Bloody communal hospital wards

[Liverbird77]

I am being induced. I am on a four bed ward. Waiting for the contractions to start. I've been told that delivery suite is mega busy and there may be a long wait to be transferred down, even when in established labour.
Aibu to think that, considering people are on a ward where women could either be in pain or trying to rest in order to prepare for labour, fellow patients and their partners ( not sure why they are here unless it's all kicking off anyway) should use headphones if they want to watch TV/ use phones. It's so loud and so rude. I honestly think this should be a rule.

I got to 1.5cm after three pessaries and several days. Told them no more, I’ll have a section please and thank you. Finally got it on day five!

TBH it's not just antenatal/postnatal wards that can be awful (and I've experienced both, they were pretty horrendous). I had my appendix out recently, and was on a surgical ward for 3 days before they could operate, in the worst pain of my life - far worse than labour/birth/c-section recovery. On the ward with me were several patients with dementia, who screeched and shouted all night long. Not their fault, or that of the nurses, but it made an already-awful situation unbearable, and the ear plugs they provided were the cheap awful foam ones that are useless.

Communal wards in general are awful, but at the moment there are neither the funds nor the staff to move to more private rooms.

YANBU to want some peace and quiet but YABVU for judging why someone would have their partner sat with them. I lived on the antenatal ward for 4 months with HG and my partner sat with me and watched films most days, he kept me alive and gave me positivity when I wanted to to die

@Rowgtfc72 I was thinking exactly the same thing about my local hospital. Lovely unit all single en-suite rooms in a ‘rough area’. Then looked at your name and realised we’re probably on about the same place .

I couldn’t imagine being on a communal ward before or after birth. What an awful experience it seems.

I just had to spend a few days on an antenatal ward and I was so so grateful that because of covid 19, no visitors were allowed on the ward at all. I get it that some women need more support and I missed my husband, but honestly it was bad enough sharing with 4 women at various stages of labour. Most were lovely but one was constantly on her phone and took to singing at night (!). I came out totally exhausted and actually grateful baby was not ready yet. I also heard that because the labour ward was so busy, many women stayed there for much longer than they shoud have. It's just completely outrageous the way women are treated, both before and after having a baby. I am now planning a homebirth, unsurprisingly.

Hope all goes well and baby doesn’t keep you waiting too long.
I was lucky with DS2 and got to the hospital with only 16 minutes to spare but with DS1, I had a night on the antenatal ward before he arrived.
I’d been in to see the consultant about his growth and they wanted to check me as I’d been in slow labour for days. They ended up making me bleed really badly so wouldn’t let me go home.
Ended up in a 4 bed bay with a lady waiting for induction, another for c-section and one who was being monitored due to bleeding. So nobody else having contractions at all.
My husband wasn’t allowed to stay but the woman who was waiting for induction had her mum and partner there. They were so loud and they absolutely stank. It was like a mixture of sweat and wotsits and was making me gag from the other side of the room.
Mid August too so boiling hot and my bed was near the window. Her partner kept coming and sitting on the windowsill to get some air and poking his head around my curtain and staring at me. It was absolutely horrid and I felt so uncomfortable that I cried when the midwife came to check on me and she moved me into a room on my own. Think they then forgot about me as I was on my own overnight for 9 hours and when they checked me in the morning I was 6cm dilated and swiftly moved to labour ward.
Looks like lots of people have had an awful experience and it’s such a shame.

@Dinoteam if your thinking I'm a fan of the black and white stripes you wouldn't be far wrong!
Dd was three weeks early and a bit cold and yellow so we got one night before the birth, one after, in the actual delivery room( ensuite, tv, tea and coffee facilities) and two nights in a smaller room, also with all the amenities.
Best thing my towns ever done I reckon. Main hospital itself is dodgy as hell but maternity care is up there with private according from someone I used to work with who experienced private.

@2155User he had headphones in though, right?

@LividLaughLovely

Absolutely, but obviously there were still times when we were laughing/talking etc.
I was more highlighting that OP shouldn't just assume the partner is there for the fun of it

I assumed she meant she wasn't sure why they are there In The Time Of Covid. My local trust and the next one over is no partners til you're 4cm and transferred to the labour ward.

This has reminded me of when I was in a similar situation whilst in labour with my son. The lady on the bed opposite would writhe around on her bed in total agony every half hour then her, her mum and sister would all trot off for a fag (at least a 10 minute walk away). Then all return stinking to high heaven and the whole process would start again. It was mildly entertaining for a while

This has reminded me of when I was in a similar situation whilst in labour with my son. The lady on the bed opposite would writhe around on her bed in total agony every half hour then her, her mum and sister would all trot off for a fag (at least a 10 minute walk away). Then all return stinking to high heaven and the whole process would start again. It was mildly entertaining for a while

Hi liverbird. Good luck. I was in your position 2 years ago. No room in labour ward and a roommate in agony with breach baby offered parocetomol then taken away. Best of luck.

Just reread my post it it sounds like she was teased with parocetomol and had it taken away but she left after begging for something stronger, I assumed there was space in labour ward for her, or she went for a c section.

Good luck. I was on the ward twice for induction. One took days but I had pre eclampsia so I went from.first contraction to pushing on a hour.

Next induction was in delivery that also went on for days.

Third time was better as I was prepared so dashed off to Tescos as soon as I had the first pessary. Got back, had the second one and immediately started to contract.

I hated the noise and people barging the separating curtains. But I think you get overlooked in side rooms.

@2155User he has gone now. She is still here. She has had her third pessary, and I heard the midwife say that she'll be going nowhere tonight.
Her partner left at 10.30, even though visiting hours finish at nine.
If a woman was in labour and contracting in agony, of course I wouldn't begrudge her whatever support she needed. I still don't get why we've had to have Corrie blaring out and him walking around the place. I've had two internals today and they are bloody painful. It's not nice to have an audience just the other side of the curtain.
I would prefer to have my husband here on a bed, to chat at normal volume and make phone calls. I wouldn't do it though because I know it would cause upset to others!
Watching TV with headphones is not a big ask!

Ooh op you might have your baby by the time we all wake up in the morning.

Will you let us know if it’s a boy or a girl?

@Allmyarseandpeggymartin thanks for your lovely post. It's a girl...I found out at 10 weeks because I had the nipt test. I am due third pessary in an hour, so we'll see how things progress. Thankfully all is quiet on the ward now!!

Hope you’re asleep, @Liverbird77 and the birth goes calmly tomorrow when you’ve rested.

Hope all going ok op

I would imagine with delivery imminent, you want to see / hear patients easily incase a situation changes rapidly, especially if you don’t have ideal staffing.

I do feel for you OP. Try to focus on the fact it’s a means to an end - hopefully soon. Use tactics to help you wind down. Good luck with you birth and baby!

How lovely op - hoping you’re enjoying newborn cuddles right now

Hope your night went ok op. Any news? I think in these circumstances you are allowed be grumpy and annoyed by the actions of those around you. Even your own family would be p**ing you off at the moment. I can't believe though people are allowed their partners on the ward during the current pandemic. In Ireland they are only just letting them back into delivery room for the birth but no way are they allowed on wards

This was me 6 months ago OP. The inconsiderate bastards next to me watched Brooklyn 99 at full volume for 2 days at full volume in between their arguments and I can't even bear to hear the theme tune now.

Had an induction that failed to progress past 1 cm after 3 days and when they tried to stretch my cervix I screamed in agony on a ward full of other women and their partners. It was one of the most humiliating things that have ever happened to me. They then suggested we start the process again from the beginning and it was only when I totally broke down that I got a C-section, even though I had tokophobia and the consultant had promised I could have one months before. I don't want to scare anyone but don't let them cajole you into anything you don't want or totally put you to the bottom of the pile just because delivery suite is full, you still matter.

Good luck 💐