"Ante -natal and Post natal care at Leeds General Infirmary"

I was booked into be induced and told to phone delivery suite at 8am, which I did, they passed me over to ward 57 who didn't have a bed at the time but we were to keep phoning. Eventually I was told to arrive at ward 57 later that afternoon. The staff were helpful and pointed out where most of the facilities were. I was then given the pesary to get things started. I stayed then on ward 57, my waters broke the following morning and I was told that delivery suite were aware that of me. My pains kept on for the rest of the day, I kept getting told that delievery suite were aware of me. Day 3 of being on ward 57 I was eventually taken to the delivery suite, where I was made comfortable and the staff were very good.

My labour progressed very slowly and after 24 hours of what turns out to be pushing on an undialated cervix, I then ended up with an emergency section due to myconium in my waters and the fact that the baby was not in a position to come out.

My after care on delivery suite was again very good, I was taken to ward 57 were the midwife assistant was fantastic. It was my next few days were I was left to be made to feel bad as I was asking for help with breastfeeding. One midwife in the early hours of the night, I felt was rather abrupt and rude about how did I know my baby was feeding, distressing myself and the baby. I eventually asked for formula milk which then helped. By this point (day 6 of being in hospital) my baby had lost 11% body weight and needed to see a Doctor. Again made to feel like a failing mother.

By day 6 I had to ask to have my bed changed as it was blood stained from when I had got on the ward after having the baby.

The midwives were lovely with the baby but didn't seem to know how to care for the mothers.

Two weeks after leaving hospital I had an infection in my wound, eventually I was taken to hospital by ambulance as my wound had burst and there was no way my husband could drive and care for me as I was anaemic after the c section. The nurse on MAC where I was taken seemed put out that I had come by ambulance and that she only expected to put a few steri strips on the wound. When I was examined and it was realised the I had an infection things changed. I then had to walk down to ward 56 with an oozing wound with a student midwife who was on her observation week and didn't know her way around the hospital. At ward 56 I was in a side room and looked after well, apart from the canualar for my iv drugs being inserted in my arm, when I pointed out that when the antibiotics were hurting, I was told that was natural, it turns out I had flubitous in my veins, so it was a good job I was on oral antibiotics when I left. Again the midwives were lovely but they could only seem to deal with babies and not mothers who were unwell.

I feel the postnatal care when discharged is even worse, having had a c section I was not told what I could and couldn't do i.e driving, I was expected to make my way to clinic even though I couldn't use my car or carry the baby in its car seat. Nobody checked my wound after the stitches came out. I have been for my 8 week check up today and basically because I looked ok that was it, I was asked about contraception. Surely some checks should be carried out on the mother? I feel very let down by the postnatal care or lack of care given to new mothers or any mother. My experience of ante natal care wasn't that good but at least I was checked on but I feel that postnatal care is non existant. It should be an area that is looked into, as it has made a special experience in my life with a very bitter aftertaste.