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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want some peace and quiet on the ward?

483 replies

vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 03:38

It's 3:30am and I'm losing my mind.

I was admitted to antenatal yesterday morning for induction. So far fuck all is happening and I'm exhausted. In a stupid amount of pain and all I want to do is sleep.

But of course that's not going to happen is it? I'm in a bay with two other beds. Across from me is the snorer but really I could probably block her out. The problem is the other patient who is surgically attached to her fucking iPhone. It's the middle of the night and she's ringing all of her friends for a chat. Who does that when people are trying to sleep?! I don't give a fuck if she's missing a party to be induced. I want to enjoy the totally useless paracetamol they've deigned to give me and try to get a little rest.

The midwife isn't helping much either. She's rather old fashioned and I'm surprised she hasn't locked us in. I tried to go for a walk to escape iPhone girl and she escorted me back to bed.

AIBU to expect a little peace and quiet in here? Seriously losing it right now.

OP posts:
TheDowagerCuntess · 06/02/2016 03:43

If I were you, I would lose it. Tell iPhone girl to shut up.

The antenatal ward, when you're waiting for your induction to kick in, is hell. Especially at night.

TheDowagerCuntess · 06/02/2016 03:44

P.S. Good luck. 💐

BillSykesDog · 06/02/2016 03:45

I agree, lose it. Tell her to shut the fuck up and get the sister to pull her finger out and shut her up too.

toopeoply · 06/02/2016 03:47

Nothing more irritating. I really feel for you. Can you get the sister to tell her to be quiet?

hartmel · 06/02/2016 03:47

No you are not!!!!

It is not nice about the other lady talking on the phone!
And the midwife should actually be more understandable and move you to another room. As I got induced with my first too and from the first time (which was on a Wednesday) my son did not arrive till Sunday morning at 12:10 am.. I was exhausted cause they send my home after each induction and only came back on Friday afternoon..
As soon as my son was born I called my mom (who just arrived on Saturday evening from visiting oversea) to come and watch my son so that DH could drive home and shower and take nap and I could catch some sleep. Paid for a private room.

Good luck

Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 03:47

Urghhh I know how you feel OP once I was in hospital and this women next to me was blasting the telly out at 2am. Asked her to use headphones, she refused so told a nurse who said the women had a right to watch telly!!!!! Hmm
Phones, Tv etc on hospital wards should be banned after a certain time for the sake of the other patients. If you need to use it there is a day room

Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 03:48

I'm so tempted. I'm aware that she's younger than me but I'd have hoped common courtesy would make her shut up.

I've tried tutting and loud sighing. In 5 minutes I'm just going to lose it.

Actually sod that she's now pacing outside my bloody curtain and talking! I'm going to shut her up. Argh.

OP posts:
Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 03:52

Did you tell the sister about the I phone. I can't believe she escorted you back you are not in prison. I would get up and walk around again and if she stops you and tried to take you back just say you only will if she tells the other women to shut up or say you are going to sleep in a chair in the day room. That should make her take action.
Forgot on my previous post about the lovely mother of the women opposite me who told me to shut up moaning. I was having back to back contractions at the time and every now and again I would let out a little moan and every time she would have pull my curtains back and have a go.

Told the midwife and she got chucked out Grin wouldn't mind but her daughter was fast asleep

Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 03:54

She gave me a dirty look and carried on talking. I'm going to smother her with my paper thin pillow.

OP posts:
Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 03:55

Just say "excuse me if you are going to stay on your phone I suggest you go to the day room and let me get some sleep"

Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 03:57

I can't believe how Inconsiderate some people are. She sounds a right little Madame.

Minisoksmakehardwork · 06/02/2016 03:58

I hope you're getting some respite now. Failing that, I'm sure being induced and getting no sleep is the perfect excuse for ramming her phone up her arse and asking her if she'd like some paracetamol while she shits it out.

It bugs the hell out of me that so many women seem to have little consideration for others on shared wards. Thankfully I was postnatal with dd1 when I had to put up with a young woman talking on her phone at absurd times of the night.

Speak to the MW again and turn on the waterworks if you need to. You have my sympathies.

Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 03:59

I've wandered out to find the midwife! She's gone AWOL but hopefully not far. I could actually hear the person on the other end of the phone so really not a quiet conversation.

I'm sure it wouldn't make my blood boil half as much normally but so far induction is hell.

OP posts:
Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 04:00

I know I keep commenting OP but I know how you feel and am outraged on your behalf. Telly women was the closest I ever came to committing murder.
Could you do a breakdown in tears to the midwife

BillSykesDog · 06/02/2016 04:02

Go back and start joining in with her conversation and passing comments on it!

SilverShins · 06/02/2016 04:15

I got a private room after a similar incident. I had threatened to discharge myself and absolutely meant it after days in there and no sleep for ages.

Oh it's the pits isn't it. But it'll all be worth it soon. All the best to you vodkared Flowers

Want2bSupermum · 06/02/2016 04:15

Keep walking around and looking for the midwife. It might help progress things along and get you out of there. If you get escorted back to your room pull her charger out of the socket and hide the plug bit so she just has the wire. Once her phone is dead she won't be able to charge it again!

I'm so happy I'm having my baby here in the U.S. at a hospital where I get my own room before and after. I would ask for ambien to help you sleep. It also helps with the pain as it relaxes you.

Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 04:17

The midwife's answer was to offer me codeine to help me sleep. Got quite upset but still nothing so it looks like I'm stuck with the stupid girl and her giggling phone conversation.

I can promise you that if she tries to sleep during the day tomorrow I am not going to let her. If I'm asleep deprived then so is she.

OP posts:
Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 04:18

Sleep even. My fingers don't even work anymore.

OP posts:
BillSykesDog · 06/02/2016 04:21

Would the nurse not even tell her to go to the day room if she wanted to talk? How useless. Tell the nurse if she doesn't sort it out you're going to tell that girl where to stick her phone and wake the whole ward up! I would complain tomorrow, see if there's a ward manager.

ollieplimsoles · 06/02/2016 04:22

Take the codine! We had a phone girl on our ward! She hadn't even been induced yet she was having her first induction in the morning. She finally dropped off at about 2am but then got no sleep herself as I was in labour by then and not exactly quiet Grin labour ward was full so she was stuck with me!

Original poster
vodkaredbull · 06/02/2016 04:25

No, the midwife actually acted as though I was being unreasonable for wanting to sleep on a shared bay. Luckily she's only on shift until 7am so I'll definitely be speaking to the day staff in a few hours. I'm back in bed with my Kindle and I've pretty much abandoned the idea of any rest. Counting down until they let DH back in (10am) so I can have a good cry to him.

OP posts:
Dollymixtureyumyum · 06/02/2016 04:35

Complain to the day staff and i would ask why the girl being on the phone trumps your need to sleep at night. Point out that in the first stages of being induced the advice is to get as much rest as possible and then ask them to explain how you are support to do this.
Also do you hospital have an online review page. If so go on and write a review about how you are on the ward being induced but this girl is keeping you awake and how stressed and upset you feel and if you don't get any rest now you are worried you some have the strength to labour etc etc etc and you would not recommend this hospital to any other women giving birth. Also add in how to midwife refuses to tell her to be quiet. Lay it on thick.
I know someone who did this while they were in hospital and suddenly they got treated a lot better

PitilessYank · 06/02/2016 04:38

Oh my, how ridiculous. I am religious about my patients being able to sleep, even to the point of turning off IV fluids overnight so they don't have to listen to the pump alarms.

The nurses know to call me when someone won't turn down a tv, and I will come to the unit and give a mini-lecture on the importance of nighttime etiquette. Wink

lavendersun · 06/02/2016 05:09

Dreadful OP, poor you. I was in hospital recently and experienced the same thing, although it stopped at 2am. It was Christmas Day on an acute surgical unit and a very uncouth, ill mannered person in my bay was joining in a family party by FaceTime Shock.

I was in agony and very fed up. I would complain, the second night nurse team would not have allowed it. Odd isn't it how someone could be so rude.

Good luck with your induction.