"Poor midwifery care"

I want to first start by saying my overall experience at FSH was positive and I achieved an incredibly healing VBAC despite this.

I presented to FSH MFAU late last year G4 P1 (post traumatic emergency cesarean section with my baby) in labour. I had SROM, began to receive IVAB’s and was then moved to birth suite for hormonal induction. From the beginning, my midwife did not introduce themselves. I recall they were constantly on their phone playing games throughout my labour overnight and was not active in my care whatsoever.

As my labour progressed, and therefore my pain intensified as expected, I requested sterile water injections as I was experiencing significant back pain. I was met with a very cold response of “I don’t know what you’re talking about” and similar responses I felt were gas lighting as I continued to request further analgesia. This midwife proceeded to tell me that this form of analgesia did not exist and never once offered me an alternative.

Time came for another vaginal exam where I got extremely emotional and excited when I was told I was fully dilated and instructed to push. I couldn’t believe was finally about to achieve my VBAC! I proceeded to push for 20-30 mins, all the while telling the midwife that it didn’t feel right and I requested to stop. The baby didn’t feel engaged in my pelvis enough. A further VE confirmed my fears when they told me I was only 4cm!!

I’m no midwife, but I struggle to comprehend how one can confuse 4cm with 10cm and full effacement?! I am so thankful that I didn’t suffer any cervical damage or my baby any stress and injury from this premature pushing.

This then lead to me losing my “groove” and headspace and therefore requested a epidural when prior, I didn’t feel like I needed this yet if not at all.

However, I cannot speak higher of another midwife I was extremely fortunate to have legitimately put everything she has into giving me the birth of my dreams. Not only did she pick up an AM shift on birth suite after meeting us on MFAU the PM shift prior (she says she had a feeling she needed to be there for us), but she really did everything in her power to redeem the experience I had with the midwife prior, and ultimately give me the best experience of my life. Lizzy is well and truly a human too good for this world.