Has anyone ever requested their labour notes?

[Bellagio]

If so, what did kind of information did you receive?
I'm thinking I'm going to request mine but just wondered how much of it they actually give you and is it worth it.
Does it include the midwive's written notes during labour any operation notes (for a CS) or is it just all the stuff we carried around in the red folder plus a birth summary or something?
Also, if you got them, was there anything in them you didn't already know?

[SauvignonBlanche]

I got a copy of mine as I was trying for a VBAC at a different hospital to where I had my first DS. It was an EmCS after a 3 day labour which almost gave me PTSD as it was so awful. I wanted to work our why I needed the CS.
I was also hyper worried after an IUD at 22 weeks.
I got everything apart from the CTG recordings which they said would cost extra. They did ask why I wanted them which I thought was bit cheeky.
I passed them onto my new consultant

[minceorotherwise]

I requested mine and they made it incredibly difficult for me to get them. When they arrived they covered everything, including some bits that were fabricated ...! But that's a whole other story.

[IHaveAFeatureWallAndILikeIt]

I asked my community midwife if i could keep them to read for a week and she let me. It was the notes from labour/emcs. I found out that ds had an initial apgar of 4 and needed oxygen, then it went to 10. (i was under GA)

[oreocrumbs]

I didn't request mine, but I did read them, they were left in my room by accident for a while.

There wasn't a lot in there, a list of facts, 9pm arrived and assessed, 11pm 5cm, that kind of thing. My birth was very straight forward though so I don't know if there would be more written up had there been complications, or if I had pain relief etc

There was nothing I wouldn't expect, and nothing very interesting. Did kind of get a shock as they had written in fairly medical term something along the lines of child delivered entire and alive, which of course I knew but it just occured to me that some peoples notes would have a fairly coldly written sentence saying something very different and it upset me. I had just given birth so I blame the hormones!

[Bellagio]

Interesting that they're not handed over without question then.
I'm really wanting to see them to prove that I did need a CS, which they admitted in the end after doing it (after 30hrs labour)
Should I ever feel brave enough to go through it all again I would be too terrified to even contemplate a VBAC so I'd be hoping to find some kind of back up for my cause!

[Jux]

I had dd in Cornwall while living in London so I'd bout my notes with me, and took them back when we went home. Complete notes with everything the midwives had written, and everything else. Can't remember precisely. Probably still got them somewhere.

[Bellagio]

X posts, I wish I'd thought of that featurewall !

I'm prepared for all the gory details, That's what I want tbh,I just don't want to waste my time (& money? -does it cost?) if all I'm going to get is a load of bump measurements and pee stick results!

[Chubfuddler]

I read my labour notes from delivery of ds while waiting to go into theatre to have dd. it was fascinating actually.

[minceorotherwise]

£50 usually

[Cupawoman]

After an extremely difficult, traumatic labour (19 years ago now) I requested my notes and was given an emphatic no. I always wondered about the decisions taken at the time and requested the notes again last year. Apparently everyone now has the right to do so. I paid about £10 for a copy. However, although they gave little away about the situation at the time, they did clarify one or two things for me and I got quite emotional reading them. I do feel if helped with put everything to rest and wish I could have gone through them shortly after the birth with a qualified person.

[Bellagio]

Oh that's awful cupawoman

[thederkinsdame]

Yes, I got mine after a similar experience to sauvignon they were basically as I'd expected. Factual in places and a remarkable work of fiction in others to cover the fuck ups. I had a debrief with a consultant at another hospital using those notes, thanks to the help of the birth trauma association. the consultant wrote a very strong letter to my GP regarding the disaster that was my 'care'

[SauvignonBlanche]

My next consultant was lovely, after looking at the notes we agreed on a VBAC which didn't work but hey- ho, it was a much better experience.
There is a very small admin charge. To be fair the admin person probably asked as I would have needed the CTG if I was after suing them.

[aufdeutschbitte]

Is it possible to get inaccuracies/fabrication corrected, I wonder?

[Bellagio]

Its incredible, you'd think that the notes would be super accurate given that anyone is free to request them nowadays.
Thanks so much all for your input so far, I think I'll go ahead and request them.
I'm hoping It'll help me draw a line under it to stick with one or arm me with enough justification for an elective CS if baby number two ever appeared on the radar!

[minceorotherwise]

I don't imagine you could get fabrications changed easily! They changed mine because they we worried we would sue them. We didn't though.

[aufdeutschbitte]

I would have thought you could sue for disseminating incorrect info. Not that you would, necessarily; but surely they should change it, just in case you decided to.

[minceorotherwise]

You would have to get them to admit they fabricated it though, and usually it would be fabricated for a reason, ie it could give you reason to sue or show inadequate care or mistakes. I cant't imagine they would be prepared to change it without being ordered by a court to do so.

[WoollyHead]

I got a copy of mine. I found them very difficult to read and it actually upset me rather than doing any good. Every tiny thing was documented (e.g. how I was 'abusive and out of control' i.e. swearing, and exactly when I pooed myself ). It did clarify why I was offered so much pain relief when my birth plan said the exact opposite, as it became apparent they'd needed a reason to transfer me from the ward to the delivery unit, so had written that I requested pain relief . I had not.

[bonzo77]

I am horrified but not really surprised about what I have read here. Fabrication and any comments beyond clinical facts. mince there is no justifiable reason for fabricating notes. the only reason is to cover arses. I guess the assumptions is made that a distressed woman in labour won't remember what actually happened. As to getting them corrected, sadly though the labour was a life-changing event for the woman, it was another day at work for the staff, who probably will not remember details.

As a clinician I write all my notes on the assumption that 1. a patient will read them. 2. they will be required in court. Fortunately things are not so life-or-death nor as painful in my field, but I always use dispassionate language. If I felt a patient was abusive I would use something like "appeared agitated". I'd love to see my labour notes. To try to understand the decisions made.

[WoollyHead]

Yeah bonzo, it really did say that and I really am sure that I was not, because DH was there and actually kept notes for me (I asked him to, as I knew my memory would not be the most accurate ). I found it really hard reading that someone had written that about me .

[minceorotherwise]

Quite bonzo. In my case the baby died due to inadequate care, I don't want to go into it, but basically they made it exceptionally difficult for me to access my notes for my subsequent pregnancy. I realised why, when I got them. They had certainly attempted to cover their arses. I do realise these things happen but in my case it was quite blatant and obvious, my subsequent consultant was duly horrified

[Bellagio]

mince I'm so sorry that's dreadful.

[bonzo77]

mince that's horrific. So so sad for you.

wooly you did well to get your DH to keep notes. but how doubly sad that he had to put any time or energy into that.

I actually think that notes should be the patient's property, and the hospital no more than a guardian for them. That you should be issued with a copy (unless you opt out), if necessary with a small photocopy charge, either on discharge or at your 6 week check. Notice how nothing judgy goes in the antenatal notes that you carry about with you? If there were nothing to hide there would be no issue with giving copies. I can hand on heart say that I would happily issue copies of my patients' records.

Some patients have interpreters. The interpreter has to act as a non-judemental go between, using no jargon and just relaying what has been said. If only there were a way that an "interpreter" could write the notes, noting down accurately, completely and unemotionally what was happening, as it happened.

[thederkinsdame]

mince that's terrible. I'm so sorry for your loss

My notes came out with someone else's tucked in them. I had everything - her medical notes, address, phone no, scan pictures, name of children, their notes from the birth etc. I returned them recorded delivery and put in an official complaint about it. Years later, I'm still waiting for their response.