Labour debrief

[Sonners]

Has anyone had a labour debrief at King's? If so, could you please tell me who you called to arrange it? I had heard the maternity helpline was the number to call but wanted to double check before bothering them.

Thanks for any input.

[devsdev]

I got referred via the women's physio (in the ureogyny team) - Emily Nellist, who is amazing (but possibly still on Mat leave herself).

I had my debrief with Teresa Arias who is a consultant midwife at Kings and was very kind and helpful. I doubt anything happened/was conveyed to the midwives who I believe compromised my care, but at the very least it provided catharsis for me (though I'm getting a bit upset thinking about it now!). A friend of mine who had an even harder time didn't get that support and tried to have a debrief through PALS and was really given the run around (in an incredibly fragile emotional state). I would ask the maternity helpline and if you end up getting the run around contact someone like Teresa Arias directly. If you want a debrief then there's obviously a reason and that needs to be acknowledged by the "powers that be". Good luck!

[Bluedark]

I think I got incredibly lucky on this one. The midwife who visited me after my birth, who was the third midwife visiting me, was very considerate and quickly picked up I was a bit upset about my labour. She let me talk about it with her which felt really good and she also arranged with the Kings to contact me in the new year to book an appointment with the consultant midwife to talk through my hospital/birth notes. I was planning to arrange a debrief as I think it is important to do it sooner than later, whilst the experience still fresh in my mind so really happy that it will be arranged in a few weeks time. Perhaps talk to the midwife who is caring for you after the birth for advice. Good luck.

[Saffron]

Hi Sonners, I hope you're able to get your notes easily and have a productive debriefing. If you find you're stuggling and would like some peer support with any post-labour issues, please come along to the birth support group that forumite Sillywoman is organising. Next meeting Thursday January 9th, 7-9pm. xx

[Sonners]

Thanks all for your posts. I've actually left this a while and my daughter is 11 months! My wish/need for a debrief is more to understand the problems that I had in case they affect/would recur in a future pregnancy as I ended up with an EMCS at 37 weeks due to as yet (to me) heavy unexplained bleeding one evening. At the time the doctor said they would explain after the birth but it never happened...

[espelli]

I also saw Teresa Arias at Kings for a debrief and found my session with her was really helpful. I was also concerned that my experience with my son would be repeated in any future pregnancy(he was born at 32 weeks by EMCS after a scan showed he was in difficulty)I was put in contact with Teresa after I went into the PALS office at Kings when I was there for something else and at the time my son was about 18 months old so don't worry about the amount of time that has elapsed!

[Smiler]

Sonners, another option is to ask your GP to write to the hospital with your questions.

My GP did this, and the file was dug out, hospital doctor looked into it and I had a follow-up appointment, v useful.

[Saffron]

No time limit on peer support. xx

[sillywoman]

Teres Arias is lovely and always happy to go over previous births. It can be very useful (and sometimes quite enlightening) to have someone explain what happened and why as it's written in your notes.