My nightmare at two hospitals that were unhygienic and overcrowded
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Tuesday December 29 2009
The staff were under so much pressure they couldn't spend time showing me how to breastfeed
WHEN I was first pregnant with my son Mitchell seven years ago I thought it sensible to go semi-private in a busy Dublin maternity hospital. In the end, it made no difference.
The delivery suites were full while I laboured and I had to wait in line until one became available. Likewise, the private and semi-private rooms were full, so I was put into a public ward.
The staff tried their best but were under so much pressure they could not spend time showing me how to breastfeed. The lowest point came a few hours after giving birth; as I hobbled towards the toilet, the lady in the bed next to me said she would "watch my things".
So horrified was I at the prospect of someone going through my baby's precious things that I refused to go to the toilet until my husband arrived -- two hours later.
With my second baby I went private. I thought this would guarantee a better service; I was wrong. My consultant never arrived to the birth and again, I was put into a public room because the private ones were full. I got a bill for over €3,000 but feel I did not get the service I paid for.
With my third baby April, who is now two, I wanted something different. I had heard great reports about Midwifery Led Units (MLUs) in north-east hospitals, so I applied to one.
Sadly, I did not get in. Strict criteria and lack of spaces were to blame. So, after two disappointing births in overcrowded, unhygienic hospitals, I looked into home births. I did some research, booked a midwife and decided this was the right birth choice for me.
Half-way through my pregnancy rumours abounded that home births were to be cancelled due to an insurance glitch. But this was overcome and I went on to have a wonderful home birth.
Recently I spoke with a first-time mum-to-be who was outraged to learn the first available booking appointment her nearest hospital could give her was at 26 weeks' gestation. This caused her great anxiety and is representative of the struggles facing our over-stretched maternity hospitals and the effects these lack of resources are having on pregnant women.
An in-depth report from a national survey that was undertaken to establish how to improve Irish maternity services was published earlier this month. It found that midwife-led units are as safe as obstetrician-led units. Satisfaction rates are higher in midwife-led units, even though less pain relief is available.
It recommends that the midwife-led centres in Cavan and Drogheda should be expanded and more should be opened nationwide. This increase of MLU's would mean better services for mothers and less cost to the HSE.
Let's hope the suggestions are acted upon soon, for the sake of maternity hospital staff and the mothers and babies they look after.
- Siobhan O'Neill White
Irish Independent
