To Ask for your experiences of post natal wards

[RozziPringle]

Mine was Noisy and hot with incredibly overworked midwives. The most memorable incident was around 12 hours after a c-section i was made to get out of bed to walk along 5 corridors to shower, doubled over in agony. When i told the widwife i wasnt going to make it and i felt faint she tutted and muttered about me been lazy under her breath.
There were some fantastic midwives Don't get me wrong but they seemed few and far between.
Im due to give birth in 3 weeks and im dreading going through all this again

[TSK]

just wanted to give you all a big hug too, here is my horrendous experience detailed in link below:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1268245-Midwife-made-we-walk-after-an-epidural/AllOnOnePage

[ddubsgirl]

my mil when having my dh couldnt go for a poo so they kept giving her laxitives still couldnt go,doc came round and asked to have a look down below to check she was healing as she had stitches only to discover the student midwife had sew up her bottom :/ and that why she couldnt poo,she laughs about it now but she said at the time the doc undid the stitches and she jumped off the bed on to the comode and stayed there for about an hour!

[Annpan88]

Horrible. Was having many problems feeding and when talking to DH about poassibly formula feeding, and crying, she said 'your quite emotional arn't you?- erm I've just given birth

[TillyIpswitch]

First time round - not great, at least not great compared with the ante-natal care, which I thought was brilliant (I was induced, so was in beforehand for a few days). Nothing terrible on PN, just a couple of incidents which left me pretty unhappy - was clear the MWs were all over-worked.

The second time round was absolutely fine, but this was definitely because i was 100% confident this time and breastfeeding went well from the off. I had them coming in to me asking if I was alright, and just to ring the bell if I need anything. The midwife who delivered DD was also bloody fantastic and made the whole experience so much better.

Same hospital both times (big NW London one) my own room both times. I guess I got off lightly compared with other people.

[Iloveredvelvetcake]

I don't often post on here but this thread has my blood boiling. I went in to hospital after my water broke late at night and was admitted for observation in antenatal ward. But DH and my birth partner were sent home at around midnight, so I was forced to go through labour through the night on my own.

I was in so much pain and it seemed there was only one midwife who was tending to everyone. I was told to have a warm bath when contractions started, then moved on to gas and air, after that no one else came to see me, despite buzzing repeatedly to ask for stronger pain relief.

Only when the morning staff came did I get examined and was told I should have been in the labour ward much earlier as I was nearly fully dilated. I wanted a water birth but there was just no time to fill up the pool. Luckily, we live not too far from the hospital so DH was able to rush down and arrived just in time for birth of DD.

It was very frightening and horrible going through labour on my own, although it was mercifully short. To make matters worse, the lady next door to my bed was allowed to have her partner in there or had somehow managed to get him to stay. I felt it would be mean to ask how come she had her DP there and mine wasn't allowed, so didn't say anything, but desperately wished I had someone there to comfort me.

Post-natal care was pretty dire too, I had a third degree tear (student midwife who had NO clue and luckily one of my birth partners was my sis-in-law who has had two kids, she got me through the whole thing) and had to have spinal block and diamorphine for pain relief after, which made me itch like a crack addict on a come down!

That first night was one of the worst nights of my life as I was in a VERY noisy ward with my poor DD trying to sleep and being woken up every minute and me itching all over and very uncomfortable. I asked for BF help but no one came and one midwife, she seemed to be in charge, came on to the ward charging about and talking at the top of her voice, waking up the babies and generally being a PITA.

Although, reading some of the experiences posted here, sounds like I got off pretty lightly. Just wanted to vent about that really and I think a campaign is an excellent idea.

[bumperella]

Midwives were all really nice. Were horrifically overstretched.
Pain relief was pathetic- I had a CS with a general anaesthetic. After they took the morphine PAP away at 10am, the next pain relief I was given was 2 paracetamol at 6pm, which I begged repeatedly for - I had been out of bed, showered etc as soon as the morphine was removed. It was awful. They refused to give me anything stronger but didn't explain why. My DH brought some over-the-counter stuff from the supermarket, which I know is a ludicrously dumb thing to do, but I didn't care at that stage.
Other peoples visitors were DREADFUL. The loo on the ward (for 4 beds) was really clearly signposted as being for patients only (there was one in the hallway for anyone to use) but it was constantly being used by visitors. There was a limit on number of visitors per bed (as there was no space AT ALL) but this was ignored by some patients and none of the hospital staff did anything about it. I was trying to breastfeed (unsuccesfully) and had other peoples visitors gawping at me (curtains around bed didnt fully meet, so if you were determined to seeother patients, you could) I think it was the some of the visitors that made the experience as horrendous as it was.

[WhiteTrash]

Christ some of these stories are what nigtmares of made of.

I had my two boys in different hospitals. Ds1 the care was faultless but I was in there so briefly I had little to comment on. Went in, popped him out, came home a few hours later.

Ds2 we had to stay in over night because whilst the birth was easy (as in, 5 hour not-too-horrific water birth he had the cord tight round his neck 3 times and took two minutes to resasitate. The care during this time was brilliant. But I deliberately travelled further to this particular hospital as I had been told numerous times how good it was.

First hospital was Frimley Park. Second was Haywards Heath Princess Royal.

[PhishFoodAddiction]

This was 2007 and 2008.

[PhishFoodAddiction]

cheesespread that is horrific, I'm sorry that happened to you.

I had both my babies at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and had two very different experiences.

With DD1 the lowlights were:-

*MW not believing I was in pain from my episiotomy and bruising.
*Having to hobble to a loo that felt miles away when I could barely walk.
*MW telling me off for buzzing when DD1's nappy needed changing,because I didn't know there was a bowl and things under the cot and had the temerity to ask for a bowl of warm water.
*Same MW telling the other woman in my room in a very sarky tone that 'babies are sick you know' when her son was repeatedly projectile vomiting after every feed. (He was poorly actually).

• Several different MWs coming in and manhandling me, grabbing my boobs, roughly shoving my daughter on, all giving conflicting advice...
  
• Ultimately I couldn't BF, and was given the cold shoulder when I asked for formula, and was told I'd 'regret it when my milk came in'. (Even though it seemed I couldn't physically BF my DD).
  
• I do think this contributed to the PND I developed.
  
  I did have one MW who was lovely though, and she took DD for a few hours so I could get some sleep.
  
  With DD2, I had her in the brand new Birth Centre at HRI and it couldn't have been more different.
  
  Highlights were:-
  
  
• Same MW cared for me during delivery and for 8 hours after, and she was wonderful. (She started work at 8am and I had DD2 at 8.07am so had lots of time with her post-natally).
  
• Private en-suite room which had a nice homely feel and DH was able to stay overnight after delivery.
  
• MW was totally supportive as I tried (and failed) to BF, and was wonderful when I decided to FF. No negative judgement at all.
  
• It was nice and peaceful, and she encouraged me to stay overnight just to make sure DD2 would feed okay (as I had had trouble getting DD1 to take a bottle and was a bit anxious).
  
  It was just so relaxed in the birth centre, the care was great and it made a huge difference to my state of mind after the birth as well. I found it much easier to bond with DD2 as we had so much quiet time together.

[crazycatlady]

I'm so appalled by some of these stories .

I had a pretty shit time in the PN ward at St Thomas's in Jan 2009, and a brilliant time there in March 2011...

In 2009 my experience was:

• about 5% of the staff spoke intelligible English. I found this extremely difficult when so tired and dealing with a sick baby.
  
• zero help with BFing with a very sleepy baby who was dangerously jaundiced
  
• no help to keep her goggles on when she eventually had light therapy
  
• I asked a midwife to help me cup feed said baby and she said "I've shown you once i'm not doing it again"
  
• I didn't eat a single meal because a) I had no idea when or where they were served and was too tired to go looking b) when I did find it, the food was inedible and too stodgy for a postnatal woman who had been told under no circumstances to get constipated
  
• we were in for 6 nights and I was awake for the entire time, trying to keep my baby's goggles on or BF. I was a wreck when I eventually escaped. Bearing in mind I'd also had a 40 hour labour, a third degree tear and episiotomy after a forceps delivery I was in no state to tackle the challenges the PN ward presented.
  
• I got shouted at. Yes, properly shouted at, for various 'misdemeanors' such as feeding my baby lying down in bed at night, having the secondary light on DD's phototherapy box, not having the light on DD's phototherapy box, changing a nappy on the bed, being 'late' for breakfast, leaving my baby in her light box while going to the loo, taking her out of her lightbox and into the loo. You get the picture.
  
• I NEVER got my medication on time, which meant I was in huge amounts of pain for the majority of my stay.
  

Fast forward two years and I don't know what they've done but it's a different place. I had calm, kind, competent care, was given all the information I needed and was left to care for my baby however I pleased. I was in for less than 12 hours though!

[WiiUnfit]

You poor thing, I'm not surprised. :( I really hope your counselling helps you get past your awful experience & allow you to get to a point where you feel able to have another DC. x

By the sounds of it, your hospital should be shut down until they are actually willing to treat patients like humans. :(

[cheesespread]

yes im a lot better now thanx physically,mentally not so good,having counselling and on AD i have flashbacks to them opening the wound im not the same person i was before this happend

we wanted 2 children but i dont no if can put myself through it all again

[WiiUnfit]

Cheesespread, that is absolutely horrific. :( I hope you are better now?

[BuntyPenfold]

CHEESESPREAD that is so awful. I am so sorry for you; (please sue them.)

I strongly recommend avoiding Plymouth too. Lousy care, boiling hot cramped wards, bullying staff.
My daughter was given the wrong medication for 2 consecutive days (and she was BF) and when the mistake was discovered they had the gall to put the blame on her.
"Well, why didn't you notice?" instead of apologising.

[cheesespread]

that was the short version i have posted,there s a hell of a lot more to it including the anethatist arguing in theatre with the midwifes

2 auxiallrys fainted at the sight of my open wound,apparently you could see my rectal sheath? i never looked didnt want to see it

to feed my DS i had to drag him across my body from the cot attached to my bed,the side room was never cleaned once in the week i was there my OH lended up cleaning the room with a packet of dettol wipes ! i was never offerd a cup of tea unless it was by the nice midwife who did nightshift,the shower room they said i had to use by the end of my stay had 6 hospital gowns full of blood and puss still in there on a chair so that had not been cleaned either

TBH the consultants were worse than the midwifes they couldnt give a shit about u,all they kept sayin was u have a healthy baby,yes i had a healthy baby but wouldnt my DS have been better iff with a healthy mum?

everytime i asked what was going to happen with my wound i was told "we ll fix you "

when i was taken to be "fixed" i woke up with tension sutres in,i compared them to shower curtain hooks,they became infected and i had to go back and have them removed,the nice midwife was there,she had arranged for me to have a bottle of G&A i had been using this to have the wound cleaned and packed after my OH kicked off about no pain relief,the consultant laughed at me and said u dont need that ! the nice midwife said "this poor lady is traumitised she can use it if she wants to "

it was South Tyneside Hospital,i was told not to go there but i didnt listen,i suppose you think nothing will happen to me,but it did x

[BalloonSlayer]

"It occurs to me that it probably would make sense to put women who have had sections or really grim deliveries on a special ward with single rooms, en suites,"

The only thing is though SeniorWrangler that sections are not usually the same as 'really grim deliveries.' Sometimes they are of course. None of mine were - as soon as I could I was up and about, never struggled to lift the baby, had no real trouble walking to the loo (and of course before the catheter was out didn't need to go so an en suite would have been a waste). I am not saying that some people don't suffer dreadfully from the aftermath of their sections - I know they do. However the woman with what looked like the nice normal delivery to other patients might have lost litres of blood and need a private room much more.

I expect that the staff allocate private rooms on a "need" basis, and at times women may be in desperate need of a private room and don't get it, because someone whose need is even more desperate has it. FWIW I was always interested to hear other people's stories and have people to talk to, so I don't think I would have wanted a room to myself.

[M0naLisa]

babybarrister
when you say non-medicalisation for child birth - do you mean given birth with NO pain relief at all?? Or just epidural??

I had diamorphine with my DS2 and the pain was so horrific i passed out during labour 6 times.

[M0naLisa]

I had DS1 at Pontefract General Infirmary.
The antenatal care was fabulous, the midwives during labour were fantastic too as were the doctor who delivered DS1 in Theatre.
The Postnatal ward was awful. :(
The midwives were going on and on and on about breastfeeding, i did breastfed but when my milk hadnt come through properly yet - DS1 was 2 weeks early. I was made to go on this torture device electric breastpump. Then i was told baby needs skin to skin, so did skin to skin it was freezing and he was screaming and screaming and shivering so we put his clothes back on, midwife came in shouting 'baby needs skin to skin' DH told her DS was cold adn shivering (PFB) and hes now feeding clothed if you bother to look. Which DS was.

I had DS2 at Doncaster Royal Infirmary Womens Unit and the antenatal care was brilliant, so was the wives during in labour.
The antenatal care was fab too, i managed to get a tea even though i hadnt booked one (probably got the person who was in the bed before me) Midwives nice and helpful except 3yrs on im still waiting for the consultant to come and check on DS2 the night he was born , wanted him checking because he kept choking on bile and going bright red, Nurse took him and cleared his airways and sucked the bile out and brought him back. Very quiet, i was only one on ward.

In 2009 i had a termination and had to have it done at my local hospital Scunthorpe General Hospital, was scared of going in because had heard horror stories about the maternity unit there. Vey arrogant - and also when i was pregnant with DS2 i had pains early on and was sent for an early scan, i knew my dates and was told i was a week and 3 days behind my dates, i knew i wasnt. Doncaster confirmed this a few weeks later in my dating scan. I was on the ante natal/postnatal ward, when i got hyperemesis. I had to have IV drip to level my fluids or summat. The nurses were fantastic, very helpful and kind.

[WiiUnfit]

Cheesespread! I am in complete shock, that is terrible! Which hospital was that so we can all avoid it!?

[happyjules]

I have had both my daughters at mlu's in diferent parts of the country. Each time I have been treated very well. Both births were brilliant. (both water births).
Midwives and other staff who could always find time for us. En-suite room as standard with dd2. I lived about an hours labouring drive from each but would do it exactly the same if I am fortunate to have a third child. I am grateful that I was low risk both times as I am aware that not everybody has this choice available to them.
I am happy to name them as they and many other like them do this wonderful job with passion and dignity. DD1 was born st St Mary's at Melton mowbray and DD2 was born at Okehampton maternity unit in Devon. Fab!

[SeniorWrangler]

Cheesespread, I have to say I would think about legal action. It sounds dreadful. You would not treat an animal like that.

It occurs to me that it probably would make sense to put women who have had sections or really grim deliveries on a special ward with single rooms, en suites, and much more attentive care for both mothers and babies for the first 3 days or so, with night nurseries being made available on request for mothers who need rest, and bf babies being brought to mothers for feeding overnight as necessary if mothers are trying to sleep and recover. Women who have had a more normal birth could share bays as they do at present and do a bit more for themselves and their babies.

At the moment we are requiring people who have had major abdominal surgery to look after newborns, breastfeed, clean themselves up regularly and whizz around the ward finding food and water in comparatively limited time intervals. We don't do this for any other set of patients who have had major abdominal surgery, so to me it seems very unreasonable. Obviously patients need to be moving around a bit to prevent blood clots and so on, but it should not be made so difficult for women to have their basic human needs met, as well as those of their babies.

I think it comes down to three things.

1. We were woefully underprepared for the recent baby boom.
   
2. Actually, the UK is not a very compassionate country and many of us think it's acceptable to be short tempered with people in need, even score points off them, if we are feeling a bit hard done by ourselves. This would also explain our cavalier attitude to the elderly in some cases.
   
3. Leadership in many maternity units is probably somewhat lacking.

[ExitPursuedByAGryffin]

Cheesespread . That is just fucking inhuman.

[AmberLeaf]

Cheesespread, that is so appalling, I dont even know what to write.

[BalloonSlayer]

Fucking hell cheesespread that sounds like being hung drawn and quartered. I am so shocked. You poor thing. and for you.