"Preeclampsia (or not as the case may be)"

I was due to give birth at Bentley's new midwife-led birthing centre. At my 40-week appointment, my blood pressure was slightly high, as it had been for a few weeks, so my midwife ordered blood tests to rule out pre-eclampsia.

While waiting for the results, my midwife advised me to attend Armadale Hospital's assessment unit so that both my baby and I could be monitored closely. Given the possibility of pre-eclampsia, this made complete sense to me.

However, from the moment I arrived, I felt as though I was an inconvenience. I understand the unit was busy, but I was a full-term pregnant woman who had been told there were concerns about my health. I was understandably anxious and looking for reassurance, but that wasn't the experience I received. One staff member even said, we don't understand why you've come in, despite me explaining my situation to every member of staff who asked, as they weren’t communicating. I left feeling relieved to be going home, but I also came away with the impression that if the hospital staff weren't concerned, perhaps I didn't need to be either.

That evening I settled back at home, and then went into active labour after a good night's rest. My birth plan had always been to have a low-intervention birth, and I wanted to labour at home for as long as possible. At that stage I was progressing well. I was 3 cm dilated, managing my contractions comfortably with my TENS machine, and felt calm and safe in my own environment.

The following day, once Armadale received my blood test results, everything suddenly changed. I was urgently contacted and told I needed to come to the hospital immediately for an induction because there could be serious risks to both myself and my baby. This left me confused and distressed. If there were concerns significant enough to warrant such urgency, I couldn't understand why these hadn't been identified or acted upon the day before while I was already at the hospital.

When I arrived, I was fortunate that my Bentley midwife was able to meet me there. Her presence made a significant difference to my experience. The first doctor who entered the room barely acknowledged me before speaking directly to my midwife, saying, this is what we're going to do. There was no real introduction, no conversation with me, and no effort to explain what was happening or involve me in decisions about my own care. I found this dismissive and disrespectful. It reinforced every fear I had about giving birth in a doctor-led hospital setting. Had my Bentley midwife not been there to advocate for me, I would have felt completely powerless. My Bentley midwife also took the time to explain things to be in full properly - something nobody from Armadale did. 

Thankfully, after a relatively short pushing stage, my baby girl was born healthy and well. I experienced only minimal tearing, and looking back at my blood pressure and blood test results during labour, it was determined that I did not have pre-eclampsia after all. It leaves me wondering whether the stress, urgency, and intervention could have been avoided, and whether I could have safely given birth at Bentley as originally planned.

I will always be grateful that my daughter arrived safely, and I appreciate the healthcare professionals who cared for us. However, I left feeling disappointed by my experience at Armadale Hospital. More than anything, I felt unheard, poorly communicated with, and not treated as an active participant in my own care. At such a vulnerable time, compassion, clear communication, and respect are just as important as clinical care, and unfortunately, I did not consistently experience those from Armadale staff during my time there. 

Based on my experience, I would advise anyone who can to consider giving birth with Bentley midwifery birth centre, and if you are going to give birth at Armadale, in my opinion, be strong and advocate for yourself or have people around you to advocate for you.