To say postnatal wards are the least conducive environment for a mum/baby recovery

[cheesemumma]

Currently sitting on a ward at 11.30pm. 6th night. No exaggeration I think in total I must have had 4 hours sleep. My physical and mental health is suffering. I'm going to have to talk to the Drs tomorrow and say we're going home whatever, as we're getting more ill staying. Its not just the other selfish fucker couples that decide to talk on phone /watch films/ have conversations with each other but the staff seem to not give 2 shits it's the middle of the night. I realise my tiredness and hormones are a big contributing factor but I can feel a full tantrum /meltdown coming on. It's also 10000000 degrees and the enviable screaming babies plus the fact you get 3 teeny portions of food a day so I'm really hungry as ebf.

I stayed in hospital for 11 nights, 5 on induction, 6 on postnatal. My mental health was sooo close to being crushed forever. Cannot believe the little support you receive after going through trauma (bad labour and emcs with spinal) baby was also in special care for first night. Been told to get up 7 hours later and get on with it with no baby and in ridiculous pain. The lack of sleep is torture and nobody gives a damn about mum afterwards. Awful!

God my experience yesterday was like night and day, literally. The midwife was horrified when I told her what happened. She actively sort the sister and passed on her serious concerns then brought me an email to complain. Then the nurses and Drs came and actually explained everything properly. Then we were admitted into our own nicu room where we were not touched once during the night!!! Bliss.

Daughter looks like she's making progress. She's amazing. But yes I did say on leaving that the night bit on the ward was horrendous.

Brilliant. See whst a bit of assertiveness does.

I had two completely different experiences in the same hospital with both my children.

With DD, packed into a 4 bed room on the ward, had her at 16.38pm with emergency CS, no food or drink offered until the next morning. My BP was through the roof and wasn’t allowed home til they could control it. Well on a noisy, cramped sweltering ward with 4 hours sleep in 3 days, it wasn’t going to happen. I cracked on the 4th day and self discharged and referred myself to GP for high BP. Midwife tried to prevent it but there was no way in hell I was staying another night.

DS was elective c section and couldn’t of been more different. Tea and toast in recovery, own private room (didn’t request it either, expected to be on the ward), midwives very attentive. They and the doctor came in the next morning, ‘oh you’re out of bed, that’s good, would you like to go home today?’ Had prepared for a 3 night stay so was relieved to say the least.

And this was only 2 years between births, DS being 10 weeks ago.

My two experiences were nothing like yours but I agree the care wasn’t the best.

On DS, I was on post natal ward for 2 days. I had stitches that we’re so so sore. I’d asked for ibuprofen at 8am. I finally got it around 6pm when my delivery midwife came in to see me. I’d asked several times during the day who told me they were just waiting for a doc to prescribe it?? The second midwife came back with it in 5 mins.

I had no help with bf apart from a few nursery nurses who would come in, try and get him to latch and then ended up squeezing my tits and collecting it in a syringe to feed him. Didn’t even ask, they just did it. Don’t remember much about my time on the ward and just kept myself to myself with the curtains closed.

DD was in NICU so I was alone on the post natal ward. By the following morning I was moved to a private room which was fab. I also had the ward manager looking after me which was amazing. I was in charge of my own pain relief and was given stronger pain relief when needed. I was given a machine to pump. The service I had from her was great. She was firm and knew what she was talking about. It’s almost like she was setting an example of how it should be done. They would even ring the NICU to chase me to come down for food. No complaints at all second time around.

Sorry you’re going through this op. After reading everyone’s stories it certainly seems that reform is needed. Thinking of you xx

@Stroan What hospital was that? Did u pay for it? I've never heard of anyone having a private room after delivery in hospitals around Lanarkshire/Glasgow.

@shelbybear I had a private room after delivery too, Wishaw has a couple

Didn’t pay for it either

@Shelbybear I'm in Lanarkshire but gave birth in Forth Valley (the closest hospital). Didn't pay for it. My sister was in Dumfries.

I think they all have a handful of private rooms but allocate them based on circumstance. I didn't realise how bad my birth had been until I found out it was rare to get a private room at my hospital.

@Ilikeyourbeard If u don't mind me asking, how did u get it, was it just luck or did u ask or were u very ill? I don't hold out much hope, had an emergency section and they thought I had sepsis last time, they still just stuck me on a ward. It's Wishaw I'll be going to for my 2nd later this yr, really hoping just for a 1 night stay, 2 at most.

@shelbybear I had a planned section, wasn’t majorly ill. I did have a torn placenta which resulted in a bit of blood loss but nothing extreme needing a transfusion etc. We just asked for it before the section, had to wait in recovery a bit longer while they got it cleaned up as the last lady only left that day but I had my section about half 10 and was in my own room for about 6ish I think. I was in for 2 nights, got out about dinner time on 3rd day.

Think it was just luck, you can only ask and see if there’s one free

ARE THERE ANY NEWSPAPERS THAT CAN PICK UP THIS STORY???

Would anyone be willing to start a petition for parliament and list out the issues that need addressing? Daily mail the sun anyone reading this? We need this information to get out so that the government is aware

Everyone would sign the petition we know that so shall we do one?

I had to stay in for 3 nights and it was just awful. I was in a ward with 4 beds and I was next to the corridor. I had no natural light for days, some husbands stayed over and snored all night, every time someone came in to see me they left the curtain open so I had to keep getting up and shutting them. I just wanted to go home and sleep and be at peace. In my own bed with my own shower. I honestly think it’s what triggered my baby blues. When I asked to leave they refused until they needed the bed then I was sent packing. I was so happy to go home after spending most of the time crying in hospital.

Chocolatehat

Went to use the only working shower yesterday morning but was beaten to it by a man who was walking around in only his boxer shorts.

I am actually speechless at this and so, so angry!! That is just so completely inappropriate. Random men who are not medical staff should not, NOT EVER, be wandering around on postnatal maternity wards. Jesus!!. Male cleaners are bad enough. Aside from the incredible vulnerability of women who are physically compromised, weak, bleeding, have numbness preventing them the ability to run or defend themselves etc etc, you just don't know under what circumstances some of the women gave birth...could be rape. Very rare certainly, but I'm sure it happens and then you have some random men walking around, and unfortunately I'm not naive enough to think that, for some men, that is kink heaven.

Men should only be allowed to stay in private rooms that are equiped with onsuite facilities. No way should they have access to same toilets, bathing and shower facilities as the women, who desperately need to use it do!!

To think when I had half my labia hanging out my knickers it was so swollen, to be confronted by a man in the bathrooms. In Boxers!!

My god, things have changed for the worse! The modern post-natal ward sounds absolutely horrendous!

It was very different 40 years ago, when I had my first baby. I was in the local maternity hospital (long since closed, sadly). First timers were booked in for 10 days, although very few of us actually stayed that long. The wards had 6 beds each and were very spacious. There was a gap of at least 10 feet between beds.

The post natal wards were run by a matron, with numerous NNEB nursery nurses to help the new mothers. It was run to a strict routine. Lights out strictly at 10.00pm and silence on the wards. All the babies were wheeled down the corridor into the nursery, which was staffed by a couple of nursery nurses. When your baby woke in the night, one of the nurses would creep into the ward and gentle wake you up, and you'd put dressing gown on and go to the nursery to feed and change your baby. There was a lot of camerarderie there. If a mum was struggling, others would help and console.

The day began at 5.45am on the wards. The lights would go on and the tea trolley trundled in. We were all woken and given a cup of tea, regardless of whether or not we had been up for most of the night with a fractious baby! At 6.00am, the babies were wheeled back into the ward, supposedly for the first feed of the day. Some did feed but most didn't, as they were fed on demand and not to schedule. The hospital actually encouraged demand feeding, yet still kept to the old schedule.

Visiting hours were one hour in the afternoon, I think 2.30 till 3.30, and two hours in the evening from 6.30 till 8.30, for everyone, including husbands/partners. The visiting times were strictly enforced. Cups of tea for mums and visitors were supplied at 2.30pm. At 3.30pm, there was a quiet time until 5.00pm, so mums could rest.

During our stay, we were taught how to breastfeed, how to bath the baby, how to fold and put on a nappy (terry squares and pins!) etc. The Registrar visited every few days, so we also registered the baby's birth there. We were given menu cards in the evening, to choose our meals for the following day.

I can only imagine the hellish experience that happens now! No wonder everyone wants to go home as soon as possible!

@Ilikeyourbeard Well I can ask, won't hold my breath though, thanks.

We need a campaign to improve things with a suitably high profile person to front it. I'd say a celeb, but I feel it has to be someone with status and gravitas, someone who would be taken seriously. But also someone who is down-to- earth enough who can relate. Not someone who has had only private gold standard maternity care.

Perhaps someone with good feminist credentials or a medical background. Or maybe that doesn't matter I'm not sure.

I can't think of anyone. Perhaps a minor royal or something. Kate and Meghan have both had gold standard births unfortunately. It has to be someone who can speak for women from every background including young mums with no support, but still be listened to.

Back in the day it would have been Esther Rantzen or Gloria Hunniford. It's sad I can't think one person who fits the bill today.

The vlogger Louise Pentland has talked about this subject quite a bit. OP, I hope that something happens to make things better for you. Is there a possibility that you get your own room? Tell somebody that you've only had 4 hours sleep please. In fact repeat it to everyone. Shifts change so every shift needs to know :-(

Maria Miller

Maria Miller

Yes, possibly, didn't much about her but checked and being the Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee she's in a position to argue for changes, there the shadow of her having claimed excessive expenses in the past, however since then and has been relected to the ESC so she must be doing something right.

This is certainly a womens issue, a massive one. A strong candidate.

The trouble with trying to find a celebrity to front a campaign is most will have had a private hospital.

I'd think some of the female MPs might have experienced a bog standard NHS post natal ward. If not for themselves but family and friends.

My experience was awful too.

EMCS and they grazed my bowel so I was very ill afterwards. I lost a lot of blood.

No one would help me with my DS - even when I was in tears

My grammar in that last message was terrible.

I'd think some of the female MPs might have experienced a bog standard NHS post natal ward

Yes, but is there a way of finding out which ones? A lot of MPs come from privileged backgrounds and don't necessarily experience the bog standard big public hospital routine. Some go to smaller hospitals and in any case they take their authority with them so likely get more pandered to but yes, an MP would fit the bill.

There's obviously also some who gave birth before becoming M.Ps but then you don't just want a small profile M.P either. I wonder where Maria Miller had her children?

On the NHS 100%