Talk to CQC about your maternity care experiences and you could win a £200 Love2Shop voucher. NOW CLOSED!

[AngelieMumsnet]

We’re working with CQC (Care Quality Commission), who would like to encourage more women to share their experiences of maternity care.

Here’s a video of a few Mumsnetters talking about their experiences of maternity care:

CQC say "We are the independent health and social care regulator in England. CQC inspect and rate maternity services, including antenatal services, pregnancy units, maternity assessment centres, labour wards, postnatal services and neonatal services.

There are nearly 700,000 live births each year in England, and having a baby is the most common reason for a hospital admission. Our 2015 Maternity Survey found that most expectant and new mothers are experiencing better maternity care when compared to the results from previous years, however, we know that know women will have had varied personal experiences.

If you are pregnant or recently used maternity services, we want you to tell us about the care you are receiving, good or bad. Our inspectors can’t be everywhere at once and your information will help us decide when, where and what service to inspect. By telling us about your experiences, you could stop poor care happening to someone else.

We want to hear whether you think your care is safe, effective, and caring. For example:

• You should feel that you are fully supported by staff to make informed decisions
• You should be able to ask questions if you don’t understand what is happening
• Staff should take all practical steps to make sure you receive the support you need to cope emotionally with your care"

Please share your stories of maternity care on this thread. Whatever your experience, CQC would love to hear about it

Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered in to a prize draw where one winner will receive a £200 Love2shop voucher*.

Thanks & good luck,
MNHQ

PS: CQC will also be asking women to share their maternity care feedback on Twitter (@carequalitycomm) from the 15 February using the hashtag #YourMaternityCare. CQC want to hear about your experiences, so please tweet them using the hashtag.

• provided by MNHQ

Absolutely flawless! I had a very complex pregnancy and lost one of my identical twins, from start to my daughters being born I received the best care I could ever imagine, everyone was fantastic! From the consultant to midwives I couldn't have done it without them. Proud to have an NHS!!

With my first pregnancy, we lost our baby at 20 weeks, in 2011. We moved house at 16 weeks, and didn't get to see the midwife in the new area before losing our little girl so we weren't registered properly in the area. The day we went in to Liverpool women's hospital and found out for definite we'd lost her was horrific, but what made it worse was the midwife said to us she had to leave us now as someone with a live baby needed her help. We could hear people in labour all around and babies crying and it was absolutely heartbreaking. We had to go back in a few days later for me to give (still) birth, and we were given our own room which was away from the main wards and much more private. This time the midwife, a different one, couldn't have been more helpful in our time of need. The care was lovely despite the circumstances. Nothing was too much to ask, and we got great after support from the bereavement team who organised our little girls funeral. The support was unquestionable.

I got pregnant a few months later and the care all the way through to the birth was excellent, I was under a consultant at Liverpool Womens and he was very understanding and very thorough in doing everything he could to enable us to have a successful pregnancy, which I'm delighted to say we did have. I would highly recommend the antenatal care, and the theatre team, I had an elective caesarean. Excellent.

The maternity ward however was a different story. I felt totally isolated and alone. I got no help at all, my baby wouldn't sleep at all as unbeknown, he had reflux, I was exhausted after the op and after being awake for 36 hours I fell asleep, only to be woken to be told my baby was crying. He was next to me but I was that out of it I couldn't even hear him. We had to stay in for a few days as he was jaundice too, and I got sent to all I can describe as a 'facility', it was a little box room, with one high window. It felt like a prison room. I was inconsolable, my husband wasn't allowed to stay and I hadn't had more than an hours sleep in 3 days at this point and no one would help. I remember searching the corridors for help only to be told that this was an independent space and I needed to go back to the room. It feels like a terrible dream. Which is such a shame after the excellent care I got in the run up to the birth.

I have recently had twins. The surgery was fine, no issues and 90% of staff were great, however despite being an experienced breastfeeding mum and the hospital being baby friendly I had to fight to breastfeed!

Several staff did not follow the hospitals own procedures (I now have copies of their policy). They did not obtain informed consent, we were bullied and emotionally blackmailed. Twice I believe one of my babies lives was put at risk because of staff actions. (Babies were full term twins, feeding well, colostrum being produced, notes state repeatedly 'baby latched well, suckling). Babies were not allowed skin to skin or to feed for 2 hours following their birth.

I discharged us in the end as I did not feel safe and did not believe we were being given correct information. It transpired the information we were given was incorrect and was vastly different to the training staff had received. Very concerning, it made the 48 hours after my babies were born very upsetting and ruined What should have been a wonderful 48 hours.

Not great - but it wasn't awful either - I guess it was average!

I had two planned c-sections, both at Kings college hospital in London. 1st child; antenatal care felt rushed, never saw the same midwife twice, felt like a production line.

Theatre staff at the birth very professional but I didn't get to see my daughter for over 10 minutes simply due to the midwife wiping her down/ tagging her (all things that could have waited)

Postnatal ward: was horrific - again a production line feeling, cold staff too busy to help. I feel alone, unsupported and isolated. I ended up with severe postnatal depression.

2nd child;

Antenatal care: I was put under the care of community caseload midwives due to my previous post natal depression. It was wonderful - same midwife every time for appointments, felt genuinely cared for, supported and well informed.

Birth: the community midwife attended my c section and was wonderful, allowing baby straight onto my chest before being wiped down/ tagged etc, immediate skin to skin was paramount to me and she respected that.

Postnatal; unfortunately the postnatal ward was again busy, staff were uncaring, busy, brusque and snappy. Couldn't wait to get out of there, felt institutionalised even after two days.

Community midwives visited me at home afterwards and that felt very supportive and much nicer than the hospital environment.

My local nurse was brilliant. In hospital I was left to get on with it after my daughter was born and the staff were very busy.

I had fantastic care from Homerton Hospital last year throughout my pregnancy and labour. Brilliant community midwife who I saw for nearly every appointment. Good NHS antenatal classes.

I was low risk and hoped for the birth centre but I had a placental abruption in labour and an emcs. Again I received brilliant care and had total trust in all the staff in what could have been an incredibly frightening situation. Postnatal ward was fine despite staff having to care for so many mothers and babies.

ive had good antenatal with all 6 of mine. my first 3 were under domino scheme (taking 20 or so years ago) you got to meet each midwife on the team, think there was 7. If you had to go into hospital they were always called to give you the care. They came out to you at home too if you thought labour was starting. It was nice to get to meet the midwife who would deliver your baby.
With my last 3 I had moved and was under consultant care (prem baby and low birth weight). Service was ok. When I wasn't seeing the hospital staff I would see the same midwife at the gp surgery.
One thing I noticed especially with my last, once he was born (7 weeks early) I never saw another member of staff for hours. There was no taking me round to the nicu unit, no talking to me about what will happen etc etc. Its as if I was longer a concern. The midwife who delivered my son wasn't very nice neither, I had to beg for gas and air!
I noticed this with my 5th too, I asked for pain relief and never got it, ended up having some brought into me.

Don't be afraid to but second hand maternity clothes

Another uclh here. Medical skills great, midwives and personal touch very mixed. At my booking in i said I had been feeling very unwell - I had hg and had lost over a pound a day for the last week which was nearly 10% body weight and was back at my 15 year old weight . Midwife didn't let me finish the sentence but cut in to say that's normal. I cried. Later she told me I should drink more like i was choosing not to. Her notes were full of lies - 'patient said could eat' (patient said hadnt eaten in a week) 'patient tearful, I reassured her . ( bullshit). She sent me to the hospital pharmacy for chewable vitamins as I couldn't swallow a tablet, we wandered round for ages looking for it, I was so tired and they only service people with prescriptions... I complained so I didnt see her again. Otherwise general,y good but a bit muddled. I would turn up and midwife ask for glucose test results, but no one had told me to take the glucose test so reschedule.. When I said i would prefer the labour ward a midwife called me selfish as the labour ward was for people who needed it (turned out I did, hey ho) . I kept asking for whooping cough vaccination , at 25 weeks mw said they would do it at the next appt, at the next appt mw said she wasn't trained .etc etc, at 37 weeks mw said I should have turned up for a clinic for it at 28 weeks and I had to go ask my go. I said it's a shame none of the 4 other midwives I've seen know about this clinic and I'm not leaving today until you give me this vaccine... Etc etc. Apparently there was an information leaflet about induction but no one gave it to me so I didnt know what was going on , after the birth - vaginal, 3b tear and manual placenta removal the surgeon told me he'd prescribed a morphine (oramorph so not a strong one) and to ask for it. When I did the mw suggested I take a Paracetamol instead. Summary -The midwives take good care of the babies but don't care so much about the mothers. All the doctors I saw were great.

I have had 3 births in the last 5 years.
I never saw the same midwife twice. I was happy with most our care until the end of our last pregnancy. The midwife decided that her opinion on a consultants advice was more important than mine. I left my 38 week appointment crying with no follow up. I had all children by c section. All were fantastic experiences. But postnatal ward was different. I was unwell after my last c section. Needed blood transfusion. Not with it and extremely tired. I was woken up by a midwife at lunch time the day after who said' are you going home today! To which I muttered in a just woken up daze ' I dunno, I don't feel right' she shouted 'you must know' and walked away. I did stay in for 3 more days for blood transfusions and treatment as there was complications. But I will never Forget how small and stupid that midwife made me feel. Luckily she didn't work for the rest of my stay and the midwifes and consultants who looked after me after this were wonderful.

I had an elcs with DS1 as he was breech and I found it to be really straightforward and very stressfree. The care I received was great and aside from not being told about the itchiness side effect of the spinal (I thought it was the heat) my expectations were managed well. Thankfully I was given a private room and that was fab. The care I received overnight wasnt that great, I kept having to buzz to get the midwives to pass my son to me as i was still incapacitated. I felt like an inconvenience. It was also established in the morning that my catheter bag was overflowing due to not being emptied overnight and my pads hadnt been changed either so it was all a bit yucky.

My second son was a different experience. I was induced due to my hind waters rupturing. It was horrendous and I ended up with an epidural. I was monitored all night long due to baby's heart decelerations. I finally got to fully dilated and pushed for over an hour only to be told that my son was transverse and I needed to go to theatre. I felt that they maybe should have known this sooner and not left me so long. Once i got to theatre I was in a bad way and was having nasty spasms from the epidural. I was in theatre for ages because they thought they had nicked my bladder. My son didnt breathe for 2 minutes and it was all very scary. I was ok when i got to recovery until the epidural wore off and I was in the most excruciating pain. Three doses of Oramorph didnt touch it and i was hysterical. I felt like my midwife thought I was exaggerating the pain and was left for a long time. Eventually I was given an anti-inflammatory which stopped the pain but my god it was horrendous.

Overall I was pleased with the care I received on both occasions. I am well aware of just how overstretched my maternity hospital is and the majority of staff are fabulous. The main thing is that my babies were born safely and that is all that matters in the end.

I had the same community midwife for both of my sons which was so much better than seeing a different midwife everytime as I did with my daughter Firstborn, My midwife so so wonderful that she even gave up her Fathers day with her husband and kids to induce my son and be there throughout the birth, It was such a relaxed affair thanks to her

I had my DD three weeks ago. Planned home birth in birthing pool that ended up with hospital transfer. Laboured to full dilation in the pool with only a couple of puffs of entonox. Unfortunately baby's head was turned slightly to the side preventing her from being born. We decided to transfer to hospital when her heart rate started to increase. Midwives were very attentive and supportive and it was my decision to transfer: I was very tired by then and contractions had become quite feeble. Was blue lit to hospital where they gave me induction drip to get contractions going properly again. I was then taken to theatre and given a spinal: the surgical team performed episiotomy and used forceps to help DD out. I was encouraged to push when they felt my muscles and knew a contraction was coming: I couldn't feel them at all by the time the spinal took effect. DD was born a few pushes later and cried straight away. I was so grateful to the surgical team for giving me pain relief and helping DD be born. I told them before we started that I fully support the NHS and all its wonderful staff (and we should get rid of Jeremy Hunt and the Tories lol). I did my absolute best to deliver DD at home and made it to full dilation with the head presented pretty much without pain relief: but the hospital were there for us when we needed them and I will always be grateful to them. My surgeon was a lovely man who made sure I knew that he had only had to help me a little with forceps: but that I had done nearly all the work pushing DD out myself. He even came to visit me on the postnatal ward to tell me how well I had done. Home visits with midwives after we were discharged were thorough and they also made sure I knew I had done really well. I wasn't upset about having to transfer to hospital: by that stage I was very tired and in pain and I wanted some help. So my home birth didn't go as I planned but I was well looked after and I have a beautiful healthy daughter. I'd say that was a result ;) Save our NHS xxx

My experience was awful because my Dr was very rough with me.

I would highly recommend the care both my son & myself received while we were in the QMC in Nottingham. I had a looooong labour - it started early on the Monday morning, & my gorgeous son was born on the following Saturday afternoon - a stop/start latent phase which went on for what felt like forever! My son was 10 days late & was clearly very comfortable - what I hadn't anticipated was all the labour pains being in my back, I didn't feel even a twinge in my tummy at all. Midwives at a midwife led unit in Melton Mowbray were supportive & patient with me.. I tried to keep the calls to just once a day, it was clear nothing was actually happening! When the pain became unbearable, I had worn out the TENS machine & the almost flattened birthing ball - my water FINALLY broke - I whooped with delight as my husband drove me to the birthing centre - only to find out I was 1.5cm dilated - haha! I wept with exhaustion, the midwife was polite, but correctly assessed I was not going to last the course in a midwife led unit where pain relief options are limited. I was instructed to go home & have a bath, which I did - but by this point hadn't eaten anything for around 36 hours. The pain was so intense I couldn't think about food, let alone eat any. I went into QMC in Nottingham at 4am & they were SO lovely, they were very gentle with me & it was just what I needed! I was put in a softly lit room & encouraged to move around as much as possible, I had another bath - but as I wasn't eating, my energy levels were so low. I was encouraged to eat what I could & drink fluids constantly as my urines had high levels of ketones. I was on my last legs, but the midwife was amazing - constantly reassuring & encouraging me - popping in & out to check how we were doing, which I appreciate so much as it was very clear I wasn't in established labour & they could so easily have just sent me home. That feeling of relief & being in safe hands was invaluable to me & really allowed me to enjoy the birth of my son - despite him being an absolute whopper at 9lbs 8oz! He'd not measured big at any stage, but he was OP which explained the long latent phase & the intense back pain. The moment he emerged was difficult as he was/had shoulder dystocia - it was all quite calm under the head was delivered - then the room filled with people - I couldn't really see everyone, just focused on what my midwife was instructing & pushed damn hard when I was told too (so hard I burst a blood vessel in my eye!) - fortunately, he arrived safe & well, albeit looking like a boxer with a bruised & swollen face! Again the doctors & midwives were fantastic, a doctor took the time out to come & see me on the ward the following day to check I understood what had happened. It could have been a really unpleasant experience, but because of the wonderful care, time & attention I received - I look back on it all quite fondly! My husband.. not so much - all he remembers is being terrified when the room filled with people & then sitting in shock for an hour holding this massive baby while I was stitched up - haha! :) A good midwife makes a MASSIVE difference :)

2 births, 2008 and 2010. Both at QEQM in margate. First was a planned c-section as I had placenta praevia stage 4. Discovered only when I started contractions at 30 weeks. Rang the midwife unit who told us to go straight to the hospital. It was a Sunday and the head of ob/gyn was there waiting with the room prepped and everything. It was amazing. They concluded I needed to be signed off work. I had an injection in the thigh to help with the lungs of my baby and we got to week 39, a really relaxed planned c-section with the entire team coming in at 7am, introducing themselves etc. I even had a cd to play! 9am was the scheduled time, 9.17 my baby was born and by 10 I was back in my room all stitched up. I stayed 3 days.

We transferred to a midwife unit that was nearer to us (K&C in Canterbury) and again it was fab. They helped with breastfeeding (I ended up bf for 20months!). They helped with taking my child away for me to rest... And brought him back when he needed feeding. V little judgement about bf or formula (I did give some at the start to help with him feeding).

Second child, I opted for VBAC and I had a v long labour (stop, start...) and lasted 5 days and involved sweeps. The eventual birth was fine however the aftercare was bad. They didn't notice that I had lost significant blood (I ended up with a blood transfusion of 3 bags!). They couldn't get the transfusion started till 11pm (I was told they don't do blood transfusions at night because there's greater danger?). And they couldn't organise my baby's hearing test - they missed it. I had to organise it myself and the reason we got it done so quickly was because we knew the person who ran the audio unit and she rang me personally to organise a time. V much a 'personal favour'.

I was made to feel like I was overstaying my welcome (well I did need a transfusion because I fainted!!). Never again.

Had my DS June 2015. Care was very mixed.
Antenatal care on the whole was okay, although incredibly disjointed. I didn't see the same midwife twice and as I was high risk with a spinal condition plus spd, it was frustrating having to explain everything all over again at each appointment. My GP was brilliant and spotted PGP/SPD immediately and set me up with physio, painkillers and signed me off very early on when I was struggling. I ended up on crutches by 30 weeks. I had good care from the anaesthetist who assessed me for an epidural.
Towards the end I had two midwives tell me I would be induced, a consultant tell me i would be induced early and another hcp tell me I would probably need a section. None of these things happened and I spent the last few weeks gearing up for early delivery for nothing.bagsin very disjointed. Nobody seemed to communicate with each other, nobody ever read my notes.
Delivery. Midwives I had during labour (I went through three shift changes) were all brilliant. Helpful, explained what was happening, very forthcoming with pain relief and very patient given i was mooing for hours with a back to back baby. Delivery was horrid, I had instrumental intervention after pushing for two and a half hours, and I ended up with a huge third degree tear. I didn't understand what was happening at the time, the doctor who delivered ds and stitched me up barely spoke to me, just barked instructions at the other hcp in the room. It was frightening.
Postnatal was also grim. Agency midwives, dirty ward, rude and obviously massively overstretched. No food or drink available, I'd been labouring for three days and up for two days and nights and I was hungry and exhausted. I asked for oramorph for my back and wound pain and got told I couldn't be in that much pain and given paracetamol, I asked to speak to a doctor and had faces pulled at me, I never once had my stitches checked and I got dp to just pick us up first thing the next morning. I was visited by two midwives in the week I came home, one was nice, the other couldn't have been any less interested. I had to hassle both to check my stitches as I had no idea if they were healing properly. They weren't and I had to be restitched but this wasn't picked up until I went to my GP the following week. So yes.. Mixed.

I didn't have huge dealings with medical staff when I had my daughter. Of course I had a midwife who was great, I can still see her know. There were no issues.
At the hospital again no problem's, I think you are in such a daze that you don't register watch changeovers .

My care was generally good, however found that around the 7am and 7pm midwife shift changes it was very hard to get any assistance on the post delivery ward.

i could not fault the midwife let maternity unit, they were so helful caring and knowledgeable when i had my second daughter

My maternity care left me with deep pnd and anxiety,I feel I missed the first 18 months of my daughters life because of the pnd which I believe was down to the care I received. I had to think long and hard regarding sharing my experience.

My pregnancy was an Ivf, ICSI, FET, we had spent 6 long years trying and had literally said this was our last attempt as I was 39, thankfully it worked, the ivf was all private and the care was exceptional.

However my pregnancy was a different matter all together, what started of as a twin pregnancy ended as a single pregnancy at 9 weeks, until 12 weeks I was under the care of my private consultant.

At 12 weeks my care was NHS, all seemed okay till 18 weeks when I had a severe bleed and literally had blood pouring out of me for a few hours, we visited the hospital and as it was late at night we had to go the maternity ward, they eventually checked me and said it wasn't a bleed from baby as cervix was closed and couldn't say anymore, obviously i was shaken wondering if i would lose baby, I was offered a bed for the night but it would be on the ward where heavily pregnant ladies were waiting to go down to the labour rooms, i declined as if i was going to lose baby i didn't want to be surrounded by pregnant ladies.

next morning we returned and were left on maternity day ward again with ladies heavily pregnant until a dr 8 hrs later got a machine to do an emergency scan on, she was the only one that had helped us.

28 weeks, my doctors tell me my glucose test is fine, the next day the consultant who saw me to check up on me said she was concerned about my diabetes? I was devastated after being told the day before by my doctors all was well, they had misread my results, the next 6 weeks were spent on high dose insulin and metphormin till the consultant at 35.5 weeks said baby had to come out as the situation was too serious for my health to continue.

we were booked in a few days later for a C section, due to gstational diabetes and breech baby.

when we turned up on ward the surgical side of the maternity ward was full so they put me at the far end with normal delivery ladies, i had never seen this ward, never had a tour of been advised of what was too happen, took to the theatre and i had panic attacks scared i would feel everything, the theatre staff at east surrey were amazing, baby girl was born and fine, sadly we were never told we could bring camera into theatre so we missed that chance of first picture.

In recovery and all was well, had to have constant chekcs on me and baby to make sure the diabetes left our systems, as i was transferred to the ward again the two porters who took me back wer emessing about and one jumped on the back of the bed, i asked them not too as it jolted the bed and i had baby in arms, she doen it once more and i started throwing up, they quickly disappeared,

I was told after C section i would be moved to the area with our surgical ladies on the ward, nope they put my bed back to where it was.

I hadn't eaten since the previous night and now at 4pm i was hungry but as i had been sick was refused food, understandable but again when I asked at 8pm i was told there was nothing available so my husband had to find me a mars bar as thats all he could find ina vending machine.

The first night the midwife as i was bottle feeding and had a catheter still in checked baby after each feed with a heel prick to make sure she was fine.

that night i felt very odd and in a lot of pain, i was told as no doctor was available all i could have was paracetamol or morphine as that was given in theatre, the paracetamol didnt help and i refused morphine as i wanted to be aware when baby cried and the midwife said as she was busy she wouldn't have time to help me with baby, so i was in awful papin and very tearful when partner came in next morning.

We had family visit the next day and all seemed a bit better, still no pain relief.

later that day which is the day after the section, the midwife said i shouldn't be wasting the little bottles of milk i had brought into the hospital and she split the ready made bottles of sma into 3 syringe type bottles an dput them in the fridge. BUT the fridge was three bays away near where I should have been admitted, so i had to push baby in cot screaming in immense agony myself to the fridge every time she fed and back again, they were too busy too help me, i felt very overwhelmed with it all and after being told baby had the diabetes out of her system i asked to be discharged at 11pm the day after she as born, i had zero help from the nurses and was literally dumped to get on with it.

The were very angry I did this but I couldn't cope in the situation they left me in.

I will never have children again and feel robbed of a time which should have been amazing leaving me in constant tears.

In hindsight we should have paid the extra and gone private, that is something I have regretted not doing immensley.

The whole experience was awful ad has left a lot of emotional scars on me and put my relationship wunder a lot of pressure as i felt i failed and still feel a failure.

WHen I had my son the maternity care at the hospital was pretty good, but it was also very short lived - you're in and out of there in the blink of an eye! It's like a conveyor belt!
Follow up care with the nurse was very good too.

I had a great experience during pregnancy & labour. My midwife lives in my village so was always near by if I needed her. My labour lasted 5 days so I saw lots of midwives during this time & they were all great.

My experiences during 2 births which both ended in c sections were mixed. My community midwives were great both times. Many of the midwives in the hospital were also great, but I had the same midwife for the majority of both births and feel like she.contributed to me needing c sections ultimately. She wouldn't really engage with me or show me any kind of practical support, so as soon as I said I couldn't cope with the pain she offered me an epidural, no attempt to help me change position or any other techniques. Both births were very medicalised and afterwards I saw they didn't need to be. I feel disappointed at having c sections, both of which I think could have been avoided. The after care was excellent though and I got a lot if support with breastfeeding first time round, which meant that despite finding it difficult at first I ebf 2 babies for over 2 years.