This was my second birth at Osborne Park Hospital as my first was emergency caesarean. I planned for VBAC and I have achieved it. However, my birth experience was not what I planned and wanted. I do have to say, the midwife team and their care for me was exceptional so I want to highlight my positive experience before telling my bad experience.
My water broke early morning at 37w3d, went to assessment unit and stayed there for the whole day. The midwife did a S&S to bring on labour at 4pm, I was 1cm dilated. My pain started around 7:30pm but felt like cramp/period pain. By 9pm, I was in serious pain but contractions were not intense. They sent my husband home since I was not in birthing suite (8pm cutting off). So I was by myself in the room, noting that was a busy night with lots of babies being born so the midwives were very busy so getting them was so hard (not their fault).
The midwives and doctor came to check, I asked for epidural as that was what I wanted for my birth, the doctor said no, stated that I was not in active labour. I asked what is active labour, I recall they then said: you have to be 4 cm dilated open. I said it has been 5 hours since anyone checked me. They then replied say since my water was broken, checking my cervix will lead to infection. Well, I was checked one time since I was admitted. Noting: my medical request was denied not based on medical reasons/assessments but personal opinion of the doctor.
By 11pm, I was crawling, crying, howling, contractions were 8 times in 10 minutes, so I said please come help. Midwife came in and doola, I was 6cm open. I also asked if my husband can come back, in which luckily he came back as we live not far from the hospital.
I was wheeled into birthing suit because I couldn’t walk and stop screaming. The pain....
By 11:30pm, half an hour after they checked me, I was 10 cm open and fully dilated and baby was ready to come, so it was too late to do anything for me. I had to push my baby out without any medications, no calmness, nothing except pain and desperation.
It is not the only thing that bugged me about that doctor's professionalism. At the end of the day, it might be the error of judgement. I wouldn’t write this story or complaint if that was the only thing I felt they did wrong.
After the doctor stitched me (2nd degree tear), they left a pad inside me without informing the midwives or documenting it. I only found it out as when they took the catheter out, I felt/saw something dangling between me, I asked for the midwife to come and they were so shocked that a bloody pad was left inside me. They later on told me that a CIM log was filed on my behalf. I didn’t need antibiotics as I gave birth within the hours of water breaking, but because of the doctor’s apparent negligence, I had to take 5 days of antibiotics while breastfeeding my newborn.
I feel that is not enough as I believe this was a negligence error. I cannot imagine the lack of professionalism from the doctor can possibly lead to many more incidents/danger to us as patients.
Sharing my story hopefully can improve the quality level of the services we receive in the hospital as our life is dependent on someone's decision(s)
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