"Labour ward"

I was due to have my first baby in St. Peter’s hospital in Maldon but once arriving there unfortunately I had to be moved over to Broomfield due to protein in my urine. I did not want to go in the first place as my friend did not enjoy her experiance at Broomfield and I was due a water birth and knew I couldn’t have one at Broomfield at that time.

Arriving at Broomfield via ambulance I was very happy to see I had my own room and bathroom as this was another reason I chose St. Peter’s.

While pregnant I experienced a lot of issues with my pelvis and at the time of arriving my pelvis was in agony so one nurse put me in the bath to help the pain.. I was told I couldn’t have anything else at that time.

After a few minutes another nurse came in and said I shouldn’t be in the bath as I was too close to birth and had to get straight out and on the bed ready to deliver.

During labour I can only describe my pelvis pain as someone crushing my bones, I was not told why I had this pain, I was not checked by any doctor for why this was happening and I was most certainly not told if my baby was even moving at all... at one point a lot of nurses and doctors rushed in and again I was not told why.

Every push I was told “that’s it, your doing it” but by the 10th time of hearing this I didn’t even know what I was doing cos I had not felt him move down nore was told he was moving. He was stuck for sure.

After 14 hours I had truly had enough, not just the labour but the lack of information I was being given during that labour, wasn’t even offered a water after 14 hours of no food or drink. The worst come when I finally gave birth and it was all over.... my mother, farther and mother in law had been waiting for around 10 hours and was finally excited to meet there first grandchild to then be told they couldn’t meet him cos it wasn’t visiting hours!!!!!!! Are you kidding me... they never got told they couldn’t see him out of visiting until I had him and they were just about to walk in so you can imagine the upset.

The nurse come and told me they couldn’t bend the rules.... the rules???? I just had a baby not an operation and I had my own room so wouldn’t of bothered anyone else in that hospital. This was another reason I wanted to be at St. Peter’s.

This was my first baby and I would of taken the hospitals support but all I wanted was to get out of there and away from the place which took another 6 hours for paperwork and checks of the baby. I had to even ask if I could get in the shower! I feel this is the most heartless hospital ever, I was told I had SO MANY people waiting for me outside even though it was my own parents and was made to feel bad about that, this was my first child and my parents first grandchild and Broomfield completely took that excitement away from my family... I have no hospital pictures of my baby and no lovely memories of my experience all because the Head nurse was too cruel to allow my own parents in the room.

Disgusting!!!