Midwife made we walk after an epidural

[TSK]

I had a good delivery of our baby number 2, a few complications (episiotomy etc) in theatre lead to baby and I being transferred to the High Dependancy Unit, whilst hubby was sent home at 2am in the morning. This is where my nightmare began, I asked for pain relief and a midwife (M1) gave me an epiduaral top up, I was also at this time aneamic, dizzy with low blood pressure and shaking with sleep deprivation (5 days slow labour).

she then about an hour later told me I was leaving and told me to get up and walk to a wheelchair and could I suck up my sanitary towel too as she did not want to clean up a red mess behind me. My senses were numb but I did as I was told as I trusted her judgement as my carer in this vulnerable state. My legs were jelly, I had no feeling (due to the epidural top up) and I fell onto the floor near the wheelchair(she was laughing at me when this happened)...I was then made to carry my baby and nearly dropped him too....thereafter followed a catalogue of abuse and errors to follow from 3 seperate midwifes resulting in no care for baby and my being left in a soiled bed of blood and urine for 4 hours.

It has taken me many months to come to terms with the trauma of what they did to us, i have finally summoned the courage to make a formal complaint and they (supervisors) have offered me a meeting, however M1 failed to take adequate notes and the hospital are denying that she gave me an epidural top up in HDU unit (according to the notes she completed) what do i do, it is my word against M1's and I feel this denial is adding insult to injury...why did she deliberatley numb my legs and want to watch me fall ??!! my worry is that this woman will continue to be let loose on other vulnerable mothers and may result in harm or even a fatality. Advice please?

www.leighday.co.uk/

do write to clinical governance
ask for med notes and Ir1 if any
keep copies and do send recorded

www.leighday.co.uk/our-expertise solicitors link
and good luck,have strength

cheers scottishmummy been so long since I posted a link I couldnt remember how, is it control c then control v or the other way round my teenage son usually reminds me but hes not here tonight

anyway their based in london but take cases anywhere their very good

edit,copy and paste from chosen site
then tick Convert links automatically - box next to preview message
not as much faff as it used to be

and its good that you can give her a heads up

That sounds awful :(

I had a horrible time after having DS2, due to an absolute cow of a midwife. Nowhere near as awful as your experience but I understand how upsetting it is to be treated badly by someone who is supposed to be caring for you, when you're in a pretty vulnerable place x

Bless you all for your wise words and support, a big hug back, I will keep you posted on the outcome of the meeting, TSK xxx

Good luck with this. I fortunately had a good birth but prior to that I suffered a horrific experience during a hospital stay. For what it's worth, you aren't the only one to have felt that sickening dread of even the memories of what went on. It does get easier once you've made the complaint and at least had an apology though. It feels so much better to have it acknowledged that you were let down and it shouldn't have happened.

All the best

How terrible for you, to be treated like that at such a vulnerable time. It makes my blood boil at the way you were treated especially that she was laughing at you.

I hope you and your baby are physically well now, although emotionally I'm sure you're reliving the whole awful experience every day. Good luck with taking it further and I hope you get the outcome you want.

I'm really sorry you had such a vile experience. Might I suggest you contact the Association for Improvement in Maternity Services? They were hugely supportive when I asked for help in deciding what do, and how to go about it.

I'm so sorry to hear about your awful experience. Please let us know how you get on. That midwife needs to be reprimanded for what se did. I would seriously consider going to a national paper with this story...

You do need to complain. I was asked politely to try and walk to a wheelchair 4 hours after my epidural, and 2 hours after delivering due to the labour ward being full and needing the room. The midwife told me what to expect and was very careful to make sure my legs would hold me up before allowing me to take a step to the chair which was right next to the bed. Laughing at someone for falling over is unacceptable, as is leaving you in a soiled bed for any length of time.

That sounds like a disgusting experience for you op,you should complain in case it happens to another woman too.

I had an epidural & was wheeled to the post-natal ward afterwards in the bed,then transferred over by about 2 mws,i woke up about 1-2 hrs after & was boiling,i could see a small fan on the next bedside cabinet so i went to stand up to get it & promptly fell like a sack of spuds.

I rung the bell & the mw came over & was horrified,she told me off for trying to get it myself & the next morning i had to sign a form to say it was my own fault i had fallen,i was happy to do that because it was my fault.

Your experience was not your fault & i wish you well in the future.

I wrote to Andrew Lansley. He has a particular interest in maternity care. But PALS and the legal route sound sensible too given that other mothers may be at risk.