Stroud Maternity (by alaric)
Sarah was a bit under the weather with anemia and an infection, but the infection cleared up with antibiotics and the anemia is improving with iron supplements. Her separated pelvis is hurting her, but that's to be expected after spending so much time lying or sitting due to the initial recovery and subsequent anemia, which makes her tire easily. It'll improve as she moves about more, and as the pregnancy hormones drain from her system, the ligaments will firm up again and it will return to normal.
Mary, meanwhile, is doing fine!
However, Sarah was sufficiently recovered yesterday to be driven down to Stroud Maternity. She'd been in Gloucester Royal Hospital's maternity ward, which was great - it's shiny and new, and the staff are skilled, professional, and take the time to reassure and discuss everything.
However, Stroud Maternity is a local legend, and we were keen to explore the chance to stay there. Everyone we know who's been there swears by the place. If we had been going for a normal delivery with no expected complications, Mary would probably have been born there.
When we arrived, I at first wondered what all the fuss was about. It was small, and not all shiny and new. Sarah was put into a smaller room, with an older model of bed. It seemed... quiet, and empty. Everyone had said you had much better care from the staff here, but Gloucester Royal had been teeming with staff; here, a few people in casual clothes sat in offices with the door open onto the single corridor.
But once we'd unpacked, and Sarah had regained her strength from the car journey and wheelchair transfers so we could start exploring, it began to make sense. Sarah and Mary are in a side room, but a few doors down the corridor widens into a little ward. One wall has about four alcoves with beds in, while the other wall has a small kitchen, with supplies to make hot drinks, and an alcove full of toys and games for elder siblings. In the middle of the ward is a large wooden table, where meals are served; they put out placemats and serve the food on proper plates, rather than hospital trays, and the dinner lady brings cups of tea round. A bowl of fruit sits in the middle of the table at all times. There were three ladies in the place when Sarah came out for dinner; one stayed in her room, but the other emerged and sat opposite us, and we chatted about babies and this and that over dinner. Beyond the ward is a room with comfy chairs and a TV, and large windows looking out onto a lawn with trees.
Later that evening, as I was settling Mary and Jean down to leave, Mary kept gumming hungrily and wailing, but Sarah was hurting from breastfeeding too much, so she dispatched me to ask for formula milk so I could take over; the midwife was surprised that we thought that necessary and concerned that breastfeeding was hurting Sarah, and came in to see Sarah, and quickly pointed out that she wasn't holding Mary in a way that would encourage her to get the most milk out, and a few other tips that helped her then feed from Sarah until she slept. Sarah was then sad that we'd had not breastfeeding support when Jean was born, and she'd been suffering all this time - and when the midwife later let me out through the security doors, she noted that Sarah had seemed a bit distressed, and asked me if I felt she'd said the right things; I quickly explained, and she said she'd try to help.
So, I wouldn't have a bad word to say about Gloucester Royal. It certainly has the advanced facilities to deal with complications in labour, Cesarean sections, and serious medical problems after birth; they've got neonatal incubators, and cardiac crash teams on call, and all that. But if a mother and baby are past needing all that stuff, there's a lot to be said for Stroud Maternity as a small, cozy, place without medical uniforms, disturbing medical equipment bristling with tubes standing on hand in the corridors, and the bustle and sterility of the hospital. Somewhere to sit and chat with other people in the same situation, and friendly midwives with time to talk, and have all the domestic stuff handled for you before you are strong enough to return home.
Wed 2nd Feb 2011 11:38 am 
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