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A woman on the antenatal ward has been snoring for 12 hours

245 replies

Winterfellismyhome · 23/01/2022 08:57

Currently in for reduced movements (again) and drs talking about a section tomorrow. A woman in the opposite bed is the loudest snorer in the world. Each time shes been woken up for monitoring, shes fallen back to sleep very quickly. I have no idea how she does it. Tell me your ward horror stories to make me not lose my mind Grin

And yes i have earplugs but stupidly didnt bring enough so trying to ration them

OP posts:
SpikeySmooth · 24/01/2022 21:54

I hated antenatal ward. I had to pee in a jug and the jug was on my bedside cabinet, so I was sleeping (or attempting to) next to my pee. It was horrendously noisy, 24/7. Then they found out I had pre-eclampsia and because of some blood thinner they accidentally gave me I had to have Baby under a GA. So I came round after that and spent a blissful 24 hours or so on HDU. So lovely and quiet. Then the stuck me back on the ward, postnatal, but still stupidly noisy. About 10 days after admission, I had a shower, got dressed, went to the midwives station and said, "Get me the hell out of here." I was exhausted.

I now work nights sometimes and I recommend Beary Quiet earplugs from Amazon. Best I've tried, and reasonable value. (Not an ad, just passing on a recommendation).

Frlrlrubert · 24/01/2022 22:09

[quote TheRemotePart]@Frlrlrubert can I ask- did you have gallbladder issues post partum?
How are you scars healing?
I apparently need this done soon
( after A&E sending me home without a diagnostic the first time -when apparently it was textbook gallstones I was describing and suffering)

  • add to that - it took someone 8 hours to come and tell me what the Imager had already told me “you have gallstones “ before I could leave Angry[/quote] I'm five years post partum, but with 20/20 hindsight that does seem to be when it all started! Mine started with heartburn in pregnancy and progressed through pain and vomiting (diagnosed originally as labyrinthitis when DD was 2), which persisted on and off (diagnosed as anxiety) until increasingly frequent and severely painful episodes at the end of this summer.

I'm one week post op and the scars are healing ok. Definitely quite sore for the first three days or so, but nothing compared to an attack.

I've still got some discomfort on moving and stretching, and the skin glue peeled off and took some of the scab with it on a couple (surgeon told me I was ok to shower cos it was waterproof, but possibly not actually the best plan if you can avoid?), so I've popped dressings on those, but they're prettying minor surface cuts now, not like reopened wounds or anything.

I reckon the 'two weeks off work' they suggest for an office job would be fairly accurate in my case.

I also waited hours to see a doctor after my scan to be told what the sonographer had already told me, and he decided we would 'wait and see'. That attack never really ended and I ended up on tramadol, balancing eating and pain, lost 2 stone and got signed off work, at which point they decided it should come out, thankfully.

Rosejasmine · 24/01/2022 22:13

Oh gosh @floundery I gave birth in that same hospital then 21 years ago. Utter nightmare, absent staff, filthy, it all went very wrong - too traumatised still to go into the details. Second (planned caesarean birth) at a different hospital was much better!

ThePinkOwl · 24/01/2022 22:22

Long time ago now but was in for 5 days before being induced due to all sorts of complications. I worked for the NHS at the time, in HR, and was responsible for a huge job evaluation project across the Trust. One of the midwives found out who I was. I then had random specialist nurses and midwives arriving with their job descriptions asking what band they were likely to end up on and what could be done to tweak the job desciptions to get more points etc. Weird to be reading a job description while someone does a sweep on you Grin

The nice thing was they all came to see me on the post natal ward after I gave birth and made sure I wasn't being dicked about.

Fluffmum · 24/01/2022 22:37

Omg I feel your pain! I was in for the same 22 years ago and the woman next to me had a McDonald’s and Chinese takeaway I was green!

Bolshybun · 24/01/2022 22:44

After arriving 7am Monday and finally giving birth at 2am Wednesday I was desperate to sleep Wednesday night. I was given a private room which is apparently policy it your baby is in special care. Unfortunately it was next door to the midwives break room and they cackled noisily all night

Justploddingon · 24/01/2022 22:46

When I was on the ward a young girl in the bed opposite had a load of visitors turn up with KFC. None of them seemed capable of eating with their mouths closed and it sounded like pigs at a trough. The poor baby was needing to be fed and was crying, on having a bottle delivered by the midwife the mum proceeded to finish her meal, suck each of her fingers and then fed her child 🤨

slaybell · 24/01/2022 22:53

Caught the partner of the lady in the bed next to mine staring through the gap in the back of the curtain while I was breastfeeding (shudder). Think of the Friends episode where the guy stares at Rachel, just like that. Was gross.

Bellie710 · 24/01/2022 23:02

When I had DD1 unfortunately she was born too late for me to get home that night so i was on a ward and the woman opposite me watched her own birth that her partner had filmed for around 2 hours. There was a lot of screaming and her arguing with her partner during the labour, it was so busy that it took them ages to tell her to turn it off. I can't hate her completely though because she gave me a packet of baby wipes when DD did her first poo and it went absolutely everywhere!

User8721643839 · 24/01/2022 23:03

@Kendodd

I wish I could sleep like that. What a talent!
Well she won't be when she's had the baby will she!!
JustLyra · 24/01/2022 23:08

I disturbed everyone on the ward when I had DS2 as I talk in my sleep, but I look awake as I have my eyes open. There was a really rude doctor that all four of us on the ward really disliked and he came round while I was asleep. He asked me if I could sit up and I replied "Yes, yes" or similar a few times. Then he got a bit stroppy a few times as I was ignoring him. Then apparently at one point I sighed and said "Jesus Christ I'm halfway up a tree, what do you want me to do - jump?" Woman opposite said his face was so funny she nearly burst her stitches.

swampygirl · 24/01/2022 23:43

Oh dear!
At some point in the near future I shall be going into hospital for a hip replacement and I'm dreading it. I'm told after the op I shall need to sleep on my back for six weeks. The trouble is I can't sleep on my back as I snore badly and choke.

Winterfellismyhome · 25/01/2022 07:11

Thank you everyone. DD arrived at 4.05 yesterday and is perfect. All worth it 💖

OP posts:
wildchild554 · 25/01/2022 07:30

My dad is a horrible snorer and every time he is in hospital he is moved into his own room because of all of the complaints keeping people awake. Might sound mean and it's not her fault but if enough people complain they will probably move her into her own room if they can. My horrible hospital experience was when I had my eldest and frequently a doctor would fling open my curtain when I was trying to breastfeed whilst telling me off as curtains were to remain open unless breastfeeding before even checking was very embarrassing at the time being a new mum and new to this.

ReformedWaywardTeen · 25/01/2022 08:41

Oh god.
Three babies, one in 2000,, one in 2007, one in 2008 and very early.

First one, I was 18. Midwives were vile. At one point one of my DSIL had some beautiful flowers delivered, using now DHs surname. Midwife who was old enough to be my gran made a point of shouting at delivery guy, in a room full of other mums, "she's Miss teen, not Mrs x". She acted like I was 14. Told me I should consider adoption as girls like me are useless mothers.
Got the hell out of there way earlier than I should've after a section as I got so sick of her and her lots behaviour. One even threw out a bag of sweets someone had brought me in and a sandwich as the food was shite. She took great delight in doing so telling me I would eat what I was told or starve.

When I had second one in 2007, was meant to have an elective. Went in at 7am. Was told I'd be done by 10am. Not a chance. Due to a series of fuck ups and ignorance, I was still there at 11pm. Had had nothing to eat since 7pm the night before. I got shouted at by one consultant who accused me of messing them around- she mixed me up with another lady, no apology though. About 4 hours later having been put on a monitor belt thingy, so unable to move, hand over happened and they forgot me again. DH asked what was going on to be told I had gone already. They'd wiped me off the board. He said no she's in there. Midwife rolled her eyes at him.
About 30 minutes later, he went to try and find someone else. A mum to be and her DH came through my curtain and both started being abusive about why was I in her bay, I needed to leave. Like it was my fault! I burst into tears at that point, unhooked the belt thing and started getting dressed. Midwife tried to stop me at the desk and I lost it, said it was the first time all day anyone had given two hoots what I did. Her response was she would report me to social services as not caring about my baby, and I would be banned from coming back to give birth. I wanted to swing for her. Luckily another consultant heard her, ushered me into a side room and hearing what I had gone through via DH told me to go home and she rebooked me.
On the way home, there were a load of people coming home from nights out at the all night chippy, DH took me to get some food as I was fit to collapse of hunger, the guy in the chippy joked was I not a bit far gone to be out so late, DH told him and he gave me my chips, a can of coke and a battered sausage for free! Caused much hilarity in the queue of others saying they defo needed free chips too!
The midwives still sent a message to me via my district midwife that anymore behaviour and messing the about and I would be banned, my midwife went crackers at them over the phone.

When I had third one, different hospital but waters went at 27 weeks. Told them on the 6th day I was having contractions. Told no chance, how would I know as had sections before.
Another mum actually went and shouted at them for me as I collapsed in my bay at 6pm, several hours later. Had DS at 8pm at 28 weeks, and was then left for 14 hours on ward, no bell, no blanket, starving and in the dark. Until a mum got up to see to her baby and it was lighter outside, she asked me if I was OK, my compression sock was stuck round my toe which was going purple, she helped me sort it and then went and moaned at the midwife to see to me- midwife hadn't been told I was there. I must have stank! I then waited a few hours longer before I got an update on DS on scbu and didn't see him for 3 days.
Personally, ladies who give birth early should not be in a normal ward with mums and babies, it's soul destroying feeling like the weird one as they have visitors and of course more than one asked why I was there with no baby. Every time I asked to shut my curtain I was told no.
And yes to how hot these wards are. Like an oven!
We also had the lady when I had my second one who moaned about everyone else's "noise" yet had phone sex with her dh at 3am for everyone to hear. She was horrible. She told me to shut my brat up at one point but she knew the midwives so they did nothing and said she was joking.
Thank god I stopped after 3.

slaybell · 25/01/2022 09:20

@Winterfellismyhome

Thank you everyone. DD arrived at 4.05 yesterday and is perfect. All worth it 💖
Congratulations ❤️
wildchild554 · 25/01/2022 09:58

I just remembered another one, being on the ward with my first and a guy having a right go because apparently, I kept letting off very loudly and I was disgusting and should be ashamed of myself only to be told it was my newborn by his partner. I don't know who was more embarrassed me or him.

RachaelN · 25/01/2022 10:21

@MrsDThomas

My earplugs are squishy ones. The waxier the better fit🤷🏼‍♀️

Use them…. Or kill her

God this made me chuckle 🤣
MinestroneMini · 25/01/2022 10:23

@Winterfellismyhome

Thank you everyone. DD arrived at 4.05 yesterday and is perfect. All worth it 💖
Congratulations! 🎉⭐️
ANameChangeAgain · 25/01/2022 10:33

The couple opposite me were great, the husband brought in giant Easter eggs for his wife and they sat chomping a mountain of chocolate. Best husband ever! The woman next to them was a nightmare. I had been up all night giving birth, having been wheeled in at 5am, got 3 hours sleep max before being woken by her at 8am loudly oversharing on her phone about her birthing experience. I went home at lunchtime that day and banned visitors for 48 hours!

TeeBee · 25/01/2022 10:37

Time to get someone to bring in some popping candy OP.

Butteryflakycrust83 · 25/01/2022 10:42

Oh god these are making me so cross at how selfish people are!

Saying that, my late father suffered from liver failure and one of the side effects was him becoming completely unfiltered - he would shout the most horrific racial abuse at other patients and we were constantly having to apologise and explain that it was a type of brain damage and he didn't know what he was saying. I felt TERRIBLE for people having to sit and listen to that. We asked if we could have min in a side room to spare people having to listen to it but was refused.

Boxerbinky · 25/01/2022 10:52

After my C section there was another new mum in the next bed who was CONSTANTLY on her phone.. all hours of the night and day Confused
The constant sound of crying babies were nothing in comparison to the sound level of her calls. She was otherwise very sweet and offered me pads etc when I ran out before my DH brought extra supplies.. but I was very glad to leave so I could sleep. 😴

Frigginintheriggin · 25/01/2022 11:09

I may have been that snorer 27 years ago.... 36 hours of labour, very difficult birth, I refused blood and was exhausted. I slept through my dd crying and the nurses took her to the nursery (didn't try and waken me 🙄)
I was only in one night, I was desperate to go home.

My DM spent alot of time in hospital bless her. Consequently so did I, keeping her company.
The most memorable was a little old man from the next ward kept coming in and dropping his pajama bottoms. He really didn't like the staff nurse but gravitated to me, so with me holding his hand and her behind holding his pajamas we removed him multiple times bless him.
My DM was very sociable (maybe lonely/nosey) and would strike up friendships on the wards. I went in one morning to find she'd told one lady I would push her in her wheelchair outside for a cigarette! The smoking I didn't mind because I'm a smoker but the pushing her whilst I myself have to use a walking stick was a bit much!!
But I'd do anything to have a chance to visit my DM again 💜

Smeds · 25/01/2022 11:41

Haven't read through the thread but I can imagine someone writing a post like this about me, except I was labouring to 8cm without pain relief or a midwife. Two poor mums-to-be were on either side of the curtain from me. I bet they got no sleep!

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