"Pregnancy and Birth"

Some feedback on my experience of pregnancy and birth in D&G throughout 2024. During my pregnancy I was recommended to have additional growth scans due to baby measuring small. Whilst my experience of the scans and encounters with staff was pleasant, I feel additional communication in my change of midwifery care to those within women’s would have been helpful at this time. At times I felt a little lost as to who best to speak to. However staff were always welcoming and gave me the opportunity to ask questions during my appointments. 

During my birth I required an ambulance to be called to my home. The crew were very quick to respond and both members were friendly, reassuring and mindful of my dignity. I really appreciated their care at that time. 

Once at DGRI, in retrospect, I was in shock and was finding it hard to communicate my needs. It was clear the midwife with me initially had read my wishes for my birth plan and this was really appreciated. I was also very grateful to the Dr who spoke directly to me and told me what I needed to do to deliver my placenta and avoid going to theatre. Everything happened so quickly I felt I needed that to regain control of my labour. Afterwards I appreciated the time my husband and I had with our new baby before needing to move into the ward. 

During my stay it was lovely to have the midwife in charge of my care introduce themselves to me at shift change. I felt my analgesia was given to me promptly when asked as well. 

One thing that would have improved my experience would have been to be given meal options on arrival to the ward - I was given a dish I could not eat. Some of my meals were placed on the other side of the room when I was alone and struggling with my breathing which made it difficult to get up and get to the meal tray. 

Another aspect of my care that would have helped to establish breastfeeding more smoothly would have been the identification of an oral tie in my baby. There was a very prominent anterior tongue tie with my baby, and I feel if the Dr’s completing the newborn checks had noticed this when checking baby’s mouth this could have mitigated some issues I had a few weeks post partum. 

The maternity care assistant who went through my discharge with me was really lovely and knowledgeable. This was appreciated and felt like my discharge went smoothly. 

The follow up care with the community midwife was helpful and thorough. My community midwife was friendly and able to answer my questions. 

I want to thank all members of the MDT for their care towards myself and my newborn baby. Overall I felt we were well looked after and are lucky to have such wonderful maternity care in our region.