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

my first experience was pretty awful as the hospital let me go 15 days overdue! I attended on the 14th day when I thought I was in to be induced but they tried to turn me away! thankfully my mother was with me and demanded I be kept in until a space became available! The doctor came in and accused my mother of being rude to nurses but when the nurse came back in she reassured us we hadn't been and I was eventually taken through the next morning at 6am to have my son! when he was born his CRP (infection) level was over 100 and even 10 was infectious but as I was breastfeeding they kept us together in a side room and the pedetricions attended him there! we where in for over a week and thankfully I bumped into the community midwife I had saw throughout my pregnancy as she helped me with giving him his first bath as no one had even offered to help me or show me where anything was.

pre labour ward was awful i was 30 and they talked down to me like i was 15 or something. Even though been in slow labour for over a week and hospital 24 hour so i could have pethidine for pain. They questioned me how did i know my waters had gone and i was like im wearing night time pad and theres still a puddle on floor, they like why you wearing a pad and im as im 10 days late thought easiest way to know for sure waters are clear.

Labour ward fantastic, couldnt be nicer. Post labour mixed bag

I had a brilliant midwife throughout my pregnancy, she attended my homebirth as well. I felt I could ask anything and that she was knowledgeable and had my best interests in mind. She went beyond the call of duty and it was much appreciated.

I've had two DC in the last 3 years. Every single aspect of my care has been faultless, bar one very loud community midwife who told us we had BF problems when we didn't. She sent DH out for a pump/backup formula/bottles etc and we had a couple of ridiculous nights trying to cup feed from a shot glass before the next midwife visited and said it had all been unnecessary.

Other than that everyone has been wonderful. Both midwives supporting my births were amazing, all the pre&post natal checks were fine (ie staff/support was good, I did have some issues ) and the BF clinics in my area are fantastic.

I never saw the same midwife twice but I didn't really feel it mattered. When there were problems they were (with the above exception) all saying the same things and reinforcing each other, which has left me feeling like they are a team and know what they're talking about.

I feel very lucky

I have 2 children, my community midwife was amazing, and was great with both pregnancies. first pregnancy and birth were 'normal' however ds1 couldn't maintain his temperature and was put in an incubator straight away, I didn't feel any compassion from the midwives on the maternity ward. probably sue to staff shortages and being overworked, I felt like a number rather than a person. 5 years later ds2 was born and things couldn't have been more different. I was admitted to hospital after a show & contractions at 29 weeks. I was given steroids and constant monitoring for a week, after being diagnosed with an irritable uterus I was sent home. he held on until 38 weeks when I felt a distinct lack in movements, called the maternity ward and they told me to come straight in. I was listened to and was induced that morning. he arrived quickly and safely and that was that! I received excellent care the second time around although I'd rather not have been sent home straight from the delivery suite with a sick bowl so soon, had him a 1.50am and was home at 4.05am!

I didn't realise how good the experience I had with my first child was until I had my second. The first was born in a county that operated a system where you had an allocated midwife and there were six in rotation, so even if your allocated midwife wasn't available, they still knew you and you were familiar with them. With my second child you just got who you were given on the day and they didn't listen or take into account any of my wishes, it was a cattle market.

So variable depending on what part of the country you reside in. First baby born in London and hospital experience totally uncaring but second baby experience in the Midlands so much better.

I was a birthing partner for my neice and found the worse part was seeing how young women clearly in pain are sent home. They are told to go home and come back when the are further dilated, take some paracetamol and relax. Really? from what I saw we got a much better deal thirty years ago when I had my kids.

I was very young when I had my first and rather than the judgemental attitude I expected, the midwives were lovely. One of the other mums on the ward was rather snooty and seems very surprised I was actually married to the man who visited at every opportunity!
By the time I had number 2 I felt so confident she was born on the ante-natal ward as they were rammed on delivery suite and no-one had realised how strong my contractions had become after I was admitted with leaky waters- well nobody examined me until I was almost ready to push!

My gp was amazing I was 20 when I was pregnant and I had her on call at all times if I ever needed anything even a chat I could ring her, my midwife was difficult she was very short with me and rude, I don't know if it was my age but I would come out of every appointment crying after her saying nasty things like I was fat or my skin was terrible, in the end I had my check up with my gp as my midwife was so awful.

First midwife was great - she felt like my mum - she was a calming presence who gave us confidence. The aftercare was pretty poor - it was a revolving door of different staff who werefairly unengaged.
Second time the midwives were panicking and won't answer questions-less than reassuring. After care good.

I have only had positive experiences with a great midwife and good aftercare after the birth of my son.
Hopefully things will improve for everyone.

I was consultant lead because I had some complications which meant i ended up on coronary care... Everyone involved was great. I came into be induced but went into natural labour, i had no pain relief and the labour progressed very quickly, I asked the nurse for some more adequate pain relief, to which she gave me paracetamol... I subsequently vomited this up as soon as i took it. I basically don't think she believed me and thought I was being a wimp. I ended up doing the whole delivery with no analgesia because I was already too far gone! But every other bit of care was fantastic

I have had 9 babies at St Mary's hospital Paddington and they have been absolutely excellent - apart from one unfortunate time in 2006 when my 2nd daughter chose to arrive during a super-busy day and no delivery rooms or MW were available on the delivery ward so I was stuck on the antenatal ward, I didn't get any pain relief and I had to be wheeled into a lift to the lower floor with baby about to pop out! Since then the care has been excellent though and I couldn't fault it. The OBs are very good and the MWs are really on the ball. Last time the MW spotted that my daughter was not doing so well during a routine check at the hospital close to my due date. Lower movements and not meeting the criteria on a trace over several hours. She called a senior OB in who sent me straight to the delivery room for an emergency induction. As a result my daughter was born alive, healthy and well. The delivery care was amazing. On the antenatal ward I was left to get on with everything myself, but I didn't actually need or want any help other than the routine PP BP checks. The antenatal ward is extremely busy and the MWs are overworked with a lot of women to look after and not so many of them, but they are angels and work so hard.

I gave birth in 2008 and 2014.

Both times the care I received during my complicated pregnancies was outstanding, but the aftercare for my first birth (Nottingham City Hospital) was appalling. I was left without food, spoken to very sharply when I asked for help getting my baby to latch on, and discharged before BFing was established. I had no family around me and asked again and again for help getting my baby onto the breast, but both the hospital and community midwives were very dismissive. Nobody diagnosed her tongue tie until her 6 week GP check, by which time we had to stop BFing due to her weight loss, and I feel the whole experience made a massive contribution to my subsequent PND.

Fortunately, the care I received second time couldn't be better (at a different primary care trust). I felt me and my baby mattered, health problems with the both of us were swiftly diagnosed and dealt with, and emotionally I felt far more supported too.

My maternity care was very mixed. DS1 was born in Newham General. It was the most hideous experience - discovered he was breech when in early stages of labour - after having been examined the night before by midwife who said that the head was just engaging??? Was treated like an idiot when I cried at the desk after I finally managed to get out of bed post c-section, asking if I could have the curtain closed around my bed whilst I fumbled around trying to feed. They kept taking DS off me and putting him in a cot just out of reach. Another mum kept getting up and handing him back to me. They bathed him day after without asking me. Just some of the awful things that happened. I begged to be let out early on day 3 and cried for over a week after (although I may well have done that anyway!).

DS2 born at Whipps Cross. He turned breech in last week - discovered on due date. In for a c-section 2 days later. Better experience because PIL kindly paid for a private room - but the anesthetic did wear off as they were stitching me up and one of the doctors who saw me in the recovery area said that if DS2 didn't feed soon (this was about 30 mins after he was born) they might need to give him a bottle!

DS3 born at Sussex County. Fought hard for a vbac but unfortunately didn't happen after a crazy labour, erratic heart rate and posterior position meant emergency section. But I felt that my wishes were respected by all but one person I saw during my pregnancy (who said that nobody ever has a vbac after 2 c-sections, they don't allow it). Ultimately I felt it was my choice, although not the ideal one. I left after 1 night in the hospital as it was just before Christmas - which was perfect for me as I felt confident with what I was doing. They were kind and thoughtful and I felt like I was listened to.

So my experiences got better as I went along.

I had DD 17 months ago and I am currently pregnant with DS. I cannot fault the ante and post natal care that I have received from the community midwives but I am not impressed with the ante natal and maternity care at Good Hope Hospital.

I find that appointments for scans take forever. Whilst I appreciate that previous patients may have had bad news or that the scans can take longer than anticipated (ie baby in the wrong position) I am consistently having to wait over 90 minutes past my appointment time to be seen. The staff are unable to tell me how long I am likely to have to wait or how many people are ahead of me. I am simply told that I should expect a wait of up to two hours for a scan.

I also felt that the midwives did not believe that I was actually in labour with DD when I arrived at the hospital despite telling them that my contractions were about 3 minutes apart. On arrival four midwives were sitting at the desk yet it still took over 30 minutes for someone to see me to assess whether to admit me and/or give me any pain relief. When I was eventually examined I was 5cm dilated and the midwife very grudgingly stated that they would “keep me then”. At that point they transferred me to a delivery suite and started completing their paperwork. Despite being in obvious pain I had to ask for her to give me some gas and air and to show me how it worked. She made it seem more like I was getting in the way of her completing her paperwork, than the paperwork getting in the way of my care.

I also had to return to the hospital later that week as the midwives had not completed all of the post-birth checks on DD. I would not recommend Good Hope Hospital for their maternity care.

DS was born in 2007 at Eastbourne General. The service was not great, there was too much intervention and I ended up having to have an emergency C-Section. At one point, they put me in the bath to help with the pain and then left me there on my own (having sent my other half home because 'nothing was happening' and then calling him back as quick as he could). Eastbourne maternity unit has since closed down...

I had DD at Brighton and they were wonderful. A vaginal birth it all went swimmingly and I didn't even have any gas and air. they empowered me. they were much more organized and I felt safe with them. I really enjoyed my experience there. After the birth, they were great with feeding guidance as well.

My first (and last due to my care) maternity experience was awful. Was at the RUH hospital in Bath and Newbridge surgery in Bath. I was told I had 'normal' morning sickness even though I was being sick 6 times a day and it was actually hypermesis and I ended up with dehydration and losing 1.5 stone. The community midwife told me I was making a mountain out of a molehill. She also told me my baby was at risk of cot death because I was so obese (I'm not obese, they hadn't taken into account my 6foot height when calculating my weight!) also when having her delivered, they broke my waters at 1 and told me I was rediculous for wanting epidural at 1.35. I had gone from 2cm-5cm in 35 minutes, very painful. I had SPD the problem with opening my hips and they forced them open and put them in stirrups even though I wrote in my birth plan not to do so. I also had an episiotomy without my consent and written no episiotomy in birth plan. Horrendous experience that me and baby could of died from not diagnosing hypermesis losing 1.5 stone whilst pregnant I'm only person I know who came out of pregnancy lighter than she started. Awful awful time.

I had a great experience during my pregnancy.. my midwife was really nice and helpful with any questions or worries I had. All the way through to my last few weeks before my Princess was born. The sonographers were nice too..Overall the student midwives at the hospital when I went in a few days before bubba was born.. were really supportive and kept reassuring me everything would be ok which it was! As I`m sure alot of first time mothers worry about the first newborn baby.Time flew by and before I knew it I was at home with my baby.

Really good maternity care in my town. Ive used it 4 times and once when I was admitted for having food poisoning at 25 weeks. I love staying in hospital its that good. I always stay in for 3 days when I give birth as I love the peace, the meals, visitors and a couple of days alone with the new baby to get to know each other.

My experience of midwifery care in the community is that of a stretched system with not enough midwives to allow clinics to run as they should. I have had waits of over 2 hours beyond my appointment and also appointments cancelled. That said, the care I received was very personal and caring and I liked that it was the same midwife I saw throughout my pregnancy and at home after delivery. My first delivery was in 2012 and I was unhappy with the care. I was not listened to or respected. I felt under pressure to accept the demands of the midwives who insisted I "needed" to be on a monitor (afterwards questioned by the Consultant Obstetrician) and I "needed" diamorphine. I had a traumatic experience and saught an alternative for my second delivery. I found hypnobirthing and this transformed the experience. My birth was attended by only one midwife, the lead idwife in the local maternity hospital. She is super keen on hypnobirths and wanted to make the experience as close to what I wanted as possible. We used the pool, had no internal examinations or pain relief and despite complications my baby was born naturally having maintained a constant heart rate throughout. It was such a calming experience I would urge anyone to complete the course and would hope it was made available to more women. I was told after my delivery if I had not gone down the hypnobirthing route I would have been taken for a c-section which was my worst fear as my mobility was my prime concern for after the delivery due to my home circumstances. As I had no internal examinations it was unknown my baby was back to back and compound, which would have urged midwives to section me, I delivered naturally, it was very painful and unexpectedly long however I did it and my baby was never in danger. It was an equally difficult birth to my first but I felt empowered and respected by the midwife which has left me with a fond memory of my delivery rather than a terror that I remember of the first.

The care that I received from all healthcare so called professionals was shocking, with the exception of those involved with the CS delivery. Before and after that my time was awful and I still have nightmares about it now, 4 years on. My care was that dismal it has stop me from having another DC. I complained and complained in writing and all I got was a "sorry". Some of the problem is that I live close to the county border and I was sent to the hospital in one county and then sent home and looked after by the midwife team in another county. In my experience hospitals in different counties don't talk to one another which is blinking annoying. The midwives that supposedly looked after me at home were very inconsistant with their care, they all had different opinions about some of the issues I was having with BF and I didn't know if I was coming or going. Then due to a midwife's total incompetence to look after me and DS we ended up being admitted to hospital which wouldn't have happened if she'd done her job properly.

I had two children in different, the first one in Torquay and the second in Exeter. In both cases I had good midwives, very supporting and helpful. During the second pregnancy I had some mental health issues and all the services involved in my care arranged a meeting to co-ordinate it during my pregnancy, labour and after the birth.

I was lucky to find some good health visitors too but most of all the Children's centres have helped with courses, groups, playing activities for me and my children.

Saw about 6 midwives during pregnancy which ranged from excellent to useless. One said baby was breech at 40 weeks and sent me to the hospital to find that he was in the same position he had been for the previous 10 weeks...
After waters broke I went to maternity assessment where is was pretty much stuck on a monitor and ignores for 12 hours.
Midwife on delivery suite was fine although she failed twice to attach monitor to baby's head and 3 times putting a cannula in. Second midwife was better.
Ended up with an induction drip and epidural which were both administered quickly and effectively. Had forceps delivery and again couldn't fault it.
Post natal ward was terrible. I was transferred in the middle of the night, stuck in a bay and left. My catheter bag leaked on the bed and I couldn't move from the epidural. No help with feeding and was left holding the baby as I still couldn't move.
Baby wouldn't latch but didn't receive any support and never spoke to an actual midwife just the student for 3 days. Baby ended up with jaundice due to lack of feeding and we had to stay in 48 hours for him to receive phototherapy. Baby still hadn't latched on by day 3 and we had to bottle feed him formula and expressed milk. On discharge I was told they had referred me to a lactation specialist which didn't happen and I have to follow up myself. I finally latched baby on myself after a week and saw the specialist when he was 10 days old. Sadly by that point breastfeeding couldn't really be established.