To throw my hospital bed neighbour’s phone out the window

[Sayshesheshe]

I won’t be obviously but she has spent the entire day on speaker phone seemingly to every person she’s ever met in her life.

It’s a maternity ward, I’ve slept a total of 0 hours since yesterday in between her and my adorable newborn and my tolerance is at an all time low. We’re both in tonight too and I don’t know how I’m going to survive her. She also has her phone notifications on loud.

Why are people like this?

Congrats on the birth of your baby! You have My sympathies OP, this really blows. I was fortunate to have my own room post c-sec. I’d be asking her to stfu, or requesting a midwife can do on your behalf. Hopefully not long and you will be home with your little one

Oh no! Sounds very much like my experience of being on the maternity ward - I was being induced in Jan 2023, lots of monitoring, hardly slept for the four days I was there. Neighbour on her first night was talking loudly on her phone until Midnight!!! She spoke to multiple people for over an hour each. I couldn't believe it - no-one said anything, no midwife came to stop her and I tried saying something but was ignored and with the monitors I couldn't get up and take it off her. I would definitely have been tempted to throw it out like you!

I told the midwife who came to take me off the monitoring (long after neighbour had gone to sleep). The next night someone came round promptly at 9pm ordering phones off. And thank god because neighbour was just settling in for another mammoth chat!

Ugh I hated being on the maternity ward.

The woman I was next to had her bed surrounded by visitors all day AND members of her family on video call.

I didn't know I could feel rage like I did and I actually told the midwife I'm scared I'll lash out.

I'm so glad I returned to normal once I was home but you've got my utmost sympathy OP cos the maternity ward is what nightmares are made of.

Yes it's selfish

And on the bus! I feel rage coursing through my body when the bus is stuck in traffic and there is someone talking at full volume barely pausing for breath. It is always the most inane conversation too. I feel like getting my phone out and bellowing into it "Look I told you to shoot them dead, not just maim them and then run off"

I know post natal is (generally) a happy time and mums are full of excitement and all that and want to tell everyone.

But in the interests of everyone there really could be a policy of max two visitors at a time, and all phones on silent or vibrate and no speakerphone/use earbuds instead.

Does anyone know why this is not policy?

I am older now so don't know the current drill in maternity units.

Few people can afford a private room. And they are not always available.

Oh I could have written this 4 years ago!!!!! It's £70 for a private room where I am, or as long as you and baby are well, request your DAMA papers. Sending hugs, ear plugs and if needs be a decent right hook!

I had a woman admitted at around 3am, abd once she got settled in, she made loud phone calls to 4 or 5 people on loudspeaker. I couldn't believe it.

I swear if men gave birth the postnatal wards would be so much better. Not sure how anyone thinks a new mum and baby should be in such a crazy busy environment with peace and quiet. Awful. I think mine contributed to PND

Just talk to the staff (midwives, nurses, assistants, anyone) instead of posting here.

My daughter was in infant ICU so they kindly gave me a private room with en suite. I was in for four or five days I think, daughter for two weeks. No way I could have coped with being on a main post natal ward. It was however in 2010 so think it was the bird flu pandemic so no one allowed into the maternity department at all so was relatively quiet and pre mobile phone mania.

I would have to say something OP or I would end up smacking her round the chops with her phone. It's just so rude.

love it!

I've experienced this and it's one of the few things I feel we need to go backward to, strict matronly nurses there to slap a phone out of someone's hand when they're being so inconsiderate! I don't understand this new obsession with speaker phone either, it's absolutely annoying in a public space and selfishly cretinous behaviour in a place of recovery. Hope she shuts up soon and you can rest up, and congratulations on your new baby :)

Similar thing last week on the train: I got on and sat down, only to hear what sounded like a blazing row going on several seats in front of me... And because there was shouting, swearing and a bit of screaming, I went over to investigate and found a girl with her feet up on the seat in front, watching a film or a very shouty soap opera on her phone with the volume on full blast who then gave me an aggressive dirty look.

Whatever happen to consideration for everyone else?

I feel your pain! I had this too for the 3 nights I was in. In hindsight I wish I had paid for a private room (around £100 a night) or at least said something to the nurses, but just got on with trying to care for newborn as best I could with 0 sleep. It wasn’t good for either of us. I heard her entire traumatic birth story in graphic detail over and over as she told everyone she knew on the planet! She also switched the overhead fluorescent lights on at about 2am because she seemingly couldn’t talk in the dark. It certainly wasn’t a picnic for her either. She was hallucinating with lack sleep too. But it is a short time in the grand scheme of things if you want to be stoical about it. You’ll soon be home with your baby - (congrats by the way!)

There are no nurses on postnatal wards, unless it is transitional care. they also are midwives.

I had one too! At all hours!! Then the (presumably) father of the baby bought in a massive bucket of KFC but no nappies for baby! The mind boggles!

Congrats on your adorable new baby OP. When can you be discharged home so you and your little one can snuggle and recover in peace

This is too funny!
Maybe they'll use the empty bucket as a potty in the future!

Why should anyone have to ask the staff to intervene. The staff are supposed to be post graduate qualified professionals who know that women need to rest and regain strength after what can sometimes be a very traumatic event.

Nurses and midwives shoukd be intervening to deal with this sort of thing independently and without being asked.

When I had my first, mobiles weren't the problem- hardly anyone had them. The problem was the midwives squealing and giggling at the nursing station and keeping everyone awake.

The standards beggared belief then and beggar belief now.

This isn’t about you though.

On trains when exposed to loud conversations or kids watching films without headphones , I join in . Put on a podcast or music just as loud. Get a dirty look sometimes, often they say I have to go , one said I am on the phone - I said Me too . Very petty but quite satisfying.

In Scotland there’s not an option to pay for a private room, or certainly not that I’ve ever heard of.

The post natal ward is infamously a warped social experiment and that’s why I’ve exited it at the earliest opportunity both times.

Last time I came on to the ward at 4AM after an incredibly long labour and delivery and there was another woman in the ward on FaceTime to relatives abroad. The midwife was absolutely furious and gave her a stern telling off.

I experienced the same thing… whilst being induced and the culprit followed me down the next night to the postnatal ward. Plus, the silence in between the calls was filled sending and listening to voice notes. Speak to the midwives. Infuriating!