My 20-year-old daughter recently discovered her unborn baby had a heart defect.
It was decided as soon as the baby was born it would need life-saving heart surgery at Guy's Hospital in London.
She was to be induced early at St Thomas's in London so she could be up for the surgery.
However, the baby decided to come ten days earlier than expected so she gave birth in Brighton. Seven hours after the birth, the baby was transferred to Guy's Hospital and it was decided my daughter would follow in a separate ambulance as she could not travel with the baby in his.
To my disgust, seven hours after giving birth, she was told by a midwife she now could not arrange transport for her and the best advice she could give was to travel by train.
My daughter had given birth eight hours before standing at Brighton station waiting for a train on a Friday afternoon at the busiest time of day.
As there was no direct train, she had to change at another station and had to for the entirety of the journey because the trains were absolutely packed.
On her arrival at London Bridge she was wobbly, bleeding heavily, completely exhausted and ill-prepared to cope with the trauma she had ahead of her.
The next day, when she was seen by a midwife in London, she had very high blood pressure and was distressed by the previous day's experience.
The midwifery staff and nurses in London found it incredible to believe she had been allowed to face this journey, as has everyone I have since spoken to. How can a midwife give this advice?
It is imperative this is never allowed to happen again.
-Name and address supplied
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