"Birth at hospital"

Based on my experience, the problems with this place wouldn’t even fit within the word limit available but I’ll try.

It started when my referral to the antenatal clinic was lost after my GP had faxed it twice. My GP told me to hand it in person, which I did. This meant I got my first appointment with the midwife at 34 weeks into my pregnancy.

When I went into labour, I called the ward to let them know. I called every 12 hours afterwards and was constantly told not to come in and being dismissed. Eventually I begged, saying I had been in labour for 32 hours.

Once I was finally allowed to come in for a “check”, I was assessed and went to the birth ward.

I wanted to use the shower as pain relief. But, upon having an Artificial rupture of the membrane with meconium (I believe due to my long labour), I was put on continuous fetal monitoring and told I was no longer allowed to use the shower or move around at all and must remain on my back.

I was given synthetic oxytocin, which made my contractions unbearable, and I opted for an epidural, which I hadn’t previously wanted.

When it came to the pushing stage, I was appalled at the lack of communication and the fact that midwives had just started filtering into the room without explanation. I was aware something was going wrong by now but no one had said anything to anything to me.

Suddenly, there was an obstetrician In my room and my bed was getting pulled apart underneath me and I still received no communication so I was confused and started to panic.

I received an episiotomy and vacuum but still didn’t know why I needed one.

My baby ended up with shoulder dystocia, but of course, I didn’t know about any of it until I looked at my medical records later on and found out what should of been communicated to me at the time

The debrief from that traumatic birth consisted of the doctor telling me to have a c-section next time, and walking away.

The postpartum ward was even worse. I was abandoned in my bed with the newborn for hours until I rang the bell, and it was a good thing I did; I don’t think they knew I was even in there.

Breastfeeding was hard, and there was no support from the midwives. I was told it was meant to be painful and that motherhood is painful, so I should get used to it. It got as far as a midwife suggesting that I pinch my baby to make them scream so they could get a deep latch.

I saw a lactation consultant who said that I was doing everything right; my baby was just slow, and I was going to have to deal with the pain.

I discharged myself after that because I couldn’t deal with it anymore and had decided to move to Formula but felt like I needed to lie to the midwives to get them off my back off and discharge me.

At my baby’s 8-week check, we found they had both a lip and a tongue tie, which had caused his shallow latch and BF problems, something that should of been addressed instead of the dismissive remarks

Based on my experience I will never have a baby at Armadale Hospital again, but I feel for the women who have to go through what I feel is this broken system and hope something will be fixed.