News Comment: St Michael’s Hospital Bristol, time to say thank you instead of slamming staff care

As debate about the standard of postnatal care continues, it is important to remember that whilst there are very definitely staff and bed shortages, the UK is not a third world country.

Postnatal mothers have a duty to themselves to be responsible for their own recovery.

There are hospitals, there are drugs and there are staff all for free dedicated to caring for and delivering babies as safely as possible.

Three of Chopsy Baby reporters have used the services of St. Michaels Hospital in Bristol, on more than one occasion.

Whilst most recently 2009/10 we felt this would be an excellent opportunity to expose the failings of the maternity service, the article was never written.

This was because there was nothing to expose. Nothing shocking, no ghastly failings, simply a hospital with its staff doing the best it could for its patients.

We found St. Michael’s Hospital to be clean and tidy – despite the attempts by some of its patients to leave used maternity pads where they fancied.

The food was not bad.

The wards clean.

The Central Delivery Suite ran smoothly despite so many women clamouring to get in.

When we asked for the wonderful anaesthetist, he came.

When we wanted additional physiotherapy, it was given.

During labour, there was always a midwife present being nothing less than professional, polite and wonderful during those difficult times when all is a painful blur and you need to put your care and safety into someone else’s hands.

Within hours of birth, babies are given full health checks and a hearing test.

In the CDC, there is an element of the left hand not always knowing what the right hand is doing, but labouring women are unpredictable. Juggling the right one into the right bed at the right time must be difficult. Let’s show some respect.

Midwives of course cannot work around the clock and are responsible for many women. It is likely a different one will come to your aid each time you press the buzzer. But, you are able to press a buzzer and one will turn up.

There is some differing advice amongst midwives when it comes to feeding babies, but you stick to your instincts as a mother. It is your responsibility to pay heed to advice in antenatal classes, read up in the Bounty Book.

Hospitals are not hotels. Getting mobile after birth, including after caesareans is essential to a good recovery. We observed women who simply could not be bothered wallowing in beds and getting midwives to fetch things for them.

So much advice is given to women to take it easy after giving birth, but let’s be realistic, you have a baby and it needs looking after. Sometimes you just have to get up and get on with it. Yes it hurts. Yes, sometimes lots.

After going home all of us found postnatal care to be perfectly acceptable. If you want something or need extra support then ask. Midwives and health visitors are not mind readers. If you think your midwife or health visitor is wrong, just ask another one. If you are really worried or in pain, go to the GP.

Free antenatal and postnatal classes were always available and local Sure Start children’s centres run an excellent range of additional classes and support.

As in any industry, you will get people who are good at their job, bad at their job, very rude or lovely and will go that extra distance to make sure you have the very best experience you can.

Rather than continuously taking every opportunity to knock the work of hospitals and their staff, sometimes we should say thank you instead.