Active discussions

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

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be a tad annoyed with maternity unit

472 replies

sstewart2016 · 17/02/2016 19:14

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 Confused this is my first so no idea. Just in so much pain and not really sure what I expected Blush

OP posts:
mrwalkensir · 18/02/2016 21:18

re the screaming thing. Husband couldn't get the midwife to believe that I was in pain as I wasn't screaming. I was so far gone with pain (back to back, head far too big to ever exit) that I would have shot myself if they'd handed me a gun. Making a noise wasn't possible!

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 18/02/2016 21:28

I thought I was dying with my first labour😀 i went to hospital thinking I was well on my way, with what I thought were bad contractions and they sent me home, telling me I was only 2cm or so. They were so blunt as we'll, no patience!

Then ensued the most horrendous 2 hours of my life, I felt like I was truly dying. And they were so horrid to me the first time, I didn't want to go back and be sent away again. Dh called in the end and we went back, I was bout 7 cm iirc and they kept me in. Ds1 didn't make an appearance for almost 11 horrific hours and only then with forceps.

Good luck opThanks

Original poster
sstewart2016 · 18/02/2016 21:32

They aren't keen to examine me again so I'm assuming I'm stuck on 2cm, still in quite a fair bit of pain but nurofen tablets seem to be helping ish as haven't been offered anything
A lady has just come in from an hour and 20 minutes away and is dire need of emergency care so been pushed back yet again 😢

OP posts:
Youarentkiddingme · 18/02/2016 21:36

Hope things get moving soon.

I had a very painful 'labour' with DS in a country where they don't give pain relief. I had contractions 5 minutes apart all night and then passed mucas plug. Went in. Contractions on monitor showing 5 minutes, not dilated so sent home and told to come back following day at 8am (at 41wk) to have waters broken. I contracted terribly all night. Waters broke on way to labour ward. Contractions 3 minutes apart - still not dilated. 4 hours later I'm screaming informing them I need to push. Contractions 1 minute apart - I was 1 fucking centimetre. 1!

The only consolation was I had a very fit male Mexican midwife in attendance! (Not in Mexico!)

dontpokethebear · 18/02/2016 21:39

Um, you shouldn't take ibuprofen when pregnant!!!

Zucker · 18/02/2016 21:42

Honestly you're doing great stewart, hopefully things will get a move on soon.

One tip I was given to stop your body tensing up without you even realising it was to literally shake your hands and arms like you're trying to take off. Take no notice if people start to give you the side eye she's lost her mind face Grin

Original poster
sstewart2016 · 18/02/2016 21:43

Can you not?! F* midwife said it was fine

OP posts:
Lj8893 · 18/02/2016 21:50

Did they give you the ibuprofen?

BeagBoo · 18/02/2016 21:50

My mum was sent home from the maternity ward, I was born in the lift back down!

Allisgood1 · 18/02/2016 21:55

Ask for co-codamol. They gave me this when I was induced with dd2. Hope things pick up for you soon!

Youarentkiddingme · 18/02/2016 21:55

Is there a costa coffee you could head off to for a decaf and muffin? May as well get food and drink whilst you can Grin the walking will help you too.

Enjoyingthepeace · 18/02/2016 21:57

If a nurophen is helping ease the pain, then I'm not the least bit surprised that the nurses aren't focused on you, and those with emergency care are being prioritised.

Enjoyingthepeace · 18/02/2016 21:58

Did you take your own?!

They would have given you the meds

Lj8893 · 18/02/2016 22:03

enjoyingthepeace pain and what kind of pain relief you need isn't a measurement of labour Hmm

DoJo · 18/02/2016 22:04

Dojo I understand why you feel that way but undiagnosed breechs happen 3-4% in term deliverys. Which suggests that yes they can tell by palpation how a fetus is presenting but of course there are times when it's not possible or is palpated incorrectly. So no, a scan isn't necessary for all women.

That may well be, but given that I had the attention of scores of registrars, consultants and midwives, three sweeps, several doses of hormone gel, hours of monitoring, a bed on a ward for three days, two unnecessary epidurals and an emergency c-section at the end of it all, I suspect that they could have scanned everyone that walked through the doors (including those who weren't pregnant) while I was there and it would have been quicker and cost less! Grin

Enjoyingthepeace · 18/02/2016 22:07

Ll. ... cm on! It might not be all the time but it's a pretty decent indicator!

All I'm saying is that if op is mumsnetting, and nurophen is helping with the pain, is it any wonder that emergency cases are receiving higher priority?

Eminado · 18/02/2016 22:11

Enjoying the peace I cant see anyone grumbling about the emergency case being prioritised Confused

Lj8893 · 18/02/2016 22:12

Oh yes in your case it would have cost a lot less to have had a scan dojo but that's a pretty rare occurance and so I don't think it's necessary to scan every woman who comes into a unit in labour.

enjoying of course an emergency situation takes precedence in this case but that's nothing to do with the op managing on nurofen. I laboured with no pain relief whatsoever and managed the pain quite fine, and because I was left alone and not monitored effectively, my situation soon turned into an emergency!

Haudyerwheesht · 18/02/2016 22:15

op. -can you not go home ? I'm not sure what you're gaining from being there? Go home get some rest and try and go for as much of a walk around as you can and come back in the morning?

Lj8893 · 18/02/2016 22:19

I agree, home is really your best place.

FATEdestiny · 18/02/2016 22:22

They wouldn't admit me until contractions were 3 in ten minutes. Before then I was told to manage at home. Four children, all with very long early phases. My shortest labour was 22 hours from waters breaking.

OP - in your positon I would go home and get some rest and relaxation.

Want2bSupermum · 18/02/2016 22:41

I would go home and book yourself an induction massage for tomorrow. If you can't find a place that does them look it up on youtube and have someone proceed to do it.

Being induced isn't fun and that is why I suggest massage and even acupuncture before they induce you tomorrow evening.

NotnowNigel · 18/02/2016 23:01

TattyDEvine maybe the midwife was trying to protect you? As soon as your waters have broken they will only give you 24 hours to deliver because they say it's a risk of infection. Maybe the mw was trying to prevent a whole cascade of intervention and give your body a chance to do its thing?

OP, I hope you're getting on ok. Try to move around and think about your cervix opening and pushing your baby downwards and outwards. Much better to avoid induction if you can Wink

NameChangeEr · 18/02/2016 23:02

Good luck and make sure they know you have taken nurofen

Haudyerwheesht · 18/02/2016 23:36

Yes please do mention the ibuprofen. Besides anything else it can delay labour! It can also cause problems with amniotic fluid and heart issues so whilst it's not likely it's worth mentioning.

Swipe left for the next trending thread