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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To make hospital complaint now?

52 replies

sleepycoffeemonster · 27/10/2021 15:18

I'll probably get flamed for asking this due to the time passed but when DD was born by emergency c sec (she was stuck and not progressing) the surgeon accidentally cut the side of her cheek/chin when making the initial incision, not once but twice. After the birth they put steri strips on the wound and this was checked before we were discharged three days later. The doctor himself had to check it before we were allowed to go and he said these things happen and it will be healed up in no time and shouldn't leave a mark.

The health visitors came to visit post birth and nowhere in the notes had it said about this cut, I had to explain what had happened. At the time I was so preoccupied with having a new born, I didn't follow it up although I was upset about my babies face being cut.

DD is now 5, the cut healed fine but has formed a scar (two cuts next to each other) which has grown bigger as she has grown and is wider than when she was a baby. I feel really angry that it was played down and how visible it now, would I be U to follow it up with the hospital now?

I've got used to it on her face but sometimes I see how big it's getting and feel bad that it happened and nothing more was said. Surely if the surgeon knew she was facing up he should have acted with more care knowing her face was where he was cutting? I still remember the surgeon chatting away while he was doing it.

OP posts:

Purplewithred · 27/10/2021 15:24

I think it would be helpful for the staff to see what those two cuts - which they probably thought would disappear completely - actually look like 5 years later. In all honesty I don’t think it’s something you could complain about - it was an emergency, there was no neglect or malice involved surely - but I’d contact PALS with photos for comparison and see what happens.

FooFighter99 · 27/10/2021 15:25

What would you hope to achieve by complaining? I'm not saying your feelings aren't valid, but 5 years down the line I imagine there's very little the hospital could do - the surgeon may not even still work there

It may be worth broaching it with a Paediatrician, to see if there's something they can prescribe to lessen the scar

peachgreensunday · 27/10/2021 15:27

Hi op when I had planned c section they had to go through all the risks and I'm pretty sure one was that baby could get cut in rare cases due to positioning
I'm sorry this happened to DD but I think it's just one of those unfortunate things

tiggerwhocamefortea · 27/10/2021 15:27

In an emergency situation if it was the difference between the health of my child and a small superficial scar i know which I'd choose every time. I'm sorry its such a visible reminder of that time OP but I'm not sure what you are hoping to gain?

WhateverIdo · 27/10/2021 15:31

Seriously?
It was an emergency. Babies also move and wriggle. If they'd scanned, and slowed down.... The outcome may have been very very different and then worth complaining about..... This is a known risk factor.

FirstTimeMummy1988 · 27/10/2021 15:34

I've had 2 emergency c-sections and I remember when signing the consent forms one fo the risks was a risk of cutting the baby

Eeiliethya · 27/10/2021 15:36

In the grand scheme of things I don't think the hospital was BU because things happen and they wanted to get her out ASAP.

OTOH I can see why you'd be upset as it's your DDs face and it might make her feel self conscious as she gets bigger.

In your shoes, I'd make an appointment with the GP, explain the situation and ask to be referred to dermo for a scar revision to see if the scar can be improved. Or pay private.

I'd possibly wait until she's older as this would involve recutting her face under local, not the best experience for a 5 year old. Maybe revisit this if the scarring becomes an issue however complaining won't get any resolution, so no point really.

MolyHolyGuacamole · 27/10/2021 15:37

Legally, you can make a claim for your child for any injury up until the age of 18. From their 18th birthday they have one year to do it themselves.

WheelieBinPrincess · 27/10/2021 15:37

When I had an ELCS six weeks ago it states on the paperwork that this is one of the risks, it’s clearly a known risk factor and yours was an emergency, so presumably in haste. I doubt the surgeon slashed her cheek for shits and giggles, and half a decade has now passed!

SummerHouse · 27/10/2021 15:38

I absolutely think you should raise this. Not as a complaint as such but so you can have a debrief and maybe understand more why it happened and come to terms with it. You were told it shouldn't leave a scar and it has. This is a fair point to raise and something from which learning can come. I would do this not just for myself but for DD, for her acceptance and understanding in the future. She might never give it a moment's worry and nor should she. But if she has questions, I would want to be in the right fame of mind to answer. And understandably, you resent this, probably because of the expectation they set up that it wouldn't scar.

Original poster

sleepycoffeemonster · 27/10/2021 15:39

Thanks for the replies, I think it's like PP mentioned it's more the associated feelings that have become more as I've come to realise it not only left a mark but is getting bigger and will be so visible as she get older.
Of course I understand it was an emergency and the surgery needed to be done, it's the feeling it was brushed off. Also why the health visitors thought it was so strange that it wasn't noted anywhere? They also kept questioning almost implying it had happened since the birth, I had to show them pictures from the hospital before they would let it go!

OP posts:

WakeUpTired · 27/10/2021 15:40

I've had 3 c sections (one was 3 weeks ago) and was told quite a number of times that one of the risks was that sometimes babies can get a cut when the incision is made. It's a standard risk of a c section, it is unlikely to have been negligence.

I appreciate it's upsetting to you but I don't think a complaint would achieve anything...

WheelieBinPrincess · 27/10/2021 15:41

Hmm…..on the other hand if it’s getting bigger and more visible, I think she needs an appointment at least, although I’m not sure what can be done about it…

As an aside health visitors are generally clueless and have all kinds of notions.

MagicWorkout · 27/10/2021 15:41

The cut to her face was unavoidable in the circumstances but the "repair" was shoddily done IMO.

When DS1 cut his head at 3yo and was taken to A&E, they called a specialist facial surgeon in to stitch him up to avoid a scar. The least they could have done when they caused the injury IMO.

I would complain and ask what can be done to fix it.

ArnoldBee · 27/10/2021 15:41

What is the outcome you want? For example if you want the scar to look.better then talk to your GP.

Zebradanio · 27/10/2021 15:42

I'm surprised they didn't record this in the notes. They should have done. I would flag it up so that there's a record there, should your child want to take action in the future. At the very least, corrective surgery should be offered in the future.

FreakinFrankNFurter · 27/10/2021 15:44

There's a 12 month time limit on making complaints to the NHS. Although organisations often will consider late complaints, I'd be surprised if they would consider one so old.

Lalastepmum · 27/10/2021 15:48

In a word no!
The time wasted on such complaints take away from more serious complaints.

Complaints I have heard following c-sections or births

I didn’t know I couldn’t wear a bikini after birth due to the scar left. Normal scar nothing out the ordinary.

A dad complained that no one had informed him his partner would poo during birth.

All genuine complaints all had to be investigated. I am no surgeon but can only imagine how difficult it is to do a c- section.

Original poster

sleepycoffeemonster · 27/10/2021 15:49

@MagicWorkout

The cut to her face was unavoidable in the circumstances but the "repair" was shoddily done IMO.

When DS1 cut his head at 3yo and was taken to A&E, they called a specialist facial surgeon in to stitch him up to avoid a scar. The least they could have done when they caused the injury IMO.

I would complain and ask what can be done to fix it.

Yes it's this! I feel like they should have done better after the injury especially as a facial scar is so prominent in comparison to anywhere on the rest of the body. I'm not so annoyed as (hopefully) it was unavoidable in an emergency but there was no acknowledgement or follow up and I still wonder if Steri strips were appropriate.

OP posts:

dworky · 27/10/2021 15:50

@FooFighter99

It may be worth broaching it with a Paediatrician, to see if there's something they can prescribe to lessen the scar

This argument always angers me. Complaints are what prevent such incidents happening over & over again.

MakingTheBestOfIt · 27/10/2021 15:52

The cut to her face was unavoidable in the circumstances but the "repair" was shoddily done IMO

I agree with this. I don’t think you can complain about the cuts, but I’m surprised they were so blasé about the repair. If you showed up at A&E with a cut to your baby’s face I feel pretty sure they would have erred on the side of caution and got a plastic surgeon to repair it.

They failed to spot how serious it was and, consequentially, failed to record it or repair it properly. I’d complain and ask for feedback purely in the spirit of helping them improve their practices.

Zebradanio · 27/10/2021 15:53

I think it's likely that they would extend this beyond the 12 month limit, because the extent of the scaring wasn't known until this point.

DriftingBlue · 27/10/2021 15:54

I was cut quite badly during my birth. I’ve got a scar running down the length of my back. Thankfully it really just itches and occasionally aches a bit.

Given that the scar is on her face and is not fading, I would request a referral to plastic surgery. It might not warrant actual revision. Scars are tricky because when you try to correct scars you create scars in the process. There are also some excellent topicals that can soften scaring even well after the fact.

Original poster

sleepycoffeemonster · 27/10/2021 16:00

@Lalastepmum

In a word no! The time wasted on such complaints take away from more serious complaints.

Complaints I have heard following c-sections or births

I didn’t know I couldn’t wear a bikini after birth due to the scar left. Normal scar nothing out the ordinary.

A dad complained that no one had informed him his partner would poo during birth.

All genuine complaints all had to be investigated. I am no surgeon but can only imagine how difficult it is to do a c- section.

I understand what you're saying about time wasting complaints but I think a child's permanent facial scarring is a more valid complaint if it could have been treated differently than an adult seeing a poo!

OP posts:

Samanabanana · 27/10/2021 16:04

I have a scar the length of my face from a forceps delivery. Was quite visible as a child but has now completely faded (I'm mid 30s). It bever bothered me growing up. Having had two sections, the consent form you sign does state that cuts to the baby are a risk...

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