View Full Version : Wick Maternity Unit visiting restrictions
Westsider3
27-Jul-10, 11:57
Does anyone know why Wick Maternity Unit are only allowing 2 visitors per bed, one of them being the father of the baby? You are allowed the mother and 2 other visitors meaning that the Dad would need to go out if you want a set of grandparents etc to go into see the baby!! I certainly feel its important to share the biggest thing in your life with your family and not feel they have to come in on their own.
Fathers are also only allowed in at visiting time, they do not get in earlier! Why? I thought it would be important for the fathers to get to know their babies and also to help the mother but it doesn't seem to be the case in Wick! In Raigmore, under the same Health Board, fathers get in at 11am and there is no big restriction on the number of visitors. I can't understand how the different hospitals have such differing policies!
We visited a relation last night in the unit. She was there with her partner and me and my Mum went in. A minute after we went in, a midwife came and told us that they only allowed 2 visitors per bed! My cousin was in the ward on her own, no other mothers were in the ward at all. We are both adults and we were calm (!), the baby was sleeping, the Mum was delighted to see us, so what was the problem? I couldn't believe it!
I have known other mums to have been delighted to get out of the unit as they found visiting so stressful due to this policy! I'd love to know why it is so different between Wick and Raigmore! I'd certainly, given the choice, rather deliver in Raigmore these days!
Think its to do with infection control measures!
I was feeling pretty low and hubby was trying to cheer me up with news about the girls 1 midwife told my hubby visiting time was up... 10 mins later (in tears as I wanted him) I was told he could come back....too late then as he was home!
Its important for partners to get to know the baby but it is also important for the mums to get rest.
Mums have been through a lot with the delivery (whichever way the baby comes out) and needs to recover....I know it doesnt feel that way when staring at the same 4 hospital walls all day though!
And a rollercoaster ride of emotions in the first few days and sleep dep dont help.
Plus if in a room with other Mums they might be trying to rest while you have visitors in....not easy for the midwives to let everyone rest and have visitors!
mummieslilgirl
27-Jul-10, 12:17
I was recently in wick and had asked about the visiting policy (which some staff adhered to to the letter but others as long as it wasn't busy would allow one extra person) the staff there are not overly happy that the fathers are not allowed the open visiting hours as they too feel they should be allowed to come and go as they please within reason of course. The rules have been put in place by the authorities in Inverness from what I was told and they are fighting to get them changed at least for the fathers. I however enjoyed my stay for the most part and found it relaxing and the staff gr8 tbh - I was dreading staying in after my last visit there which was a number of years ago.
Long story short Inverness have made the rules wick have to adhere to them :D
Hmm i couldn't fatham it either as i was in a ward by myself and when my partner came back with his parents he had to go out.
To be honest i didn't really enjoy my stay. I hate hopsitals and after a short labour i was feeling fine and my baby was fit and healthy. I refused to stay in overnight. I wanted to have the support of my partner not the midwives. I decided that i didn't want to breastfeed and i knew how to bottle feed a baby so there was no reason to have the midwives support. They weren't too keen to let me homw but i knew i'd sleep better when i got the chance to sleep in my own bed and at least at home it be my baby waking me up not the cleaners. Rest in a hospital to me was very hard to do. My son has never been a big sleeper and now will only sleep for about 3 to 4 hours during the day if that. He's very nosy lol.
But i'm very glad i did refuse to stay as without my partner i'd never have gotten through the first night without his support.
I'm not saying the midwives are at fault as to why i did not enjoy my time in hospital. I just hate hospitals and being in one as visitor or patient. I think i'd defintly go for a home birth next time round.
Long story short Inverness have made the rules wick have to adhere to them :D
the visiting times at Raigmore seem to differ to Wick :confused
when we were at Raigmore having babies, parents could come and go when they wanted. Staff were always brilliant and very welcoming.
i think the visitor numbers could easily be upped to 3 at a time in the maternity ward without too much grief.
nhs blurb says - 'To avoid overtiring patients we ask everybody to co-operate by limiting the number of visitors at any one time to two, and the duration of any visit to half an hour.'
annthracks
27-Jul-10, 13:58
Our last one was into Poole mat unit 01:25, baby born 3 mins later on floor of toilet, back home 1hr later. Other two kids went to bed after saying goodnight to preggers mummy, and woke up to find a new baby brother :) That's how it should happen LOL
mummieslilgirl
27-Jul-10, 15:23
the visiting times at Raigmore seem to differ to Wick :confused
when we were at Raigmore having babies, parents could come and go when they wanted. Staff were always brilliant and very welcoming.
i think the visitor numbers could easily be upped to 3 at a time in the maternity ward without too much grief.
nhs blurb says - 'To avoid overtiring patients we ask everybody to co-operate by limiting the number of visitors at any one time to two, and the duration of any visit to half an hour.'
they said in wick that for whatever reason Raigmore still allowed open visiting
ShelleyCowie
27-Jul-10, 16:58
When i had Athrun they let my mum and sister in about an hour after i had him. I had Chris there too. Any visiting times after that i had 3 at my bed. But there was one visiting time they told my mum to leave so my granny and grandad could come in, so i think it depends on the midwife.
I agree in thinking Dads can visit when the want. I really wanted Chris there so much more because it felt like i hardly got to see him. And with having other visitors he never got to hold athrun much :confused
This time round i will moan and greet if they take Chris away from me! lol. :lol:
mums angels
27-Jul-10, 17:13
Some people dont get a choice on having to stay in hospital but one of the many reasons i opted for a home birth with my 4th child was to do with the staff and policys etc of caithness general i just now wished id done it before with the others and with my 2nd and 3rd i was out the hospital within 6 hours of the birth .. wouldnt stay in if i had a choice i got plently of rest at home and at least was comfortable and was around those that actually knew and cared about me .
superceltic
27-Jul-10, 17:24
my partner and i were at parent craft classes in the hospital a few weeks ago and my partner asked the midwife takeing the classes why the visiting hours were so stricked and she said that this was due to a shortage of staff :roll: he pointed out to her that it is rediculous that fathers are only allowed to see their child on set times.
I am 7 months pregnant with my first child and this has been one of the biggest worries for me regarding wick maternity unit and am seriously thinking of opting for raigmore as i want my partner plus my parents around me as much as possible without people telling me when i can or cant see them!
lybsterlad
27-Jul-10, 19:05
I think it is terrible that fathers are only allowed in at set times, why is it different in Raigmore, its ironic really when only couple of years ago the maternity was under threat of closure in wick and we the public were asked to support the fight to keep the place open, and now they have totally ridiculous visiting rules, which appear to be at the discretion of the staff of duty.
My friend had baby in Inverness staff were really nice and welcomed visitors why cant wick maternity staff take a leaf from raigmore staff.
If it is hospital policy surely both hospitals would have same visiting hours policy to follow, strange or what???????? is it hospital policy or is it the staff ????????????
ShelleyCowie
27-Jul-10, 19:28
If they were under staffed....wouldnt they want people to have dads there more so they could help the mums? I felt so dependant on the midwifes last time because i wasnt allowed to move for 24 hours, everytime i needed athrun passed to me for feeding i had to buzz them, same as putting him back in the "fish bowl" or when he needed changed! When Chris was there, he done all that for me!
I respect the staff in wick hospital because they supported me greatly last time. And i look forward to it again next month to see if i get the same experience. I hope i do. :D
Also to add there is a new consultant now and i have to give thumbs up to him. He is the first to actually listen to me. He never just made a desicion for me.
It is hospital policy in all wards to only allow 2 visitors to a bed. It is for reasons of infection control, not staffing or any other reason you might hear of. It can be hard for patients and visitors to accept this especially if you have a sick relative or a new one to visit but it is important and all staff should be sticking to the rules.
It didnt used to apply to new dads so hopefully they will fight to change that back. Raigmore is more flexible with their visiting rules but who knows that might not be a good thing, would be interesting to compare the infection rates!!
I had my baby in Aberdeen, and the fathers were allowed in from 9am in the morning until 9am at night, they were supposed to go out for the hour that we had lunch, but as we were from caithness, they were really good and let hubby stay in with me, it made a huge difference when my little boy was born as hubby was there with me and was even allowed to stay until 10pm, there were no restrictions as to how many were allowed to visit
When I had my wee one it was the back of four in the morning, lucky a friend took us in to CGH as none of us drive. He was born at 4.20am, they did ask daddy to leave at about 6am but as we do not drive I think that was our only saving grace. It makes me think though as my other half was up the whole night while I was in labour, the only thing he didn`t go through was the pain so he was shattered too, why should he have gone home at 6am in the morning to 2 siblings at home who would be on cloud 9 for hours for me to then come home and expect him to help me? Where is the rest for daddies? I would love to have another baby but I am scared of CGH policies now.
I nearly had my two girls at Euans birth.
Due to having fast labours and the road conditions on new years day!
I didnt have time to put them to my Mum and Dads or for Mum and Dad to get to my house first.......
So Mum and Dad met us at the hospital...
I wasnt even in labour when I decided to go to CGH:eek:(0530)
Mum and Dad just got them in the car and Euan arrived.(0610).... actually the noise and yapping between my Mum, Dad, Hubby and the girls (trying to get them organised to go)took my mind off the labour:lol:
It would have taken longer than that to get to Mum and Dads on the roads that night!
Hubby stayed till 9am ish by which time the roads were not so bad!
Think it was the only thing that let him stay was the snow/ice on the roads! (and the only thing that stopped them threatening me with an ambulance ride to inverness)
the restrictions are sometimes a bit strict.when my partner had our daughter last may,got told to go home (after a hectic emergency c section) at half 1 in the morning for a rest and i could come back in the morning when i rang to go over in the morning i was told i had to wait until visiting hours even though she was in a room herslf and if she had had her in the morning i would have been allowed to stay the whole day
superceltic
28-Jul-10, 09:59
It is hospital policy in all wards to only allow 2 visitors to a bed. It is for reasons of infection control, not staffing or any other reason you might hear of.
well that came from a midwife who works in the maternity unit of caithness general, she sais that due to staffing shortages they were unable to go back and forth answering the door whilst dealing with patients.
Although she did also point out that it depended who was on duty at the time regarding the 2 to a bed policy. I think i will be opting for Raigmore after reading some posts on here, A few of my friends who have had to go to raigmore said the staff in raigmore are so much nicer and all in all a much more pleasent experience compared to Caithness General.
i want the support of my partner and parents and i know my partner wont take it too good being dictated to on when he can see his new born baby and partner!
we had to go to Raigmore because CGH didn't have the staff/equipment to deal with our difficulties with pregnancy.
however, if more and more mums to be choose Raigmore over CGH for reasons other than medical issues, e.g. better visiting times and friendlier staff at Raigmore, then we can kiss the maternity unit in Wick goodbye :(
Some people dont get a choice on having to stay in hospital but one of the many reasons i opted for a home birth with my 4th child was to do with the staff and policys etc of caithness general i just now wished id done it before with the others and with my 2nd and 3rd i was out the hospital within 6 hours of the birth .. wouldnt stay in if i had a choice i got plently of rest at home and at least was comfortable and was around those that actually knew and cared about me .
Exactly how i feel. I felt i got more rest at home as at least my partner could have him for an hour or so while i had some sleep. I had stiches and found it sore to move all the time and to sit down from standing up. The midwives never came to check on me often either. Properly only twice in the 12 hours i was there. Next time i'm defintly going for a home birth.
I had no choice.
It had to be at a hospital.
I was due to go to Raigmore on the 3rd of Jan to have Euan.
Was all sorted for that one.. but was dreading being so far away from the girls without any visitors other than my hubby!
Didnt workout like that though.....
But the restricted visiting was not great....
Next time i'm defintly going for a home birth.
the lack of community midwives up here limits your chances of choosing a home birth.
If you check with every other ward in the hospital and if fact different hospitals throughout the country, you find that most hospitals have a 2 to a bed visiting policy for infection control reasons! Staff from place to place may be more relaxed with the rules, but it is policy!
Dont think its right for new dads though!
ShelleyCowie
28-Jul-10, 12:59
I am one who refused to go to inverness! Said that from the start of my pregnancy. Im having an elective C-section in wick. I would prefer to deliver there. Also the unit needs our support.
Vistravi - Home births are a no-no until they get more midwifes. One midwife has just left so they definetely cant do them. I know its a struggle for them to get midwifes up here. If they still done them i would have considered one although im sure i would still end up with a section.
And i think they only check on you a few times because the midwifes dont like over crowding you. Whenever i needed them i just buzzed (i love that buzzer) but on my last night there i was absolutely knackered, morphine had kicked in and i was a bit drowsy. One lovely midwife came and took athrun, bathed and changed him and settled him for me so i could get a few hours sleep.
I know alot of mums dont want to be seperated from their wee ones but to be honest, i needed that sleep to let the pain killers work. It was so generous of her as she was on her own that night.
well said Shelley, unfortunately we had to go to Inverness the first time because they didn't have any blood service in Wick at the time so a c-section needed to be done in Inverness.
i agree the maternity unit in Wick needs all our support and should be used unless there's a medical reason that means Raigmore's the only option.
apart from staffing shortages, having a home birth also comes with it's own risks, so unless you live next door to CGH i'd forget it in case you need to get rushed in.
as with everything else, when it come to CGH maternity unit, use it or lose it.
ShelleyCowie
28-Jul-10, 13:50
well said Shelley, unfortunately we had to go to Inverness the first time because they didn't have any blood service in Wick at the time so a c-section needed to be done in Inverness.
i agree the maternity unit in Wick needs all our support and should be used unless there's a medical reason that means Raigmore's the only option.
apart from staffing shortages, having a home birth also comes with it's own risks, so unless you live next door to CGH i'd forget it in case you need to get rushed in.
as with everything else, when it come to CGH maternity unit, use it or lose it.
Its a shame you had to go to Raigmore, but whatever is best for mum and baby then it has to be done.
I hope all services can resume to normal at CGH soon as it would entise more mums to be to be willing to have their babies there.
Yes home births carry a high risk. I dont think i could have gone through with one even if they were available. i would prefer to be in the right place, but thats just my opinion as i know of alot of successful home births.
I had a section with my first, section again this time. I have spd and would prefer another section.
But keep up the good work midwifes! You have our support :D
lybsterlad
28-Jul-10, 17:39
we had to go to Raigmore because CGH didn't have the staff/equipment to deal with our difficulties with pregnancy.
however, if more and more mums to be choose Raigmore over CGH for reasons other than medical issues, e.g. better visiting times and friendlier staff at Raigmore, then we can kiss the maternity unit in Wick goodbye :(
yes i quite agree but as i said in my last post staff at CGH do not appear to be doing anything to encourage new mums to want to deliver their babies in wick, such a shame really if we lost the maternity unit but then again are the staff in maternity doing anything to help save it????????????
when i had kian , unfortunatly i had to have him in aberdeen as he decided to arrive early and there was no beds in raigmore at the time, and as my oh cant drive, he didnt see kian unto the day he came to collect us, this ment i had no visitors atall and that was so hard, the staff were lovely and would come in and see me, also going up and down to the special care unit, i think this dint help my postnatle depression which i developed, as all new mums know you feel low after a few days, so i really think that dads, or the new mums parents if no partner is around should be allowed more visiting time, when i had jayden in wick they werent to bad on the 2 to a bed rule, again i think it depends on what midwife is on.
I had all 5 of my bubs in Aberdeen and its a cattle mart through and through, no care for the mother you are just a number on a conveyer belt, some of the staff are nice but the majority are total cows who havnt got first hand experience as most have never had a child and until you go through that you cannot comment or tell mums and mums to be what they should and shouldnt be doing, the only thing Aberdeen had going for it was open visiting for dads and they didnt have a limit on other visitors at visiting times. I think the small local community hospitals that have a one to one should be supported as much as they can and its a shame that all these matty units are having to close down due to lack of funding and staff.
booze snooze
28-Jul-10, 19:18
i had my children in cgh and have nothing but praise for them i wouldnt like to be in a ward with a new baby with a ward full of strangers visitors where would they draw the line ? when there was no more room think off the heat noise germs etc i say if you want to go to inverness why not but should you not be there for all your anti natal care?? good luck on your journey:lol:[disgust]
My friend had baby in Inverness staff were really nice and welcomed visitors why cant wick maternity staff take a leaf from raigmore staff.
If it is hospital policy surely both hospitals would have same visiting hours policy to follow, strange or what???????? is it hospital policy or is it the staff ????????????
yes i quite agree but as i said in my last post staff at CGH do not appear to be doing anything to encourage new mums to want to deliver their babies in wick, such a shame really if we lost the maternity unit but then again are the staff in maternity doing anything to help save it????????????
to be honest, whenever i see that many question marks in a post i think nutter/fanatic and ignore it.
superceltic
28-Jul-10, 20:37
to be honest, whenever i see that many question marks in a post i think nutter/fanatic and ignore it.
i wouldnt go that far! lol i think they are just trying to get a point across.....
I had all 5 of my bubs in Aberdeen and its a cattle mart through and through, no care for the mother you are just a number on a conveyer belt, some of the staff are nice but the majority are total cows who havnt got first hand experience as most have never had a child and until you go through that you cannot comment or tell mums and mums to be what they should and shouldnt be doing, the only thing Aberdeen had going for it was open visiting for dads and they didnt have a limit on other visitors at visiting times. I think the small local community hospitals that have a one to one should be supported as much as they can and its a shame that all these matty units are having to close down due to lack of funding and staff.
i found that with raigmore, would never have a baby there, had to go down a couple of times with my 1st and last pregnancy and with a 11 year difference it had never chanced, but everyone is different.
lybsterlad
28-Jul-10, 21:49
to be honest, whenever i see that many question marks in a post i think nutter/fanatic and ignore it.
sorry not a nutter/fanatic have strong feelings on this subject, ignore it??? why reply strange whos the nutter/fanatic????
rogermellie
28-Jul-10, 22:03
sorry not a nutter/frantic have strong feelings on this subject, ignore it??? why reply strange whos the nutter/frantic????
err ... sorry to step in here, but i think the word you're looking for is 'fanatic' not frantic
n - a person whose enthusiasm or zeal for something is extreme or beyond normal limits
if it is a question you are posting then normally one question mark will suffice ;)
Hospitals and maternity units exist to provide the best possible care for ill patients and new/expectant mothers. The staff in all wings, whether it's surgical, medical or maternity, are following rules with the intention of getting the patient well enough to return home as soon as possible. They use common sense in all cases but if they don't allow visitors to outstay their welcome, or sit on beds, or have more visitors than is allowed, then rest assured that they are enforcing the rules with the patient's best interests at heart. Having seen the droves of visitors at some bedsides, it seems that the only way to control it is to strictly enforce the rules. It's disruptive for other patients and makes infection control difficult. Some of the earlier posters' expectations are more in keeping with an open house or four star hotel and they would feel really hard done by if they were forced to give birth in some of the larger hospitals in cities further south where the new mums are dispatched home to fend for themselves within hours of giving birth. Stop whingeing the lot of you, let the staff do their jobs properly and thank your lucky stars that the health service exists.
miss swanson
29-Jul-10, 01:06
it was the same when i was in wick maternity i was takin in 2 weeks b4 i gave birth as i had that pre eclampsia and i had a whole ward to myself and they still said 2 to a bed i hated it i was a young mum at the time (19) and was scared n visitin was terrible i got sent to inverness to give birth and at my bedside was 7 members of my family and not 1 thing said just shame it was so far away
Has anyone that has posted bleating about two to a bed ever been in hospital and had to suffer other peoples' visitors?
Whilst staying in Henderson Wing in Wick I had a room to myself. I was there to recuperate before going home with my baby. I had to endure four days of a yapping bint in the room through the wall. She never shut her mouth from 9am in the morning when her hub arrived until 8pm when he left. She also had whole tribe of visitors.
The next one was born in Inverness. Two to a bed rule there, should be peaceful... how wrong was I? One woman had a continual tribe of visitors to the six-bed ward. Everyone else had a small quantity of visitors and it was fine, but this one lady's visitors were a nightmare.
The point of my rant is that when a lady has had a baby she is there to recuperate and bond with the child, not to run a social club. Let's face it, she didn't need chums or family to point her in the right direction when she conceived the sprog therefore she can surely manage a couple of nights on her tod in the hospital. As for the husband rule, most hubs I know are quite happy with an hour here and there; and with second/third sprogs, he has other children to look after anyway.
I was in CGH for 5 days before i was given a c-section as my waters had broken early and have nothing but praise for the staff. My partner was there every morning at 8am until about 9pm and i also had my mum and other son visit everyday. they were allowed to visit me outwith visiting hours. Prior to me having my section my son was with me everyday from lunch time till about 5pm. After my son was born my partner was still allowed to come down to see us every morning.
Westsider3
29-Jul-10, 16:45
Hospitals and maternity units exist to provide the best possible care for ill patients and new/expectant mothers. The staff in all wings, whether it's surgical, medical or maternity, are following rules with the intention of getting the patient well enough to return home as soon as possible. They use common sense in all cases but if they don't allow visitors to outstay their welcome, or sit on beds, or have more visitors than is allowed, then rest assured that they are enforcing the rules with the patient's best interests at heart. Having seen the droves of visitors at some bedsides, it seems that the only way to control it is to strictly enforce the rules. It's disruptive for other patients and makes infection control difficult. Some of the earlier posters' expectations are more in keeping with an open house or four star hotel and they would feel really hard done by if they were forced to give birth in some of the larger hospitals in cities further south where the new mums are dispatched home to fend for themselves within hours of giving birth. Stop whingeing the lot of you, let the staff do their jobs properly and thank your lucky stars that the health service exists.
I most certainly do not expect a four star hotel or open house! When my first was born (in Wick, 5 years ago) I had loads of visitors and it was really tiring. I would have been glad of some restrictions then! On the birth of my second baby in Raigmore it was just close family due to distances and it was lovely. However, my mum and dad were able to come into see me and our newborn along with my husband and 5 year old and it was a lovely family time. You can't have that in Wick under the current policy.
I am only asking why the rules are so different between Wick and Raigmore. I have delivered in both and found both units to be very good and I would praise the staff to the hilt. However, I know of several mums who have been upset by the tightness of visiting. They are not wanting "droves" of visitors but I think most people would want to share the first time the grandparents see the newborn with their husband/partner there too and not outside the unit waiting!
I am in no way having a go at the staff in the maternity unit in Wick as they are following guidelines but I do think it is really strict and not family friendly. Also like I said, I have delivered in Wick and thoroughtly enjoyed my time whilst in the unit.
lybsterlad
29-Jul-10, 16:46
err ... sorry to step in here, but i think the word you're looking for is 'fanatic' not frantic
n - a person whose enthusiasm or zeal for something is extreme or beyond normal limits
if it is a question you are posting then normally one question mark will suffice ;)
sorry typing error which has now been sorted,and i am aware of what fanatic means thanks.
booze snooze
29-Jul-10, 17:23
perhaps visiting should go back to "the olden days"fathers only! the other patients in the ward have to be considered and for many reasons might want a wee bit peace and quiet the henderson wing i am sure are doing there best and with little thanks:confused
I heartily agree with LMS's points and would suggest that perhaps strict adherence to the rules might be relaxed a bit if visitors didn't abuse it and disturb other patients. New mums are there to recover from the birth and don't want a load of strangers disturbing their rest.
Inverness were way more relaxed but they are the same 2 visitors 2 a bed but fathers were allowed into the unit from 11am until 9-10pm at night which i found good as i got to rest while my OH took care of baby. ;)
Alba.gu.brath
10-Aug-10, 01:10
My wife just gave birth in Raigmore last Tuesday and we have nothing but praise for all staff involved with my wife, Alicia was induced on Monday morning as she was 13 days overdue. She went into labour at 1pm and over the next 22 hours of her labour the staff were excellent. At 11am on Tuesday, Alicia was taken to theater for an emergancy C section and at 11.33am Eilidh was born weighing 9lb 11oz. I was with her from 9am on Monday morning right through till 10pm on Tuesday evening, after that I was allowed to visit from 10am to 10pm. I was even given free accommodation whilst Alicia was there. Alicia was allowed to use her mobile on the ward and we were told that it was hospital policy to let fathers spend as much time with their partners and newborns as possible as this lets the mother get more rest. On Wedensday we were asked if Alicia wanted to be transfered to Wick, at first she said no (as one of her friends had a bad experiance there) although after speaking with me and agreeing with the midwife that it would only be for a night Alicia agreed. On Thursday afternoon we made our way to Wick, Big mistake! When we got there we were told that I would have to leave and only return at visiting times as they didn't have designated times just for partners. Eventually it was explained to me that all of the restrictions were due to Raigmore complaining! Eventually after refusing to leave I was allowed to stay in the relatives room overnight and then allowed to visit from 9am untill Alicia went home at 3.30 on Friday. Advice given to us on the care of our baby in Raigmore was tottaly contradicted by what we were told in Wick. Due to the way we were treated in Wick... myself and my wife have decided future additions to our family will be born in Inverness.
shell1986
10-Aug-10, 08:59
when i was in in december 2008 i had my parents and step bro and step sis at least 3 of my friends it was really nice to share ma new baby with them all but when i was in in may this yr i hated every min of it but it is nothing to do with the staff as they were great both times kept checkin with me that everything was ok and if i needed anything but all this is to do with infection controll as the place has been givin a long waited for make over
i must point out that both times i was the only person on the ward
mums angels
10-Aug-10, 16:23
well said Shelley, unfortunately we had to go to Inverness the first time because they didn't have any blood service in Wick at the time so a c-section needed to be done in Inverness.
i agree the maternity unit in Wick needs all our support and should be used unless there's a medical reason that means Raigmore's the only option.
apart from staffing shortages, having a home birth also comes with it's own risks, so unless you live next door to CGH i'd forget it in case you need to get rushed in.
as with everything else, when it come to CGH maternity unit, use it or lose it.
Have you had a home birth ? Well from someone that has i can safely say that when you have a planned homebirth with the amount of equipment that they give you two weeks before your due date , oxygen, etc etc you are in just as good hands as at the hospital and as for emergency sections etc you cant have a home birth if they feel you are at risk of this , breech birth etc and if something unexpected came up they would have you on the way out to wick as they were prepping for a section in the theatre so no time would be wasted . They only consider really low risk pregnancies for home births and i wouldnt have done it if i thought i was risking my childs life at any time . The only thing that didnt go to plan for me was that you are supposed to have two midwifes at the birth and only one made it for me because of the time . If i had opted for a hospital birth my child would most likely have been born in the car somewhere between here and wick so at least with my decision i had a profesional on hand . All births come with risks its sadly part of life but i wouldnt say planned homebirths were any more risky than a hospital birth at least my daughter didnt contract MRSA at home unlike my son that did being born in hospital .
Sara Jevo
11-Aug-10, 09:18
The criticism of the hospital seems a bit unfair to me.
Reducing infections in hospital from bugs is a national priority, and the hospital will be under pressure to meet targets for this.
Enforcing rules designed to reduce the risk of infection seems pretty reasonable to me.
It is a hospital after all, not a social club.
And these restrictions are in place all over the NHS not just wick maternity!
Alba.gu.brath
12-Aug-10, 16:32
Less restrictions at Raigmore but better infection control ? 100% v 95% last 30 days maternity dept
shell1986
18-Aug-10, 22:12
if we dont support our hospital then they might as well close it give them a break ppl they do a gd job at wat they do i might have said that when i was in that i hated it but its only as i dont like goin to the hospital even as a visitor
would be interesting to compare the infection rates!!
Don't know about Raigmore but CGH has been free from MRSA for over a year.
Edit - the last hospital I worked at talked of how many dozens of cases each month. Less than 10 was considered good!
Not all of CGH has been free of MRSA this year - Someone in the QE had the infection
ShelleyCowie
19-Aug-10, 08:37
if we dont support our hospital then they might as well close it give them a break ppl they do a gd job at wat they do i might have said that when i was in that i hated it but its only as i dont like goin to the hospital even as a visitor
I agree that we need to support our local unit. If not we will loose it. Im due to go in next Wednesday. From the start of my pregnancy i refused to go to Raigmore unless i had to. Our unit needs every mum. They done a great job last time i was there and to be honest, i look forward to going in next week.
Every hospital you go into you have a risk of getting an infection. Funnily enough, hospitals are for sick people too! So its a chance you take anywhere.
Yup agree its nothing to do with Inverness as my hubby was allowed in from 11am to 10pm.. it was brilliant as I was a bit incapable the first couple of days and he did all the feeding, I was in a room by myself and would have hated it if he wasnt there.
Wicks hours are ridiculas. I think four to a bed is a good limit, I know someone who have been in tears as they could not get into see their teenage girl who had just had a baby as some others were in!
Recent news in the unit DOESNT suggest its cleaner than Inverness and it doesnt point towards visitors..
I do certainly agree we need to support the unit in WIck as we need it
ShelleyCowie
01-Sep-10, 22:16
Sorry to bring this thread back up, but can i just say what an excellent stay i had in the Maternity Unit in CGH. I was in from Wednesday evening to Saturday lunch time. The staff were so nice and helpful to me. If i asked for something they done it right away.
Not being able to move for 24 hours they helped me so much through the night after my hubby left. Bringing me coffee and toast was my highlight :Razz
Visiting was not restricted. I had 4 people to my bed at one point (I was in a room of my own so wasnt disturbing other people)
The day i had my son my hubby was allowed in from 8am-8pm. Stayed with me all day :)
Hygiene standards were high, bins constantly emptied, floors washed, bathroom cleaned etc etc.
So a huge well done to the staff there. They do an excellent job. But i have to say im not visiting again! No more kids :lol:
Have you had a home birth ? Well from someone that has i can safely say that when you have a planned homebirth with the amount of equipment that they give you two weeks before your due date , oxygen, etc etc you are in just as good hands as at the hospital and as for emergency sections etc you cant have a home birth if they feel you are at risk of this , breech birth etc and if something unexpected came up they would have you on the way out to wick as they were prepping for a section in the theatre so no time would be wasted . They only consider really low risk pregnancies for home births and i wouldnt have done it if i thought i was risking my childs life at any time . The only thing that didnt go to plan for me was that you are supposed to have two midwifes at the birth and only one made it for me because of the time . If i had opted for a hospital birth my child would most likely have been born in the car somewhere between here and wick so at least with my decision i had a profesional on hand . All births come with risks its sadly part of life but i wouldnt say planned homebirths were any more risky than a hospital birth at least my daughter didnt contract MRSA at home unlike my son that did being born in hospital .
Did you have a pool? and if you did how did you empty it?
Alba.gu.brath
01-Sep-10, 23:04
Our next Child if we have one will be born in Raigmore
ShelleyCowie
01-Sep-10, 23:07
Our next Child if we have one will be born in Raigmore
Do you care to elabourate? Just interested...:)
Alba.gu.brath
01-Sep-10, 23:22
My wife just gave birth in Raigmore last Tuesday and we have nothing but praise for all staff involved with my wife, Alicia was induced on Monday morning as she was 13 days overdue. She went into labour at 1pm and over the next 22 hours of her labour the staff were excellent. At 11am on Tuesday, Alicia was taken to theater for an emergancy C section and at 11.33am Eilidh was born weighing 9lb 11oz. I was with her from 9am on Monday morning right through till 10pm on Tuesday evening, after that I was allowed to visit from 10am to 10pm. I was even given free accommodation whilst Alicia was there. Alicia was allowed to use her mobile on the ward and we were told that it was hospital policy to let fathers spend as much time with their partners and newborns as possible as this lets the mother get more rest. On Wedensday we were asked if Alicia wanted to be transfered to Wick, at first she said no (as one of her friends had a bad experiance there now a legal matter) although after speaking with me and agreeing with the midwife that it would only be for a night Alicia agreed. On Thursday afternoon we made our way to Wick, Big mistake! The room was freezing they had to bring in an electric heater the sanitary bin had rubbish in it . we were told that I would have to leave and only return at visiting times as they didn't have designated times just for partners. Eventually it was explained to me that all of the restrictions were due to Raigmore complaining! Eventually after refusing to leave I was allowed to stay in the relatives room overnight and then allowed to visit from 9am untill Alicia went home at 3.30 on Friday. Advice given to us on the care of our baby in Raigmore was tottaly contradicted by what we were told in Wick. Due to the way we were treated in Wick... myself and my wife have decided future additions to our family will be born in Inverness.
read...........
i had all three of mine in raigmore and the staff were really great.. been a few years though now, but totally disagree with the comment on it being a production line.
in fact, when i had my boys.. i was in for the long term.. nearly 3 weeks with sam.
visitors were def. restricted in scbu.. but that is very understandable. as for MW and Dr's not caring? that is a load of tripe.. when i had Tom.. the entire Ward was devestated along with me.. i remember the first night i was on my own after having him.. a baby was crying in another room.. and the MW came in to check on me.. and she sat down on the bed.. and looked like she was going to cry herself.. and asked me if i was ok.. she said we could move rooms if i wanted as she thought the sound of a baby crying would upset me.
when they gave me tom , they held him and cuddled him just like any other baby.. he was precious and they showed him that respect.
MW's that were on HOLIDAY.. that had worked with me thruout my preg. came in to see me.. my Gyne.. came to see me when he finished work.. and sat with me for over an hour and visited with me.. not as my dr. but as someone that had been through a preg. with me and was grieving at the loss of a precious life with me.
I had calls from CHG mw's giving their condolences.. and when we came home.. the MWs here visited me.. and my GPs here visited me at home.. and MW's and medical staff came to the funeral.
how did that make me feel.. comforted.. i knew then more than that any time.. that I was not just a number, and that my baby would be remembered.. so guys when you think that the MW's and staff are not really caring.. i can testify that they really do..
they have a job to do and they have to do it.
i think dads should be exempt from the visiting hour rules.. and i think that each situation is dif.
a lot of the time the MW will be able to look at mom and tell what she needs! in fact ive seen stressed out new moms frantic with nerves with visitors knocking at the doors. and MW's asking if they would like them to make up an exscuse not to visit right now..
also, seen Mw's bend rules when ive seen new moms really stressed and upset because shes afraid to be left.. and dad can stay that little bit longer .. or gran.. well its lights out but if you go to the family room..... you can visit just that wee bitty more..
they do what they can.. but they can only do what that little bit of room allows..
all in all after all my bletherin.. my hat off to you staff of CGH and raigmore.. when ever i was in your care.. i was taken care of.. and my boys was all shown lots of love and care from everyone they came into contact with!
ShelleyCowie
02-Sep-10, 09:27
read...........
Oh sorry, i did read that before. Well i have to say i cant fault Wick at all. As i said my partner wasnt restricted and i was also allowed to use my mobile in Wick. I guess we all have different experiences?
Also Brandy, what you wrote took me to tears there. :~( im glad you had such good support though.
Without going into it to much I had an awful birth in Wick which scarred me and put me off having anymore children, but I had two brilliant experiences in Raigmore they couldnt have been any nicer and i got a birthing pool and was able to walk round and not made to lie on my back even though I didnt have pain relief. Also the gas and air was not restricted!!!!!!
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