"Positive maternity experience"

I had a really good experience as a whole at AMH. My labour was really positive, I had to be induced due to pregnancy complications but I was made to feel really relaxed and although I lost control of my birthing plan, the labour ward was a better experience than I expected- got to choose my own music which really helped as music is a huge relaxation to me to really helped with my anxiety towards it all, all the girls were extremely nice and can't thank them enough.

I spent 3 days on Ashgrove and again the girls were really lovely. I arrived on the ward at around 1:00pm, I was rather hungry on the ward and a lovely healthcare support worker kindly got me something to eat, even though I missed lunchtime which was really nice. As a first time mum I felt a bit lost and had to ask the staff for some help with changing a nappy- felt very embarrassed as I feel its something you should know but I just didn't and Alison a healthcare worker kindly helped me to change, my little girl. I was so thankful, I felt extremely anxious asking as I felt a bit silly but she was so kind and assured me it wasn't a bother. During the night, my little girl was cluster feeding, at the time I didn't know what this was, I thought I was doing something wrong but my midwife Hannah explained to me that it was completely normal and gave me some helpful tips. She spent some time with me speaking to me about feeding and hand expressing.

The following morning again I couldn't fault my experience, all the girls were really lovely, clean towels handed out and a generous choice of breakfast and juice. I was really struggling with feeding, I was so tired, frustrated and felt like I was just useless to be perfectly honest. I was very emotional and resulted in buzzing for some help, a support worker came Julie. She was just absolutely lovely, so happy and upbeat and kindly gave me some help and passed me on to the infant feeding team.

A short while later Tyler came from the infant feeding team. The poor girl came and I was just an emotional wreck. She sat in the chair at my bedside and just calmed me down, and just listened to me. I really learned a lot, I have read multiple breast feeding books but when you have your baby and your doing it, its a totally different ball game and I think that's where most of my frustration came from as I had this idea in my head that it was going to be easy. Tyler was so heartfelt and kind.

She reassured me that I was doing amazingly and told me to be kind to myself, and that I was doing amazing- which was so nice to hear, I'm my own worst critic at time. She went through why skin to skin is so important- which was something I never knew a lot about, she went through cluster feeding, positions- I think the doll and the knitted boob is just a fantastic idea!!, really allows to see how to position. I felt so confident after her visit and all throughout the day, she came to pop in and check that we were doing ok. She gave me lots of helpful leaflets and an off to a good start book, which I see myself referring to all the time. Tyler if you see this THANK YOU!- you listened, you helped  put that faith back in when I felt like giving up through exhaustion and for that I will forever be grateful. 

Thank you to all of the Ashgrove and labour ward staff, you made my birth experience one I'll never forget- for positive reasons only. You are an absolute credit to AMH. We really loved our stay with you.