What was your post natal care like?

[sazzybee]

I had great antenatal care and a good birth experience considering I had some major complications and had to have a cs in the end.

Unfortunately, that excellence didn't continue after my baby was born. I was really shocked by the standard of post-natal care I received - both in the hospital and from the community midwives. I was in hospital for 4 days because of the cs. Some of the things that I was particularly aggrieved by:

• I was nil by mouth all day on the day of my cs as they thought I may have to have one. In the end I went into theatre at 5pm and was on the ward by 10pm. I wasn't given anything to eat or drink until 8am the following morning.
• the woman who brought my breakfast the morning after my cs left it on a tray at the end of the bed so I couldn't reach it and said it wasn't her job to pass it to me
• no one showed me how to hold or change my baby or how to bf
• there has been no continuity of care whatsoever - I never saw the same nurse or mw twice either in my stay at hospital or at home
• when I asked a mw at night to pass me my baby to feed him she said 'what's wrong - broken your legs?' and virtually threw him onto my lap. This was 30 hrs after my op and I found twisting and lifting the baby at the same time really painful
• no one told me how to care for my scar
• no one told me how to expediate my recovery and what I should or shouldn't do after a cs
• the mw didn't turn up when she was supposed to remove my stitches and I got an infection because the beads started growing into my skin

I feel really disappointed and that the lack of care has made my recovery much more difficult. I couldn't wait to get out of hospital and when I got home couldn't wait to get signed off from mw care. I'd be really interested to know if my experience the norm for the NHS nowadays or is it unusual?

Hi Sazzybee,

I had the opposite experience, ante-natal care was rather poor, felt the midwives I had whilst I was in labour were useless, ended up with an emergency c-section (I have posted about my bad experience on another thread already about how I have no faith in midwives, would prefer a doctor anyday).

However, my aftercare in the hospital was excellent and I really felt well cared for even though they were clearly over-stretched. Still couldn't wait to get home though!!

I didnt have a c/section but my postnatal care was shite on both occasions. Along similar lines to yours.

Did you ask at any point how to care for your scar, what you can and cant do etc?

Message withdrawn

Sazzy you had this...

my care on the post natal ward was ok - but purely becos it was my third and i didn't feel i needed any help... if it had been my first i would have felt very different.

However, on discharge i only saw the mw twice... really as 9 years ago they were in every day for my dd - practically doing the washing for you etc...

they had been told they'd "over-visited" and had to cut right back!

• sadly the money just isn't there - it's the same with health visiting

mind you part of the problem you experienced just sounds like seriously rude/grumpy old bags!

Post natal care in hospital was great and crap - depending on which midwife was on duty. After care was AWFUL as I live near a county boundary so NO-ONE would take responsibility for me (dh had to ring and plead for a midwife to come and see me after I got infection in my scar post cs) but then an ANGEL (disguised as midwife from competely different area who had noticed I wasn't being seen) came to see me, heard that I hadn't seen the same midwife more than once throughout my entire pg came and took over my care and was absolutely brilliant. Told dh I was not to do ANYTHING, gave us holiday advice and ordered dh out to buy green and blacks choc as iron tablets were constipating me! Gawd bless her, lovely irish lady, completely forgotten her name but she was marvellous.

The NHS is utterly at its arse end. My mother works in admin for NHS and the horror stories are too long to type here. Also my best friend works for the NHS in the blood dept and thats unbelievably scary also.
When I had an epidural put in the midwife was telling the anaesthetist how none of the bits were being replaced anymore.
I had a c section from hell and I've heard plenty of other hellish experiences from friends which is enough to put me off having another because I think giving birth is becoming too risky in this soon to be third world country.

Crap, basically

I will have to come back to this because I STILL get quite angry about the way I (and obviously others) were treated. Everything from filthy toilets, no help with having a bath, rudeness and total disrespect from staff half my age.

Yes, Whittington Hospital, I mean you.

Hi Sazzy,

My after care was just as bad when I had Deanna.

The people in the delivery suite we couldnt fault at all.

When I was about to go to the post natal ward I felt light headed and I asked my DH to stay with me as I had no sleep for almost 48 hours.The midwife in the room told him he should go home as I needed to look after the baby myself.
We got to the ward and my DH asked the assistant to keep an eye on me and help me with the baby as I had no sleep and she said they would.I was told that bcause I was dizzy that I was to tell them if I needed to go to the toilet as I needed assistance.She also placed 2 bottles of formula on the counter and didnt show me how to feed at all.

This was at 9am.

An hour later I buzzed them as I needed the toilet,I asked the assistant where the toilet was and she just pointed it out to me.I went and was bleeding alot and got worried.So I buzzed and told someone,she asked me how long ago it was and then walked out,I never saw her again.
I wasnt shown how to feed or how to change a nappy and this was my first child.If I had no clue about babies I dont know what I would have done.I never did get to sleep and apart from the nurse comng to check babys temp I saw nobody till 3pm when my DH came in.
Luckily I was discharged at 9.30pm that night so I managed to actually get some sleep.

Am really you've had a bad experience. When I had my ds, the antenatal and post natal care was shocking. The postnatal sounds pretty similiar to yours. However 9 years later, when I had dd (at a different hospital) I had excellent ante and post natal care. I had the same 2 midwives throughout, because I was blue lighted from a home birth, one of them was with me for the birth. And they saw me regularly after the birth because my stitches didn't fall out. It is possible to get good care but I think, sadly, it just depends on the hospital. If you decide to have another, if it's possible, I'd opt for another hospital. And mercy, never been to the Whittington but I know plenty who have and it has a TERRIBLE reputation. You have my complete sympathies.

OK but a bit unfeeling. apart from the first night's care which was bloody awful and may have caused permanent bladder damage - was left all night with agonising urinary retention, with the marvellous advice of - oh you'll be able to wee if you take a shower/here have a few paracetamol. the mw grudgingly looked after DS for 2 hours whilst I was in agony.

VVVQV - 'Did you ask at any point how to care for your scar, what you can and cant do etc?'

Probably not. I don't tend to ask for information if it isn't volunteered . I'm more likely to go and have a look on the net.

In hospital though, I went for a shower (as I had been advised) and did my best to keep the dressing dry. When I came out, someone inspected the scar and advised me to take a shower and soak off the dressing. Would have been useful if I'd been told that before rather than after the shower!

How depressing to know I'm not alone in having a crap experience

I was induced and they didnt do it until around 7.30 in evening, in a tiny room i had to share with someone else, then sent my husband home as visiting hours finished at nine!! spent the next 7 hours going into labour on my own, my waters broke on the way back from the loo and i had to shout down a corridor for someone to help. Once in the delivery room everything was wonderful. Midwives were fantastic but alas I still ended up with an emergency c- section. This was at midnight and once again my husband was sent home soon after i was put on to a ward. The after care was hit and miss- some excellant staff who helped me have a shower etc and looked after screaming baby for a few hours while I got some sleep and some who just werent that interested and one who grumbled loudly if I ever pressed the buzzer for assistance. Also the toilets etc were not regularly cleaned and one woman signed herself out early because she was annoyed at the half arsed way the cleaner flung her duster around sending dust straight into her babies crib!! I think it seems fairly typical for the nhs but still very sad for those having a first baby when they need all the help available. I am due another in 3 weeks- elective c this time. Hopefully it will be at a reasonable time of day so my husband can actually share the whole experience and help me in the hours after. Your experience sounds especially bad though- hope you dont have to go through it again.

Had an emerg cs rather than the hb we planned. I paid for my own room as I really didn't want to be on a ward. Don't know if it had anything to do with being in a private room, but was completely ignored.

It was my 1st baby and wasn't shown how to do anything for him. Luckily I have looked after other babies before so I (sort of) knew what to do.

I had the cs on Sunday morning and was at home Monday lunchtime as there was absolutely no benefit being in hospital.

As there are lots of cs veterans here, does anybody else think the hospital beds are far to high to get on and off of after having your stomach cut open? I'm tall but still found the bed way to high.

Ah....when i had a shower straight after giving birth to DS (they insisted, and rushed me because they needed the room), the mw who had taken over just after i delivered the placenta wouldnt let DP get my wash bag and towel from the ward.

They said he had no time - they'd sort a towel and some wash stuff.

Well, they didnt, and, obv when you have given birth you bleed - LOTS. So i had to dry myself on a dirty screwed up gown that was on the floor in the shower room and put my used gown back on after. Totally unecessary.....

Haven't read all thread but I just want to praise, praise, praise everyone that I met. My health board is NHS Highland and find them fantastic. All the nurses, midwives and gps seem fab. My whole experience of pregnancy and childbirth and babycare just makes me glow when I remember it as it was just a fnatastic experience, and I'll never forget those who helped it be so. Given, I had a prety good pg and great birth but had the care been awful I would not be as excited baout the next time as I am now.

Aftercare with my C-section was well nigh horrid as well. Baby born at 6 am, I was recovering from a general anesthetic, with a bottle of blood in one hand, and you can imagine what else in the other, and left alone totally responsible for the baby. Somehow, I could actually walk around by 7 am (no joke), whcih was good because I too had to move furniture, get my own breakfast, etc etc. I think DH was tehre, but I can't really remember. He got sent away too, and also left to go get supplies, such as night shirts and wipes. Scary-ish midwvies, although I have to say some of the mums were too. The lady next to me (walking around with a zimmer frame, God knows what happened to her, but her baby was enormous) used to simply shout out: "Midwife, midwife, come take this baby!" at night when it cried. At least she knew how to insist she got help though! But maybe she put them off us! None of us were given any useful advice on breastfeeding, it was bottles all the way. Thank GOD I hired an independent midwife to help. She came to visit and looked after me afterwards. I feel really sorry that the sort of care she provided is now NOT universal on the NHS.

Mine was fantastic (thank you North West Wales Health Trust).Saw the same mw at every single ante-natal and post-natal appt. with both my children.She could also have come into hospital to deliver the babies had i wanted her to.She is also a breastfeeding counsellor so had sterling support from her and othe MWs and HVs.

Hospital was great too.No pressure to leave,kind MWs,clean place,own room.

Am very grateful.

Mine was appauling. The help with bf that I asked for consisted of grabbing dd's head and shoving it onto my boob. I got told off for changing dd's nappy as apparently it wouldn't be the cause of her crying. I later got told off for not changing her nappy as apparently that was the reason for her crying. I buzzed for the nurse to help with feeding again and she didn't come, I struggled off the bed and went to the nurses' station to find her surfing the internet (and it wasn't medical research ). I was exhausted, having been awake for something like 36 hours at that point, dd wouldn't settle, wouldn't feed and I was told I'd just have to cuddle her. I sat on my bed sobbing as I couldn't put her down but I was falling asleep and was afraid I would drop her.

I left as soon as I could the next day.

DD is nearly 4 and this still brings a lump to my throat just typing about it . I really wish I had sent my letter of complaint.

I'm wondering how many of the mums with bad experiences are based in London. My guess is a lot of them.

I gave birth 7 weeks ago in Chase Farm hospital, Enfield, which is debt-ridden and crumbling (and about to have maternity services shut down), and totally under-resourced (for my ventouse delivery, the strap on one of the stirrups was broken, so we had to use my husband's belt to strap my leg in!).

BUT I have to say the post-natal care from the midwives was brilliant. They came to help us 24 hours a day whenever we needed help with BFing or if I needed more painkillers etc and were all really friendly and kind. Also they helped us give LO a bath etc. I could not fault any of the staff there, and god knows I saw loads of them (my 48-hour labour covered quite a few shifts!).

Plus after I'd got home, there was a 24hr phone line to ask a mw any questions or worries, and home visits from my lovely mw who I'd seen throughout my pregnancy.

So in short, yes the hospital is chronically underfunded and falling to bits (and the food was disgusting) but the people who work there are ace.

Genidef, yes the hospital I had a bad exp. with ds is in London. The one I had dd is in Bedfordshire. Just wondered why this would make a difference, curious as hell now.

It seemed like most of hte positive comments were coming from people outside of London where I would expect (and vaguely this fits from some Times survey I saw a few years ago) less pressure on services.

The birth was fine even though my "birthplan" was written for me by the obs who came in briefly to inspect me but the aftercare was awful.

It sounds racist to say it but the coloured mws were much nicer and caring than the white ones. The coloured ones took the time to help me try and bf and I remember one taking DD from me as I'd fallen asleep clutching her in my bed. I was shouted at by one nurse for not changing my ST (or my DD's nappy). Funnily enough I'd been asleep after the labour so I hadn't noticed that I was leaking onto the bed (which wasn't changed in three days) and I had no idea what a post-partum bleed would be like as she was my first LO. Once I knew to wear two pads at the same time, that problem was solved.

I caught an infection from the bidet they told me to use (maybe a handstand in the shower would have been better ).

I'd still have a hospital birth but I that I'd pay for a private room afterwards with a doula to help me initially post-birth.

I had bad experiences of after care in 2 of my 3 deliveries in London (I moved hospital for the last one.)

Main problem was rude and ignorant staff. No help with breastfeeding. After struggling for 3 days, the cleaner actually helped me to get the baby latched on as the midwifes would only tell me to switch to formula. (However lots of posters around about being a BF friendly hospital).

With my first DD I passed a large clot the next day. I had no idea what it was - it was larger than the baby. Rang buzzer - four times, a midwife came after 2 hours. Gave it a quick look and said 'I wonder what that is' and walked off never to be seen again. 4 hours later it was still on the floor and I was sitting in heavily stained sheets. Cleaners wouldn't touch it. After 8 hours, I cleaned it up myself as I didn't want my visitors to see it and found the laundry cupboard and made my bed.

When I got baby blues on day 3 and I was tearful because the baby still wasn't feeding and was very listless, one midwife actually shouted at me for being an attention seeker.

Couldn't wait to get out, but they kept forgetting to discharge me. It took 5 days to get all the paperwork done and I had to chase every step of the way.

I could go on and on but it's more of the same. 2nd hospital was great. Same number of midwifes to patients, same general facilities but staff treated people with respect. I don't think the issue was money / resources, but attitude and management.