"Very mixed care in Maternity"

I gave birth to my son earlier in the year by C-Section.

Whilst the procedure did not go well I felt the care I received both in theatre and in the HDU afterwards was exceptional. The staff were very caring and compassionate and very good and explaining what was happening during the operation. I felt very safe and looked after in spite of being very unwell. I really appreciated the help I was given whilst in the HDU to breastfeed and the fact that I was consulted about every aspect of my sons care right down to changing his nappy.

My experience on ward 119 was not so good and four months on I am still finding myself getting upset about it if I think about it. When I arrived on ward 119 I was still very unwell have had very little sleep for over 48 hours. There would appear to have been some kind of breakdown in communication between HDU and the ward and looking back it is obvious that the people looking after me were not aware. I was told by one member of staff that I needed to learn to sleep when the baby was sleeping. The reason I was sleep deprived was that I had been in too much pain to be able to sleep.

There was one incident in particular that I find very distressing if I do think about it. When the catheter was taken out it was suggested I should have a shower which I did agree to. I felt dragged through a ward at visiting time bleeding on the the floor and on my feet. At the time I was too unwell to do anything about it. Had I been well there is no way I would have allowed this to happen to me. I found this treatment by supposed caring professionals degrading and humiliating.