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Original poster

Guardian article about women being turned away from hospital when in labour

202 replies

Elephantgrey · 15/01/2018 20:38

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/15/i-knew-i-was-in-labour-why-are-women-being-turned-away-from-hospital-during-childbirth

This article is about women being told by midwifes that they are not in labour and being sent home from hospital when they are in labour and the baby is born shortly afterwards.

Is this something that happens a lot? I am pregnant and people with the medical condition I have are more likely to have fast labours.

OP posts:
MuseumOfCurry · 15/01/2018 20:56

I've had 1 baby on the NHS, 12 years ago - I'd imagine things have deteriorated quite a bit.

Maybe the NHS should charge for baby number 3 onwards to relieve the strain.

derenstar · 15/01/2018 21:02

My sister delivered her daughter by the front door of her house 35 mins after being turned away from the hospital last June. Luckily for her, my mum is an ex midwife so she was in safe hands. My mum said these things always happen but more so now, because the service is so stretched. I’m pretty sure we all know at least one person this has happened to. A friend of a friend nearly lost her son as he was in distress and she was turned away. It’s only after her husband made a right fuss that she was admitted apparently and she nearly lost him. Makes me shudder, it’s just such a shit situation.

BrawneLamia · 15/01/2018 21:02

It could well have happened to me, my waters had been broken for 24 hours but I apparently wasn't in labour so I was taken to be induced... Except I was already 8cm. I remember it clearly, I was having intense contractions but I went very quiet and focused so everyone thought I wasn't in labour.

Also, I have managed to give birth to two babies without ever having the correct pattern of contractions.

hidinginthenightgarden · 15/01/2018 21:02

To be fair, many first time mums will go in earlier than they need to and they probably send away just as many, if not more that genuinely aren't in established labour.
Hospitals are so understaffed and the staff do their best. Ours were fab. One grumpy midwife in the middle of the night but the rest were great.

shakeyourcaboose · 15/01/2018 21:02

OP are you red pathway as have noticed you have medical condition? Were you looking for reassurance here? Please if anxious contact your midwife.

derenstar · 15/01/2018 21:02

My sister delivered her daughter by the front door of her house 35 mins after being turned away from the hospital last June. Luckily for her, my mum is an ex midwife so she was in safe hands. My mum said these things always happen but more so now, because the service is so stretched. I’m pretty sure we all know at least one person this has happened to. A friend of a friend nearly lost her son as he was in distress and she was turned away. It’s only after her husband made a right fuss that she was admitted apparently and she nearly lost him. Makes me shudder, it’s just such a shit situation.

BrawneLamia · 15/01/2018 21:02

It could well have happened to me, my waters had been broken for 24 hours but I apparently wasn't in labour so I was taken to be induced... Except I was already 8cm. I remember it clearly, I was having intense contractions but I went very quiet and focused so everyone thought I wasn't in labour.

Also, I have managed to give birth to two babies without ever having the correct pattern of contractions.

shakeyourcaboose · 15/01/2018 21:02

OP are you red pathway as have noticed you have medical condition? Were you looking for reassurance here? Please if anxious contact your midwife.

derenstar · 15/01/2018 21:02

My sister delivered her daughter by the front door of her house 35 mins after being turned away from the hospital last June. Luckily for her, my mum is an ex midwife so she was in safe hands. My mum said these things always happen but more so now, because the service is so stretched. I’m pretty sure we all know at least one person this has happened to. A friend of a friend nearly lost her son as he was in distress and she was turned away. It’s only after her husband made a right fuss that she was admitted apparently and she nearly lost him. Makes me shudder, it’s just such a shit situation.

AnyFarrahFowler · 15/01/2018 21:03

I’m reluctant to criticise the care I received in labour, as my midwife Michelle was absolutely fantastic - however the care I received either side of giving birth was awful.
First midwife didn’t believe that I was as far along as I was, despite me bent over the bed howling. I had been induced and apparently women don’t progress that quickly normally. Well, I did, so...

Then 11 hours after giving birth I was asked to leave because they needed the bed. My baby & I hadn’t properly established breastfeeding and she didn’t feed all day. I ended up calling out a breastfeeding support worker in desperation, who was furious I’d been discharged so quickly.
If we decide to have a third, I’m going private. Not enough midwives or resources. I witnessed midwives literally running around, shouting that they needed help/equipment and it was a bit scary if I’m honest.
You need to not be afraid to speak up, in my experience.

AdoraBell · 15/01/2018 21:04

Happened to my mum, 50years ago now but apparently her waters hadn’t broken, she’d just pee’d and no, I wasn’t in anyway ready to be born Hmm

Moltenpink · 15/01/2018 21:04

@Missduke, can I ask if you use the calmness of the woman to judge how far they have progressed? I have always wondered if that was why I wasn’t believed twice (and gave birth alone once).

Mabelface · 15/01/2018 21:05

My midwife didn't believe me when I told her my waters were trickling when I started with my triplets, she thought I was wetting myself. Luckily, I was already in hospital with preeclampsia, so couldn't get turned away. I just said to her "you'll see" and sure enough, within half an hour my contractions started with a vengeance. This was after I'd gone up to the the hospital as I felt odd, and the consultant treated me as if I was neurotic until they finally took my BP and it was sky high. I know my own body, idiots.

MissDuke · 15/01/2018 21:05

No midwife wants to send a woman home and them have a baby in the car park. Really

Couldn't agree more! Each one is logged as an incident - you don't want the hassle or the thought or quite a few going against your name!

My trust has around 5000 deliveries a year and around 5 BBAs - with the last two I have heard of being a sudden onset, the woman hadn't actually rang or visited the maternity unit in labour - it just all happened too fast.

One thing to bear in mind op is that generally a fast labour without intervention is actually very low risk and highly unlikely to lead to an emergency. When you ring for an ambulance, the operator will talk whoever rings through what to do. Obviously not what you want and potentially traumatic. But if we admitted everyone in early labour, our rooms would be full in no time - where would those in established labour go? I genuinely believe that would cause more babies to be born outside of a labour room!

Akire · 15/01/2018 21:06

My sister rang labour ward on labour (first one) was told she couldn’t possibly be in labour because “the labour ward was full”. Ye ok I just tell The baby that then.

derenstar · 15/01/2018 21:06

Sorry, didn’t meant to post that three times!!! The page kept hanging each time I pressed submit! 🙁

museumum · 15/01/2018 21:06

First time I went in I was only 1cm but they were happy for me to hang about and pave the corridors and go to the hospital cafe etc.
It took another 12 hours after that so I’m glad I wasn’t admitted and went home.

When I went back I was 8cm and ds our in 4 hours.

Itmakesthereaderreadon · 15/01/2018 21:07

"You don't sound like you're in labour. Phone back in half an hour." We live 30 mins away. It was my 2nd baby; dc1 took 6 hours. We left.dc2 born 2 hours after I made phone call and i.Got told off cos they couldn't find my notes as they 'hsdnt expected (me) to.come in.'

Pidgythe2nd · 15/01/2018 21:07

Happened to me 4 years ago today!

Waters broke, went in to get checked. I knew I was in labour but was told I wasn't. The midwife lied to me about how far dilated I was (records show she didn't check).
Despite this being my 2nd baby, in the confusion I left expecting to return within an hour or so.
5 min car ride home and I felt the urge to push as we got to our road.

My mum delivered DD in the bathroom whilst DH relayed instructions from the 999 service. Ambulance arrived 5 mins later.

So yes, it does happen.

I'm now 38 weeks pregnant with DC3. First sign and I'm camping out at the hospital and NOT LEAVING!

MissDuke · 15/01/2018 21:07

Hi Molten, I do think that sometimes happens, yes. You get so used to the signs of someone in advanced labour that you can get complacent and think you can recognise it by sight? I really think you are right.

makingmiracles · 15/01/2018 21:07

MY last baby(5th) I went in to be told go away for a walk for an hour as you are only 4cm, so we did, then came back, still 4cm at next check, me kept umming and arring and talked about sending me Home (live 1hour drive from the hospital) I told her I wasn’t going home, contractions, ramped up, waters broke, she still didn’t believe I was in established labour, another check and still 4cm, by this point I was climbing the walls and wailing Andy begging for pain relief, she said no as we might send you Home, after about another 1/2 hr I said to dp I bloody need pain releif make her give it to me and she grudgingly gave me gas and air, dc arrived about 40 mins after being allowed pain relief.

I was utterly traumatised that she wouldn’t give me pain releif and couldn’t understand why as gas and air is very temporary and out your system very quickly anyway, really spoiled the whole experience and I felt pretty bitter about it for a while afterwards.

BrawneLamia · 15/01/2018 21:08

I should add that with Dc2 I had a home birth, which meant that the midwife had to come to me and not the other way around, so at least I didn't have to worry about trying to get admitted to hospital. One of the midwives nearly didn't make it though.

zzzzz · 15/01/2018 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PhilODox · 15/01/2018 21:12

Yes- I was told I wasn't in labour and told to go home even though I damn well knew I was, and was leaking waters everywhere, I mean it was just pouring out. Got to the point where I thought maybe it was all liquid and no baby...
Not a single midwife listened to what I was telling them, they knew best.

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 15/01/2018 21:13

My second child was 23 minutes start to finish, they told me i wasnt in labour