"Shockingly poor........"

What I liked

The labour ward was nice, clean and modern. My midwife however was not very friendly and this dampened the experience. The post-natal care was the most shocking, I felt abandoned with my baby, Maybe because this was my second child the midwife's on the post natal ward felt I needed no seeing to and I was in over the Bank Holiday Jubliee weekend staff on the whole were not interested and scarce. I had my first child at Fairfield in Bury and the after care was just excellent. I felt I was cared for after the birth. I was shown how to breastfeed and bathe my child, The morning after I gave birth in Bury I was seen by staff throughout the whole day, However in North Manchester it was as all they wanted to do was get rid of me. In the morning I was told I would be dischaged before lunch and this is before my baby or me had been examined. I waited the whole day then to be dischaged. The doctor finally came at 5pm and after a 2 minute examination of my 2.5kg baby told me I could go home. I was just grateful to get out of such an unwelcoming place. I can't believe I went home with a baby that I was not able to give a bath to in hospital.....that is just not on.

What could be improved

There definitely needs to be more staff who are more attentive and friendly. Practices between hospitals under the same trust need to be similar. For example all the help and advice recieved at Bury after birth was completely lacking in North Manchester.

Anything else?

Having a child is meant to be a special experience. The poor service received at the hospital definitely put a damper on things,