Unfortunately my birth story is far from what I had hoped, and the reality is that now three weeks post partum I feel let down, traumatised and very lonely after a traumatic experience.
My body didn’t really play ball, and my waters broke prior to any contractions or real labour starting, but the lack of care, empathy or support has been exceptionally difficult to process.
Having attended triage, I was allowed home and returned when I was in active labour around 36hours later. What then unfolded was a catalogue of disregarded patient wishes, clinical delays (three hours for an epidural?!) and incompetency.
Six attempts at a canular, ignoring my requests for help, repeated attempts to give me an unwanted induction and leaving me to only have gas and air for 5 contractions in ten minutes for hours on end are just some of the elements I remember.
Whilst my body didn’t do what it should have, neither did the staff on shift that night - ignoring my requests to hold my son in theatre after an eventual C Section Delivery, not noticing I was being sick and then also not noticing my IV had backed up in the post labour ward, leaving me with bruising three weeks later.
Even just writing this has brought me to tears again and I can’t tell you how let down I feel by a service that I thought would be there when I needed it…
"Let down by the service"
About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France / Maternity care Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France Maternity care EH16 4SA
Posted by Hanzh74 (as ),
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