"Horrible Experience at St Thomas's Postnatal Ward"

I had a maternity experience at St Thomas's Postnatal Ward. My daughter was born in early August, 2012. She is now three months old and I am still struggling to come to terms with how badly we were both treated in the ward. The worst part was when they told me to wait until the morning for help with breastfeeding. I called them again around 3 am for help, only to be scolded for not doing it correctly. In the end, I never was able to breastfeed and I am nearly positive it is because I didn't get the help I needed when I needed it most.

Then there were the other things that added up - after a 36 hour labour, I was chastised - even brought to tears - for not bringing the right clothes for my baby. (Turns out, we saw the next morning, they simply couldn't find them in the bag - and I wasn't able to get up to help).

They never showed me where the bell was to ring for help - and again, because I had a catheter, wasn't able to get up to search for it. After crying out for help, I had to wake up the other mothers in my room to have one of them press the bell. No one came for at least a half an hour. And when they did come, they were rude and impatient, making me feel as if I was doing something wrong.

Like the another mother who wrote in, I feel scarred by the experience. Like her, I feel scared to have another child. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. I think about it all the time.

For a hospital that prides itself on its cutting-edge care, it should be absolutely ashamed at what happens inside their postnatal ward. If I ever do have another baby I can assure you, I will not be going back to Guy's and St Thomas's.