To think a 4 hour wait is ridulous!

[BlackEyed]

Been to see my midwife this morning, am 38 Weeks pregnant. The midwife was a little concerned as babys heart rate is dropping at times and so she may be in distress.

She told me to go straight to labour ward to be checked. They operate a triage system where it's a first come, first serve system unless an obvious emergency.

Just arrived to be told the wait time is 4 hours. Best hope the baby isn't in distress as if so who knows what could happen in 4 hours!

There are 5 other women here, including one pregnant with twins and bleeding heavy and one clearly in labour who has just been ushered into the room. I hope there not expecting her to wait!

There is only 3 chairs in a room more suitable to being a cupboard and people are standing in corridors, sitting on floors etc.

This is because it's in the process of refurbishment. It's a terrible hospital anyway and really didn't think it could get any worse but it clearly has.

Anyone in the Cheshire area will know what hospital I am talking about.

Now I'm terrified at the prospect of giving birth here in the next 2 Weeks, surely this is dangerous and they shouldn't be allowed to operate so poorly.

I understand there is work on and it's a busy time etc. but AIBU to expect a certain standard no matter what and to think that waiting 4 hours for something that could be really serious is not meeting that.

I thought you were talking about the countess I wouldn't let my cat have kittens there

Oh for fucks sake, now I'm annoyed.

Found the midwife and asked for my letter and notes as going to Chester.

She told me I would have to sign the discharge form and accept responsibility for anything going wrong.

Then I can leave and go to Chester but they may refuse to see me as I'm under Leighton hospital and that is where my midwife refereed me to. She said she can't phone Chester and ask them, I'll have to turn up and take my chances.

If Chester refuse to see me I will have to come back here and join the queue again which is now 5 hours.

Don't know what to do for the best, going to Chester seems the best option bit what if they turn me away?

And I feel really uncomfortable about signing a form accepting blame for any problems when they have left me waiting so long.

Another lady just gone in to be seen so should be 2 more before me.

Not seen twin mum come out, hope all was ok, had a lovely chat with her.

The small child is making a lot id noise and is very bored :(

Start_ I did want a home birth but am classed as high risk so midwife talked me out of it, has to be better than this though.

What's wrong with countess of Chester? That's where I am hoping to go instead as this hospital is so bad, don't tell me it's no better there!

It sounds horrendous!

If you have to sign the form to get your notes back/get out of there, I'd put 'signed under duress' or write your name as Mickey Mouse.

A&E then imo. Really feel for you, that is so shitty. :(

I'd stay where you are but point out to them that if anything has happened to your baby in the 4 hours you've been waiting that they will be getting prosecuted for negligence!

No advice OP, just in sympathy for your grim situation! Hope you get seen soon, and that all is well for all you poor pregnant ladies there!

Tbh, I would sit it out where you are now, but think about birth options. In what way are you high risk for a homebirth?

A&E would send you to nearest maternity unit surely?

Holy crap - this isn't care. Can you not phone or go back to your midwife? Or go to the better hospital if it's only an hour away

She told you, im assuming to go immediately for monitoring, and your not going to get it for 4 hours. She didn't say, "oh you need monitored, tell you what go in to town for shopping, spot of lunch and what not, & pop in a few hours later"

I live a couple of hours drive from our wee hospital & an hours flight to a big infirmary, and am thanking god they are decent.

Good luck with getting seen and hope all is well.

Just saw your last message. I'd phone both midwife and the other hospital from the waiting room explaining it all.

No thank god Crewe is frigging miles away! Hope they don't keep you all waiting too long OP.

If you're still waiting I think you should stay put. It is crap though, we waited three hours once when we had an appointment, (not for a maternity thing) and two hours is fairly normal.

If I could afford to get my whole family private cover, I would do it in an instant.

Before setting off for Chester it might be a good idea to phone them and ask if they'll see you, 'cos you don't want to get turned back to Crewe to join the back of the queue again. The number for Chester is 01244 365000. Also Royal Shrewsbury is 01743 261000.

It isn't good enough I agree, but you might as well stay put. I'm in a similar situation to you (not in the same hospo!) but have been waiting a few hours on the ante natal ward regarding a suspected blood clot at 39 weeks.

They don't seem too worried tbh, which is actually cheering me up a bit. Plus the Jeremy Kyle-ness of the rest of the ward is keeping me entertained

Hope you get seen soon.

I'm still waiting, have decided to wait out out now rather than risk not being seen as only 2 ladies ahead of me now.

Well unless any that have arrived since me are considered urgent.

Just had another lady in labour, she was whisked off very quickly though thankfully, she looked about ready to deliver. Noticed there are no wheelchairs in this temp labour ward, they used to have them by the door in the old one and the ladys partner was looking for one. That's not good either.

Will definitely be putting a compliant in about all this and looking into home birth again.

I am high risk due to position of placenta and baby measuring small, suspected IUGR. Baby is also back to back but don't think that affects risk factor.

Still thinking a home birth would be safer than this though. The work is on going for months so this is to be expected for a while.

Only thing is if they are having staffing problems would they refuse me a home birth? Are the home birth midwives separate from the hospital ones or all shared? There isn't enough staff here to cover the hospital never mind sending some out on home births.

I know it's wrong and the mum properly had no choice but why on earth would you bring a small child to a labour ward, I'm being driven mad by the noise.

Next last just went in to be seen, she came after me so must be urgent. Still 2 more that were here before me and been waiting 3 hours now.

The room is very quiet apart from the whinging child, all the nice chatty people have been and gone :(

Still not seen twin mum leave, hope that's not a bad sign. Everyone else who went in to be seen left through the same door but not her.

With home birth it depends on staffing levels when you actually go into labour. So you can be all set up to go but you phone up and they ask you to come in.

I'd swop your whiny child for the couple I've got in the next cubicle who I think are heavy petting.

Are you sure they aren't going for nipple stimulation to get labour started

Oh no thanks GRANULE :(

At least they are in the next cubicle though, would be worse having to watch them as well.

Just went to get a drink and the hot drink machine is broken, going to fall asleep if I don't get some caffine soon.

I could be at home eating Easter eggs right now, starting to wish I hadn't bothered coming now. it's laughable to think I rushed here as well because the midwife said go straight in.

Lady across from me has got to be a mumsnetter!

She has just announced how disgusted she is at being made to wait such an unreasonable amount of time and she keeps tutting and making faces when one of the other ladies goes out to smoke.