"I had to ask regularly what was happening"

I was due my second baby in November 2024 and gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 41+5.

Unfortunately this time I received substandard care.

On the day I was due to have the balloon put in (when I was 41 weeks), my appointment was moved from morning to later afternoon (I had no issues with this and appreciated the phone call as it saved me sitting about waiting all day at hospital).

I attended as requested and waited several hours for the balloon to be put in.

I was sent home and the balloon came out a few hours later (early the next morning).

I returned to hospital that morning and was again sent home after monitoring. I was requested to return at that evening which I did, in order for my waters to be broken.

We returned as requested and spent hours sitting in a waiting area before being taken in, baby monitored and again told to go home and return at next morning.

We did so, and I waited from a day and half on a space in labour ward to have my waters broken.

It was an extremely long stay in hospital, which I believe is solely down to the lack of staff and pressure on the service. I wasn’t really kept particularly up to date, I had to ask regularly what was happening.

I had left my three year old at home who was distraught at the amount of time I was away. 

Once I gave birth there was what felt like a mad rush to get me out, but I was keen to go given how long I’d spent in the hospital.

This was a disappointing experience given how positive my first birth was. I have no complaints about the care given but the general service was definitely below what I expected.