Deliver Me Safely

Deliver Me Safely - Campaiging for Safer Births in the UK 

A voice for the unborn children in the UK, and those already affected by traumatic birth and birth injury.

Hello, and welcome to Deliver Me Safely, a campaign for better maternity services in the UK. I have created this site in the hope that women can voice their opinions, and some action can be taken to ensure that we receive first class care when having a baby. Our aim is also to provide support for those affected by birth injury, from perineal tearing to cerebral palsy. For more about birth injury, please click here.

 Having a new baby is a wonderful time. It is a cause for celebration and hope. Relatives bring flowers and balloons. Everyone is keen to buy a tiny outfit or pair of booties for that beautiful newborn. Women often will say that the pain endured during labour was well worth it to have their precious bundle of joy at the end. But spare a few moments to think about the families that do not have this idealistic experience. Imagine how different this scenario could be if something went wrong. In the UK, thousands of women have a  traumatic labour and birth. For some, the outcome can be devastating and life changing.

Our maternity units are at breaking point. The birth rate is rising to a critical level. In 2008 there were 708,711 live births. Our under-staffed maternity units are not able to guarentee the one-to-one care of a midwife. This often means women are left alone confused, scared and in danger. 

 Women must be treated as individuals, not statistics. All expectant mothers should have choice in where and how they give birth. They deserve to be given appropriate advice and counselling to make informed decisions.

What can we do about it?

Lots! It is never acceptable for the quality of your care to be poor, even if the unit or midwife seems busy. You have the right to attend an alternative hospital or seek a second opinion at any stage.

If you ever feel that the care you have received is inadequate, you should make a complaint to the most senior member of staff around. Usually this will be a ward co-oridinator or supervisor of midwives. Always write things like names, times and dates down. If possible attend ante-natal appointments with a friend or relative. The worst thing you can do is nothing.

If you feel your issues have not been taken seriously or are un-resolved, then make a complaint in writing. You should contact the PALS  (Patient Advice and Liason Service) for help in doing this. You can find more about PALS at http://www.pals.nhs.uk/. After receiving your complaint in writing the trust has 30 days to respond to you. If you are still not satisfied, then it is advisable to contact a solicitor who will be able to obtain medical records for you and liase with the hospital on your behalf.

Send your views to delivermesafely@yahoo.com. (See Contact Us page for details.) Deliver Me Safely will be taking sample's of your birth stories received to PM Gordon Brown at Downing Street.

Why was this campaign started?

My name is Zoe, and I experienced first hand how poor maternity services in the UK can be. The picture to the right is of my daughter Caitlin. Caitlin was starved of oxygen at birth due to the incompetence of the "professionals" caring for me. As a result she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and sadly died in 2007. You can read her story here. Caitlin is my inspiration. I hope that by telling her story, awareness will be raised about birth injury and our failing maternity services. I am fighting in her memory for change so that YOUR child will not be another victim. I here too often of incidents where women have no dignity or respect shown to them. There are many case's where children have died as a direct result of poor maternity services.  Please  take a look at the News page for more example's of family's let down by their care providers.

If you have had a bad experience during pregnancy and childbirth, please contact us. I would urge you all to add your birth experiences so we can uncover key area's which need improving.