When admitted to hospita for birth?

[NHSisNaff]

I know someone who has just been sent home from hospital because they were only 7cm dilated. She was told the baby is only ready to come at 10cm. Come back in 5 hours. I´m horrified. Is this normal? It´s a first birth BTW.

That is totally not normal. I arrived at hospital at 4 cm for my first birth and it was fine. They don't expect you to labour on your on once you're in established labour.

That´s what I thought.. Surely they should have been momitoring the baby´s heartbeat?

I go from 3-10 in about 30 mins, baby 10 mins later...

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Your name says it all really! This is SHOCKING. Poor woman.

I think most NHS maternity wards are really stretched , and don't like dealing with women in early stage labour as they feel it's a waste of their time. Friends of mine have been asked to go home when 2cm or 3cm, but the ones who had done it before knew enough to refuse. My sister turned up at 3cm with her third birth, was told to go home, but just paced the corridor till they would admit her.

How can you get back in the car at that stgae? Never mind the car for the return journey.

That's awful. It's times like that when you need someone really staunch with you to demand to speak to a consultant or ??? I don't know, what???. There is absolutely no way they can know how long it will take from 7cm to birth. I know at our hospital visit they stressed over and over again not to come in early, they just don't have room. I was terrified but now I know I have Strep B I think they have to start antibiotics as soon as labour starts - at least I'll get into the ward!! A friend recently had to have her baby in the maternity ward with 3 other women in the ward - coz the labour ward was full!

I can't believe that! 7cm is definitely classed as established labour and they don't know how quick it will come!! Selfish midwife.

Poppynic, I have B-strep too. (2ND time)
Ive been told that if waters break i have to go straight in, so they can give me IV antibiotics immediately.
But if contractions start, with no water break to wait until they are 10 mins apart, then go in to get antibiotics.

small76 - I haven't been told that yet but no way I'm waiting til 10 mins apart - the whole thing was only 2.5 hours last time. Looking for stoppy person to accompany me.

I agree completely Poppynic. I have to travel 20 mins to the hospital and we need at least 4 hours worth of IV for it to be effective.

Im going in as soon as i know im in labour. Will lie if i have to and say they were 10 mins before i left home and they must have slowed down.

oh dear...no! not normal....

3 cm is established labour..if contractions are every 3 minutes or so and strong...she should not be sent home IMO

and dilation is approx 1 cm oer hour so she could have delivered in 5 hours!

am amazed she could get back to the car

please do let us know how she got on....

Is this a first baby? How far apart are contractions? Has she actually had this written in her handheld notes?

That's crazy! Apart from the fact that 7cm is established labour, she could fully dilate in no time flat (I went from 5cm to 10cm in an hour with a first labour even after having taken forever to get up to 5cm). She should definitely go straight back and refuse to go home again.

Hi, thanks for messages.. She´s had baby in hospital, whole situation a complete disgrace I think..

Do any NHS workers have a comment?

congratulations to your friend....

did she end up going home.....and how long after this was LO born>

don;t work for the NHS sorry...

here too!

I would never send anyone home at 7cm if they were contracting they are inestablished labour, if they werent contracting they could go to the ward for observation

wonder what reason they gave, very odd