A mother's experience of Oxford University Hospitals Maternity Services in 2023:
After my birth I was out in a side room on the post delivery ward which was never attended by staff. My notes clearly stated I already suffered from long standing mental health issues.
I was kept in the ward for 4 days because the staff did not view me as urgent despite increasing pain, isolation and anxiety. I had 3 panic attacks on the ward and was not responded to.
When they eventually intervened, my partner was dismissed and, as a result, suffered a period of anxiety and resulted to sleeping in the JR hospital car park to be near me outside of visiting hours.
I was left alone as soon as I was put on the ward and not told what to do if I needed help cleaning up myself and my stitches, using the loo or even how feed my baby. I spent the 4 days awake and did not sleep any longer than 3 hours the entire time.
Eventually I demanded to be released home and after lots of back and fourth, was allowed to go.
As a result of the traumatic experience, I do not have any memory of my post birth experience/memories of my child. Even when returning home, I struggled to readjust passed the typical and adjustment phase and have suffered with postpartum depression ever since and resulted to attempts with taking my own life.
Thankfully I have a team of support from the adult mental health team and my family.