"I missed out on vital bonding experiences"

At one of my assessments a midwife put incorrect information in my file and claimed that I was not engaging with Maternity services, which was not true. This person upset me so much. I was induced to have my daughter on a Saturday evening. I received the pessary and started the process around 2 hours later. I progressed very slowly and nothing much was happening and baby's heart rate was dipping so it was decided that I would have an emergency c section. The midwives in the induction unit were lovely as were the surgeons but the care I received when moved upstairs to the maternity ward was lacking.

I was kindly put in a side room so that I did not have to see other mums with their baby's as mine was in the Neonatal unit with low blood sugar and for this I am grateful. However I was left for 6 days without being washed, not offered a fresh pair of stockings, not offered any assistance in changing my baby even after I just got major abdominal surgery. I was left to my own devices and I was struggling with breastfeeding. A lactation consultant didn't even notice that my child was using my nipple as a dummy and not even swallowing any milk which was making her health deteriorate and she was not gaining weight.

A neonatal nurse insinuated that it was my fault my daughter was sick as I had been taking medication throughout my pregnancy which was advised by my GP. It was my first birth and my first surgery and was a horrible and daunting experience. Some of the staff were lovely but others were dismissive, condescending and not helpful at all. I was breastfeeding my child every 2 hours and was downstairs in the neonatal unit with her and if I missed my medication or meals upstairs I wasn't given an opportunity to receive them later that day or night. I had to eat Cereal provided by the neonatal unit family room.

It was extremely traumatic and put me off ever having another child. I missed out on vital bonding experiences with my child due to the lack of basic care I received. Apart from a few lovely people it was a miserable experience. Some of the staff need to work on their bedside manner especially when someone is so vulnerable