I live in midlands ireland. Our maternity ward is disgraceful. Three beds in a tiny room. Two of these beds are on same side of room and the wheelie cots are beside each other. The midwives are understaffed. They are going on strike because of this. We cater for our own county and all the surrounding ones too. The birth rate has shot up to an amazing level because of the foreign nationals moving to the country. The same midwives work the maternity ward and labour ward. If there are a few women in labour, no midwives or nurses to be there for women who have already given birth. Practically no after birth care. Never mind help with breastfeeding. I had a visit from my health visitor once and that was it. I am now on my second pregnancy and wish I had the 2000 euro, about £1700 to go private. Im dreading it. We dont get a first scan til 20 weeks or after. No hospital app before then even. How is your pregnancy care and hospital? Ireland is not the 3rd world, it shouldnt be so bad.
well i live in Canada, and the hospitals you get your own nurse during labor and your own private room with a huge bed. the rooms are huge you get your own bathrooms with shower. um theres tons of seating and a big pull out bed for your husband to spent the night. the baby also gets its own little thing to sleep in. nurses come to your room clean you and your baby up and check on you every couple of hours. a breast feeding couch comes in and helps you. a social worker come in and helps you if your an low income parent with help with food clothes and diapers. i had a pleasant stay. you also get a menu and pick out what you want for each and every meal.. best of all its free. in Canada you and the baby stay in the hospital for 3 days and if you have a c section you stay for 5.. you don't pay a dime for any think its free. you also have a doctor and nurses no mid wifes. and theres big time security let me tell you.the baby stays in the room with you at ll times unless theres a problem. and if you want to sleep at night the nurses take the baby and cares for it until you wake up
Here in America, in North Carolina, anyway, it's much nicer. You have someone checking on from the group of doctors you normally saw during your pregnancy. You MUST meet all of them, b/c who ever is on-call at the hospital during your delivery will be delivering, no choosing.The hospital I went to had a labor and delivery room, one person to a room and you stayed in the same place to deliver, if you weren't having surgery. My husband was with me the whole time. My family could have been there, had I wanted it, but I didn't. I had a midwife who worked at the office with my doctors and she was there the whole time. She was helpful and caring. She didn't want to do an episiotomy, but I needed it and she finally did it. You could have cut the air with knife when I asked for it though.
Breastfeeding was another issue. The Lactation consultant had no shame. She brought in another woman to observe without asking me first. We were both embarrassed.
Just an aside, I had a scan at 6 weeks, b/c I was bleeding. The baby was fine. I had regular scans after that, b/c I had just moved to NC after I was 3 months pregnant.
I loved the birthing ward at our hospital (Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, Idaho USA). The rooms were all private and HUGE. We were able to go check everything out ahead of time, all visitors had to be buzzed in so there weren't a lot of people wandering everywhere, there was a hospitality room for dads to have free drinks and snacks, we went back 3 days after leaving for a post clinic, and there's a 24 hour babyline you can call with any questions. Sorry to hear things are so bad in Ireland, maybe you'll want to take a trip to the USA around the time the baby's due ;)
Wow, I knew we had it good in the US but wow. People complain about the healthcare here should go over there and have a child over there. I won't talk up our hospitals. Lets just say there better than that.
Glad to live in the States! USA. depends on your pregancy and how you want to deliver it. Insurance helps to! There's a lot of options here and personally I had good care in my local hospital. I had side effects to the epidural though a spinal headache not fun I can tell you that. Plus my boy had a heart defect so he was life flight by helecopter to a childrens hospital about an hr. away. one of the best in the nation. Monroe Carroll Children's Hospital Vanderbilt University Hospital/medical center in Nashville, TN. Awesome hospital for kids and they treat the parents great to. they have a ronald mcdonald house that puts up families of ill children. they go by how far the distance is that you've traveled to the hospital. they take donations they put you on a list and the first avail room is yours. they provide laundry room, food, etc.
Wow, that is really sad especially when newborn care should be a very high priority of any hospital. I live in Northern Virginia, just outside of DC, and delivered my baby 14 weeks ago and had a great experience and exceptional care. My prenatal visits started in my obgyn's office around 8 weeks and I had to go once a month at first, then my appointments progressed to every two weeks, then every week until delivery. The labor and delivery rooms at the hospital are large and only one patient per room. They contained a sitting area with chairs and a couch that folded into a bed. I also had my own tv and radio, along with my own shower. I had my own nurse who checked on me often and a button to call, if I ever needed them, plus access to any pain medication that I thought I needed. After delivery, my daughter was never taken from my room, it was large enough and set up so that her APGAR scores could be performed in the room right away. After delivery, I was moved to the "recovery" room where again only one patient to a room and I had to spend a mandatory 48 hours because I was a first time mom. Nurses came in and showed me how to bathe, dress, diaper my newborn and then I had to sign off that I was comfortable performing these tasks on my own before I could be discharged. At night I could also send my daughter to a nursery where nurses tended to her so that I could get some sleep. My recovery room also had my own shower and changing area, a tv, a couch that pulled into a bed (so that my husband could stay with us) and everyone was just so nice and helpful! The "common/waiting" rooms also had wireless internet, so I was able to email photos and video to family and friends right after my daughter was born. The lactation nurse visited twice a day and gave a very "hands on" demonstration :- ) and she also left her cell phone number for me to call anytime that I needed her for anything. But I am thankful for this because it is the only way I would have been successfull at breastfeeding. There is also high security at the hospital, no one can enter unless buzzed in, and the mom, dad, and baby get a monitoring alarm bracelet that sounds if anyone tries to carry your baby off of the floor. All together my medical bills for prenatal care and labor and delivery were around $10,000, but thankfully I also have great medical insurance that covers maternity, so it only cost my husband and I around $2,500. for everything. I feel very blessed to have such a facility to be able to labor and deliver in, and I feel so much for women in your situation because pregnancy and childbirth is a very scary thing. I can't imagine having to go through it alone without my husband during the labor part!! That is a very personal and private thing for anyone to have to "share" with others. You are a much stronger woman than I. Reading that just makes me want to cry because I have no idea how any pregnant women could survive not knowing their baby was okay before 20 weeks, there is so much stuff that could go wrong. You are right, that is disgraceful to women who are birthing the future of their country, they deserve a better start than that! But my family and I wish you all the best and no matter what you have to go through, just think about holding that special little baby in your arms when it is all over!
crap. i got given a buzzer to press when i needed 2 push. my midwife had 2 go help with another delivery. when i was taken 2 the ward i think i only saw a midwife twice and that was 2 discharge us. ha....they are so short staffed
Thats awful. Poor you. I don't know about healthcare in Ireland but is there a Local Health Authority you can complain to?
I live in South Wales and had my baby in an NHS midwife led birth centre. Wales is not a rich area but we at least had this priviledge.
It was beautiful. Spotlessly clean and very very homely. Not at all "hospital like"
There are no "wards" just individual rooms with en suite bathrooms and TVs, tea/coffee making facilities etc. There is a birthing pool and a big bath. Also a birthing stool, birthing balls, beanbags, cd player and low lighting, TENS machine, everything you need for a natural healthy delivery.
The midwives were lovely. When I had my son I was the only woman in there so I had two midwives and a nurse to fuss over me. another woman came in just after my son was born so we were the only two in there and had a midwife "each"! We had loads of attention and plenty of help to start breastfeeding.
It was fantastic and I would choose it over a horrible smelly overcrowded understaffed hospital any day.
And it was all on the NHS so I paid nothing for it.
Birth Centres are the way to go. Hospitals are only needed for problem or high risk births. Childbirth is not an illness.
I had a regular visit from my midwife for 28 days afterwards.
My Heath Visitor comes every week still (although my son is 10 months old) and I find it a bit too much to be honest! I wish she would call less often but she does this for all first timers.
Incidentally when considering where to have my baby I checked out the University of Wales Hospital Cardiff and it was a dump. The rooms were sparse, bare shabby and looked like they needed a good clean. It was overcrowded and understaffed. the only "ensuite" facility was a toilet and a grubby sink. So I decided against it! Birth Centre all the way thanks!
I'm in England and it's not a lot better I'm afraid. I did get my scans at 12 and 20 weeks though. All the NHS hospitals are suffering from lack of staff here. They do their best though. I had two emergency c-sections and spent a total of 6 days in hospital (3 for each child, including my labour) in the entire time I spent in hospital I didn't see a care worker or my 'designated' midwife. Didn't much worry me though but they had promised they'd be there! The after-care wasn't up to much. Straight after the section, I was on the ward (9 to a room!) and my baby was crying. I couldn't move, having literally just got back from theatre. I asked a midwife to hand me my baby and she looked at me like I was a bit of dirt and said: "I'm far too busy for that," and walked away, leaving my new born baby and me in floods of tears. But that was the only bad bit. I know they do their best in incredibly trying circumstances.
My very best wishes to you and yours x
I live in New York and I had a wonderful experience with the hospital, except the rooms were defently too small! With each shift a different nurse would check in help clean me up and help with breastfeeding. Also, I got scans at my doctor's office, not the hospital and I got one each trimester.
I agree with you, no hospital show be like what you described. Just make the best of it.
Good Luck!
that sucks.......
there is one floor for all of it but more then three nurses at a time and a doctor there or on call all the time.
when you get there you check in then they check you and the baby. there is one bed to a room with a private bath/shower and bathroom. the dad is allowed to stay until you go home.
they check you every 1/2 hr to a hour
your allowed as many as you want in the room with you the whole time as long as there is room for them to work. your allowed any pain medication you want. your allowed to walk or use any other method to help bring on labor. your allowed to be in the whirl pool tub until your water breaks. and your stay is two days
after birth you have a choice of rooming in, part rooming in, no rooming in. what ever the case the nurses care for both baby and mom. you get food three times a day, juice/pop when ever you want. there is a tv and a radio in the rooms. dad gets a roll away . both mom,dad have bracelets with baby's name and code number. mom has her own to. the baby has two one with his/her name and a security bracelet so no one can walk past the doors with the baby. the baby has his own crib and gets a bath when its first born and when they go home. everything they do with the baby is done in the room unless there is a problem.
if breastfeeding your visted by a laction nurse and your also visted by your own doctor before you go home and at that time your 6 week check up is made and your babys 1st appt is made. there is no set time when you can have anyone vist
I gave birth in Norman Regional Hospital with all three of my children and it's like staying in a hotel room! When it's apparent that you're in labor they admit you into the hospital and take you to your room and set you up with an IV for fluids and at four cm you can get an epidural (you're not allowed to eat once your admited) and you give birth in the same room you've been in all day. There's a TV in a disguised wardrobe, a table, chairs, pull out couch and 1-2 rockers. A bathroom and another sink outside the bathroom, hardwood floors, beautiful flowered walls.... The baby is set on a table right next to you and if all is well you get to socialize and bond w/ baby for an hour before they go off for their first bath and tests. If you need a Cesarean you are of course wheeled off to an operating room... but oh, I love Norman Regional Hospital... I want to work there when I'm done w/ school... =)
Wow...that's bad! Go to the papers! I live in the North of England and I felt very cared for...I had a private room (NHS) after my emergency c section and lots of aftercare...everyone should get this! Really...go to the national papers, I have experience in the media and know a story when I see one. This sounds like the 1930s or something!
"You labour and cry alone". That's a denial of human rights! The Irish people should petition the government, or sue them, or something...!
The system in Australia isn't perfect by a long shot, but on average it's better than that. The pre-natal care was good overall, with several hospital visits, ultrasounds, genetic counselling, and several weeks of group classes to prepare for the birth, all free of charge. The obstetricians allocated to me for prenatal checkups weren't up to much though.
I delivered in a public hospital in Melbourne. I had no choice of doctor or midwife. Initially I was in a "birthing suite" with ensuite, large double bed, partner able to stay in the room, but I needed intervention and was moved to a less attractive room (by myself). I was constantly attended by a nurse and my partner. I was allowed to wear my own clothes and have my own doona [down-filled bedcover].
Overall the care was good but I had to wait hours for an anaesthetist when the gas and pethidine did absolutely nothing for the pain.
After the birth I had to go to a crowded noisy ward, but I had my precious bundle in a little crib attached to the side of my bed, so I could touch him whenever I wanted. (I couldn't have stood it if they had removed him from me!) I had trouble getting started with breast-feeding but got help from a kind nurse.
The next morning I had to get out of bed without help and I collapsed alone in the toilets - that wasn't so good.
Most women leave hospital in less than 3 days, which is fine if you have no complications, but I could have done with a little more rest. (My mother said that when she had her babies in the 50s and 60s the norm was to stay in hospital for 10 days or so, getting everything done for you! She loved it, naturally!)
Follow-up was good with regular weekly visits from a nurse at home. We also get access to "Maternal and child care centres" where the baby is weighed and checked and advice is given on feeding, getting the bub to sleep, and so on. There's no "maternal" care to it in my experience, only baby care, though the latter is great.
Hi i am from Ireland and live in County Monaghan, I dont know where you are from but if you Live near County Cavan there is a place in Cavan for pregnant mother to have their babies out side of the hospital i cant tell you the address but a friend of mine used it about four months and had her baby in a birthing pool the place was lovely as she thought again i dont know if she paid private but it might be worth looking into it if you can make it to Cavan when you go into Labour good luck with every thing and i hope your baby is healty when he/she arrives.
The care I received when I was first in labour was ok, I did have to sit around in the waiting room for quite a while. I was totally niave and panicked when I went tot he loo and found myself bleeding! The receptionist just laughed at me when I told her - no wonder! After a while I went to a birthing room with a couple of balls, a sofa etc. I was then transferred to a labour room with the bad and all the medical equipment. I was then put to another less equipped room becuase everything was going well and I wanted a natural water birth. This room was lovely with cushions and bean bags, balls and a bath but that was when the pain got really bad and I changed my mind about the natural birth pronto and was taken back to the delivery room for an epidural. I ended up not getting it as I was to far along and delivered with pethadine and gas and air.
The ward I went onto after giving birth was pretty small with 4 beds and got pretty crampped with the cribs, everyones baggage and visitors! The midwives were pressed for time - I got no help trying to establish breastfeeding. The first time he needed fed I pressed the buzzer to ask for help. The midwife whipped my boob out my pj's, squeezed my nipple to make me leak and slapped my baby onto it and went away. It was agony and I didn't know what I was doing!
I had a straight forward birth and didn't require much in the way of aftercare. As a result a student nurse was put in charge of most of my care and discharge and this was an absolute blessing! She was lovely and had the time to dedicate to me, unilk the other midwives.
It isn't their fault though - the issue of staffing really does need to be addressed.
from reading that, im glad i live in america!!!
god i live in ireland and it sounds very like the hospital i went to when having my kids its awful espeically my last i had to stay in my ward room while in labour and yes the place was full of visitors i couldnt stay there any longer and when i went to the pre labour ward i was told to come back in 5 mins i had to practically fight with them for a bed they didnt really belive me when i said i was near giving birth i had him about 20 mins later in the pre labour ward in an ordinary bed because the other 2 labour rooms where been used it was a bad experience as i had to be moved to a labour room after to be stiched and had to wait about 15 mins in anony for this to happen and the after care jesus whats that just get on with it was what it felt like
id love 1 more child but my last experience has really put me off but i do go ahead in a few years i will travel futher just to avoid going back there again
I gave birth to my son in Dundee, Scotland (Ninewells Hospital). It is much the same as you described. The labour ward was rows and rows of beds with curtains. It looked like that old television show "MASH." Everyone labouring was doing so in front of everyone else. The thing is, the midwife that took you in, stayed with you until you birthed your baby. Is it possible for you to dart across to Scotland to have your baby? Is there a La Leche League group in your area? Have you considered a home birth? Do you have midwives that can deliver you at home? Can you afford a doula? I now live in the states and have had two babies since. I would move back to Scotland in a heartbeat if I could. But, I must admit, there are more resources available to me here than I had there. I also could not afford to go private. My biggest complaint in Scotland hospital was the food. I'm not a glutton, but I eat much more at breakfast than I do at tea-time and the meals just didn't come that way. If you're interested in a pen-pal you can email me at kaygad70@aol.com. Best wishes to you.
Well, I live in northern england. This is the care I received when pregnant and giving birth with my first and only child:
22 weeks - first MW appt (at home)
24 weeks - scan (at hospital)
31 weeks - second MW appt (at doctor's clinic)
36 weeks - third MW appt (at doctor's clinic)
38 weeks - visit from health visitor (at home)
40 weeks - fourth MW appt (at home)
41 weeks - gave birth (at home) 2 MWs arrived at 2.50pm and left at 4.10pm.
Baby 8 days old - MW appt (at home)
Baby 2 weeks old - Health visitor (at home)
None of these appointments went beyond pefunctory checks. I never had a needle, an internal examination, or test of any sort.
Sorry to hear you think the care is so bad where you are. I think the one scan rule is fairly normal though. If you don't like the hospital, do you have any other options, another hospital, a birth centre, or a home birth? I got no help with breastfeeding which was shocking, the midwives left after birth before my baby had even fed.
I suggest you read it up on it youself - go to http://www.llli.com and get as much of your own information and support as you can before your baby is born. As for your antenatal care, most of the tests can be performed at home if you're worried. You can buy a doppler to check your baby's heartrate for example to put your mind at rest. Do you have any friends who are in the medical profession? They could help you.
Meanwhile why don't you check out http://www.babycentre.co.uk, they have birth boards with lots of women at your stage who'll support you and hopefully be able to set your mind at ease throughout your pregnancy.
Try not to worry, pregnancy is a natural and normal thing which may require some guidance to get through, if the health service doesn't provide it you can get it from elsewhere, although it's not ideal. I'm sure they'd be there for you if there was a serious problem though, so make sure you always have access to an emergency number regardless of what you think of their care.
Good luck and congratulations!
