My baby fell after I fell asleep while holding him in maternity hospital

[philm531]

Hi,

So I've just had a baby boy and thank god he's healthy. But here's the story..

I'd had a C-Section and was really out of it. The nurses on the ward were so busy and completely run off their feet. I knew I was going to doze off and tried to get their attention to take my little boy off me. The nurses were too busy and I fell asleep...when I woke up he had fallen from the bed and was on the floor.

It was such a traumatic experience but thank god he is ok. Has this happened to anyone else?? It seems like something that could happen so easily but should be easily prevented.

Sadly this happens and can be fatal, it is shocking that you were left alone holding baby after a c-section anyway but the staff know the risks and are paid to know the preventative measures

No advice for you but I am angry on your behalf. Enjoy the little one I hope you get home soon xx

It’s happened to me and millions of other women. Are babies are fine xx

Complain to PALS. The care you received was unacceptable

And people ask why new mums want their partners on the ward with them! Because the nurses don’t provide sufficient care even when the mum isn’t capable of looking after her baby, and the baby can be endangered due to lack of care. This could have been so bad, I’m glad your baby is ok OP.

The midwives who looked after me (and i will say very well) told me stories of this happening. It must have been scary for you, i'm glad your baby is fine. Congratulations

Why couldn't you put the baby down? In our hospital there were signs up everywhere telling you not to hold baby while sleepy due to the risk of them falling off the bed.

I had a c section and could move enough to pick up and put down baby.

Why blame the victim, Fluff, and not the shitty 'care' she was receiving in hospital after having major abdominal surgery? She may not have been able to feel her legs to reach her child's cot.

There was a terrible tragedy in a maternity hospital in Ireland earlier this year. A baby was found dead underneath his mother who had fallen out of bed while breastfeeding him. She also died a couple of days later. So awful.

Yeah fluff, you could move so that must mean everyone who had that surgery had full mobility.
OP said she tried to get their attention, so she knew she was falling asleep and knee baby needed to go down. If she could have moved then the bloody well would have. She couldn't so bugger off with your victim blaming.
After surgery, the staff are meant to care for you. That is part of their job.

Oh I am so sorry to hear that op exactly the same happened to me. I told the post operative nurse I wasn’t able to hold dd as so exhausted (20 hr labour emergency c section). She refused to listen and insisted i held her. Next thing I know dh screaming and a crash team resuscitating dd who has slipped face down into the crook of my arm. My first introduction to motherhood .

Both dh and I had a sort of post traumatic reaction as for weeks afterwards we would wake up shouting thinking dd was in our bed and we crushing her.

We made the hospital aware of what happened as if dh hadn’t been monitoring me we could have lost our baby. Who is now a gorgeous healthy 13 year old .

Sorry if wasn’t clear I fell asleep while holding her.

I’m sorry this happened to you. It sounds very upsetting but please don’t blame yourself.

Fluff it’s not on the ward it’s in the post operative room. There was no where to put the baby and I literally could not move as my lower half still anaesthetised and I was drugged. I was entirely reliant on staff for care at that stage.
Op you may want some counselling x

I'm so sorry this happened OP. Hope you're feeling ok/better about things now.

Totally understandable how this could happen. I had to yell at the midwife to come give me a hand after my C section and press the buzzer multiple times as I couldn't move DS back into the cot, was feeling really weak and I felt he wasn't safe left alone with me as I just physically couldn't manage him. This was 12+ hours post C section, DH had gone home but I was still in bad physical shape.

Don't beat yourself hun