NHS - Maternity care (vent)

cleopatra4485

unfortunalty I got pregnant in the recession babyboom.

I am now 10 days over my due date and on wednesday was booked in for this evening to be induced (as the placenta deterates after 40 weeks and becomes dangerous for the baby to remain in the body)

I was told to call at 6pm before I come in and the duty midwife said the unit was too busy and to call agin at 7-30pm, so I called back and she said that they had no beds/rooms and to call back tomorrow morning, but what would I do if I went into labour now? are they still going to be busy in the morning?

There was a local newspaper story quite recently where a lady in full blown labour was turned away as they were full and drove an hour to the next hospital to be told they were also full and she gave birth in the carpark as they didn't realise how far gone she was! also another story in the local paper how a lady had a miscarrage at 18 weeks and because they were busy, they told her to keep the fetus in the fridge until the next morning (yes really)

Its not just this experience, but I tried to get a midwife appointment at 36 weeks at my doctors and becuase of the lack of midwifes available I had to call the hospital to get an appointment, to be called by the midwife the afternoon prior to my appointment and be told she couldn't see me as they were too busy and I had to wait yet another week.

two of the surrounding towns maternity units (along with the A&E departments, but thats a different vent) closed a couple of years ago, so my towns hospital has to support all the other surrounding towns pregnancys also.

My mother explained that 24 years ago when she had me, the maternity care the NHS provided was top notch. She was booked in for her induction and stayed in for 7 days after the delievery and had excellent care.

What is the difference between then and now? why has the system gone so downhill.

kymbogs

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

I was told to call at 6pm before I come in and the duty midwife said the unit was too busy and to call agin at 7-30pm, so I called back and she said that they had no beds/rooms and to call back tomorrow morning, but what would I do if I went into labour now? are they still going to be busy in the morning?

Hiya,
first of all I am sorry to hear you have all these worries when you should just be looking forward to welcoming your baby to the world. I can only imagine how tired and uncomfortable you must be - I've had two babies myself but never gone overdue, luckily!

When I was on the ward with a few people waiting to be induced there was a lady who had been told that it would be possible to break her waters but they were not going to do it yet as they were busy, same sort of reasons you've been given tonight. And it truly does make you wonder 'Well what if I went into labour spontaneously, how would they cope?' I had a conversation with the midwife about this and she said it is a case of which is the more ideal situation - keep the baby inside the mother where they know it is safe for the time being, or risk setting you off when they are already short staffed. It's one thing to deal with spontaneous labour if that happens (and she assured me they WOULD be able to deal with it), but another to bring it on. The only analogy I can think of, and it probably isn't entirely appropriate, is don't go looking for trouble!

My local hospital is in a similar situation, although local units haven't actually closed, my local one has become incredibly popular as they have revamped and it's all shiny and new so they have so many people now chosing to deliver there. Luckily the other units aren't more than half an hour away but it's completely understandable that you don't want to be turned away from the hospital in labour.

Between now and tomorrow morning any number of ladies could be sent home, they could have antenatal patients in for observation, people who've delivered who go home, so it's really hard to tell what the situation may be in the morning. Things can change on an hourly basis on these wards.

I hope everything goes well for you when you do get into the hospital and that this is all soon a distant memory and you have your little bundle safe in your arms

jennypdolphin

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

I am now 10 days over my due date and on wednesday was booked in for this evening to be induced (as the placenta deterates after 40 weeks and becomes dangerous for the baby to remain in the body)

Heya, though I know its not really of any help but a fullterm pregnancy is anything from 37 to 42 weeks, its only after this 42 week "deadline" that there is really any issue (its just that 40 weeks is the average pregancy)

If they are so busy then request for a scan to check that the placenta is fully working, if they try to put you off just make sure that they understand that it is your baby at risk, it will only take them a few minutes AND that you wont take no for an answer.

Toodles

Jenni (Mum to DS and 36 weeks pregnant with DD x)

kymbogs

jennypdolphin wrote: »

Heya, though I know its not really of any help but a fullterm pregnancy is anything from 37 to 42 weeks, its only after this 42 week "deadline" that there is really any issue (its just that 40 weeks is the average pregancy)

If they are so busy then request for a scan to check that the placenta is fully working, if they try to put you off just make sure that they understand that it is your baby at risk, it will only take them a few minutes AND that you wont take no for an answer.

Toodles

Jenni (Mum to DS and 36 weeks pregnant with DD x)

To add to what Jenni has just said, in other countries (France for example) they class 42 weeks as full term, so try not to worry about things like placenta deterioration just yet!

cleopatra4485

Thanks ladies, I know I am slightly over-reacting with the placenta issue.

I have just had a fustrating experience with my pregnancy. I left out the 21 week scan hassle (forgot to book me in)

I have been watching the bloody portland babies programmes and just sit their in envy at the care private pregnants get :rotfl:. From the way my mum described hers, it used to be that way.

I feel that the closure of two units in large towns was appauling, that there isn't enough midwifes and they too busy to give two !!!!!! about you.

Yes hopefully I will have baby tomorrow and forget about it all (and be two stones lighter) :rotfl:

kymbogs

I hope you're not disappointed if you don't have a baby tomorrow! Both times I was induced I took ages to get going, went in on Monday morning both times and had them both on Tuesday evening for first and just before midnight Tuesday the second, and the labour itself only took a couple of hours. Though with you being overdue you might be quicker to set off!

funguy

The government have repeatedly closed and cut back on funding to maternity units as well as midwifes etc....unfortunately services are very stressed at present and is only going to get worse over the next decade. Your mother is right, services 10-20years ago were excellent - only available privately now!

This is the same as all other NHS services too such as A+E and GP services....
Im sure all will be okay with your pregnancy and dont take it out on the doctors and miwifes as its not their fault...good luck!

Hopefully we will be moving to an insurance subsidised NHS in the near future so we can get better care!

cheshirekitty

We get what we pay for. Often on a late shift I was the only midwife looking after 24 mother and babies. How safe is that? One of the reasons we are so short of midwives is the awful working conditions. I am no longer a midwife, the stress was just too great.

No loo breaks, no food breaks, constantly working overtime with no pay. Bullied by management. Yes, I know it is not only a NHS thing and this happens in other workplaces.

And the constant verbal and physical abuse by patients, relatives and visitors. It is not the staffs fault there is a car parking charge/no bed available/rubbish food from the kitchen.

I really feel for the midwives left in the field. But we voted for the jackasses who run our country. We are all to blame for the state the NHS is in at the moment.

funguy

cheshirekitty wrote: »

We get what we pay for. Often on a late shift I was the only midwife looking after 24 mother and babies. How safe is that? One of the reasons we are so short of midwives is the awful working conditions. I am no longer a midwife, the stress was just too great.

No loo breaks, no food breaks, constantly working overtime with no pay. Bullied by management. Yes, I know it is not only a NHS thing and this happens in other workplaces.

And the constant verbal and physical abuse by patients, relatives and visitors. It is not the staffs fault there is a car parking charge/no bed available/rubbish food from the kitchen.

I really feel for the midwives left in the field. But we voted for the jackasses who run our country. We are all to blame for the state the NHS is in at the moment.

Very accurate post! unfortunately the government and NHS managers have demoralised all NHS staff and reduced funding to such small amounts that services really cannot be sustained! The staff are caught between this and angry patients on a daily basis!

jennypdolphin

Oh and in regards to induction please dont expect miracles, I was induced thrice with DS (over the course of a week) to pretty much no effect - in the end labour started by itself (and they didnt believe me! but thats a different story...)

LittleOne83

The reason they don't want you to be induced when it's busy but are more than happy to look after you when you spontaneously labour is because there are many risk factors with induction. You would be classed as high risk and they would need to ensure there are enough staff to look after you and everyone else who is high risk on the ward. Certain situations/complications can arise more often during induction than spont labour so they need to look at the skill mix of midwives, who else has a high risk of complications and if it's safe for you to undergo your induction.
I appreciate it's annoying but they genuinely have your and your baby's safety in mind when saying no.

Also as some other posters have said it can take hours even days to have your baby from the start of the induction process as your body isn't ready yet so take a good few books!