My partner was then sent home as it was past 'visiting hours'.

Needless to say I didn't get any sleep and was walking up and down corridors on my own, timing my own contractions with the few staff that walked by not paying any attention to me.

When the contractions were 3 minutes apart I found an office and knocked the door explaining how my contractions has sped up.

They said I'm not in active labour until they're 90 seconds apart and gave me some paracetamol.

Not long after they were 90 seconds apart so i knocked again and they examined me, and called the ABC to expect me.

I then started bleeding - I knocked the door and explained - they said this was normal after being examined.

I explained I felt it was more than that and had to insist they examine me again.

She did and then realised I wasn't able to go to the ABC.

Once up there, my partner arrived, I had my waters broken and continued to labour slowly.

I will say that the midwife I had through the majority of my labour was lovely - very calm, friendly and professional.

When I had been in labour for many hours and still no further dilated, I asked for an epidural.

It came eventually and it was wonderful....for an hour.

Turns out they had put it in the wrong place and once the spinal tap had worn off I was in agony.

They kept upping the dose thinking it may be that which made me very sick.

Eventually I had to have a 2nd epidural.

Many more hours passed and I was finally pushing.

After pushing for about an hour, they had to swap midwives.

They new one had a trainee with her and it was clear that her priority lay with her instead of the patient.

They then told me to stop pushing and had a conversation together with another 3 or 4 midwives/doctors at the other side of the room, ignoring both of us.

(I was in agony trying NOT to push even with an epidural and wasn't given gas & air or any guidance).

Eventually the anesthetist arrived, surveyed the situation and took control (thank god). She came straight over, gave me the G&A and spoke to the staff to make a decision.

I wish I had her name as she was amazing in the operating theatre too for my c-section - totally took control of staff who weren't communicating.

After care was awful.

I hadn't slept in 72 hours, just had a major operation and staff were rolling their eyes if I asked them to help me.

My son needed antibiotics at midnight - had no idea where to go and was having trouble walking.

They made it VERY clear I was an inconvenience.

The only decent Midwife was on the 2nd night.

Rushed off her feet but was so kind.

We have moved now so thank god I won't need to be here for our 2nd