"Upset by care during delivery of my premature baby"

I was 29 weeks pregnant, when I went into labour with my second baby and was admitted to Halifax hospital, who were fantastic. The staff were great, very friendly and care was immediately given when I needed it. I stayed in Halifax for two weeks and I can not fault the staff or the care. However, after 10 days I was rushed to the delivery suite at Halifax. I managed to hold onto the baby, but spent the night in the delivery room which was filthy. The bathroom walls were smeared with blood and there were blood splats on the floor!

After two weeks, I was again rushed to the delivery suite but this time I had to be transferred to Huddersfield, as there were no special care beds at Halifax for my baby. The ambulance staff were great and I was transferred straight away. When I arrived, I was put on the monitors to check my contractions, which were coming at regular intervals. The midwife told us that I definitely wouldn't be having the baby as I wasn't in enough pain! After half an hour my waters broke, I told the midwife who checked and confirmed they had. But she still insisted I wouldn't be having the baby and I should have pethidin and go to sleep. She sent my partner home.

After another half an hour I was in a lot of pain and asked for more pain killers. When I asked for an epidural, the midwife refused, saying I wasn't in proper labour, and took the baby monitors off me and said I should go to sleep. Shortly after, my waters completely went and I started bleeding and passing large bits of what looked like chopped liver. I rang the bell and no one came. I had to hunt through cupboards, as I was by myself, to find pads to put on the bed and clean clothes, during which I was in a lot of pain. I rang and rang the bell for an hour. I eventually managed to get to the door to shout for help. Bearing in mind that I was only 31 weeks pregnant and my baby would need a lot of help when born.

Eventually, after I had been alone for 2 hours, my midwife returned saying she hadn't come back because she thought I'd be asleep! I told her what had been happening, and told her about what I had been passing and that I was scared for my baby. She said she didn't need to look and it normal to bleed during labour! I insisted it wasn't and that something seemed seriously wrong. The monitors were put on and my baby was in serious distress and a more senior midwife and a team was called in for my baby. Everyone was in a panic, the 'senior' midwife seemed completely useless and was pushed aside by other midwifes. Midwifes were arguing about what to do, waving forceps about, saying my baby was about to die and that I needed a c section. There wasn't time for this, as I was in full blown labour, so they had to deliver. My midwife was shouting at me, because I was making a noise when I pushed! (with no pain relief!), and that I needed to put all my effort into pushing, not making noises as my baby and me were about to die! I feel this is absolutely not acceptable.

My baby was born in a terrible condition and had to be ventilated, as the placenta had completely come away before she was born (this is what I'd been passing). My baby was rushed to special care and no one would tell me if she was even alive! Leaving me thinking that my baby wasn't alive. I was stitched up, still with no pain relief. I was then told to get up straight away, pack my things up and have a shower as they needed the room so I had to be moved to the ward. After this I eventually found out my baby had lived.

The whole experience was absolutely disgraceful, the whole trauma could have been avoided if I had been checked on or someone had come when I first called. My baby thankfully is ok thanks to the wonderful staff who worked at Huddersfield SCBU.