Maternity notes retained by hospital

[Exhaustedmum101]

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this.
I am 8 weeks post partum with first baby. I had what was described as a traumatic birth.

I spiked a temp early during labour and was treated with antibiotics for 24hrs via IV. Ended up with failed vacuum and then a forcep delivery as baby got into distress.

The hospital held on to my green notes and I was lead to believe that this happened in all instrumental deliveries.
However I have since learnt this is not the case.
I ended up back in hospital when my son was 2 weeks old with sepsis. However the hospital never told me what I had, it was my gp. The hospital told me it was an infection contained to me. After 5 days I was let go home.
When I was back in hospital they recovered my notes.

What I'm wondering has anyone else had their notes retained and why. I can't help but feel that I am being lied to, or something covered up.
Id love to hear if anyone else had any experience around this or advice.

I didn't have an instrumental delivery but the hospital kept my notes (blue book). I thought that was normal.

I thought they were filed. Whenever I had Pfb and then returned for psb, my notes from pfb were in folder in consultants room. I have other health issues so under joint consultants for both so may not be the same for all. I was only given birth report for both to take to register the births.

• when not whenever !

Yes mine were kept too, emergency c section

3 births here, 2 hospitals, notes kept by the hospital each time. It's standard procedure.

Hospital kept my notes from both pregnancies. If you are concerned, you are entitled to ask to see them and have a debrief with a professional. This is what I had after my emergency c-section.

I've had an emergency c-section and a 'normal' vaginal birth and notes were kept in both cases. Just standard practice

The hospital have mine from my son's arrival. I know because I had a debrief at 9 months or so afterwards and then when I saw a consultant in this pregnancy for the first time, she had them.

He was a failed forceps/emcs and it was pretty horrible experience but they aren't covering anything up.

I had a traumatic first birth and the hospital kept my notes as it is standard practice. You can request a copy though. The hospital should have a process to do that.

I've just spoke to a friend who lives in Scotland and she just explained that on mainland it is procedure to keep. I'm.in NI and everyone gets their notes home. Diff procedures here.

I'm in NI, and hospital kept notes both times. DS1 born in Antrim and DS2 in RVH.

@shoofly was there any reason why they were kept. My gp told me they shouldn't have been kept. Just playing on my mind now.

Not that I know of. I have never heard of them being given back, I can't see why they would? I was given an envelope with a discharge note for GP but definitely not the green folder. I've 2 friends who've both given birth in RVH in the last few months. I'll ask them.

As far as I’m aware your notes get taken off you and filed and you don’t get them back, for any birth, not just instrumental births. I’ve had 3, 1 instrumental and have never had them back.

Same here (Worcestershire hospital). I had a normal birth and they kept my green notes but was discharged from hospital with a set of new purple notes for me and baby - these had details of the birth, duration, stitches required etc.

These were then later taken by midwives when they discharged me from their care 2 weeks post partum.

Have checked with two friends, both had babies in RVH, within the last 8 weeks. One had previous births in Mater. All notes held by hospital.
One friend did say that a friend of hers had a baby in Antrim in January. She was given her notes, which the community midwife took back at Day 10 (C section delivery), so it wouldn't be normal practice to have them.
I had a bad experience with DS1 delivery in Antrim, (he's now 12), for this reason I had private antenatal care for DS2. The consultant requested my notes from Antrim.
I think you can ask for a copy of your notes, your GP might advise you. Hope things are looking brighter for you soon.

Thanks @shoofly

I known it procedure for the notes to be taken on day 10 when you are discharged from midwife care.

I'm Just reflecting 8 weeks later and seen my gp who wants me to get a debrief as to what happened as I was very ill 2 weeks after birth.

They kept my notes but i was given a full report on my birth (a traumatic birth)

Just read your last message, I was also given a copy of my report to give to my gp and community midwife

Yeah the hospital keep your notes

The midwife told me that she’d need to keep my notes when she discharged me on day 10 so I scanned the whole lot! Now they are online I guess they just stop your access at some point - definitely standard in Scotland.

Here the community midwives take them at the last appointment after the baby when they sign you over to the health visitors and they keep them for a certain amount of years.
With DC2 she was in nicu for the first few months so never saw the midwife after and did 6 week gp check over the phone.
It meant for DC3's pregnancy I had to fill in some gaps as things werent on record which they were surprised at until I mentioned her notes were never handed in, so probably best if they are.