Did anyone get turned away from their hospital?

[nori]

Hi All,

Ive heard a couple of stories recently where people have been turned away from their hospitals whilst in labour due to midwife shortages. Did any of you mums experience this atall? If so, what happened?

Thanks!

Claire x

 

[Sherlock]

I know Debbie did. They got told to go to a different hospital which had beds. Its in her birth story IIRC.

If it happens at your chosen hospital they will probably tell you which hospital to then go to.

 

[Julie84]

My mum got turned away from her planned induction at 41+3 in March but went into labour naturally overnight and they didn't turn her away then.

 

[daftscotslass]

There were people getting turned away from their inductions at my hospital when I went in. The only reason I got mine was because my waters had gone and they couldn't risk infection.

 

[Jen & Her Men]

I got turned away the first time i went in. They had people in labour in the waiting room meant for the visitors and the antenatal ward was full. Even though my contractions were close together and v strong, as my waters hadnt gone I was deemed to be less urgent so sent home. A nurse told me the following day that if they had been quieter i would have been admitted and given pain relief, as it was they couldnt spare the room

This happens a lot at my hospital (Ormskirk) and with women a lot further on in their labour than i was. Its due to hospital closures so that particular hospital services a huge population which leads to inevitable bed shortages on the labour ward.

 

[Oliver's mummy]

hi - i did when i was contracting 2 mins apart they told me to come back when i was 30 secs apart.

we just went for a drive up to a local spot and it strated intense so went in nearly got turned away again but then just INSISTED, we were waiting for ages

BEWARE THEIR EXCUSES ARE THAT FOR A FIRST PREGNANCY THINGS CANT PROGRESS THAT FAST.

they didnt believe i was having oliver at all. though i was having him in the corridor at one time

although if your up north the NHS up here is FANTASTIC. i did not plan on a water birth but was offered it and so glad i took it now, so clean too, also the MW were so nice

 

[DebbieM]

YES! I did!!!!!

http://mummy2be.wordpress.com/2008/03/2 ... arch-2008/



Turned out ok for me though as the hospital I was sent to was lovely - much better than Peterborough so I was pleased all in all

 

[HideiLu]

We almost did! It was only because my a. my waters had gone and still going as I arrived, and b. high BP.

We weren't allowed on the labour ward, had to go to post natal and lay quietly through my contractions while other women slept next to me whilst I was monitored.

Ended up with an emergency C-section, and spent the rest of the day on recovery ward waiting for a bed. Spent the next night on labour ward as no room on post natal.

 

[nori]

These stories are really quite concerning.. I guess our NHS is just far too stretched!

Claire x

 

[DebbieM]

These stories are really quite concerning.. I guess our NHS is just far too stretched!

Claire x

I was far from impressed at the time I must admit....

 

[Magic Monkey]

I wasn't turned away, but went to the birth centre ward not the labour ward. When I wanted an epi, it took 6 hours for them to get me a bed on the labour ward as they were full. All the midwife units were full as was the main maternity hospital.

My friend phoned the hospital when she went in and they told her to go somewhere else, she was told that if she had just turned up without phoning they wouldn't have turned her away. Mind you the weekend she had her LO made the local news as all 3 localish maternity hospitals were full. (that was last Oct, and date of conception would have been New Year's eve!! )

 

[DebbieM]

These stories are really quite concerning.. I guess our NHS is just far too stretched!

Claire x

I was far from impressed at the time I must admit....

 

[Magic Monkey]

I wasn't turned away, but went to the birth centre ward not the labour ward. When I wanted an epi, it took 6 hours for them to get me a bed on the labour ward as they were full. All the midwife units were full as was the main maternity hospital.

My friend phoned the hospital when she went in and they told her to go somewhere else, she was told that if she had just turned up without phoning they wouldn't have turned her away. Mind you the weekend she had her LO made the local news as all 3 localish maternity hospitals were full. (that was last Oct, and date of conception would have been New Year's eve!! )

 

[JoAnn&Aimee]

I wasn't turned away but I know someone who had to sit in the waiting room with 3 other women who were all in labour as there was a bed shortage. No one said anything about going to other hospitals, just told to take a seat and hold on. She said after 20 minutes her husband got the pregnancy notes from the midwife and told them they were going to another hospital. Conveniently a bed suddenly was free! Ridiculous!!

 

[Hazel]

When I rang labour ward up to say my waters had gone the midwife said to go back to bed as I would probably be ages yet. I turned up at the hospital 2 hours later trying not to push .

They don't seem to like you to come in to early and take up space.

 

[daftscotslass]

...and they want you out faster than your legs can carry you. The midwife who did our discharge checks the previous day was on her own (!) in the postnatal ward, 36 patients. There were people off sick and other midwives had been called down to the labour ward for emergencies. She was relying on the help of the auxilliaries.

And according to the student midwives I was talking to, they're struggling to get jobs! Pfft!

 

[dannii87]

Why could I not have just bypassed this thread?! x

 

[sparky]

i walked into the delivery room with Isla coming out of me as i had to wait for a bed, things were very quick for me, but i could of had some pain relief if they'd had got me a bed sooner!

 

[kalia]

In Aberdeen the problem is more likely to be lack of midwives than lack of rooms. I was fairly neglected to be honest but I got what I suspect to be the only rubbish midwife in Aberdeen so who knows whether it was her or shortages.