Advice please! Maternity ward side room?

Angelolly

I am due to have an elective section to deliver my second child on the 30th of December. When I had my son I was told I would be given a side room as my husband is a police officer in the area and apparently this is standard procedure. It never really bothered me/occurred to me until it didn't happen! I was placed on the ward, which was absolutely fine until my husband spotted someone he had recently met in a... professional capacity shall we say. It was a terrible situation, there were lots of snide comments and everytime new family arrived to see the couple's baby, they were informed (in a loud whisper) that I was the 'wife of that copper that nicked our Gaz for no reason'. (He had just attempted an armed robbery - you decide if it was an unnecessary arrest or not).
We did ask for a side room (and offered to pay) but the midwives were very busy and it didn't seem to be a priority for them. After three days (and still in agony after a section) I begged and begged to be allowed to go home and eventually discharged myself.
Anyway, we've made tentative enquiries about a side room this time but the midwife has firmly told me that they are NOT pre-bookable and only given for very good reasons. I am in pieces - worried enough about major abdominal surgery without thinking about what may be to come afterwards. Does anyone have any experience of this? Can you offer me any advice before my blood pressure goes off the guage?

I know it's not technically a money saving issue but their seem to be so many wise persons winding their way through these threads, I just thought it was worth a shot!

Spendless

Hi

Private side rooms ARE pre-bookable in our hospital if you pay for them.

After my 1st c-section i was allocated one free of charge.

On my 2nd i was put on a ward - i didn't mind cos i was in a lot better health after the 2nd than i was with the first.

All i can suggest is you visit your GP and tell him/her the story and see if s/he will contact your consultant on your behalf.

Good Luck

jellyhead

hi, i don't know anything about this but just thought i'd chip in lol!

can your doctor or midwife perhaps write to the hospital or add something onto your notes to explain what happened last time? stress can't be good for you. i don't know how long you'll be in or how busy the hospital will be but when i had my son 9 years ago i had pre-eclampsia and i was left in the delivery room for 3 days. they must have not been very busy, i needed a lot of monitoring and had a catheter etc. which was a bit embarassing as the bag couldn't be hidden. they didn't move me until it had been taken out. anyway, i hope that you get either a private room or to stay in the delivery room, whichever is available, good luck with it all, i hope your midwife can sort it out for you :-)
*HUGS*

plumpmouse

My friends just had a baby and as a policemans wife she was put in a side room automatically. It is apparently a standard procedure in our area.

Explain the situation to them and they should understand and agree that for your benefit you should have a side room.

If they don't agree I'm sure that if they have a side room free people can pay for them.

Caterina

I would suggest that you talk to the Supervisor of Midwives in the hospital where you are due to give birth, ASAP, and explain the situation, she might be able to help.

Best of luck!

Caterina

Ticklemouse

Blimey - I never knew that about side rooms and police officer!

When I had both my boys, I was a serving police officer, as was Mr TM. We both lived and worked in the division where the hospital was. I never gave it a thought - except to say that when I went to my anti-natal classes and we introduced ourselves, I said I worked in an office! Having said that, I did want a side room, purely to get some sleep, if I stayed in. We were told that we could have one (for which we would pay) if there were any available when I came down from the delivery suite. There weren't, so I spent 2 sleepless nights in the main ward with baby no.1

In fact, whilst in with no 1., I saw a colleague of mine, whose husband was also a serving PC, again they both worked and lived on the division, who was in having her 2nd. Neither of us had any problems, but as long as they didn't know where we lived, it never bothered me. (Mind you, both myself and my colleague lived in police housing, so we weren't that hard to find)

However, if it really bothers you, I'd speak to the hospital up front. I'm sure they've had to cope with patient conflicts before.

All the best to you all

TM

Jay-Jay_4

Angellolly,

Have you posed this question to your midwife yet? If she can't help you then you could ask to speak to the Team Leader on the Maternity ward which you are due to go on. Get them to write it in your notes and make sure that you mention it on arrival at the hospital.


Side wards are usually allocated to women with medical need so if there were none available for that reason then I doubt there would be anything you cold do.

I would imagine that this amount of stress at this stage of your pregnancy isn't good for you or your baby :-/
Try not to worry too much, there's a good chance that even if you do end up on a ward, your hubbywon't know anyone from 'proffesional experience'.

I worried constantly with my last pregnancy about going into hospital, i would lie awake at night worrying about all the prodding and poking they do and about how you get treated like a piece of meat. I eventually decided to have my baby at home although this obviously isn't an option for you.

Angelolly

Thanks for the support and words of advice guys - I knew I had done the right thing coming here for help!

I have mentioned it to two midwives at antenatal visits but both have said that there are no guarantees etc.

We are also hoping that the chances of it happening again are surely quite slim! (Although knowing my luck...)
I am trying my best not to get stressed - I had to be sent to the hospital for an hour's foetal monitoring last week as the babe's heart rate was high and I'm sure it was because I am anxious!

Anyway, it is in my notes about what happened last time. Fingers crossed!

shaz1000

Hi! I agree with Caterina. I had a terrible experience with my first section and treatment. It nearly put me off having another child. But for the second one we went and explained what had happened to the head of midwifery and she was very understanding. I was treated totally differently the second time and it was almost enjoyable.

16011996

after my first 2 naturally, my 3rd was going to be a section, and we had to speak to the hosiptal management, but we booked a room. (little !!!!!! put in natural appearance at home though in the end.)

Spendless

Angelolly

just a thought but in the event of no private rooms and the same situation occurring could you not ask to be moved to a different ward/room. There are 2 wards at my maternity hospital - seperated by a reception area and several rooms for 4 women as well as the private side rooms