To be a tad annoyed with maternity unit

[sstewart2016]

I phoned the maternity unit at 11am today after contracting since yesterday, they told me to come in for 5 tonight. Still contracting and I haven't been checked on
Just on a bed right next to the nurses station where I can here one nurse saying "bed 3 (me) can't possibly be in Labour she must have ate too much" is this standard this is my first so no idea. Just in so much pain and not really sure what I expected

Don't think it was a midwife who done it although I was so out of it
Baby Leon has to stay in scbu for 5 days. I've had a blood transfusion well actually two. Won't be off the drip until gone 7 so have decided, with a heavy heart to just use formula.
Can't wait to go home to be honest, haven't ate anything since breakfast :( I couldn't reach my dinner tonight as the drip is in my right arm so can't bend it to get my dinner 😢
There's a few girls in here who are from the antenatal classes so it's good to have somebody to speak to

Oh and my other half took me in some donught and fruit juice, doctor came along and said "I don't ever want to see you eat them, they must be binned asap" so have been in floods of tears for majority of the day

Why the hell would a doctor say that to you? Have you made a complaint yet?

Op that's awful stupid doctor! I'm so angry for you. How is your lo doing?

Why did the doctor say that?! Bizarre.

Because I am aparently wasting NHS time, because of my crappy diet that's why I have no iron stores so if I ate better I wouldn't need a transfusion.
Utter bollocks, I've just lost 850ml of blood and keep having 3 daily blood tests it's not wonder I have no iron stores

Poor you. You need to eat something! You can do healthy eating when you can eat properly. Hope you are getting to SCBU to see little Leon as much as you can. Can DH wheel you there in a chair?

Get DH to bring in some grapes - you can get nice little boxes of mixed ones in supermarkets/M&S - they always look good .

Low iron at the end of a pregnancy is very normal. I'm 34 weeks and my iron is very depleted. I'm scheduled for my CS and they have said they will give me a blood transfusion on the day if my iron levels get any lower. Diet has nothing to do with it. I'm following an excellent diet and taking prenatals for anemic mothers to be. My iron is still low!

I'm so angry on your behalf op. We have some wonderful midwives, nurses, doctors etc etc in our amazing NHS. But it's doctors like that (amongst the rest of the poor care you have received) that give the rest of them a bad name.

I will keep saying it, please please please make an official complaint.

Thanks lj where do I go to make a complaint?

Your first point of contact will be the hospitals PALS. Speak to them first but make it clear you are serious and want to make a proper complaint. They will escalate it further to the appropriate domains.

Thank you, have sent them an e-mail I'm still in hospital. Had an iron transfusion yesterday but I reacted to the minifor in it so was rushed to high dependency and given oxygen so missed my dinner again last night!
Leon should be back on the ward with me later hopefully

Oh bless you, you really are having such a time of it. Good news that Leon will be with you soon though, onwards and upwards!

Are you having enough food - have you managed to replace those missed meals?

He's back with me but got to wheel his cot back through to scbu at 11pm and 3am to get his antibiotic, like that's not gonna screw with my sleeping
No not having enough food I think, if I miss a meal here then I don't get anything until breakfast
Just wanna go home, been in hospital 10 days already, I miss fresh air

That hospital sounds awful. Where I work we have a kitchen with food for women to help themselves too, including bread, cereals, biscuits and a freezer full of microwave meals. And they can order breakfast, lunch, dinner too if they would rather.

Women who have newborn babies are busy, even in hospital. To assume they are always going to be free to eat/order at prescribed times is ridiculous.

Lj, that sounds amazing. Where I work sounds a similar set up to the OP in that meals are brought round at set times. Nowhere to go and help yourself.

Only thing I would say OP is if you're ever hungry between meals please tell someone. I would always get a sandwich from the kitchens or toast or cereal from our small ward kitchen if someone was hungry.

This seems very common. My DD was in enough pain to ask for painkillers. She overheard a midwife, (who had not even seen her), saying 'she's not in labour'. About 5 minutes later GS was born and had to be taken to special care because he was short of oxygen. DD should have been given antibiotics for Group B strep but there wasn't time. Consequently she had to stay in hospital while they checked GS for infection. She did complain later about the midwife, but do they never learn!

The nurses who bring dinner round go off duty after dinner so can't imagine the kitchen being open
I just want to go home. Few midwifes complaining because I haven't woken up when Leon starts crying at 1am so they have to come in and feed him. One midwife dropped the formula and i thought it was somebody knocking on the ward door because I am so exhausted

you poor thing, you're having a bit of a grim time! What area are you in if you don't mind me asking?

Sstewart how are you and ds now?

I hope things are getting better for you and baby Leon. You have been through the wars!

Make everything as easy as you can for yourself when you get home. Get DH to do an online shop, nice food, lots of rest and give yourself lots of TLC. You deserve it