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

Labour ward was great for my first two but post natal care rubbish. Ended up with infections both times. For that reason I had my third in a midwife led centre and the post natal care was fantastic. A woman there was really struggling to breastfeeding her new born and determined to continue. She got loads of support and time with midwife. Just would not happen on busy chaotic labour ward in big local hospitals.

I must have been very lucky, because I was in a big teaching hospital, in a completely full maternity unit, and I had excellent care. I wish that I could go back to the midwife who was on duty that first night and give her a big hug. I must have been a very awkward patient (nothing I could have done about it - I was shaky and vomiting constantly, and couldn't move because I'd had an epidural, and couldn't get DD1 out of the cot to breastfeed her), but she never once gave the impression that she was too busy.

The hospital food was crap though. My lovely Mum brought me in a load of wonderful M&S fruit salad once I'd stopped throwing up; it was the best food I'd ever tasted!

It was bad both times - we don't plan on a third but if one comes along then it will be a homebirth. Midwife care during labour was great with DD1, pretty bad for DD2 but then I arrived at the hospital 10 minutes before she was born so it was hardly a protracted affair.

My complaints - both times - concerned having formula pushed on me from the beginning. Both DDs were small (5lb 1oz and 5lb 8oz respectively) and DD2 was also early. However, both breastfed reasonably well and maintained their blood sugars. Despite this paed insisted on 70 ml formula 'top ups' with DD1 and 40ml 'top ups' with DD2. With DD1 I followed advice to the letter, with DD2 I just threw away the formula

Midwives kept telling me off for removing them from the heated cots to do skin to skin with them. Since the heated cots were considerably less warm than my own body temperature, I could never figure it out.

I was told off for feeding to often, then told off for not feeding often enough. I was promised breast-pumps that did not materialise for days - and then they threw away the colostrum I'd expressed as it hadn't immediately gone into the fridge.

DD1 was showing early signs of reflux from the very beginning - when I flagged this up to the midwives I was patronisingly told that all babies 'posset'. Yes, but not their entire stomach contents ten to twelve times per day! Two months later, we were finally taken seriously and DD1 started on meds - two whole months of thinking that being permanently drenched in milk from a baby whose growth was hovering just at the 0.4th centile was somehow not deserving of medical attention.

Whilst in hospital on the post-natal ward on both occasions I went from a reasonably confident, composed mother to a self-doubting wreck in a matter of hours. I was made to feel that because my babies were small, nothing I did for them was right - I had to follow the hospital's 'care plan' to the letter (heated cot, formula, not picking baby up for hours at a time, not letting baby suckle for longer than 5 minutes to avoid over-tiring them) or risk a telling off or accusations of neglect from the paed.

Those nights in hospital were the worst in my life so far (and I know that sounds like an exaggeration but it really is true). My overriding memory of DD2's first days of life is of sobbing into DH's shoulder and begging him not to let them keep me in for a second night with DD2. With DD1, I just remember washing her babygros by hand in the ward sink as she was going through many per day due to the reflux - and being told sternly that a hospital was not the place for doing laundry.

When people mention to me that they're planning to have their baby in hospital, the only advice I can never resist giving is "if you and baby are healthy, get out of there as fast as you humanly can".

My first postnatal experience was really good. It was a planned c-section (for various medical reasons) and after we got out of surgery, I was given a private room and we were there for 2/3 days. signed out and transferred to the birth centre which was nearer to our house (10 min as opp to 30-40 min in the main hospital). stayed another 3 days. there they helped with breastfeeding, DH could stay etc.

2nd postnatal experience was horrendous. No option to transfer to birth centre (by then, they'd closed it for reasons like 'not enough births go on there... and not enough staff' grrr). baby had to stay in for 5 days in SCBU and I ended up staying too as I'd fainted (they didn't notice my bloods had dropped) and had to have 3 bags of transfusion (Which they couldn't organise in time because they were 'oh so busy'). Everytime I rang the bell (because I was stuck to the drip/canula - I still have the 5 scars on my arms to prove it) they'd come in (maybe) and then tut and complain about being busy and the ward heaving. Well, if they had put the blood in me earlier and got me all sorted, I would have been more than happy to leave the hospital bed to someone else who needed it too.

and then after that, when I mentioned it to the MW/HV who came to visit, one in particular started to defend the trust and their behaviour (and insinuated that I was being unreasonable).... I was on the verge of tears.

never again.

DS1: GP forgot to book me. Had to sort that out. Good booking meeting nice midwife. It all sounded good on the cover. At appointments generally the midwives didn't listen. Labour - hmm -. On Xmas Eve I was the only woman in labour and was left on an open ward from 7.30 until almost midnight with only a curtain between me and the family in/around the next bed so I couldn't make a sound and was in extreme pain with a posterior baby. Begged for help and to move to a labour room for privacy but the midwife laughed and without my consent gave me a shot of pethidine. At that shift change I was taken straight to labour room and given an epidural. Still the only woman in labour and there were several midwives on duty. Once I had the epidural the m/w sent my husband for something to eat and then said she was going on her break and i was left alone for 15 minutes. During that time the heartbeat dropped and I rang the bell and was told in a most irritable way it had slipped. Everyone came back and I wanted to push - the heart beat still kept dropping and the midwife kept adjusting the belt. At this point the senior midwife came in put me on a birthing stool pressed the emergency button and the room filled up with: reg, anaesthetist, her, asst midwife, asst reg, paed, etc. Apparently the cord was round the baby's neck and had been tightening for two hours and I had queried it several times. Registrar told m/w to cut cord (baby was half out) told me to have one more good push while he got ready with forceps, etc., fortunately that push (and where I got the strength from I shall never know) got the baby out. He was bright blue and had to be resusciated. None of that needed to happen and we were bloody lucky. I was sent straight for a shower and left there on my own - didn't think anything of it but i had ahd an epidural and looking back it was a very dangerous thing to tell me to do. The ward was very quiet. Another lady arrived at about 10am on Xmas morning having had her 2nd. A midwife shouted at her when she asked for some food not having eaten for 24 hours. The fun really started though when I got home and had such inadequate postnatal care that in spite of reporting symptoms I passed massive clots and was taken to hosp with retained placenta. Then, again, due ot inadquate care developed mastitis - again in spite of asking for advice and help and having my concerns brushed aside.

In short and in my experience m/w's were on the whole lazy, incompetent, disinterested and often downright rude. Incapable of listening. They were also complaining that due to funding cuts and the despicable Tory government the service was on a knife edge and they were grossly overworked. I didn't see any of them overworked - I saw them arrive late for clinics, I saw them standing around chatting, I saw them avoiding work. They would be far better if they listened and worked as much as they said they did. Anyway that little blue baby is over six foot now!!

For DD the care was excellent I had learnt the ropes and as a result of the care I received I was by then the Chair of the local CHC so was a) treated with kid gloves (although I did get the Trust to employ a lactation consultant to train the midwives so they could give informed advice rather than deliver a mantra - never managed to get the message across about manners though) and b) the pg was high risk and that time I had consultant care only and he was slightly in awe that I had done what I had done and c) I knew the ropes and dictated what would and would not happen - including a quick scan when I was in labour to make sure the cord wasn't round the baby's neck.

As there are mobile scanners on maternity wards can anyone explain to me why a quick scan to check for the cord round the neck (and the position - in my first labour the first two m/w's hadn't realised the baby was posterior and that's why they shouted at me and giggled when I was in such pain at less than a cm!!!) isn't routine in the 21st century. Surely it could prevent a huge amount of time, pain and potential disaster.

So - same old story - whinging incompetent midwives who claim they are underfunded and overworked. That's what they were doing 16 years ago. Is it true one wonders. Then they just didn't seem to like work or providing a service.

Was very busy and noisy but as I didn't really have any complications I didn't need much attention. They did provide maternity towels and a nightie ( put my spare in with the Milton which leaked and burnt a hole in it!) breast-feeding woman was abrupt to the point of rudeness. She grabbed my breast and squeezed, sending milk flying, I didn't expect that! She also (whilst demonstrating how not to hold ds' head) grabbed the back of my head and shoved it forwards roughly. I avoided her after that! Transferred to my local maternity unit after 24 hours (had given birth at main consultant led unit) as it was a lot quieter. It was lovely there, had a room (with 6 beds) to myself for the first day, the midwives took DS for two hours so I could sleep. The ancillary (?) was really lovely and showed us how to bath DS.

Where I had my babies, the staff seem to rotate from one section to the next. So a midwife who looked after me postnatally was in the day assessment unit the day before. I don't know about delivery suite. Maybe that helped mean the staff were fresher and more motivated. As I said before I couldn't fault the care. And I heard them being very patient with some ladies who were scared, sore and tired, getting them up and about but compassionately. No bullying there.

I had been in hospital for a week before my C-Section as they tried to induce me. There was a slightly deranged woman who spent hours shouting down the phone to her mother about wanting to leave the hospital but they wouldn't let her. After my section I was put in a single room for the first 24 hours. This woman was in the room next to mine, and again she was on the phone to her mother saying she wanted to leave but they wouldn't let her take the baby. I found out from one of the midwives that her baby had died during delivery. She had refused intervention and the cord was round the baby's neck. The baby was in the room next door with the mother, but she was refusing to be parted from it and would not accept that her baby was dead. She kept shouting "You are not taking my baby anywhere". It was horrible and quite surreal as I was lying in bed, unable to move the bottom half of body with this awful tragedy unfurling next door.

In the night I asked for something from a passing nurse and she did not bring it. When I pressed the buzzer 30 minutes later to ask again she got very arsey with me.

Eventually I was moved onto the ward. I have dislocating shoulders which have both been operated on and had been fine, but as I was feeding my DD one of my shoulders slipped out. I manged to press the buzzer, a nurse came, I told her that I had dislocated my shoulder and would she mind putting my baby in the cot as I couldn't move properly - so she too the baby, put her in the cot and then walked away . I did eventually manage to put my shoulder back in after about half an hour, but I was quite surprised that she didn't offer me any further assistance.

Then there was the half cooked food, the lack of privacy etc.

Such a relief to get home.

Is anyone going to print this off and send it to the Royal College of Midwives.

there are some real horror stories on here!!i am just very thankful that the post natal care i had with all mine was pretty good. plenty of midwives around, although with ds1 and dd, it seem quite busy but if you rang for the m/w, someone would come and check what was needed, and prioritise so those who needed help more got help quickest. and with ds2, the ward had only a few of us in it!
my only complaint is that when i was there with ds1, the ward sister could be a bit evil at times. i had an emcs with him, and she tried to get me to go get my dinner from the dining room, whilst carry the pee bag that you get attached to!! eugh!!! disgusting! luckily my friend was in, and she decided to go for me. same ward sister also told me i was lazy, and that there people who had gone through worse than me. I told her, that i knew that as my friend had been through a heart transplant the year before-she didnt like that.

My hospital was lovely. Sorry to dissapoint with a positive story!
Am booked in again for DC2 in October.
Midwives patient, although busy.
Food edible, even nice.
Lots of help with b/f
Help with moving around and bathing after CS
Swoony paedeatrician!
Moved to a private room when it became obvious that we were not going home any time soon.
Let mum in outside of "non-dad" visiting hours, as she lives so far away.

Only problem - DS's notes had him down as a girl - took me weeks to change and very much surprised the registrar!

Post natal came as a shock to me.

Ante-natal was nice. I was left alone apart from when they needed to do something for my induction. I was in a private room and I had a fan! lol

Labour room was lovely, had lovely midwives.

Post-natal... Although technically just a different part of the same ward as ante-natal it was so much different. Was actually on a ward so there were babies crying all night. Hot and stuffy (no fan :( lol). Dismissive midwives and I felt pestered as they were around every hour or so even during the night. The food was rank - although maybe that was just my perception after days of no sleep. I wanted my curtain closed all the time but they felt the need to keep opening it. Couldn't wait to get out of there!! And they just pissed me off when they told me I wasn't ALLOWED to use baby wipes... Aye right, like they can tell me what I can and can't do with my own child.

Very hands off, which I didn't really mind tbh. They came quick if you called them but otherwise left you alone. With both dc they came round and offered to show you how to bath new borns which I did first time round, sounds daft but I was clueless. My SIL was too to be fair though, she waited 10 days to bath her new born until I could go round and show her .

Switz, I had DS2 at Chelsea and Westminster March 2010.

It was great!

As I said in my previous post, the only (tiny) complaint I had was that breakfast was a cup of tea and toast.

Other than that, the midwives were kind (and plentiful), the ward was clean and quiet (obviously there were babies there), everything clean and lovely including the bathrooms.

I was prepared for the worst given what I had read here, but it was just fine.

The worst thing about my post natal ward was the other patients. No complicated births in my three bed room, but the woman brought across from delivery twenty minutes after me (at 1.30 am) was on some sort of high and insisted on talking loudly across the room at me... My baby was asleep and I would have been too if it wasn't for her! She just would not shut up and when I stopped responding she started on her phone instead.

The other mother was brought across the next morning, steadfastly refused to pick her baby up, feed it, change it or even look at it. I think she was in shock and could have done with a side room. She was shrieking at the midwives that she was tired and her husband would have to come and sort "it" out...this was early morning and not visiting hours. It really upset me I wanted to cuddle her baby. She just never looked at it. I did see her in town the week after and she looked fine so it must have been shock.

Then chatty shouting mums family turned up, they were awful, nobody brought her a bunch of flowers or so much as a new bib for the baby, they all sat round arguing about money and how much the parking cost to visit, I knew she was upset, i gave her one of my bunches of flowers as we left!

Antenatal was dreadful- MW clearly thought i was an utter wimp. She kept telling me to get up and help myself by walking when in labour (I have a slipped disc so was not walking very far anyway). She kept sighing and tutting. Labour ward was great, cannot fault it. I got congratulated for getting to 8 cm without anyhting, not even G&A which made me feel good at a time when i needed support.
Post natal was bloody awful. I had a very bad birth in the end, baby got stuck, i lost nearly 3 litres of blood. I was left alone, for some hours without help to shower or bathe. I had said from the beginning that i wanted to mix feed, yet i had to beg and beg for a bottle of formula. The same MW as in antenatal was harried, flustered and just dismissive.She would sneer at me. I was supposed to have a blood transfusion (3 days after birth.... it was the weekend and apparently they could not find anyone to do it before that ) and I ended up begging to be allowed to go home as I could not take it any more.

The excuse the whole time I was there was 'we have a rush on'... 7 women in the post natal ward. Okay, granted, it is a small hospital, but 7 ? I really felt like i was taking up space and they wanted rid.

Justine from MNHQ has responded on the campaign thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_campaigns/1252798-Could-we-have-a-MN-campaign-for-improved-Postnatal-care/AllOnOnePage

They are interested and would like to hear some concrete suggestions. Please take a look!

I have had 6 children in four different hosptals and all my experiences of post natal wards have been fine/lovely.

DC6 is 6 weeks old on Monday and the post natal ward I was on after I had her was fab. They have lots of newish private ensuite rooms and they put you in one if there is one available, no charge for this. Wards were 4 bedded with one bathroom and a seperate toilet per two beds. There's a kitchen where you can make your own breakfast of cereal/toast/yoghurt/fruit/fruit juice and get snacks of fruit or toast and tea and coffee any time you like. The other meals admittedly aren't great, but are OK. The midwives were busy, but always made a point of making sure I could reach the buzzer and would press it if I needed anything at all and they popped in occasionally too.

I do appreciate I am very lucky. A friend had her baby at a different hospital and her experience was quite different.

I had a side room with a bathroom to myself so was very lucky.

But the whole ward was incredibly noisy. In the middle of the night staff were screaming with laughter and shouting to each other up and down the corridors.

It was my first experience of hospital since I was a very small child and I thought all the staff I came across in the delivery suite and postnatal were wonderful. They were all really kind, cheerful and totally committed.

I am mouth hanging open at some of these stories.
All my births went grand and postnatal care was excellant.

On DC1 I had not too long a labour,was told to push whenever I felt ready to,no pressure to push from MW,and DC was born with barely any pushing an hour later and no tears.Brought down to PN ward where I was given a bed bath and night MW showed me how to BF.
On DC2 I had rang the hospital at 31 weeks as I felt a bit fluey and just not well.They advised to come straight in and discovered I had a womb infection and DC was delivered by emergency CS within 4 hours of me going to hospital.Again on PN ward I had a bed bath,never missed any meals,got tea or coffee whenever I wanted it,as with pain medication.
On DC3 I had a planned CS and PN was as before.
On DC4 I had another planned CS with scar reconstruction (otherwise known as the post natal tummy tuck) so was bed bound for a bit longer but again excellant PN care.

All my births were on the Irish public system.

I'm scared this time will be the same as before, premature rupture of membranes , and that the hospital care will be the same, left untill I go into labour even though I'm having a cs, no scans to look at fluid levels, baby not moving, cord prolapse , emcs due to cord prolapse under ga, but that this time we won't be so lucky (baby is healthy) as last time

Just wanted the bolster the positive stories for those who are reading this pre-delivery now petrified. Post-natal care was great. Clean ward, side room with private bathroom, tolerable food. Didn't see a lot of the staff but every check (4 hourly) was polite, came with an offer of painkillers and non-pressured "do you need any help breasfeeding". I had two venflons in which I requested be taken out at midnight as they were sore. They agreed to take one out only as I'd lost a lot of blood in delivery. BP was fine and I felt great but fair enough.

No fuss when I stated I was going home in the morning (work in the hospital so knew that in order to get discharge paperwork sorted EVERYONE had to know I was leaving by the 8.30am ward round!)

The ONLY negative I can possibly pick out was that when I left the side room at midnight and walked the length of the ward to find someone to ask about the venflon I was told not to carry the baby around with me because a) I might drop her and b) people might be walking around with hot tea or coffee. Apparently I should have rung the buzzer (and woken other people up?). But other than that foolish advice which I was confident enough to ignore I have no complaints.

Horrible. So horrible that I discharged myself at 11pm at night (DD1 born at 7am that morning).

I wasn't given any food, despite asking a lot.

I cleaned the bathroom before I used it as there was blood all over the place ad no midwives around.

No one came when I pressed a call button, or went to the desk for bf help.

I had been asking to be discharged since about an hour after birth (so they knew I wanted to go home). Every time I asked a midwife how soon it would be there was 'just one more thing' they had to do. When I discharged myself, the midwife shouted at me and told me that the disclaimer I had to sign meant 'that if the baby dies, you can't sue us'. Well, yes I knew that, but havig it yelled at me? Really?