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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

After the birth, has anyone written to their hospital...

23 replies

MrsHuxtable · 20/02/2012 14:51

to say how wonderful their midwife was?

I think I'd really like to do that but am unsure of how I would go about it. I think plenty of people complain if they had a horrible midwife (understandably) but I'd like to think that if a midwife really does a great job, her supervisor or whoever should also kow about that.

Has anyone done this?

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notcitrus · 20/02/2012 14:59

Plenty of cards around postnatal/delivery wards thanking all the staff and in particular named midwives/staff.

I need to send a couple thank you cards myself (del suite, pn ward, antenatal clinic), especially as after my first birth I had to send a complaining letter and it was great to see how much postnatal care in particular had improved.

PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 20/02/2012 15:02

At my debrief I mentioned a few issues, but also named the incredible midwives who supported me.

Northernlurker · 20/02/2012 15:03

I did. Just write to the supervisor of midwives. I got a nice letter back too. I work in the hospital so I knew positive feedback would be appreciated.

Maccapaccawacca · 20/02/2012 15:07

There are normally lots of supervisors of midwives working at one unit. Best bet is to address your letter to the Head of Midwifery. Then it will get fed back properly

Original poster

MrsHuxtable · 20/02/2012 15:10

Oh yes, maybe the supervisor of midwives would be the right person. I don't want to write a general thank you card, as I don't feel very thankful towards the staff in generall and particularly not towards a certain consultant that kept bugging me.

It was just the midwife that delivered my DD that was so great. I'm still totally in love with her. She never left my side and was pretty much my birth partner, rubbing my back through every contraction and encouraging me when I thought I couldn't go on.

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needabetternickname · 20/02/2012 15:33

Yes, we did and we asked the midwife whom we should write to (we were still in touch with her directly as had home birth so had her no.) She was so touched and I got the impression that they v rarely receive thanks or positive letters. She suggested the director of midwifery for the NHS trust. Definitely do it! I always meant to after DD1 and in haze of life with newborn never got round to it, so am really pleased we did this time. Just received nice letter back from them, thanking us for taking time to write.

nickelDorritt · 20/02/2012 15:35

I haven't, because I was in the hospital after the birth, and I have no idea who was my main carer there.
My main MW at home was a lady in my church, and I've put a thank you to her in our church magazine.

I do intend to send chocolates to the local hospital where my community midwives are based. but i'm apparently far too lazy

nickelDorritt · 20/02/2012 15:36

If you know her name (it will be in your notes) you should address a thank you directly to her.
You don't need to include anyone else if you don't want to.

Pastabee · 20/02/2012 15:47

I took m&s biscuits in for the staff room and cards and chocolates for the midwife and breastfeeding lady who helped me so much. Took it all in the week after I gave birth and the BF lady was on shift so got to have a chat about how well feeding was going a week in thanks to her.

BillyBollyBandy · 20/02/2012 15:48

I sent a card and some Celebrations to my labour ward with dd1. Didn't get round to anything with dd2...

BillyBollyBandy · 20/02/2012 15:49

Sorry - sent a card naming my midwife

fruitybread · 20/02/2012 19:44

I wrote a thank you card to the Consultant MW (head of midwifery, effectively), and also to the Community MW who had been so supportive when I was pregnant. i also dropped off a bottle of wine each and a small gift for the community MW to do with something we'd discussed and I knew she was a fan of. I also enclosed a pic of my DS.

It took me a while to get round to it (as in some months!) but I actually got a thank you card from the consultant MW saying how nice it was to hear from me.

If I were you, I would write a card to the individual MW but also drop a 'feedback' note to the Supervisor of MWs saying why you felt this MW had been particularly helpful. Being a MW is a job, it always helps to let line managers hear praise for their good staff.

VivaLeBeaver · 20/02/2012 19:48

People do write letters to the head of midwifery sometimes naming specific midwives and saying how good they were. The letters tend to be photocopied and put on the staffroom wall.

Cards also get addressed to the indivudual midwife but then their manager wouldn't tend to find out as the midwife takes the card home.

But both are very much appreciated.

pink13 · 21/02/2012 21:31

I wrote a thank you card after DS, and also wrote a review on the NHS website. You can write about the hospital you were at so that others can see it when looking into making their choices.

Kveta · 22/02/2012 10:14

we wrote a card and gave a box of chocs to our main midwife (not the one who was there for the delivery, but the one who supported me for 8 hours whilst I went through every form of pain relief going!). Got a lovely (if slightly insane) letter back from her a week later, which was really nice :)

curlywurlycremeegg · 22/02/2012 10:20

I have kept all the cards and thank yous I have recieved from women and their families, they make me realise why I do this job when I have had a bad day! I have had some letters that have come through the Head of Midwifery, however I am suspicious as to how many of these are passed on as I have met a few women I have cared for months later, in say a supermarket or starbucks and they have told me the have written to the Head of Service mentioning me and I have not heard anything about it........I bet it would be different if it was a complaint though

stmarymead · 24/02/2012 20:17

We sent a card to the midwife who delivered DS...its great to recognise people for the good stuff,and she was amazing.

stmarymead · 24/02/2012 20:20

We sent a card to the midwife who delivered DS...its great to recognise people for the good stuff,and she was amazing.

GodisaDj · 24/02/2012 20:24

I went on the hospital website and contact section and there was a drop down menu for complaints, feedback, suggestions etc. So I wrote a letter and copy/pasted it in to that section for feedback, specifically naming my midwife and those who cared for me afterwards too (had emergency surgery to remove placenta). I got an email from the PA to Chief Medical Officer who confirmed it had been forwarded to my my midwifes' line manager and all of the board/exec's and then about 4 weeks later I got an email from my midwife thanking me for thanking her!

I put in the feedback how people are quick to complain about the NHS but that I was really impressed with how my midwife and emergency care.

Separately, I'd sent in a M&S voucher and card (that was about a week after having dd).

cantpooinpeace · 24/02/2012 20:27

Yes I sent one card to the midwife in charge of my care & another to the post natal ward, gawd knows if they got them though :)

kickingking · 24/02/2012 20:41

I sent a thank you card to the specialist midwife who supported me through a high risk pregnancy and reorganised her shifts to help deliver DS at my elcs. I should have sent flowers or something as well, she was amazing.

I don't know if she ever got the card, I sent it via the antenatal clinic.

EyeoftheStorm · 24/02/2012 20:43

When DS2 was born prematurely I was terrified and panicking. No one seemed to have a clue what was going on.

The midwife who delivered him was brilliant. I was hallucinating that I was knelt up gripping her shoulders with my eyes tight shut. Wishful thinking as DH said I was on my back the whole time.

She was trying to help with instructions. I was too far gone to comply, but she was still kind.

She was really embarrassed when she came in to see me with the doctor afterwards and I was thanking her and ignoring the doctor (whose only contribution to the chaos was to ask 'what happened'?).

I wrote her a letter about how I'd felt at the time and about how she would go into family legends as the Midwife Who Took Control. Thank you Patsy, never to be forgotten.

DialMforMummy · 24/02/2012 20:52

I did. To the delivery room and the ward afterwards (stayed there 3 days) along with a tin of biscuits. I addressed the card to the staff who dealt with me because I could not remember the name of the midwives who looked after us.
I also emailed the hospital, they have a special email address for patients' feedback.
It's always nice when you get positive feedback. People are always very quick to complain so it's good to be quick to praise.

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