"Traumatic birth"

I attended the labour and birthing suite at KEMH at midday recently to be induced at 38 weeks due to my pre-existing type 1 diabetes. A balloon catheter was inserted for approx. 9 hours before it came out however it had not ripened my cervix enough, therefore, the tape was inserted that night.

After an internal examination at around midday at my appointment the next week, the midwives advised my cervix still was not ripe enough to start labour and I was told it would need to stay up for another 12 hours however they would check again in 6 hours.

My partner and I went off to lunch down the road for about an hour. When we returned, I was told I was going to be put into labour, commencing the oxy drip and have my waters broken. I queried numerous times as to why the decision had changed so quickly given I was previously told that my baby was still sitting too high and was at risk of dropping onto the umbilical cord if I was forced into labour. All I was told was that the highest doctor had decided and so they inserted my epidural and commenced the drip.

A few hours later I still had not dilated enough (<5cm) and they broke my waters. As the contractions commenced, I was monitored closely as bub seemed distressed. Each contraction their heart rate would drop and take too long to recover. I was made to change positions various times to try and get bub happier. After hours of this, I was again checked and still was only 5-6cm dilated. Labour was not progressing quick enough and bub was in distress. The doctors decided to cut the oxy drip and called an emergency C-section which I was in for within the hour. I can't help but think, if I was just left to wait like originally planned, all the above would not have gone wrong and I could have naturally birthed my baby and they wouldn't have been taken to the NICU and impacted our bonding and breastfeeding initial contact. 

What I want from my story being shared is that the government stop closing all the smaller hospitals and putting more strain on hospitals such as KEMH and to not have to be told that things will depend on staffing when I am in a labour and birthing ward.

I want the best possible choice and outcome to be provided and not one that, in my opinion, is rushed and based on staffing and room capacity and budgets, no matter how long I needed to be there, and I should have been given a right to oppose their direction when I felt it was wrong. I also would have appreciated the whole situation being explained to me after it occurred.  

But what was amazing was every single midwife at that hospital and the love and care they gave to me.