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

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Overall it was positive. The staff were very helpful, and positive.

DS1 - emergency c-section so ended up on high dependency ward - it was quiet and the midwives were amazing.
DS2 - VBAC and had to stay on ward for one night - it was really busy and midwives were over-stretched. Clearly a shortage of staff so not the best experience from labour through to post-natal care. I had a number of different midwives during the 23 hr labour and none read my plan which stated I had SPD so they kept putting me in the worst positions. I was unable to walk for a day following delivery. Also had another baby brought into my room just after I had given birth as they needed to use the resuscitating equipment n my room. That was quite traumatic.
DS3 - 6 hr discharge so stayed on maternity unit - really quiet and lovely experience. Great midwife.
All three children were born in the same hospital but I think my experience with DS2 showed that more funding is needed for staff in maternity units.

My experiences were both positive. First one pretty funny when my waters broke last minute before DD arrived, bursting all over the poor midwife and her paperwork 😂oops! Second one I was unfortunately on a drip so couldn't move much and my DS was back to back.. ouch!! However so well looked after, infection was picked up early and treated and I can't thank staff enough really.

I have had lovely midwives for both of my births. The nurses and assistants were also great while I stayed in overnight. I could have done with a few more pillows though the first time around. Second time around I took in my own pillow and didn't need it.

For the second birth my son decided to arrive just as the midwives were going to swap, the first midwife stayed for the birth so I ended up with two for a while and both were excellent.

I had the best experience with my 3rd in a small midwife led unit where I felt so safe and cared for

Screaming so much I ended up really dehydrated! Child birth is soooo lovely 😆

The surgeon came on to asses my wife for a cesarean, he sat on her bouncy ball and just bounced whilst looking at my wife and her naked body.

It was a generally straightforward birth with a second degree tear, and I really don't have any complaints with how it went. Labour was long, but once I got into active labour they set up the pool for me as I'd requested on my notes and quickly tidied me up whilst I held my new baby.

I remained in the delivery room for the rest of the morning and was actually discharged later that day - I was pleased as I just wanted to be at home but sometimes I wonder if that was a bit rash.

unfortunately it was really not goos at all and I was very lucky the second time to be able to have a home birth. This time round I am already worried about the care I am going to receive if i need to go to hospital. Some staff are fantastic and very supportive but when you are in such a disempowered position and in a lot of pain you need a lot of gentle support, great communication and continuity in care despite handovers and breaks. The worst part for me was feeling alone and in a traumatised state the day after birth and needing support with learning how to feed the baby but instead dealing with a succession of pushy sales people taking photos of the baby or offering to take casts of footprints. I had not be prewarned of this and had no way of dealing with it at the time. I think it is totally inappropriate for them to get free reign in a clinical environment

I had a lovely experience whilst in labour, I had midwives around me at all times and were very helpful.

However the maternity ward afterwards was terrible. I had no help, short staffed, crammed settings.

When my daughter was born we remained in hospital for 10 days including her spending some time in SCBU. My experience of SCBU was that I was seeing the same members of staff for what seemed like 24 hours a day. I've never seen people work so hard and with such dedication before or since. Up on the ward the bank of midwives were absolutely outstanding. The older staff passed on decades of advice through their obvious experience. The (sometimes very much) younger midwives were clearly living their vocation, not just 'doing the job'. I felt so safe and secure it was actually an overwhelming feeling when being discharged. I wrote a letter to the hospital and the local newspaper when I got home to give them the public praise the deserved.

Great experience having both my children.Taken care of from the moment I got there, was listened to when I wanted an epidural - I never got the feeling I was being fobbed off. Every staff member from the midwives to the nurses couldn't of done enough for you. All the staff seemed to take an interest in you, in spite of the ward being busy. I had both my children in the same hospital and both times were positive experiences. Needed an emergency section with first baby and had an elective c-section with second baby so was admitted for two nights each time. On a ward of 4 for the first night on both occasions and my own room the second night on both occasions - all NHS!!!! Amazing!

One midwife really stood out to me in my experience. I was induced and had also had an epidural (so obviously, I couldn't feel anything!) The time came when I was told to push, but didn't really know what I was doing as I was numb from the waist down. Time went by and I believe that there was some concern from the midwives. One of them grabbed a sheet and rolled it up, held onto the one end and told me to hold onto the other. She told me to pull the sheet - like a tug of war! My husband was crying laughing as I am the most competitive person going and I would not let her pull the sheet away from me. Well, it worked because my daughter was born shortly afterwards!

I had a local paramedic with me who was with me from my admission to delivery as a part of his training. Things didn't go to plan and I ended up having an induction, 2 epidurals then a local anaesthetic and an episiotomy and forceps delivery. He certainly had a good training day!

It wasn't too bad, wanted water birth but circumstances ruled that out! DH did most of the clear up as the unit was very busy. Just happy there were no real issues! :)

I had several hrs. of hearing the night staff run the Day staff down. They went off duty leaving me with legs tied open and not informing the day staff I was in the delivery room. A cleaner came to my rescue! (my baby was a breech!)

I have 3 DCs and none of my experiences were good. I found the midwives in the delivery rooms and wards to be cold, disconnected and understaffed.

wasnt in very long but had great care

with my first child I was on special care ward because she was 6 weeks premature. I felt lonely because my partner couldn't stay over. Disturbed because other girls visitors were in an out until late. If you happened to miss the food trolley because you were in with the babies it was tough luck you missed food, so I had to make sure I either had someone there to get something for me or keep a stash of food with me and my visitors had to go and fill up my water jug. The actual nurses in the special care unit were very kind but I did not feel well cared for on the ward. With my second child , the hospital had sadly lost its maternity unit and had turned into a midwife lead unit. Although I had a difficult posterior birth (agony with no pain relief) and long , the midwives were lovely and even came in to take my baby for a bit in the night so I could sleep. I was able to go home the next day which was great.

I liked my community midwife, she had a good relationship with me and could advise on the things I was worried about.

The two sets of midwives I had during the birth were all fab, the one at the end when I had to be rushed off for emergency c-section stayed with me until the very end, 30 minutes after the end of her shift, to hold my hand and talk to me.

Luckily DH and I had all day in a private delivery room after to recover and then on the postnatal ward, I had an excellent midwife who really helped with everything. The day midwives were really rushed though and I ended up walking to get my own lunch as DH had to leave suddenly...of course this meant I was discharged 36 hours after being sewn up.

Unfortunately the community midwives had a bit of a problem organising timetables after and I saw six of them in the weeks after who all gave me different advice about breastfeeding / why my DD was losing weight / what I should be doing so I felt so confused. If we ever go with number 2 then I will have much more confidence in saying my piece.

Is W available on freeview? Can't seem to find the channel

@EvilHerbivore no unfortunately not :( I wish it was as loved the first series!

I actually loved all three of my labour experiences. I could not fault the hospital, the staff or the care I recieved. My first labour I was absolutely terrified, but from the start the midwives were amazing. Its the most exciting part of pregnancy.

I have some very positive thoughts when I look back at being on the maternity wards. I met a lovely mum who I am still in touch with and I remember the first night being completely exhausted and the midwife on duty looking after my newborn so that I could get 2 hours of sleep.

my experience was terrible! i was in for a week after the birth of my eldest and the nurses were rude and unhelpful. the ward bathroom was disgusting