I wouldn't give birth again in Rotherham

I've had eight children: four in the US and four in the UK. Until my last baby was born (in September this year) I had argued the NHS experience to be as good as, and even better than healthcare I had in America. (There are no home visits in the U.S. and health visitors are unheard of.)

I can honestly say the previous three births at Rotherham General were really good, and having had pre-eclampsia in one past pregnancy, I felt the hospital was my home away from home. That was 2009. A lot can happen in a couple of years.

Because of my past health issues, this time I was admitted off and on the last month of my pregnancy. A month from my due date I was put in a ward where a nurse said cheerily, 'We are really short-staffed tonight, ladies, so look after each other!' 

Following a poorly episode and an ambulance ride from Sheffield, I was admitted to the ward four days before my baby was born. Despite having really high readings from the paramedics, I was put in a room and left to languish for two hours before they found the time to check my blood pressure.

Because of my health, I was booked in to have an induction, and arrived at nine am on the given day. I languished in a side room all day (which I jokingly referred to as the oubliette in one of my desperate calls home to my teenagers.)

Dinner time came and went without me being offered food despite the fact I had the door propped open and continued to peek my head out and look for signs of life. A midwife finally came in about three pm but that was only to take my fan. At nine pm, one cold egg sandwich later, they admitted defeat, were too short-staffed and couldn't induce my labour.

Luckily I insisted on staying in and they found time in the early afternoon the next day. I nearly cried with relief. Incidentally, the woman working behind the nurses' station adjacent to my room had a horrendous cold and coughed and sputtered all over her desk during the whole of her 12-hour shift.

I imagine she probably would have liked to have spent the day in bed but there was nobody to replace her. Once I was considered to be in active labour, the care admittedly improved and I was treated as if I existed. The midwives, when existent, are attentative and warm, it's just a matter of finding them when you need them.

If my health was better, I would possibly consider another child (don't laugh) but I would never on God's green earth consider having another one in Rotherham, or anywhere effected by the NHS cuts.

I can't understand by any stretch of the imagination where they are going to make the cuts and how they could possibly lose another solitary member of staff. I don't think it's fair that so much work and overload is dumped into the hands of the few hospital staff and community workers and it's only going to get worse.

I have warned any friends of mine considering pregnancy that their experience is going to be less than standard and possibly life threatening. Perhaps this new threat is the birth control plan the government doesn't have to pay a penny to provide.

Julie Anne Stribley, Canklow Road, Rotherham