A mother has been left in debilitating pain months after the birth of her child after staff shortages at Canberra Hospital led to her induction being delayed.
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The claims were made in a submission to a committee inquiry into maternity services in the ACT, which is due to have public hearings this year.
Submissions to the inquiry - which has heard from patients, staff and peak bodies - are open to the public until January 31.
The inquiry was launched after midwives and staff at Canberra Hospital penned an anonymous letter to the government saying patients' lives were being put at risk due to understaffing and poor management.
One submission from a Canberra couple said the mother still experienced regular and debilitating pain eight months after giving birth and had significant follow-up treatment.
The couple believes the complications could have been avoided had they received proper and timely care.
The submission said at 36 weeks it was discovered the baby was on the small side and its amniotic fluid was low.
Multiple clinicians - including those at Canberra Hospital - recommended an induction at 38 weeks.
However, the induction was pushed back a number of weeks, being told they no longer needed to induce.
She was eventually admitted to be induced at 41 weeks and two days.
"We were emotionally exhausted before the main event had even started," the submission read.
But she spent another two nights in hospital before the induction would even happen.
"It was bizarre and frustrating to us that there were more than a dozen empty beds, but apparently no staff available to deliver our baby," the couple said.
They said they were later told by an obstetrician the reason for the weeks' delay was the hospital didn't have the staff or beds to safely induce.
The baby was eventually born after being induced, requiring forceps and an episiotomy.
"After speaking with multiple specialists, we are firmly of the belief most of this pain and trauma could have been avoided, had [the mother] given birth at 38 weeks, as recommended initially by [redacted]," the submission said.
"Moreso, we believe, indeed we were told outright, the delay was not best practice medical care and was in fact caused by understaffing at The Canberra Hospital."
Another mother, Nicole, said she was kept from seeing her new born babies who were on a different ward as the hospital did not have the staff to take her up to see them.
She said she was made to feel like a nuisance for losing blood after the birth and getting it on the bed sheets and toilet seat.
"We aren't John James hospital, we don't have the staff, sheets or time to clean up after you," she recalled the nurse saying.
"I didn't sleep at all that night as I was scared it would happen again," the mother said in the submission.
A staff member, who was not identified, said there were constant understaffing issues and pressure on midwives to take double or extra shifts.
The staff member said there was also a culture of bullying by senior staff.
Another mother, who was eligible for the Canberra Midwifery Program, praised her experience and the facilities.
The program provides midwife-centred care for low risk pregnancies and women planning on having a natural birth.
"I felt so well tended to, not to mention safe in her care. Despite how busy her job clearly was I never felt rushed," the mother said of her experience.
Submissions for the inquiry close on January 31 and should be forwarded to LACommitteeHACS@parliament.act.gov.au
