"the nurses should know what a massive difference..."

What I liked

After my community midwife struggled to find my babies heartbeat during a routine 16 weeks check up, I was sent up to the womens health unit. I had been reassured that it was often difficult to detect the heartbeat at 16 weeks and that as they could hear the placenta working, i probably had no cause for concern. I was told the same thing by the midwife on the womens health ward when they also failed to detect the heartbeat.

My husband and i were sent down for a scan where we were told our baby had died. The midwife caring for us on the ward had walked all the way down to the scan with us and as she walked us back to the ward we could tell she was trying to hide her upset for us-we actually found it reassuring to know that we were being looked after by someone who genuinely seemed to care.

We were seen by a dr who explained the chioces we had...medical or surgical treatment-We decided on the medical choice which meant me returning the next day for some medication and return 2 days later to deliver the baby.

It was the most heartbreaking and also scary time of my life but the medical staff (particularly the nurses) were so patient and caring. They explained everything every step.

When we went in to deliver the baby I was put in my own room away from other pregnant patients and was cared for all day by the same nurse who came immediately when i buzzed for help. My mum and husband were also looked after and my husband was allowed to stay with me all night after the baby was born.

We were asked if we would like to hold the baby and as we felt we couldnt cope they took photographs and they will stay in my records so we can see them if we want to later. They gave us the blanket and hat they wrapped the baby in, explained our options about post mortem, offered us the choise of arranging a funeral or allowing them to arrange a hospital burial at Boythorpe cemetery and treated our baby with the same dignity and care any person deserves-

What could be improved

We had to wait more than 2 hours before a midwide came to see if she could detect the heartbeat, and had to keep waiting to be seen by drs etc-this was due to the fact that as the actual womens health ward is closed for refurbishment they only have 1 treatment room for emergency cases and there was only 1 dr

We were at the hospital for about 6 hours and about 4 of those were spent waiting

The nurses did keep apologising and checking we were ok

Anything else?

The staff made the most difficult of situations easier to cope with....Thankyou!!!