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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that it is a myth that hospital births are safe

77 replies

reallytired · 22/01/2011 20:45

This poor woman could have died. Especially as it took 15 mintutes for help to arrive. She might have well given birth at home.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-12250049

What is the point of women being in hospital if this is the standard of care they recieve.

Maybe the nhs should employ doulas if they cannot afford enough midwives.

OP posts:
tyler80 · 23/01/2011 10:38

diddl the story I read said they'd pulled the emergency cord in the bathroom but nobody had responded.

diddl · 23/01/2011 10:45

"They claim signs of labour were ignored"

That might be about the only relevant sentence!

diddl · 23/01/2011 10:50

"diddl the story I read said they'd pulled the emergency cord in the bathroom but nobody had responded."

Oh, right, missed thatBlush

MarioandLuigi · 23/01/2011 10:54

In the TV report the mother said that one of the Midwives told her they dont respond to the emergency cord as she could have just wanted a cup of tea. That sounds a bit unbelievable to me.

diddl · 23/01/2011 10:54

Just actually bothered to read the story properlyBlush and it says "we were told that they thought we were calling for a cup of teaShock

But if they were pulling the cord in the toilet that surely would show it as an emergency?

Maybe I was lucky, but when I was on my on in a side ward, went to the toilet & there was blood, & pulled the emergency cord & the MW was with me just about before I´d pulled my pants up!Grin

mamatomany · 23/01/2011 10:58

They gave my best friend 2 paracetomal and told her to shut up with her complaining and she was lucky not to get sent home. Of course 5 mins later she's crowning and all hell breaks lose, even had the fucking cheek in front of the doctors to say why didn't you tell us Angry The NHS is not full of caring Angels and needs a clear out IME.

mutznutz · 23/01/2011 11:01

The plus of the homebirth is that you get 2 midwives to yourself without having to wait or change them for "shifts"...or indeed share them with anyone.

That's what it was like for me...I felt spoilt with two midwives all to myself lol.

diddl · 23/01/2011 11:02

I had 2 midwives in hospital-isn´t that usual?

mutznutz · 23/01/2011 11:05

I can only speak from experience diddl. My other 2 births were in hospital and both times I was left alone for long periods at a time because the poor MWs were rushed off their feet.

DuplicitousBitch · 23/01/2011 11:07

'
Not everyone wants to have a baby at home singing Kumbaya.' rofl @ expat.

agree the woman's husband should have got someone.

midwifes are having a really shite time of it right now with all the cuts, most i know are thinking about or have already left the profession.

diddl · 23/01/2011 11:10

Well I´m also speaking from experience of course.

When I say 2 midwives, that wasn´t until I was delivering btw.

Before that I was in a side room with husband & a MW popping in & asking if everything OK & call us if any change-which I did & got immediate help/attention.

Not sure what time shifts change but the same 2 midwives stayed with me from when I got to the delivery room at 4.45pm until I delivered at 7pm

thefirstMrsDeVere · 23/01/2011 11:25

FFS why do we need these hombirths v hospital birth threads?

If you want to have your baby in hospital you should.
If you want your baby at home you should do that.

Neither is selfish. Neither is dangerous.

Kumbya? Are you joking?

Nice steryotype of someone who has hombirths Hmm. Sorry I dont fit into that with my flat screen tvs, velour trakies and fake uggs Grin

Seriously though - can we all just get along people

diddl · 23/01/2011 11:41

Going back to the OP-if this woman lost so much blood that she needed a transfusion, surely it is a good thing that she was in hospital?

And although they would have been in shock, I find it incredible that they just sat & waited whilst she was bleeding so much.

They should have been treated better, but doesn´t there also come a point where you should take some action yourself if possible?

BuzzLightBeer · 23/01/2011 11:43

15 minutes? Really? Thats a very long time to be paralysed by shock. Either your man is an utter moron or they mean 2 mins, not 15.

And sine when did anyone think birth anywhere is "safe"?

HeathcliffMoorland · 23/01/2011 11:46

YABU.

I agree that what happened was awful.

However, this is not the norm.

LadyOfTheManor · 23/01/2011 14:57

Buzz you're right.

I think child birth carries risks regardless of where you decide to do it...I'm just precious about vaccinations and germs so opted for a home birth-and got 2 fabulous midwives who had nothing else to do but be with me!

Talk about self indulgent Hmm

BuzzLightBeer · 23/01/2011 15:29

I also had 2 midwives all to myself, in a midwife led unit. Actually for my 2nd I had 3, and then suddenly and very luckily for both of us I also had a consultant, and a neonatologist, as well as whole theatre on standby.

Homebirth, hospital birth whatever, there are risks and problems and advantages in both. Who cares what anyone else thinks of what you do?

clams · 23/01/2011 16:11

This does my head in a bit. I had 2 lovely midwives at home, pool, had done my yoga, supportive dh, etc, etc. Then all hell broke loose when dd's heart beat was lost and I was rushed into hospital in ambulance, forceps, blue baby (thank god is fine), blood transfusion, reconstruction of fanjo. I think it is entirely a personal choice and neither choice is without risk. But in case things go wrong I would go to a hospital next time personally, as is my choice. On this subject some people get a bit too opinionated and/or smug imho.

Original poster
reallytired · 23/01/2011 16:45

"Going back to the OP-if this woman lost so much blood that she needed a transfusion, surely it is a good thing that she was in hospital?"

This woman had an unassisted birth. She probably lost a lot of blood becuase she tore. With decent midwifery care tearing can be reduced.

If the mother had been attended by a midwife then she would have had a managed third stage which would have reduced blood loss.

If the midwives had not ignored the emergency bell then the woman might have stiching which would have stemed the blood loss.

I hope this family get the compensation they deserve and that a few midwives are disciplined.

Giving birth in a good hospital is a safe option provided that care is not third world standard.

OP posts:
diddl · 23/01/2011 17:14

I suppose I find the whole thing odd.

Yes, I know that there are bad MWs.

I find it odd that they didn´t answer the emergency call of someone they had induced.

I also find it odd that the couple waited so long.

She may have bled badly with MWs there.

frozenfestiveflo · 23/01/2011 20:49

All births have risks - some of which cannot be predicted. The place matters not a jot sometimes :(

PrincessScrumpy · 23/01/2011 21:00

I would feel better with a home birth as mw kept disappearing and told me I was in early stages. DH demanded a second opinion and she got the registra only to discover I was 10cm (first time they checked). I just muttered "I told you it hurt!" mw was mortified and dd was in my arms within 25 mins.

If I'd had a home birth I would have had a mw with me constantly.

I was the only woman in labour that night so they weren't rushed off their feet.

I see your point, but also, many women need medical intervention so hospitals are vital.

DayShiftDoris · 23/01/2011 23:11

'I hope this family get the compensation they deserve and that a few midwives are disciplined.'

Because that is EXACTLY what will improve care for the next person

NOT!

All very well for the papers to print this story... the hospital cant defend it's self due to patient confidentiality and the midwives can't either.

Instead the midwives are judged and juried in public forum - sack them ALL! Kids to feed? So bloody what - it's a vocation and you have to be a bloody bell hearing robot through closed doors in the unusual event that someone is delivering in the loo WITH HER HUSBAND SITTING THERE DOING NOTHING TO GET HELP.

FFS

Perhaps, just perhaps an assumption was made that she was ok because her husband was there.

AND perhaps, just perhaps the cup of tea comment was a little tongue in cheek comment.

Perhaps its time for the health profession to be replaced by automated robots.

diddl · 24/01/2011 07:18

"Perhaps, just perhaps an assumption was made that she was ok because her husband was there."

TBH, that´s not acceptable if she´s pulling an emergency cord, is it?

I was alone when I pulled the emergency cord-although for all the MWs knew my husband was still with me-but they can´t assume that, can they?

I don´t understand the cup of tea comment at all (if it was made), because who calls for a cup of tea from the bathroom?

But I do find it hard that the husband sat there for so long watching her bleed.

Original poster
reallytired · 24/01/2011 09:17

DayShiftDoris,

There needs to be an investigation to prevent his happening again.

"AND perhaps, just perhaps the cup of tea comment was a little tongue in cheek comment."

As far as tongue in cheek comments there is a time and a place for such comments. Clearly the family is desperately traumatised.

Midwives are not handmaidens of doctors. They are profession in their own right. Midwives are usually band 6 and not badly paid like the past. They do have responsiblites and if they fail then they should be answerable.

No woman should have an unattended birth in a hospital.

OP posts: