Have you read your birth notes?

[bottomlessburp]

I had emergency c-section 6 mths ago and whilst much less stressed about it all I was wondering if it would help if i could either read my medical notes or have someone go thru them with me. I think both options are available. Has anyone else done this or considered it>

[bottomlessburp]

Kama, do you wish you cd read your notes still, after 10 years?

[PinkTulips]

they left mine on the table by my bed during the morning and i amused myself reading them while waiting to be discharged. even when nothing had gone wrong it was wierd reading everything written down in such a clinical way, especially as i was still shaking after such an emotionally and physicaly draining experiance.

wish i'd had the chance to read my notes from dd's birth too but don't have the option here of going in and asking to do so.

definitely do it if you feel it would help you sort your head out but be prepared for it to be a bit upsetting to read the way things are phrased, it can seem quite cold.

[ellasmum1]

Hi girls. I'm a midwife and was told at a hospital meeting recently that labour notes must be kept for life so there should not be a time limit. You have the right to read them but the hospital may charge some sort of fee. Just contact the hospital I suppose.

[ellasmum1]

Oh and also documentation has really developed in last 10 years due to litigation so unfortunately there may not have been very elaborate notes written 10 yrs ago compared with today. I have noticed a huge difference when I have seen notes written that long ago compared with today.

[Chandra]

I know that my community midwife was very careful to take the notes I had through out pregnancy before "handing me" to the HV.

Something I noticed about my notes around birth was that there was the defficient communication between the parts involved, I wish to think that they took the trouble to write in my notes during or after the process:

• I insisted to community midwife that I could have a slightly problematic birth. I was fobbed off

• The midwife who was at the birthing room had no clue whatsoever why I had been sent in if I was not "properly" dilated. (Were sent in because after more than 25 hours of regular contractions the midwives in the prebirth area thought I should be induced).

• There were plenty of problems during delivery, at some point DS was at risk and I lost enough blod to almost loose conscience right after the birth. It was a turmoil to be honest, at some point there were 3 midwives telling off "my" midwife because she should have had contacted the doctor/ask for help long hours before she did. (BTW... the problem was exactly the one I told community midwife that would happen). There was nothing mentioned in my notes about all this, my community midwife couldn't find anything in them to describe the problem.

• And the very few notes I have carried around during pregnancy were taken by the community midwife when she "handed me" to the HV. I asked to keep them (most of them were my own notes) and was not allowed to.

[bottomlessburp]

thankyou ellasmum, btw wd itbe a midwife to go thru notes with me?i understand about clinical terms, on discharge nots was really sad as it said smthg alomg lines of 'eerg c/section due to failure to progress and failure og kiwi cup etc, had 3 'failures' in one sentence and i feel v.sad about that.

chandra, it sounds like you had a complete nightmare, hope you and ds happy and healthy now

[Skribble]

I got hold of mine while still in hospital, it made a big difference to read them. I was in shock and felt quite badly treated. Reading the notes helped me see that the midwifes did realise I was in pain and were concerned for me and realised how hard I was trying to hold it all together.

If it was a traumatic birth there are a few orgainisations that offer help, I haven't tried any but heres one birth trauma association

[millysimmons]

I gave birth a month ago & have asked to see mine as I had an internal tear that no one has discussed with me & there where several problems during labour. My hospital has a service where you can talk through your notes with a midwife & read all the notes, its open for years after the birth but I have been told that I cant see the notes till 3 months after delivery- no reason thats just policy- not helpful when I want to find out what happened & check all is healing OK etc. My hand held notes all got taken too.

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

Not officaily - but I did see a copy of some of my notes for DS2's birth the other day - they were on the screen at my booking in appointment with the MW - and as a result I'm going to be requesting the full notes - as they're WRONG!!!

Said that I had a ventouse due to failure to prgoress in stage 2........which is a lie - they were going to try ventouse when I was still 9 1/2cm!!!

[candj]

I have to say that I am dubious about the accuracy of the notes aswell as in my hand-held notes that I took home after the birth of DS, the midwives had noted on several occasions that I had not had a bowel movement yet (thought I would put it politely) yet not one of them had ever asked me so how did they know?? Do they have CCTV in the toilet?? I know this was just a minor thing but it does make me wonder what else was wrong.

I would also like to see what is in my birth notes as the midwifes lied to me and told me labour was progressing really well only to call a consultant in 1 hour later who told me I would need a c-section which seems fair enough but the same midwife told me later on that night after the op that she knew it was not going well and that I would probably need a section - to say I was unhappy about that was an understatement!

[lemonaid]

I haven't seen them yet, but intend to get a copy. Partly just for interest, partly because apparently my spine is constructed interestingly so an anaesthetist needs a road map to give me an epidural so I'd like to have said road map on hand for future deliveries (would like to avoid epidural altogether in future deliveries, but we'll see), and partly because the community MW after DS's birth referred to the internal incision for my CS being vertical as opposed to horizontal (which would affect the wisdom of my going for a VBAC) -- which isn't in the discharge notes that my GP got, so I want to see the full notes to see whether it was a vertical incision or she was just hallucinating.

milly -- I'm pretty sure they aren't legally allowed to tell you that you can't see your notes until three months after delivery.

[MegaLegs]

When I was in hospital waiting to have ds4 by c-section I had to go for a scan. The mw gave me my (quite large volume of) notes and said to have a read and reminisce about ds1,2 and 3's births. They were straight forward vaginal deliveries and it made interesting reading, looking back and seeing the the process from the other side as it were.
Quite horrified and embaressed to read that my rectum was bulging!!

It's all very detailed:

9.27 Mrs B passed urine.

Sadly, my pg with ds4 wasn't so good at the end and he has sn (so far undx) We have been advised to get copies of my notes by solicitors.

[bizzi]

I asked to see my notes when expecting child no2 as I had scary out of control memories of 1st birth. It really helped me to be able to sit and read through and view my fears in a clinical light, put it all into perspective.

I too discovered something from reading them, I had been told quite clearly after the birth that I was not suffering from PND, yet my GP referal to the hospital said that 'this lady suffered from severe PND'!! Why did my GP lie to me?

[bizzi]

Oh, I've just read your post Megalegs, that's so sad. I wish you luck and strength.

[AlienEars]

I still have all my community notes and DD is nearly 6. I am still waiting for a midwife to come and check that her cord stump has come off (as at day 17 it hadn't). I'm not sure whether I should have them or not!

[futurity]

i went in and saw someone and went through my notes when I was pregnant with DS2 and I wanted to confirm what happened with DS1 (also c-section). You could of paid to get them sent home but I found it very useful going through with someone and them translating all the techie terms and the handwriting!

[TheBlonde]

I ordered a copy as I needed to see what was written before complaining

[PeachyClair]

My medical notes were helpful to me as Im learned a lot about the birth and how badly it was handled (I wasn't told fr example that DS went into severe foetal distress, or that they lost my blood tests results, had wanted to do c section but reg wouldn't come until after tests results were ready- by which time it was too late.

When having DS2, I asked the Consultant to do a review of my notes as my MW had repeatedly told me I didn't have Pre-eclampsia and I knew that was shite, the Consultant confirmed this for me, which affected me quite a lot as I ahd PTSD beforehand for several years. However, despite proteinuria, bp over 160 and fitting, my notes daid 'depressed'.

Having them reviewed lifted and changed a lot for me.

[MumtoBen]

My antenatal notes said I was a "moderate drinker". I don't drink, even when not pregnant. It caused a right fuss when I demanded they changed it. They hadn't even asked me if I drink or not.

One interesting comment was I was a "problem breastfeeder". Of course it didn't help that my baby was unconscious and couldn't feed. I am still angry about that now. Of course I successfully b/f for 6 months, the only person I know who has.

My 1st stage of labour is recorded as 1 hr 10 mins. It was more like 5 hours. They lied so they didn't have to admit me to the delivery suite and provide midwifery care.

I had someone go through my notes with me (a consultant at the hospital who runs a clinic for that reason). It did help a bit, but unfortunately brought up even more issues of their incompetence that I wasn't even aware of.

[funnypeculiar]

I wrote to the hospital and got a copy for dd1 - just out of interest, really and for his interest in future years ... is quite amusing eg 'baby pink and warm' ... 'mother and baby asleep' 'mother keen to go home...' Got v cross at 'mother distressed, encouraged topup bottle' entry - was distressed B/COS you forced top up bottle at 3am when I was weak ...

Think I had to pay £30?? But also think they can't say no, and most hosp give you copy for free if you ask soon after birth

Wan't going to bother with dd2 as read them in hospital - labour was so short m/w wrote it up afterwards whilst I was there 'did we do x? shal I say time of birth was y?!"

[Kidstrack]

i read my notes both times, i picked them up from the bottom of my bed after having an em c/s and being in hospital for 7days, every night i would read any new notes that the midwife put in

[olivo]

bottomlessburp - i asked to go through my notes and did so with the midwife who was at my labour - i found it really helpful to understand what had gone wrong and why i needed a c-section. did this while i was still in hospital but cant see why they wouldnt let you afterwards.
good luck.

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

"My 1st stage of labour is recorded as 1 hr 10 mins. It was more like 5 hours. They lied so they didn't have to admit me to the delivery suite and provide midwifery care.
"

Are you sure - don't forget it's recorded from when you're 3cm dilated - not from when contractions started. My 1st stage is recorded as something like 9hrs with DS2......but he was born at 12.18 Thursday lunchtime - and I had my first (induced) contractions at 5.30pm Wednesday.......