Clinton Hospital Maternity ward experience

To whom it may concern

My daughter was born Thursday evening 11 July 2019 at Clinton Hospital. Unfortunately our experience from the moment our daughter was born was not as wonderful as one would expect. We are officially lodging a complaint to Clinton Hospital as well as demanding answers.

My daughter was an emergency caesarean after induction earlier the day was unsuccessful. I have Systemic Lupus and due to this reason, the paediatrician told my husband that my daughter had to go to ICU to have her heart monitored as Lupus in the mother may have an effect on the child’s heart. Even though her Apgar count was 8/10 at birth they did not allow me to hold her and she was immediately taken to ICU. She was only released out of ICU the Saturday as the Paediatric Cardiologist only arrived the Saturday afternoon to do the EEG and ECO.

When we received authorisation letters from the medical aid, it stated that our daughter was admitted for Respiratory distress syndrome.

My husband and I would like to enquire as to why this is the reason for admission to ICU and not observation as was told to us by the paediatrician in theatre. As far as we are concerned this is ***** against the medical aid as the reason for admission was different and the ECO and the EEG that was done on my daughter by the Paediatric Cardiologist could just as easily have been done in the maternity ward.

We are considering reporting this to both the medical aid and the HPCSA and would fully support them if they decide to take any legal action.

Furthermore, on all of my documentation it was stated clearly that I wanted to breastfeed my child. Firstly she was taken away immediately after birth even though nothing was wrong with her. Secondly when my husband started asking nursing staff to help me, so that I may start to stimulate and pump breast milk for my child, both ICU and nursing staff in the maternity ward were unhelpful. ICU staff directed him towards maternity and maternity directed him towards ICU.

We asked the nursing staff in maternity for a manual pump. We did not receive a pump or any assistance from staff. Finally the Friday afternoon, when I was able to walk, we went to ICU to try and get staff to help me pump milk. One nurse connected the machine and left, when we returned later that day to try and pump again, as the first try was unsuccessful, no staff assisted us even though we asked multiple times and nurses kept saying they will come and assist in a moment. We could not get the machine to work and decided to leave as it was clear that no help would be given in ICU.

My husband finally decided that we will purchase our own manual pump. I tried to pump the whole of Friday evening. Saturday when my daughter was released from ICU and brought to me, we again asked maternity nursing staff to please help me with breastfeeding, the nurse took my daughter put her on my breast and said, that was it. My husband asked her how long she should feed for and should we alternate between breasts. The nurse rep**** with as long as possible and left. No support or advice was given.

This is alarming as breastfeeding seems to be important to the hospital and the staff, but when it comes to actually assisting first time mothers and especially those who already have a setback due reasons such as only seeing your baby two days after birth, no help and no support is given.

As no help was given at the hospital and my daughter was put on a bottle from day one, she would not latch and my milk never properly came in. I had to make an appointment with a lactation specialist who tried to help me, but it did not help as we kept having difficulties and my milk also soon dried up.

I blame the nursing staff as well as ICU staff, as it was clear that we wanted to breastfeed and we asked for assistance multiple times. Nursing staff was more concerned with their cell phones than helping.

We want to lodge an official complaint as well as receive an explanation as to why my daughter was admitted for respiratory distress syndrome when we were told that she was only admitted for monitoring and the general lack of support given to mothers when it comes to breastfeeding.

I hope to receive feedback on the matter in the very near future.