"Stressful maternity care experience"

This is my second baby, I had been up since 4 o'clock that morning with contractions.

Phoned maternity assesment and was told to wait til they were 3 - 4 minutes apart before I came down. The community midwives that came out to visit after i had the baby told me you should never wait til your 3 - 4 minutes apart especially with your second.

However contractions were getting stronger around about 2o'clock that afternoon so phoned again and was told the same - my contractions weren't getting any closer than 5 minutes apart so eventually couldn't take anymore, arrived at mat assesment at half 6. They took ten minutes to answer buzzer, i could hardly walk or straighten myself up, pains were that strong. So got to the bottom of the corridor and was asked to walk all the way back to the toilet for a urine sample.

Another ten minutes later someone came to examine me. I had told them i wasn't going to make it to labour suite, they said don't tell me that. I got examined, waters broke and i was 8cm. Next thing i knew she had ran and got another midwife, brakes were off the bed and they ran with me from mat assesment to delivery room whilst my partner was running at the back.

I had a sheet thrown over me, water everywhere and really needed to start pushing. I was told not to push, just pant, which i did. Next thing i know the bed with myself on it had been slammed off the doors which is enough to make any baby come out! I got banged off the doors more than one occasion, so made it to the delivery room and had my baby within ten minutes.

I did not like the midwife that delivered my baby, I thought she was cheeky and not caring or supportive, it is bad enough as it is for any woman to have a baby without going through all this and being treated this way!

I was not kept in a full 24hours which I was happy about anyway, couldn't stand to be in there another minute. I had recieved stitches - I was not checked nor my stitches, and was let out, however my baby was checked.

This has totally put me off and I think big changes have to be made to maternity assesment, should be on the same level as labour suite and I think some of the staff need to change their attitude.