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.

@Rowgtfc72 I’ve had three children there and I’ve never seen another person minus the staff. Each time has been lovely. These communal wards sound like hell on Earth.

Main hospital very hit and miss had some awful experiences there but one brilliant one.

OP I hope you’re having cuddles with your newborn right now! Good luck

Update: I have had my little one: Matilda Joy.
9lbs7oz. Over the moon! Not even the postnatal ward can defeat me!

Congratulations OP! 🥰

When I was induced I walked and walked and walked. The ward was hot and noisy and bright. So I just wandered around the hospital, and outside, even took a walk to the local newsagent and around some of the streets just to get some vaguely cooler air and peace and quiet.

Managed about 3 hours sleep, when I finally wandered back to the ward at about 2am. I was really surprised at the time that no one seemed to care that I was just wandering the hospital in the middle of the night.

@Liverbird77 given your name I assume you are in the women’s. I was in that ward and it was absolutely awful. I send my husband home at 6pm coz I was like you mays we’ll get a decent sleep coz it will be a long day tomorrow. People where talking and on the phone all night. God knows why they let the men stay but not on the post natal ward when they can actually be some use and help with the baby over night.

Hope you are doing well xx

@Liverbird77 sort didn't see your update. Congratulations!

Sorry didn’t see your update congratulations x

Private room OP if you can. I had one when I was induced didn't have to pay or anything. I would have hated being on a ward.

Oh huge congrats! X

Congratulations! Welcome to the world little Matilda!

Congratulations! It's a beautiful name

Gorgeous name, massive congrats xx

Congratulations!

Ah, congratulations

Yay! Well done op

Congratulations beautiful name.

So many of these comments sound reminiscent to the unit I work at (as a midwife) and I’m absolutely heartbroken to hear women feel this way. I wish wish wish we could change these experiences every single day.

Sending lots of luck OP and to all the other ladies as they become mummies

Awww congratulations OP. I love a happy ending.

Beautiful name and fab size, well done you!!

Congrats op lovely name and great weight!!
I was induced & gave birth in said communal ward coz the midwives didn’t believe I was in labour - 4th baby I kinda knew the drill so the lady in the next bed to me met my baby boy before his own dad but she was lovely and cried - she pulled the buzzer for me
Fun times

Congratulations 💐

Congrats OP!

I am totally shocked by this, I know anything to do with women’s health seems to be terribly underfunded and maternity wards are stretched. But I didn’t know it was this bad that you’re expected to give birth on a shared ward!

I really feel for you. Do the other patients not have headphones for their televisions?

Frankly I wish you could go home and return later.

I haven't yet read the whole thread (I will), and don't know if you really needed to be induced. I imagine so because nobody would actually ask for it.

Good luck mate.

Oh wonderful! Congratulations and what a lovely name. Well done.

@CarrotCakeCrumbs

I hate communal wards but I must admit my partner was sent home for my first induction and things went so fast, and the midwives refused to believe how fast things were progressing and he ended up only being there to support me for the last 10 minutes and I was on my own with no pain relief at all for the rest of it . I'd rather not think of the other patients abs their partners I embarrassed myself in front of because I did not handle those contractions well at all

This is exactly what happened to me (also at Stoke Mandeville as mentioned up thread). That antenatal ward induction was one if the most stressful experiences of my life. Luckily I moved house between babies and had a far more humane experience of induction second time around (still on a ward with men though)

Congratulations and I hope you are home soon.