Right to Respond

Healthwatch is committed to providing a transparent and honest view of health and social care services. This is your opportunity as the health or social care provider to have your say on comments the public have left. It is designed to be constructive and allow both sides to have a fair and equal say in the matter so please:

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Original feedback for

James Paget Hospital


Traumatic birth with no control

From the moment I entered the hospital to give birth, I feel like I have given up all control over how I wanted things to go. I was denied pain medication, anti-nausea medication, despite being told I could have it, I was just never given it. I didn’t feel supported or encouraged. I was reluctant to have the hormone drip but was forced to have it despite there being no medical reason to have it. I feel all of this contributed to a horrible experience and unfortunately, both my baby and I became distressed and the dilation was brought on too quickly for my body and after 2 hours of pushing, I had to have a forceps delivery in theatre. I was then given little support following the birth, just constantly checked for blood pressure but really it felt like very little care was given. I was then told not to go home that night as I hadn’t mastered breastfeeding but I wasn’t given any help. I felt like I was being told off. I had no sleep for 48 hours and only one midwife was kind enough to look after my baby while I got an hours sleep. It completely ruined my birthing experience and has left me anxious, distressed and full of guilt and shame. I wish I had stayed at home a lot longer but I was told to go in to hospital and in hindsight I regret going in so much. My immediate instinct was that if I ever have a future child, I don’t want to be anywhere near a hospital for the birth. Except that I feel terrified that I won’t be able to cope as giving birth the first time was the least empowering thing I have ever done so I honestly don’t know whether I will be brave enough to have another baby. Which is so incredibly upsetting as I never wanted to have an only child. The only person I have a positive memory of is the Dr who actually delivered the baby. He seemed to be the only one who spoke to me with real kindness and compassion and took the time to check in with me and my partner to see how we were doing. Everyone else just told me what I could or couldn’t do or gave me instructions and didn’t listen to my needs at all.