" Labour and post natal wards in Pontefract"

About: Pontefract General Infirmary / Maternity care

(as the patient),

My experience a year back was awful, my first child as well. The staff on the labour ward were fantastic, on the post natal ward, a different matter but i just put it down to that specific day and them being run off their feet and a bit grumpy...until last week. My mum went in last Thursday after being in labour since Tuesday night, again, the staff on the labour ward were great, a little up tight at times but nothing major. Mum had an epidural which went wrong, went through her spinal cord causing the worst head ache and neck pain she's ever imagined. Finally Lewis was born Thursday tea. Later the next day mum was taken to the post natal ward, she was told to lie flat at all times, she was in excruciating pain. For me they didn't give her the help she needed, she could hardly move for the pain and was expected to get up and sort Lewis out for his feeds etc. I went in on the Saturday to help out with that as she was crying to me on the phone. The next day i rung, she was still in pain and they had taken Lewis from her and put him behind the nurses station/front reception desk. Mum said she could hear him crying as they had left him behind there alone, mum didn't even want him out of the room, it was only because mum called for someone to feed him that they just wheeled him away. It was obvious that they didn't read their notes either as when breakfast, dinner and tea were availiable they just yelled for people to go down but obviously mum couldn't move and no one checked to see if she had eaten. Pain killers were not given at the time they were ready to be given so mum was in more pain, she was told to drink plently of coffee but no one ever came to get her them, it was just a farce to be fair. The night staff were wonderful as they were last year when i was in, the day staff for some reason are in my opinion dont have the time for their patients. I went to that room for help after mums drip had run out and there were about eight members of staff sat there chatting, i understand they're entitled to a break etc, but i just feel they have no idea when a patient needs them for medication etc. I have never seen mum as upset as she has been. I called mum about half hour since, she's allowed to go home at last and she sounds like she's won the lottery with the tone in her voice, over the moon i think and no wonder too.

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