Melissa’s story
My name is Malissa Aiken, and I am sharing my birth experience which began on 28th December 2025 during my 40-week midwife check-up at the hospital.
At the appointment, everything appeared to be fine with the baby. However, I mentioned to the midwife that I had been experiencing slightly reduced movements. She sent me to the maternity triage where the baby's movements were monitored. The baby's movements improved but I was seen by a medical doctor who advised me to have a induced labour as any reduced movements in the baby can be a risk. I was assured the process was safe and I would be closely monitored.
Following this, I agreed to proceed with induction of labour that same day.
Induction and Labour
The induction process began later that evening. During the night, I was given the first induction tablet, but I did not feel any contractions or changes.
After taking the second tablet, my body went straight into active labour. The contractions became extremely intense, occurring approximately every two to three minutes. I was quickly transferred to the labour ward as the contractions continued to increase in intensity.
At this point, I requested an epidural, as the pain was extremely severe and very different from my previous three natural births.
During labour, the situation became very distressing. The baby's heart rate began to drop, while my own heart rate and blood pressure were increasing. My body went into hyperstimulation. The midwife pressed the emergency call button, and multiple midwives and doctors rushed into the room to assess the situation and decide whether I needed an emergency caesarean section. At this point the baby heart rate was dropping further and I had to keep turning multiple different sides
I was injected twice in the stomach to slow down the contractions. I was given more epidural to manage the pain as the contractions were coming every 30 secs and the baby was getting distressed
Within about ten minutes after, I began to feel as though something was coming out from my bottom. I told the midwife, but she initially said there was nothing there. I insisted something was happening.
Eventually, the doctor was called to check me and discovered that I was already fully dilated 9cm and ready to give birth. I then gave birth to my baby, who weighed 9 pounds.
Although my baby was delivered safely, the labour itself was extremely traumatic, with staff trying urgently to stabilise the baby's heart rate. This is due to the side effects of the pills given to induced labour which was not told to me before I decided to go ahead with induced labour. Also induced labour often leads to c- section and in worse cases hyperstimulation that can further lead to uterine rapture which is a serious life threatening complication for mother and baby.
Pain After Birth
The most difficult part of my experience began a few hours after giving birth.
After I was moved to the maternity ward, I began experiencing severe pain. Initially, I assumed it might be due to medication wearing off, but the pain quickly became intense and persistent.
I repeatedly told the midwives that I was in a lot of pain. However, I was told that this was likely because it was my fourth baby.
Despite this reassurance, the pain continued to get worse and worse.
By day two in hospital, I was struggling to walk and was taking paracetamol every four hours just to try to manage the pain.
By day three, I told staff again that the pain was unbearable. The anaesthetist was asked to review me to check whether the pain was related to the epidural. Although I was examined, no one recognised that the issue was more serious than what was being assumed.
Despite the fact that I could barely walk and was in severe pain, I was discharged from the hospital without any scans or further investigation.
After Discharge
After returning home, my condition worsened.
By Thursday, I could barely move and struggled even to walk from my bed to the bathroom, which was less than five steps away. I had to hold onto furniture just to move around.
A community midwife visited my home on Friday, and I told her how much pain I was in. She said that after a fourth natural birth, I should not be experiencing this level of pain.
I explained that I had already been telling the hospital staff how severe the pain was, but nothing had been done.
Discovery of Retained Placenta
While the community midwife was present I went to the toilet and noticed a large, clear, string-like tissue coming out of my vagina. I gently pulled on it, and a large blood clot came out, roughly the size of my fist, with a very strong and unpleasant smell.
I immediately called the community midwife and showed it to her. She was shocked and explained that it appeared to be retained placenta tissue, baby membranes, and a blood clot.
I asked why this was still inside my body if I had supposedly been checked properly after birth.
She advised me to contact the hospital immediately and return for further assessment, and told me to bring the tissue with me.
I wrapped it and took it back to the hospital to show the doctors.
Hospital Follow-Up
When I returned to the hospital, doctors examined me and confirmed that placenta tissue had indeed been left inside my body.
A scan was performed, and the doctor informed me that small placental tissue was still visible and blood clot if my body don't naturally pass it out then I might require a procedure to flush out the remaining tissue.
At this point, I began praying because the entire experience had already been extremely traumatic. I had been complaining about severe pain for five days, yet the issue had not been identified earlier.
I was eventually sent home and told to return if I experienced heavy bleeding. I was also given antibiotics, as I had developed an infection from the retained tissue remaining inside my body for several days. I had a follow up appointment on Monday with a gynecologist to check if any remain was left. Thank God it was clear
Emotional Impact
This experience left me feeling deeply traumatised. After what happened, I began feeling extremely anxious about any physical symptoms or issues with my body.
The situation could have been very dangerous. Retained placenta can lead to serious infection or sepsis, and in severe cases could even result in death.
If I had not discovered and removed that tissue myself, the situation could have been far worse.
Despite repeatedly telling staff that I was in severe pain and unable to walk, I felt that my concerns were ignored.
Loss of Trust
Because of what happened, I felt that I could no longer trust the NHS doctors involved in my care despite being told at the gynecologist it was clear
I ended up paying for a private gynecologist to ensure that everything was medically okay. Thankfully, he confirmed that there were no remaining complications.
However, the emotional trauma and distress caused by the experience remained.
Conclusion
The experience was deeply upsetting and overwhelming. No mother should feel ignored when reporting severe pain after giving birth.
This experience has left lasting emotional trauma, and I strongly believe that the system needs to change so that women's concerns during and after childbirth are taken seriously.
I am giving God thanks that I live to tell my story sadly many mothers are robbed of that chance
