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The worst experience in maternity care

Posted By lovett69

"The worst experience in maternity care"

About: Musgrove Park Hospital / Neonatal care

(as a relative),

Absolutely no consistency in this hospital. Told different rules every day. No visitors, to having 4 visitors, to having 3 visitors, to having time slots. No one is allowed to hold the baby apart from mum and dad, to visitors can hold baby, and back to no visitors allowed to hold baby. That was in the space of 5 minutes.

No support to the mum and dad, didn’t care about the risk of postnatal depression - if anything, they were pushing her towards it, in my opinion! Mum was put on the ward without her baby (which was needed due to being premature), but hearing all of the other babies with their mums, it was very hard for her.

Also being told there was a room for her, but they wouldn’t move her. It’s disgraceful, in my view. Definitely not needed as a first-time mum at all. Worst experience.

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Responses

Response from Consultant Paediatrician, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 16 months ago
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 19/12/2022 at 14:17
Published on Care Opinion at 14:53

I am so sorry that you found the experience of having your little one on the baby unit so difficult, particularly around the visiting rules not being clear.

We do appreciate that it is terribly hard to be separated from your baby and that this made it worse for you.

We will ensure that all staff on the baby unit are aware of the updated visiting rules and these are explained to parents when their baby is first admitted, as they have changed quite a lot recently.

Unfortunately the old building we work in, and the needs of a mum just after giving birth, mean it is not possible for them to be away from other people's babies, and we can only apologise for this.

If you or your relative need more support regarding postnatal depression, please discuss this with your health visitor and GP.

If you would like to talk about this further, please get in touch via PALS.somersetft.nhs.uk

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