Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think a 4 hour wait is ridulous!

331 replies

BlackEyed · 06/04/2012 12:16

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.

OP posts:
AKMD · 06/04/2012 22:13

Shock OP, I can't believe how badly you and the other women were being treated today! Please, please complain.

Don't be polite, if you feel that something is wrong then make the biggest fuss you are capable of to get your DD out.

marriedinwhite · 06/04/2012 22:18

Good luck OP - let us know what happens. Put your foot down. If they think you are litigious at the outset they won't take any chances.

FunkyChickensOnTheMove · 06/04/2012 22:26

Good luck op. Im sorry you have had to go through this, its awful. Hope you are well and resting!

WhaleOilBeefHookedIWill · 06/04/2012 22:37

Oh gosh this is terrible it really is, I feel worried for you im sorry to say it.
I hope all is well but please think about demanding a scan asap they shouldn't be resting on their bloody laurels like this it is a child's LIFE not a fecking kidney stone! It cant wait!!

CommanderShepard · 06/04/2012 23:23

Oh god, Leighton... is Countess of chester not an option? Or is that private?

Fingers and toes and everything crossed for you.

CommanderShepard · 06/04/2012 23:30

Sorry, ignore me - I always think Leighton is in chester for some reason

Moodykat · 06/04/2012 23:31

Been lurking in horror all day. I hope that everything is ok for you OP. You seem much more together than I would've been. Good luck.

TheDetective · 06/04/2012 23:48

Viva, you are wasting your breath. No one listens to us. There is no point in explanations :(

ballstoit · 07/04/2012 00:16

Op, if you are still reading this, please start to do some very loud, demanding and complaining. The monitoring you are being offered is not good enough, and is putting your baby at risk. If needs be, start finding phone numbers for national paper news desks, and make loud phone calls to them explaining what is happening.

Complaining in hindsight is not enough in this situation...your baby is in distress now, and without accurate doppler readings, no midwife or doctor can tell how great an effect the drops in her heart beat are having on her brain and organs. Unless you are constantly being monitored, then no one can tell if that dropping of her heart rate goes too low or worse.

Viva and TheDetective SIL has recently been in hospital due to IUGR with one of her twins. All her scans during her hosiptal stay were done by portable scanner on the ward, and the doppler readings were accurate enough to bring about a decison to deliver at 30 weeks.

The Op has been treated appallingly, and still is. It's this type of lack of care that puts women and babies at risk.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 07/04/2012 00:52

Best of luck op. Agree that you should be making a nuisance of yourself. Please keep us updated xx

PurpleRomanesco · 07/04/2012 01:39

Good luck Black. God bless.

westcoastnortherner · 07/04/2012 02:34

OP can you go to Macclesfield instead?

differentnameforthis · 07/04/2012 03:28

They are leaving you all night with a distressed baby? Huh?

I was rushed into theatre when dd1 was distressed, had to have a section under GA!!

pumpkinsweetie · 07/04/2012 05:35

I hope things have moved on since your last post-your baby's life is at risk if they have let you go all night without proper monitering. Ur instincts count for everthing.
I have been worrying about your situation all day, if you are reading this & still nothing has happened please complain, shout & beg very loudly you are not happy for this appalling care to go on.
Im astonished that in 2012 the care is so poor, i wish u lots of luck with you & your baby.
Dont allow them to deny you basic care-what they are doing is wrong, this is a real living baby in distress xxx

pumpkinsweetie · 07/04/2012 05:38

And i agree with ball- threaten to get on the phone to local & national newspapers as they will not like this so should start to fasten the pace of checking on your baby properly. If they still will not take notice get the numbers of internet on yor phone then actually phone them

LST · 07/04/2012 06:19

I had an appointment at 1 o'clock for monitor (as I had OC) when I was pregnant in MAU. I didn't get seen until half 9 that night!! They decided to induce me the next day! Angry

lifechanger · 07/04/2012 06:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SydSaid · 07/04/2012 06:44

This thread puts so many others into perspective.

Hoping things are fine this morning

Thumbbunny · 07/04/2012 06:44

Really hope everything is ok Blackeyed - and I'd still go to PALS and complain about the set-up, even if it is. Shocking situation! :(

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 07/04/2012 07:14

No news? Thinking of you OP. Hope the night went well & that you & bump are well.

MsBrandybuck · 07/04/2012 07:39

Really hoping everything is fine this morning. PALS definitely need to be informed too. Angry for you.

twoistwiceasfun · 07/04/2012 08:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 07/04/2012 08:35

Thinking of you op, I hope all has been well for you both overnight.

shushpenfold · 07/04/2012 08:42

Fingers are crossed xxx

VivaLeBeaver · 07/04/2012 08:43

Ballstoit, I guess every hospital has different portable scanners then. Where I work its only used to check position if we think a baby might be breech.

I'm hoping that when they've said the are concerns about the OPs baby then the reason they didn't act last night is because there were also reassuring things about the trace. I've seen doctors leave a woman overnight if there has been the odd deceleration at the start of a trace but with good recovery, good variability and then the rest of the trace was ok.

Swipe left for the next trending thread