“Staff are quick to judge. Like with me before, going to hospital — after my baby was born. They wouldn’t let me go home. The staff wouldn’t let me go home. My baby was crying, and I said to them, ‘No, it’s not like this at home, we have an alarm at home, and that alarm wakes me up when my baby cries.’ They didn’t provide that in the hospital, but I knew I had that at home.
So for a few nights, when I was in the hospital, because I had high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, anyway, I stayed in the hospital –- there was no alarm provided for me and no interpreter provision either. I relied on my mum. And they said, they think I shouldn’t go home. And I said I have an older daughter, but I also have a baby alarm. And it was only then they reluctantly said, OK you can go. But I did feel discriminated against.
My midwife was really upset and called the hospital and had a go at the hospital for judging me. They didn’t even believe that I had the alarm, and everything. I realised I was judged because I was deaf and they didn’t appreciate that I could actually know the baby was crying because I have an alarm. And they didn’t believe that. So that was frustrating for me. And I think the hospital should have an alarm for deaf mums — they should provide that. If deaf mums are staying in hospital — for when their babies wake up, yes, why not? So, it was bad enough with my hormones anyway, but I was really, really upset.
And also with regard to breastfeeding, I found it really hard to breastfeed, and I just needed some support. And again I was upset. I asked for an interpreter. They said well, you have to book them two weeks in advance. I said, well this is an emergency, I didn’t know I was going to have problems with my breastfeeding. There are interpreters out there. Can you help? Help was not given. And again I had to ask my mum about helping me to breastfeed and about how I could get through this. Not the midwife, but my mum.’
Go to our Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign page here for more info and to get involved.
She adds:
I send you picture of baby alarm also other informations about alarms. Baby monitor that can be connected to their vibrating alarm clock which will vibrate the bed when deaf parents are sleeping.
https://bellman.com/en/product/alerting-products/baby-transmitter/
https://www.gadgetspeak.com/gadget/article.rhtm/750/691342/Watch_Care_V120.html
(Note — listings are to share information about equipment deaf mums can use, not an advertisement or endorsement by WinVisible.)
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