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Elise's birth story ( Bad experience)

Please be aware that my experience is rare and all labours and births are unique.
On Sunday I was on the antenatal ward due to bleeding and felt very restless. I had alot of discomfort low down and were getting tightenings every 20 mins. I was put on a monitor and the mw phoned the doctor. i waited and waited, but he didn't come so my mum went to find her again and she told her that he had been bleeped. He finally came and examined me. He said that i needed to go to the labour ward to have an urgent scan as he wasn't sure what was presenting. I was very scared as i was only 28+3 weeks. On the labour ward another doc scanned me and said that baby was head down, but that it was'nt engaged. He examined me and told me i was'nt in labour ( despite being 3 cm dilated) I still had some pain low down.
That night I couldn't sleep because of the low pain and asked for some pain killers. The pain settled and once again i tried to sleep. At 6am i found myself in alot of pain and it was coming in waves similar to contractions. I buzzed the mw but no one came and I tried to breath through them. By 8 am it had settled again and eventually a healthcare asst came in with some toast.
My mum and oh came in at about 10 am and a mw came to put me on the monitor. I had not had any obs done since arriving on the ward. The doc had asked for a detailed scan to be done and then i would be moved back to antenatal ward at lunch time. Just after my mum left at 11am I began to get really bad tightenings low down and the pain was quite bad. My oh buzzed for mw and a few minutes later a hc asst came in. She said she would get the mw to see me, but no one came. Again oh buzzed and a hc asst came, Once again she said she would tell mw and once again no one came. this went on for 3 hours and the contractions were so painful. My mum came back at 2 pm and was angry that no one had been to see me. She rang the buzzer and a mw came and said she would put me on the monitor and give me some codeine for the pain. My mum asked why i was getting such bad pain low down and she told her it was only the ligaments and tendons and that i was'nt in labour. The monitor didn't pick up any contractions because they place the pad on the top of the uterus and my contractions were really low down.
The doc came to see me soon after and could see i was in pain. I was still waiting for the scan and blood results and urine test results had to be chased up. I was also still bleeding at this point too. She ordered some pethadine for the pain and once again i was left. Eventually i was taken for scan and two people had to help me onto bed as i was in so much pain. I was never told the results of the scan.
About half hour later i was given pethadine without being first examined to see if i had dilated anymore. The drug made me drowsy and mum asked if I wanted her to stay or go and leave me to rest.
I told her to go home and they would phone if anything happend.
From then on i was left on my own. No one came to see me and i was in agony. The pain got worse and worse. i kept asking for someone to examine but no one would. All the mw were busy and so i carried on trying to manage with no pain killers or anything . I knew something was'nt right, I have had 2 boys and was never in as much pain as this.. Suddenly i wanted to push and i couldnt take anymore so in pure despreation I phoned my mum 10 miles away. i cried down the phone telling her the pain was so bad and i needed to push. She immediately phoned the labour ward and demanded someone go to me straight away. A midwife came in and i told her I needed to be examined as i want to push. She wouldn't believe me and said she would put me on the monitor again. I shouted at her to examine me and a doc appeared. he examined me and told them i needed to go to theatre straight away. the baby was transverse and the membranes were in the vagina.
I was taken straight in and my little girl arrived weighing 2lb 51/2 oz. She was ressusitated and taken to Nicu.
I am pleased to say she is doing really well. The head of the midwifery came to see me and is starting an investigation. i will also receive a formal appology and there will be a formal complaint to the chief exec Worcs royal Hospital.
I am sorry it is so long, and i do not want to alarm people, but today i left hospital without my baby and just want to share my experience.
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Replies

  • I'm soo sorry to hear of your terrible experience. Firstly thankgoodness your little girl is doing well & I hope she continues to do so. I'm sure you are all over the place at the moment after an experience like that. I think its the very least they can do to apologise & launch an investigation. Its disgraceful that you had to ring your mum 10 miles away to get help when noone was coming to see you despite being asked soo many times.

    Congratulations on little Elises birth & I hope you are feeling ok too

    Hilary x
  • thank you for sharing your story, although its frightening i think its important that people know what can happen, just in case something similar happens to us.
    i really hope you are both doing well and Elise is home where she belongs soon.
    take care hon, and congratulations....x
  • Wow Maria that is terrible!!! I would have been so scared if that was me, you must be so brave! Glad to hear your wee girl doesn't seem to be any the worse for it and I hope she gets big and strong and is home before too long!

    Big Hugs!
  • I just felt I had to write a small reply to say how sorry I am that you were treated in this awful way - it is so frustrating when doctors and midwifes refuse to listen to what you know your body is doing - I am glad your baby is doing better and my thoughts are with you and your family - I think it was important for you to share this experience as women need to understand that just because they are not medical professionals they are capable of reading what is happening to their bodies during labour...I hope you recover well and that you are given suitable answers(many heads should roll as a result of your treatment). You have also given me a bit of a shake because I am due baby no.3 in 7 days and have been very impatient - this is nothing compared to what you and your family have been through therefore I am vowing to be patient and more thankful for the good health of myself and my baby!!! Take care, all my love, Bernadette xxx
  • That's horrific the way you were treated. Especially as I read on one of your posts that you had a history of premature labours already. I think launching an investigation is the least they can do. Thank God your little girl is OK, she must be a little miracle! I hope you can take her home before long. x x x
  • My god what an awful experience! its shocking just how bad pg women can be treated at a time when the support is needed the most!

    j hope u and ur daughter are back together at soon very soon. take care, my love and thoughts are with u and ur family.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • I really appologise to those of you who are anxious as a result of my story. i am sure you will understand that it is not my intention to frighten anyone. i was not sure whether to post it or not. My oh has been very supportive and i feel sorry that he missed out on seeing his daughter born. He and my mum were told to wait in the waiting room, but my mum insisted on them being given chairs right outside the theatre lol. She wanted to make sure that he got to see his daughter as soon as she was brought out.
    Maria x
  • I really think that they way you were treated was awful. My sister in law had an ectopic pregnancy that was not detected in time, she became very ill and had to have one of her fallopian tubes removed. It turned out that the hospital muddled up her blood test results with someone else so things were not detected sooner. She was in hospial for weeks very ill. Ironically she is a nurse and was ignored when she tried to make her 'pain' known to the staff on the ward. I think you do need to have an investigation, let us know how it goes and of course how your little girl is doing!
  • Maria, I am glad you posted it because at the very least us March mummies want to be there for you even in just the small way we can over the internet. You take care of yourself and your little one! Big Hugs again!
  • Thanks everyone for your support
    Nicospoon. You have been so supportive. i hope i can return it and good luck to you all. I would like to post some photos of my angel but not sure how so will have to talk nicely to lil brother.
  • how awful that this happened, its beyond beleif that such a lack of care can happen to a pregnant woman in such agony!
    sending big hugs to u and baby elise and hope she is home with u soon. xxx
  • Ahh thanks kirst3
  • OMG Maria ive only just been back on lately and really feel for you reading this after being in hospital with my baby Mason threatening to come early too. Luckily he hasnt and im on strict rest. You should never had to go through that am so pi55ed off for the way you were treated.

    All the best keep strong for Elise she is a fighter and see you about in the march mummy forum.

    BIG HUGS

    H3LLS x x x
  • I dont normally write replies but your story is incredible. Im so sorry you had such a bad experience. It makes me realise even more how lucky i was. Im so pleased that you and little one are safe. xxx
  • Thanks very much for taking time to replie.
    H3LLS have missed you on March mums. glad everything is ok and that you are resting. xx
    Going in to hospital see see my angel this morning.
  • OMG what a star you are for coping with all that! Hope your lil girl is doing well, bless you both for going through labour with just pain killers! x
  • Oh my god, i read your post thinking how awful it was and how badly you had been treated then i read it was Worcester Royal and i'm afraid i wasn't wholly surprised.

    I had my son in Worcester in December, i can't fault the mw who delivered him, she was fantastic, as were most of the mw on post-natal but some of them on delivery aren't very good, i know i was left from 2.30am till 8am without being checked, when i was i was 8cm dilated and he came along at 10.17am. But compared to what happened to you it was nothing.

    I really hope that you and Elise are doing ok and that you are able to bring her home with you soon.

    Please keep us updated with your progress.

    Obi
  • That is a shocking way to be treat. Everyone remembers their labour and birth but most people have positive experiences. At least your little girl is the best positive you could wish for.
    Really hope she piles on the ounces and is home soon to get lots of cuddles from her new family.
  • that is horrendous. i wish you and your little girl all the best and hope u can enjoy your baby soon xxxx
  • hi
    The hospital needs to sort itself out. You deserve more than an apology. Glad your little girl is ok. Hope she'll be able to go home soon.
    xxx
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