Support after birth could be better
We recently had our second baby at the Ipswich Hospital. The care during labour was excellent and our midwife was brilliant. Things did not progress as expected and the doctor was called in. She was also fantastic and clearly highly skilled and proficient. The patient focussed approach deteriorated greatly once transferred to the Orwell ward. Prior to transfer we were told I would not be allowed to stay overnight because “we don’t do that anymore”. My wife was very weak and dizzy after the birth but there was no option to discuss the possibility of me supporting her. The staff are clearly very stretched and so I feel, given this and the reduced levels of care post birth, I and other birthing partners can really help to fill that care gap. Also, it is hard to drive away so soon after the birth of your child. Communication could be vastly improved. You get seen by a range of professionals after the birth of the baby but none of them appear connected and cannot offer communication about what to expect next leaving us with more questions than answers. Discharge, whilst welcome, was very rushed and again this was due to capacity and paperwork processing.