Psting in AIBU for traffic - Bristol mum and newborn have gone missing, please keep your eyes open if in bristol!

[KnitFastDieWarm]

Apologies for posting here but the Avon and Somerset police are running an urgent appeal for the safe return of Bristol mum Charlotte Bevan and her four day old baby, who have gone missing from a central Bristol maternity unit and haven't been seen for over 12 hours. PLEASE keep an eye out for her and phone the police if you see her - she's white, around 5'8, dark hair, wearing a black top, black trousers and hospital slippers or flip flops. Her baby is wrapped in a stripey blanket.

Hoping and praying for a safe return sad

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/03/mother-baby-missing-bristol-maternity-hospital

My heart goes out to this poor woman's family & friends.

I think it's so terribly sad that this has happened & think maybe security in all maternity hospitals needed to be looked at, not just the odd few. When I gave birth to my son last year, he was given a safety tag around the ankle that could only be removed by a gadget held by the nurses & all doors in & out of the ward were operated by a buzzer system. It was so secure that I remember a lady in the bed next to me who wanted to take her baby downstairs to meet her husband & by the time she had got to the first door of the ward ( which was next to our room) as there wasn't a nurse at the door, she couldn't be buzzed through & the baby's ankle tag had set an alarm off. Several nurses instantly came to check out the situation. Although her wish to leave the ward was perfectly innocent, it just showed how secure it was. It made me feel very safe whilst me & my baby were there & maybe if the ward Charlotte had stayed in had had the same security measures, nurses would have been able to get to her & help her before she could go any further. I don't think this is the nurses' fault as has been previously suggested, just simply the lack of security that prevented them from being able to give her the help she may have needed

Noble you're right. I found it such a depressing place and that was without mental health issues. My Mother came to see me and DD and she was shocked at the "heavy atmosphere". She commented that when she was in hospital in the 60s and 70s it was far more cheerful and happy and that the women would chat together more.

I wonder why the places are so grim now?

Apparently she had existing mental health issues and had stopped taking her medication for a few days. This is so very sad I can't comment other than to say how very sorry I am for her, her baby and family. May she rest in peace.

Nothing really to add but I feel so much for them all, I had hoped for a better outcome but obviously not as its reported they have now found the mum.

On another note though in the hospital where I gave birth all babies were all fitted with an alarm immediately after I was taken to the ward. The alarm was set for that ward only and if I had tried to take ds out of that ward the alarm would have sounded and immediately locked the doors on that floor until reset by someone. I honestly thought that this was the case with all maternity hospitals now but maybe not. At least it would have alerted someone to help her, but hindsights a wonderful thing.

Has the identity of the body in the gorge actually been confirmed yet?

Desperately sad & I think its natural for those who wish to to talk about it and who are feeling this on a personal level perhaps because they identify in some way with the mother to want to share experiences & this thread is a safe place to talk about it.

The speculation is disrespectful yes, but talking about our experiences as mothers & with giving birth & MH issues are valid and those who are drawn to this thread in particular may wish to share their stories as they resonate with the tragic news that is currently unfolding.

I've been a patient at the same hospital, with MH issues. I wasn't at all pressured to breastfeed. They took fantastic care of me and I don't think I'm exaggerating to say I wouldn't be here today without the help I got. They're massively pressured and understaffed and I know all the midwives and staff will be absolutely horrified by what happened to Charlotte. My thoughts are with her family and partner.

Just adding my voice here to those who have mentioned the security ankle tags to prevent removal of babies. This is not new tech: my 9 year old had one attached in the delivery room. It would appear there were no such measures here and I wonder why not.

RIP Charlotte.

Out of interest if anyone knows, what if you are in hospital and you don't want to have your baby tagged? I probably wouldn't have agreed so do they say ok?

Elephant I am glad you have posted this. I am feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the blame being placed on hospital staff without yet knowing all of the facts. News sources are saying things like "able to walk past several nurses unchallenged." Not right.

MY DCs were not tagged.

Mine were tagged. I presumed it is the same at all hospitals but obviously not.

So very sad...

Saga do you mean not tagged at your request or the hospital didn't have tagging?

My DCs were tagged - DD is nearly 19. There was at least one case in the couple of years before that of a woman walking into a maternity unit and out with someone else's baby. No way I'd have said no to it.

The hospital didn't have tagging. Just an ID bracelet on wrist and ankle.

My DCs were not tagged because the hospital didn't offer tagging. DS was burn earlier this year so clearly it is still common to not tag babies.

I don't think the staff should be blamed. Because think of the fuss if somebody is challenged every five minutes or locked in. There would be outrage. I agree with tagging of new borns. But although of course this is all very sad it's a comparatively rare happening.

By tagging I assume people mean electronic ones that trigger alarms, right?

I think it might have been this one I was thinking of:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/two-held-after-baby-snatched-from-hospital-1396240.html

My 6 yo was tagged.

It was the simplest thing in the world to remove, literally just slipped off her ankle.

skylark if that's the case I'm thinking of, I remember it. Think that's the one that prompted hospital security but for the life of me I can't remember the names. But I would still probably say no to tagging. I was in a private room with baby never out my sight and I'm bolshy enough to have challenged anyone who wanted to take baby somewhere. But not everyone will feel the same obviously.

Mine were not tagged. I don't think you needed to be buzzed out of the ward either, there was just a button to push. The cots did have alarms which the mothers could choose to activate, which would go off if the baby was removed I think? I don't know, it's all pretty hazy......

The body hasn't been identified asCharlotte Bevan yet, but I think we can deduce from what has been said that the police know it is her I can't stop thinking about it, that poor woman and her daughter.

I just hope that whatever has happened to little Zaani, she can just be found now, because the thought of her all alone in the cold is just too much.

I think we are talking about electronic not the name bracelets.

Yes nicknacky I was referring to an electronic tag. On a bracelet.