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Childbirth should be joyous. For Laura Fleming, it became the start of an avoidable nightmare. In this conversation, Laura describes what happened after the birth of her daughter Sienna in March 2020: a retained surgical swab, weeks of pain and infection, and a long struggle to be taken seriously. Her story highlights the hidden toll—on health, bonding, and trust—and why safer counting processes matter.

▶️ Watch the interview

Key moments

• 00:00 – Why we’re sharing this story
• 01:14 – “Everything seemed fine… until it wasn’t”
• 05:23 – First signs something was wrong
• 10:32 – “We’ve located a foreign object”
• 18:40 – Documentation vs reality
• 20:27 – Lasting physical and emotional effects
• 31:30 – The fight to be acknowledged
• 42:27 – How simple tools (like iCount) could help
• 48:26 – Laura’s message to mums and decision-makers

What Laura’s story shows

• The human cost: beyond clinical notes—pain, repeated infections, disrupted bonding, and anxiety.
• System pressure: checklists may be ticked, yet errors still slip through.
• Transparency matters: acknowledgement and timely support change patient outcomes.
• Prevention is practical: clear, visible swab tracking with double-checks (human + digital) reduces misses.

Why iCount is part of the fix
iCount provides a simple, visual way to track swabs during procedures—making counts obvious at a glance and harder to miss. When combined with routine checks and openness, it helps teams protect patients and each other.

If you’ve experienced something similar
You’re not alone. Speak to your clinical team, ask questions, and seek support. If you work in maternity or theatres, share this story with your team and discuss how to strengthen counting processes.

What Next?

• Share this video to raise awareness.
• Talk to us about piloting iCount in your unit.
• Subscribe for more patient and clinician perspectives on prevention.

Disclaimer: This content is for awareness and improvement. It does not name hospitals or assign blame and is not medical or legal advice.