W Channel would love to hear your stories/experiences about being on the maternity ward

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Childbirth can be an incredible time, filled with a host of different emotions for all involved, including the midwives who help many get through it all. Each person’s experience on the maternity ward is unique to them, which is why to celebrate the launch of the second series Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, airing Mondays at 10pm, W Channel would love to hear your heartwarming midwife stories from your experience being on the maternity ward.

You can watch the trailer at the top of this thread. App users please watch the video here

Here’s what W Channel has to say about Emma Willis: Delivering Babies: “Last year television presenter and mother of three, Emma Willis, spent 10 weeks working on the frontline of a busy maternity unit. Now, in a brand new eight-part documentary series for W, she’s been given the chance to return to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex to complete her training.

Over the course of 16 weeks she will immerse herself in the role, supporting the hospital’s charismatic midwife team. From elective caesarean sections to natural births, complicated theatre procedures to water births Emma will share the pressures, the fears and the joys of bringing new life into the world.

Don’t miss the return of the award-winning series Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, new and exclusive to W - Sky 109 | Virgin 125 | BT 311 | TalkTalk 31”

Perhaps you have a funny story about your partner’s reaction to you giving birth? Or perhaps you are the partner and have a story to share about being on the maternity ward, watching your loved one give birth? Or maybe your midwife did something that really put you at ease or had you uncontrollably laughing?

Share your stories on the thread below and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnet user will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

The care I received with my first was great but not so with my second three years later at the same hospital

The first time was hell - I was in labour for hours and the birth was finally achieved by my surgeon using what my husband termed a machete on me. But the end result so justifies the means! My second was so so easy. But I can never sense the smell of toast without remembering my anxious waiting whilst others had their births, and then the the joy of the toast being for me! (I'm not sure if that last sentence will make sense to everybody, but toast is only served up when you've had your birth).

I didn't have a very nice experience to be honest. I think midwives just don't have the time and resources to look after everyone in their busy wards. I was glad to get home.

I was in hospital for a week each time I gave birth to my three children and the midwives were so wonderful. They were so helpful and as a nervous mum put me at ease. The work they do is incredible and I have nothing but praise for them.

I was in for about a week because of complications and everyone was great. I had an august baby and it was really hot. The fan was taken out of the room when I was giving birth for a father to be who had passed out hahaha! Poor man!

I had a crash c-section when I had my son. I remember waking up in the middle of the night wondering where my baby was. I remember feeling my stomach - not there, looked into the bassinet- not there and then realised that my beautiful precious and longed for only child was fast asleep in the crook of my arm. There was no one else around but the feeling of joy relief and love that came over me was incredibly special . I will always be grateful to the unknown midwife who placed my son in my arms. He is a very loving child.

The whole nursing staff were fantastic. Really defines the need of the NHS.

Although a lengthy and terrifying experience with an emergency c-section I always felt in safe hands in the delivery suite.
However the maternity ward was a different matter and I was basically left to get on with it right from day one having just had an operation and finding it difficult to get out of bed.

I had an awful time. I had complications that meant myself and my baby could have died. The midwives were awful to such an extent I was sending myself text messages regarding my treatment (or lack of) because I wanted my family to have evidence of the neglect should I end up dying! Thankfully a consultant stepped in and berated midwives in front of me and got me a new, very lovely, midwife that made the rest of my experience far more pleasant. It has put me off having any more children though that's for sure.

With my first child I was in labour for 16 hours because baby decided to go to sleep I remember waddling around the labour ward eating chocolate because the midwife told me it was the best way to get the baby to stay awake.

During 56 hours of labour, I had many midwives. 1 was fabulous, 1 was horrible & the rest were unremarkable

Not a great experience possibly because of the time of year when there is less staff but my midwives were quite cold and bolshy so I didn't feel happy but everything worked out well. They were efficient when they had time

I was at Guys for one and we had our own small room which was nice but they were so busy that I was left on my own far too much and the midwife was clearly over worked and not at all sympathetic or encouraging. In the end I begged for an epidural and from ten on had two lovely midwives.

being left alone when waters have broken and feeling no one really care or they were too busy

@HerkyBaby but isn't that dangerous? You were so sedated you had only just come around and your baby was on the bed with you
what if you had rolled over in your sleep or something?

I found most of the midwives overworked (not their fault) and unsympathetic. During labour also neglectful which nearly led to me and my baby losing our lives. However there were a few good ones, most were rude and dismissive, and postnatally treated us appaulingly. Guessing this isnt the story W want though.

Lovely midwives who looked after me well.

My experience was scary but I can't fault the maternity ward at my local hospital (Luton and Dunstable). I had a check up a week before I went into labour and my midwife told me that my baby's head was engaged. When I started having contractions I was nervous for the natural birth I was about to experience. How wrong I was! When I arrived at the hospital at 2AM I was told that my midwife had been wrong and my baby was in fact breach. It was too late to try to turn my baby so they had to perform an emergency C-Section. I was terrified and I had to wait an hour for the anesthetist to become available during which time my contractions were getting worse as my body was still preparing for natural labour. Thankfully the staff on duty were great and I had the C-Section with no complications. The aftercare was also amazing. The tea and toast on the ward was my favourite thing about my stay though!

I've had 4 babies at the same hospital and it's been lovely seeing the same familiar faces of the lovely midwives. I've had 4 c sections the first being an emergency as my baby boy got stuck at the last minute. With our most recent little one a lovely midwife in theatre was their for our first being born and she is soon due to retire. It was lovely seeing her again with our last baby just before she retires.
I remember with our first born having a particular bad time after loosing lots of blood and needing blood transfusions. I spent a week in hospital and was so tired. I lovely midwife offered every night in the early hours l to take my little boy for a couple of hours so I could rest. I felt a lot of love for her!
I also had a good friend who I met through baby groups who was a trainee midwife we have children close in age. She was able to assist in one of my c sections and it made the experience so amazing and personal having her there to be part of my babies birth. She is now fully qualified and I've no doubt she will be an amazing midwife.

They all do a fantastic job, can't wait for the new series of delivering babies and watching Emma who is clearly passionate about her role and babies. Am so glad another series was made!

I don't really remember much about the midwives from the delivery room but I had no complaints and the aftercare I received was fantastic. The most important thing was that I felt listened to and respected. The general atmosphere was very calm and supportive.

OK - Heres what I remember...no sleep, lots of noise but lovely midwives.

I was kept in for 10 days before giving birth because of reduced movements...most of the midwives were absolutely lovely! When I was induced, the two who were with me to start were amazing, and made me feel really at ease. Their shifts ended halfway through though, and another midwife took over - totally different experience. Barely looked at me, and sounded bored and uncaring the whole time!

listening to other women screaming

ive had 3 children . The first one i was induced and it was a comedy of errors. I had a student nurse looking after me who couldn't break my waters. When they finally broke labour didn't progress well . My son's head got stuck and after 2 days i had an emergency c-section. I ended up with a water infection from the catheter which wasnt in correctly and my bladder was full during my operation. it was very scary and ended up with lots of scar tissue from this birth which was cut away during my second c-section
My second baby i was booked in for a section and had to go in the night before. During the night i started in labour so got bumped up the list . My daughters cord was in a true knot . all the staff were very lovely and my time there was a pleasure
After my second baby i miscarried at 18 weeks so had to spend time being induced and delivering baby in sad circumstances. The staff were very helpful and made things as easy for us as possible.
My 3rd child was a booked c-section , we were first on the list because of prior troubles with scarring. she was born at 9.59 am and we were actually home the next day . Looking back maybe i was sent home a little early but staff were very nice

I received amazing care from the midwives and nursery nurses both times i gave birth to my children. The nursery nurses especially were very patience and calming when it came to breast feeding as that was very difficult the first time round.

My last experience was one of the worst times of my life. Having a baby should be full of joy and happiness but the way i was treated was disgusting! I developed pre-eclampsia at 27 weeks and my son was born the same week by emergency c section. No one told me what was happening or how he was. I didnt even know if he was a boy or girl for the first two hours after he was born. My partner wanted to tke a picture of him to show me and was told no! He was whisked off to NICU and i was transferred to a ward with lots of other ladies with their healthy babies, feeding and crying round me! No one came to see me with news of my baby. My mum came at 9pm that night (she begged to come and see me and they finally let her in) She went mental with the staff for the way i was being treated. Within an hour of my mum being there i had been transferred to my own room and a consultant who was looking after my son brought me pictures of him and told me how he was going on. My partner had been in NICU waiting on news and all he was told is that he was very poorly. I was bullied into breast feeding by a midwife who said my son wouldnt live if i didnt even though the consultant said it was choice and it wouldnt mean anything if i didnt. I wouldnt wish what i went through on anyone.

Whilst he was on a ward when he was a little bigger and out of NICU i had to ask to hold my son, feed him, bath him. One particular midwife who came to see us was horrible with us and made me feel like i couldnt care for my son. I have three other children but to her that didnt matter. She made me feel like i wasnt good enough.

My son was very poorly, had a operation to apparently fix the reflux he had. He stayed in hospital 13 months. He finally came home on oxygen with a peg for feeding. Within the next year he was off oxygen, feeding on his own, eating solids, walking and starting to talk. He was doing so well

Sadly my son is not with us anymore He gained his angel wings aged 3 years after complications from the operation he had to fix the reflux. My life has shattered into pieces. I struggle daily and even though its been almost 5 years i still cant get my head around it.

I cant watch maternity/midwife programmes anymore as it brings all the memories of the hell i went through back.