8:00am Thursday 18th March 2010
A FAMILY wants answers after a new mum ended up with a colostomy during a traumatic birth.
The Northwich woman, who does not wish to be named, suffered a fourth degree tear during the forceps delivery of her first baby and had to have emergency surgery.
Her mum, the grandmother of the family, said: “For her to have her first baby and it come to that – we were all in bits.
“It is bad enough giving birth and managing a new baby without the trauma and other implications associated with this type of surgery.”
She added: “All she can remember is that as soon as the forceps were introduced, she just blacked out.”
She said her daughter was in a lot of pain after the surgery at Leighton Hospital, and could barely nurse her daughter.
Then six months after the birth, in November 2007, she had to return to hospital to have the operation reversed.
“She said that the second operation was worse than the first one,” said the grandmother.
“So she had all the pain of it again and wasn’t able to pick her little girl up.
“After a colostomy you’re not even supposed to lift a kettle.
“But it’s not just physical, it’s how it affects you mentally too.”
The 37-year-old mum has been warned that if she wants any more children, they will have to be delivered by caesarean section.
The family was pursuing legal action after the birth but now, two years down the line, have been told by solicitors they cannot take the case any further.
The grandmother said: “When she was told the solicitors were closing her file, we just thought ‘for goodness’ sake, where do we go from here.’ “You hear about some of these ridiculous claims people make but we’re just banging our heads against a brick wall.
“It’s so infuriating.”
She contacted the Guardian after seeing a television programme about ludicrous compensation claims for personal injuries, which featured a man who cut himself shaving and a family claiming for their son who stubbed his toe playing football at school.
She said: “I feel so frustrated, I need to start somewhere.”
She added: “We just need some advice on how to get to the bottom of this.”
Anyone who can offer any advice to the family, should email northwich@guardiangrp.co.uk.
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