How long did you have to wait for episiotomy/tear stitches

[gracepoolesrum]

So I had a nightmare birth 2 months ago that I'm still coming to terms with. DD had shoulder dystocia and was oxygen deprived. She had to be resucitated and spent 2 weeks in hospital. I lost 2 litres of blood and had a 3b tear. This is just the outline, lots of other things went wrong too. Obviously not everything is the hospital's fault but there were elements that could have been handled better.

After DD was born and whisked off to NICU I had to wait over 6 hours to go to theatre to be stitched. The drs at the time were apologetic and explained I was unlucky as they had 2 emergency caesareans in a row that had to take priority. I can't stop going over those 6 hours. I was unable to see DD and had no idea what she even looked like, I couldn't eat or drink anything as I was going to have an epidural (this after a long and traumatic labour, I was so hungry and thirsty), and I felt ripped to shreds, I just had to lie on the bed I'd given birth on and wasn't allowed to move while they cleaned up around me. Those 6 hours felt like an eternity. I honestly think I could have come to terms with the birth much better if I'd not had all that time to endure. Is it normal to have to wait so long or would I be justified in making a complaint? As it happens the tear has healed amazingly well so it's more about the psychological than physical effects. I'm not sure if I'm overreacting as the whole experience was so awful.

I'd say not normal but if they did have a lot of emergencies that were life or death I can see how it might have happened.
Doesn't make it any better for you and clearly their communication with you at the time could have been better. I don't think you'd be unreasonable to complain.

Fuck no. Complain. Jesus f Christ complain.

Mine was traumatic but not 6 hours laying like a confused slab of meat traumatic. (1-2 hours to be precise!)

You poor poor thing. I definitely think you should complain and ask for some psychological support. I think the combination of worrying about the little one and your physical state must have been extremely distressing for you.
I had a short traumatic forceps delivery with similar birth injury and the only positive was that it was over so quick including repair.
Lots of NHS hospitals do take the feedback on board and try to improve their working. Glad you healed well and hope you're enjoying the baby.

What I think makes me more annoyed is it's a large teaching hospital, I think they should have had more than one operating theatre available.

You are not over reacting at all, it sounds horrific and I'm not surprised you relive it in your mind. It was unfortunate that two people had to have emergency surgery while you were waiting. I can't begin to imagine how you must have felt, especially as your baby was taken away because of complications. At least if you'd had her next to you, you would have had some comfort.

I never experienced anything like that, just a small episiotomy and a few stitches, no problem, when I hear stories like yours I am eternally thankful but well aware it could have been so different.

I hope the memory fades in time, gracepoolesrum, and that you come to terms with it.

Congratulations on your baby, may you feel joy for having her. Wishing you both a long and healthy life.

(PS: I don't know what the 'b' is in '3b tear'.)

That sounds really hard, and not normal. My episiotomy (forceps) was stitched up there and then on the bed by the doctor who had delivered ds. I know that it was a busy night in the hospital because the staff who delivered ds were all talking about how hectic it had been, but I certainly wasn't left lying there.
Do complain but more importantly seek a debrief/counselling. Birth can be traumatising and its important to work through those emotions (speaking as somebody who wished they had sooner!)

I had a very similar birth- episiotomy, forceps, shoulders dsytocia, DS resuscitated, second degree tear, 2 litre blood loss. My placenta was retained so I had to go into theatre to have it removed. I was stitched up after that as far as I recall. It would definitely have added to the trauma if I'd had to wait - you poor thing

That sounds horrific. I would complain and definitely look into a meeting to go over your birth notes.

I had an episiotomy and was stitched up then and there. I think I was even holding my baby whilst they were doing it (I was numb, so who knows what was happening when!).

Bloody hell OP that sounds horrific. Definitely complain. You can also have counselling too.

I had an episiotomy pretty soon after giving birth, it was painful AF because I’d had no pain relief but I healed very quickly

that’s a shame you had such a long wait but realistically if they’re already running their theatre at capacity and 2 other women required emergency surgery what can they do? even if they had another theatre available to use it would have to be fully staffed with nurses/ODPs never mind the doctor doing the actual surgery

Yes should be sutured alot quicker but there are times when it can take a long time as some other things take priority.
Large teaching hospitals usually do have two theatres but only one theatre team, a second is only called in a catastrophic emergency as the second theatre team work in general theatres which covers A&E etc.
Definitely get a debrief and take it from
There if you need to

Please complain.
Hospital managers actually have to respond to complaints and it helps push better staffing etc back up the agenda.
So sorry this happened to you.

Do complain

Hospitals and staff can learn from complaints and adjust practices for future patients to prevent this from happening to someone else

And it may help you find some peace