Postnatal Ward Hell!

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AIBU to ask if the postnatal word is actually the 7th circle of hell?

On a ward with 4 others. One has been scrolling through songs on their phone for the last two hours only listening to the first 5 seconds of each one. One couple have bought a tv pass and have the One Show on full volume, they are then making video calls over the top of the TV and rowing about why their newborn won't settle (because the poor thing is thinking wtf is all this shouting?). The poor midwives are so understaffed everything is running late, including everyone's painkillers which were due an hour and a half ago. I've had a c section and I'm absolutely boiling and for some reason the heating is on!

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old woman but I'm starting to lose my mind here! Why can't people just be quiet!

Is this a long time ago? I was out 24 hours after my section. They try and get women out very quickly now, a natural straightforward birth will see you out the door after a couple of hours.

Urgh. How can anyone up thread describe enjoying the 'quiet buzz'.

I was on a ward with only 2 other quiet, respectful women, during covid with 1 hour visit and it was HELL.

Gave birth at 1am. 1st on ward around 3am so kept awake rest of that night with other 2 arriving. 6am I'd drifted off for 5 minutes and was woken for blood pressure test.

HAD to stay in another night (thems the rules here).

Soooo so so hot. I'm sure we're constantly told not to overheat babies???

Next night (so my full proper night) I got about 20 minutes sleep. I just could not get my head around how anyone could ever think it a good idea to put someone who'd been up all night the night before giving birth, into a room with 3 babies. I was exhausted. My baby woke, I fed my baby, now my baby was asleep, so I should be asleep right? Wrong! Because now someone else's baby was crying. And someone was going to the toilet. And someone was snoring. And doors were banging. And nurses were talking. And I was sweating. And now the 3rd baby was crying. And now my baby was awake again after a few hours sleep and I hadn't slept yet.

Couldn't even pay for a private room if I'd wanted unless you pay privately from the start.

My mother-in-law was shocked to hear I hadn't enjoyed my time on the ward as she had loved it. Then I remembered how often it had been explained to me that I'd be 'rooming in' with my baby while in hospital (Erm... Yes, I'd thought. Surely no other option still exists unless baby needs special care) and I realised that there had probably been no babies on her postnatal ward overnight when she had hers.

My first I had a home birth, and one of the main reasons was just to be home, have a shower and enjoy the quiet. Bliss.

I remember one woman telling me how many stiches she had & asking how many did I have (I hadn't a clue I had a breech induced delivery so I think I had the Bayeux tapestry & I had vision of the doctor counting as he stitched)

Feel your pain. I was in for a whole week being monitored with severe pre eclampsia with DS1. Long time ago but on day 5 I had barely had any sleep and been quite ill..nearly passed out in the admin type area and they gave me my own room for the last 2 days. I was going out of my mind. Hope you make it ho.e soon. Congratulations x

Hi I'm a midwife and I absolutely say if somebody is being inconsiderate with noise.

I've moved women into single rooms to get away from heavy snorers.

Postnatal wards accommodate all sorts and some people are just bloody rude and inconsiderate but if I'm on duty I will not put up with it. My ladies are my priority.

Since covid partners are still not permitted to stay over and tbh this has been a godsend. Soz but the majority of men on a postnatal ward at night are as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

HAD to stay in another night (thems the rules here

They are guidelines, not rules. You weren't a prisoner. But whether anyone told you that is another matter!

This is why I paid for a private room with DC2

Did you start a thread on this? It sounds familiar and it stands out as I was just about to have my first baby and was dreading the post natal ward.

Where I am dads were only allowed in for an hour in the evening. So it was actually OK, definitely no dads making cat noises thankfully!

My niece had emergency c section last Sunday and was sent home on Monday! Which other major abdominal surgery would get you that (and also with a newborn to care for!)

You are one of the lucky ones! Must be somewhere like Cornwall

Ha. The postnatal ward in Cornwall is equally as hellish as any of the examples above. Why would it be any different?

The wards are always he'll but make good stories down the line
With my first they left me with blood literally dripping off the bed for everyone to see ( I hemmoraged )
The snoring was insane
The girl beside me cried all night about her stiches 💔
She got into a fight with the midwive because she brought luminous yellow g string in for after the birth and we could all hear her being scolded
There was a woman demanded toast at 1am 3am and 5am
There was a lady laughed hysterically watching something on her phone untill about half 4
I got shouted at ( in a nice way tho ) for being awake everytime they came in to check on me as if I could sleep
And another girl his her partner behind the curtains and he was caught eventually at about 4am
And girl in next bay down had twins and the poor thing was only a teen and when one stopped crying the other started
I had to cry to be discharged

Second time was better apart from the snoring and the fact the girl beside me was extremely unwell like coughing all night ...during covid
Then in moring the nurse just pulled back some ladies curtain while the cleaner was there a male and she didn't have her hair covered I felt so bad for her 💔

Always something going on in the wards lol 😭

I actually had a good time in postnatal, had a whole room (the big room with 4 bays in) to myself the two days I was there and there was only 3 other women on the whole ward, I got amazing one to one care from midwives, I hadn’t slept in days and was so exhausted and a midwife took baby and kept her with her so I could get some sleep, I am forever greatful for her ❤️ The food lady proper looked after me and kept bringing me snacks, men had to leave at 6pm so it was quiet and lovely, apparently not many babies are born on Boxing Day 😁

I feel for you OP. Congratulations btw! 😁

7 months ago c section 2 award winning snorers and an extremely sick lady who coughed everywere without covering her mouth
Covid 😬

Been on a maternity ward x3 times. Each and every time made me despair. Op, I so hope you get to go home soon🤞🤞🤞

When I say snoring I mean never heard the likes of it in my life ,😭 both times

O and I was hooked up to some machine which went off beeping every 15 minutes and they just told me to ring the buzzer everytime it happened then they were coming In so annoyed about it and someone actually shouted for fcuk sake 😬 I absolutely hated the experience

You sound great Thedogscollar

Poor you.
That sounds hideous.
I remember not noise, but a vile leering ''Husband'' ogling at the young mother trying to start breastfeeding.
I wish I'd had the confidence to tell him to stop drooling and that I'd shut the curtain with a rattle.
Wretched man.

Edit...The husband was not mine!

I had a good time in Postnatal, too.
Needed the help and support..Apart from one horrid ogling letch {Who put other women on their guard, too} it was a supportive environment.

First time was fine on a twin's & prem ward. Second was awful, lasted about 5 hours before paying for a private room so I could get some sleep although I have to say the worst of the noise came from the staff, not the other patients.

@PurpleButterflyWings I just had a C section 5 weeks ago and I was on the main ward. Everyone I know that’s had a C section was also on the main ward too

No not just thick, just entitled! We've become a really nasty, entitled, selfish society and social media has a lot to answer for.

I had my baby 5 weeks ago and was on the postnatal ward for 13 days. That was by choice as they didn’t need the bed and I spent all of my time with my baby in NICU anyways. But for the first few days, omg. It was so hot. People were constantly on the phone SHOUTING. Men using the women’s bathroom even tho there’s a sign saying they need to use the visitors bathroom.

Last year when I had DD in a different hospital it was so much worse. I was there 7 days and that definitely wasn’t by choice. I was recovering from two procedures to fix a punctured spine and I remember this woman on the phone from 8pm-4am. I eventually got fed up and said ‘excuse me do you mind. It’s 4am in the bloody morning people are trying to sleep,’ she then huffed and got off the phone. Why do people have no consideration for others just because they’ve had a baby??

It was utter hell for me after DC2. I am still traumatised by it 8 years later. Had just had C Section, was not being given adequate pain relief despite asking for it, massive struggle with BF, ward totally understaffed, same horrendous noise issues as others described already. DH pushed me in a wheelchair while carrying DS in car seat because I was in so much pain but just had to get out of there. Called GP first thing next morning who was horrified and had proper pain relief meds within the hour. I made a complaint to CQC at the time although I felt bad doing it because it really was not the fault of the staff - there just were not enough of them!