What would you do?

[alfiemommy]

I had a very bad experience of healthcare in my area at the place I am due to give birth. I'll keep it as short as poss but I had staff give me anticeptic to clean his sticky eye rather than sterile water, I was shouted at for forgetting his red book yet they neglected to pass on to the next lot of staff that I'd had a massive bleed (I thought i'd wet myself, looked down and my white socks were red) and I had to ask them if I was OK after they didn't have a clue. They told me my son had an infection and then tried to stop me being with him whilst they fitted a drip and they couldn't get a vein after passing it round and 4 attempts blackening his little hands I told them to stop, I was told rather this than I have a dead baby....and then another doctor came to do it and told me his belly button was not infected it was meant to be this way. On top of all of this they were cold, rude, and incompetant. Will I be allowed to seek medical care 45 mins away at my parents local hospital? I don't want to deal with this place again. On top of that my partner is more anti it than I am and it is a dirty disgusting place with carpet and curtains no doubt from the 1800s still fitted. Is this unreasonable? Will they ok it do you think?

Oh my God, what a horrible sounding place! I don't know about your rights in something like this, but any NHS hospital you go to has to treat you first and ask questions later. I'd speak to your GP about the viability of getting switch and if not; pack your bags and stay at your parents' place so when you go into labour... oh no! You'll have to go to that hospital instead. I don't blame you... I'd also seriously complain about somewhere so awful

you have the right to choose the hospital you have your maternity care at. and i would also speak to PALS and complain aout your care, speak to your GP

birthchoiceuk.com is a good site IIRC for seeing stats on maternity units

have you considered a homebirth>

re a sticky eye.. best thing to treat that in a newbonr, if it happens again, is breastmilk

Hi, thanks for the replies I will definately speak to them and inform them of how we feel. I meant to say I didn't give birth at that hospital it was on the postnatal ward-I went in whilst visiting relatives of my partners family (he is from the town we have since moved to.) I actually went in with an infection from breastfeeding and asked for some dusting powder as my babies cord had fallen off that day and when they looked that is when they started to say it was abnormal and he had an infection (shocking as if they treat babies all the time they should have known that it was 'completely normal' as the experienced doctor said.) My home citys hospital was brilliant though and we had great care and so we want to go there (45mins away.) O my scan in this town is at 13 n a half weeks and i'm not allowed to book my midwife until after the scan is ok and according to the doctor the appointment may be a few wks after with the midwife due to being busy so when exactly will they organise/do the 14-16 wks bloods to check for probs? Many women have babies here so I feel a bit of a pain but my experience is not even slightly exagerated. I am a bit surprised you aren't put in touch with a midwife before the scan, what if you have problems? Who do you talk to for guidance/support if need be? I'm sorry this is sooo long I'm having a rant now.