That's why I love the haaka! It's only little and it suctions on so you can just concerntrate on feeding baby and not even notice it it just does it all itself Saves having to go through endless breastpads from let down 🤦♀️ which would happen to me otherwise 😂
Finally get to jump across to the May 2020 Babies thread from the Due in May 2020 thread 🙌
SO let’s start with my birth story.
A bit of back story. I studied hypnobirthing and wanted as natural a birth as possible. I read the “Positive Birth Company’s” book, completed their digital pack and attended a local Hypnobirthing course that was held 2 hours a week over 4 weeks. I was completely sold on it and felt well informed on pros and cons of various procedures, pain relief, etc to do with labour.
So at 28 weeks I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. This was frustrating as I could see many options for birth closing - for example unless I had SUPERB management of GD I would not be able to attend the midwife led unit I wanted to birth at, and my chances of having a water birth were slipping away. Thankfully I managed to stay diet controlled for the diabetes for the rest of the pregnancy. This kept these doors open - as long as nothing else went “wrong”.
Flash forward to 41 weeks pregnant. Still no baby, and my consultant was eager to induce me as they don’t like GD women going beyond 41 weeks (various reasons but the prime one is the placenta can deteriorate sooner for GD women). I didn’t want an induction. I believed baby will come when he’s ready, and I felt messing with the labour process would lead to more pain, a longer labour and more intervention. All things I’d like to avoid.
I had 2 Membrane sweeps - one at 40 weeks and 1 at 40+3. Neither were successful as my cervix was closed - it was getting softer but not opening. I had an induction booked for 41 weeks (standard procedure). After my sweep at 40+3 I asked my midwife if I could cancel my induction, she said I’d have yo discuss with the consultant, so we scheduled an appointment at 41 weeks. They also scheduled a scan so they could review baby with the latest data. I attended hospital ready to argue the following points to hopefully be allowed to do Expectant Management rather than be induced that day.
Points: -Gestational diabetes diet controlled, no issues
-Not actually 41 weeks as per menstrual cycle (The 12 week scan bought my due date forward, if I went by my menstrual cycle & date of conception I was actually due a week later)
-Baby come when he’s ready
-Induction leads to more intervention statistically
-I’m not uncomfortable, so happy for baby to stay
-Would like to labour at home until active labour
-Would like husbands support for entirety of labour, not from 4cm+ and waiting for him to get the call and arrive (Due to COVID-19)
-Feel labour will progress slower in hospital due to environment. Would like to labour at home as part of hypnobirthing plan to help oxytocin
-Induction risks drip will reduce mobility and eliminate water birth option
-Happy for further monitoring instead of induction if doctors worried
Anyways I went in armed with those points, and hoping the scan would offer more points. The scan was great - baby not too big, placenta and brain healthy, heart beat good, etc etc! The only thing they did see in the scan was some white blotches in the amniotic fluid. The sonographer was unsure about this as the machines were new so potentially extra sensitive? She doesn’t usually scan women over 40 weeks so this could just be a later pregnancy thing, or it could be a collection of skin cells, and wee, OR meconium.... she said she’d get a second opinion and from there I went to my consultant appointment.
At the appointment the consultant couldn’t rule out that the white bits were meconium so strongly recommended induction. Whilst I really didn’t want to, I couldn’t risk baby’s health, so I agreed to be induced and went straight down to the ward to get the process rolling.
The midwife who I dealt with when I first arrived was fantastic! She’d read my birth preferences, knew this was against what I wanted but let me know what could still be achieved and seemed really on my side! She applied the first gel to get the induction going and said I’d have a 2nd applied 6 hours later if required. Sadly her shift finished at 7pm, after that I got a VERY different midwife. The next midwife did not read my birth preferences and was on the whole very negative about what I wanted. As a part of hypnobirthing we request positivity and certain language - so for example rather than asking about pain, we ask about comfort - so you focus on the good. This midwife dashed any hopes of a birth I wanted - veto’d midwife lead unit and water birth, said it was going to be long and painful because I was being induced - basically said everything I didn’t want to hear/do. She put me in a total negative spin. The only “positive” from her was that she assessed me after the 2nd gel and said I was 1cm dilated so they could break my waters. Sadly there was no room on delivery suite so I had to wait.... 13 hours later I got the nod to go to the delivery suite and I could finally call my husband and get him in!
So I got to my room and had a shower whilst I waited for hubby to arrive. The midwife who was assigned to us was awesome. She’d read my birth plan, medical notes, everything! She acknowledged that somethings couldn’t happen because of the induction, but she said we’d stick to my plan wherever possible! The first “challenge” was whether they’d make me go on the drip after my waters broke, or if I’d be allowed a few hours to labour on my own naturally. I spoke to the midwife about my concerns and she went to the doctor. We all agreed I could labour naturally if my waters were clear, but if there was meconium I needed the drip as we needed to get baby out sooner rather than later.
Waters were broken and sadly there was meconium in it. So the drip it was. Initially it started off well, I was bouncing on a birth ball, breathing through every surge (contraction), I was feeling good! However eventually the drip got the best of me and the surges got stronger and I needed some pain killers. I quickly went from paracetamol, to paracetamol and codeine, to gas & air, to pethadine to an epidural! It was just TOO intense! Plus with meconium in the water baby had to stay in for 12hrs post birth to check he was ok, having the epidural also meant I’d need to stay in for 12hrs too. Whilst I wanted to breathe through each transaction and keep it natural I soon realised with the drip involved this wasn’t going to happen, and aside from a bragging rights that I did it natural (if that’s even a thing?!) there was zero purpose in suffering just for that.
The epidural was one of the best decisions I ever made! The pain vanished and I labored pain free! I could even get some sleep - something I hadn’t done in 36 hours! So my husband and I did just that! About an hour or two into our sleep the midwife woke me to say the baby’s heart rate was dropping. She thinks it’s the wireless monitors I was wearing and would I be ok to put a sensor on his head? Seeing as I was numb from the waist down I agreed as it wasn’t going to bother me at all. After the sensor was applied I went back to sleep!
Another hour passed and I was woken again. Sadly baby’s heartbeat hasn’t improved and the doctors suspected either baby wasn't agreeing with the meconium in the water, or his cord had got stuck when the waters broke. They were recommending I go in for a c-section NOW! Both me and my husband agreed. Again not something in my birth plan but we’d come so far and didn’t want to risk baby’s health. As I’d had an epidural most of the work on me was done, they just needed to up the anesthetic. Not long after I found myself in theatre, my husband by my side, knowing I was moments from meeting my son!
Sadly they couldn’t do delayed cord clamping as they needed to check he was ok, and get any meconium off him before he breathed it in. But they did let me have skin to skin as soon as they’d checked him over. I wasn’t expecting it but as soon as he was out of me he cried! I was sure he’d be silent and wouldn’t cry until they’d cleaned him and checked him over. It was such a relief! My husband and was with him from the moment he left me so got to see him being checked out which was nice, and it wasn’t long until he was on my chest, and he stayed there until we were in the recovery room!
I was convinced my birth story would be so negative after that midwife dismissed everything I wanted. But the midwives on the delivery suite were so wonderful that even tho I did almost everything I didn’t want, it was still fantastic and I look back at it with a smile!
So here he is. My baby boy, born at 4.33am on the 23rd May! Rex Orion!
So I have an absolute raging case of mastitis again ! I feel absolutely dreadful Georgie has had formula today as hubby insisted because he hated seeing me so poorly and I think I’m going to ween her off the breast .. it’s not fair on her she’s would have two lots of antibiotics in her system and she’s not even three weeks old ! It’s absoutely agoney
Oh @Lillian2410 that sounds really tough 😥 I hope you come up with a solution that works the best for you and Georgie - whether that's breast or formula really doesn't matter at the end of the day as long as you are both healthy, happy and content with your decision ❤️❤️
@Lillian2410 You poor thing! i can relate! I’m terrified I’m getting mastitis again! My other boob has suddenly got horribly tender on one side. Maybe it’s just a blocked duct ... i desperately hope I can sort it. I can’t cope with feeling like death again 😭especially as the doctors won’t be open until Tuesday!
I know tell me about it they wanted me to go to hospital last night well I refused because they basically said I’ll be treated as covid cuz my temp is so high 39.7! But it does come down a little with paracetamol qnsnmy breast is bright red with tracking marks ! I’m thinking I might have an abscess !
So on Sunday night I started getting some tightenings that I thought were just more strong braxton hicks. Up until 2am I was having these really mild and irregular contractions.
Then they went to every 3 mins and got a bit stronger but only lasting 30 seconds each. I called the hospital at 3:30 as wasn’t sure what they’d say with them being frequent but not long enough. Then called mum.
Got in the bath as advised by the hosp as they said go in once my mum arrived in an hours time. The contractions stayed the same so every 3 mins for 30-40 seconds.
Went downstairs at 4:30 to load car and get ready to go as soon as mum arrived
Baby had other ideas and decided he was coming there and then!
One contraction, he moved down and waters burst (about 440) hubby called 999, 3 more contractions in about 5 mins and he was out! I didn’t even push him because I was trying to hold on for the paramedics!
The cord was round his neck but Hubby got it off and he was breathing fine! Then a little voice pipes up from the doorway ‘I like that baby!’ 🤦🏼♀️ our 3 year old saw his brother be born!
I don’t really know how, given I didn’t push but think just because he came so fast, I had a third degree tear so had to have a spinal block and go to theatre to have it fixed. I was expecting to have to stay I hospital overnight but I managed to pass all the checks so we got home last night ☺️
I think my longest contract was like 45 seconds, so I just didn’t realise I was so far along!
So he was born at 4:46am on 25/05/20, and weighed 3.40kg/7lb 8oz
The staff were all incredible!! From the paramedics through to the anaesthestist (can’t spell that), just all amazing 😆
Also, hubby was allowed into the hosp while I was in theatre too so baby wasn’t on his own ☺️ We then got an hour and half all together while I was in recovery before me and Austin went to the ward and hubby had to leave
Ahhh congrats @MillP another Austin, he’s beautiful 😍😍 sounds like he was determined to get himself out 😂 glad you are all ok and didn’t have to stay long x
Wow, some incredible birth stories here! We are so glad to see all these babies arriving! @StephieLou95 our jaw is still on the floor, but what an amazing story you have to tell - amazing your mum was there too, and your husband delivering, just wow.
@PaulaLarr You really went through the mill, but thank goodness all ended well and your Rex is here safe and sound. Are you guys home now?
@MillP Just read your story too - wow, another home delivery! We are just awe struck how chilled out you guys sound.
So here's my birth story 😊 I was booked in for a elective c section on the 22nd of May 2020 we arrived at the hospital and got put in a room to wait for a Dr, Dr came and briefed me on what would be happening and have use masks, hair nets and gowns and scrubs to my partner... my son was born at 10:25am so we didn't have to wait long between arriving at the hospital and meeting him 😊, we got put in a 4 bed room but due to covid 19 only 2 women to a room... Everybody is wearing protective aprons and masks, I even had to wear a mask while I had the section done... No visitors can come to the ward... Only dads or the 1 birth partner... But due to covid 19 my partner is at home with our first born son as obviously with everything going on we can't risk him staying with other people while his dad comes to the hospital to be with me and baby... Should be home tonight or tomorrow tho so not to fussed 😊... The elective section has been much easier to cope with the pain is manageable and I am up and walking around, last time I had an emergency section and it was very painfull but I was OK after 5 days... This time I'm on day 2 and I'm feeling fine xx (wrote this a few days ago, at home now they let me go 24 hours after my section)
Wow @MillP! Congratulations on your baby boy 💙 well done x what a story to tell them both when they are big! Wait isn't that both surprise gender baby's making their big surprise entrance at home? @StephieLou95 xx
@DanielleMFM yes home now and settling into family life! Discovered what cluster feeding was last night and def recovering this morning! Got a plan of action for tonight should it repeat! Loving mummy life so far
@DanielleMFM yes home now and settling into family life! Discovered what cluster feeding was last night and def recovering this morning! Got a plan of action for tonight should it repeat! Loving mummy life so far
Oh fantastic Paula! So glad all is going great. @Rebecca1992 we are so glad to hear from you and meet Ozzy - he is gorgeous. How has Odin taken to him?
@DanielleMFM thankyou ❤️ odin is getting on with him ok he doesn't want to hold him tho he's still a bit like "what is that?" 😂 he just calls him baby hugs and kisses him and then goes away again x
@MillP I can't believe how similar our birth stories are!! Congratulations! I'm so happy it all well so well for you 💙 and we both had boys too!! My 2 year old saw the birth too - infact he laughed when I was pushing 😅 And yes @Rebecca1992 I think that is both surprise gender babies making surprise appearances at home! How crazy!
I think that's all of us who have had their babies now?! Now it's all about the craziness of life with a newborn! I've been catching my let down through the day using a haaka pump for a freezer stash for when I feel ready/gyms reopen so I can go back to train again. I've attached a picture because the difference in colour from day 2 to day 6 facinates me - just goes to show the difference between colostrum and the normal stuff once you'r milk comes in!
Replies
Saves having to go through endless breastpads from let down 🤦♀️ which would happen to me otherwise 😂
Finally get to jump across to the May 2020 Babies thread from the Due in May 2020 thread 🙌
SO let’s start with my birth story.
A bit of back story. I studied hypnobirthing and wanted as natural a birth as possible. I read the “Positive Birth Company’s” book, completed their digital pack and attended a local Hypnobirthing course that was held 2 hours a week over 4 weeks. I was completely sold on it and felt well informed on pros and cons of various procedures, pain relief, etc to do with labour.
So at 28 weeks I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. This was frustrating as I could see many options for birth closing - for example unless I had SUPERB management of GD I would not be able to attend the midwife led unit I wanted to birth at, and my chances of having a water birth were slipping away. Thankfully I managed to stay diet controlled for the diabetes for the rest of the pregnancy. This kept these doors open - as long as nothing else went “wrong”.
Flash forward to 41 weeks pregnant. Still no baby, and my consultant was eager to induce me as they don’t like GD women going beyond 41 weeks (various reasons but the prime one is the placenta can deteriorate sooner for GD women). I didn’t want an induction. I believed baby will come when he’s ready, and I felt messing with the labour process would lead to more pain, a longer labour and more intervention. All things I’d like to avoid.
I had 2 Membrane sweeps - one at 40 weeks and 1 at 40+3. Neither were successful as my cervix was closed - it was getting softer but not opening. I had an induction booked for 41 weeks (standard procedure). After my sweep at 40+3 I asked my midwife if I could cancel my induction, she said I’d have yo discuss with the consultant, so we scheduled an appointment at 41 weeks. They also scheduled a scan so they could review baby with the latest data. I attended hospital ready to argue the following points to hopefully be allowed to do Expectant Management rather than be induced that day.
Points:
-Gestational diabetes diet controlled, no issues
-Not actually 41 weeks as per menstrual cycle (The 12 week scan bought my due date forward, if I went by my menstrual cycle & date of conception I was actually due a week later)
-Baby come when he’s ready
-Induction leads to more intervention statistically
-I’m not uncomfortable, so happy for baby to stay
-Would like to labour at home until active labour
-Would like husbands support for entirety of labour, not from 4cm+ and waiting for him to get the call and arrive (Due to COVID-19)
-Feel labour will progress slower in hospital due to environment. Would like to labour at home as part of hypnobirthing plan to help oxytocin
-Induction risks drip will reduce mobility and eliminate water birth option
-Happy for further monitoring instead of induction if doctors worried
Anyways I went in armed with those points, and hoping the scan would offer more points. The scan was great - baby not too big, placenta and brain healthy, heart beat good, etc etc! The only thing they did see in the scan was some white blotches in the amniotic fluid. The sonographer was unsure about this as the machines were new so potentially extra sensitive? She doesn’t usually scan women over 40 weeks so this could just be a later pregnancy thing, or it could be a collection of skin cells, and wee, OR meconium.... she said she’d get a second opinion and from there I went to my consultant appointment.
At the appointment the consultant couldn’t rule out that the white bits were meconium so strongly recommended induction. Whilst I really didn’t want to, I couldn’t risk baby’s health, so I agreed to be induced and went straight down to the ward to get the process rolling.
The midwife who I dealt with when I first arrived was fantastic! She’d read my birth preferences, knew this was against what I wanted but let me know what could still be achieved and seemed really on my side! She applied the first gel to get the induction going and said I’d have a 2nd applied 6 hours later if required. Sadly her shift finished at 7pm, after that I got a VERY different midwife. The next midwife did not read my birth preferences and was on the whole very negative about what I wanted. As a part of hypnobirthing we request positivity and certain language - so for example rather than asking about pain, we ask about comfort - so you focus on the good. This midwife dashed any hopes of a birth I wanted - veto’d midwife lead unit and water birth, said it was going to be long and painful because I was being induced - basically said everything I didn’t want to hear/do. She put me in a total negative spin. The only “positive” from her was that she assessed me after the 2nd gel and said I was 1cm dilated so they could break my waters. Sadly there was no room on delivery suite so I had to wait.... 13 hours later I got the nod to go to the delivery suite and I could finally call my husband and get him in!
So I got to my room and had a shower whilst I waited for hubby to arrive. The midwife who was assigned to us was awesome. She’d read my birth plan, medical notes, everything! She acknowledged that somethings couldn’t happen because of the induction, but she said we’d stick to my plan wherever possible! The first “challenge” was whether they’d make me go on the drip after my waters broke, or if I’d be allowed a few hours to labour on my own naturally. I spoke to the midwife about my concerns and she went to the doctor. We all agreed I could labour naturally if my waters were clear, but if there was meconium I needed the drip as we needed to get baby out sooner rather than later.
Waters were broken and sadly there was meconium in it. So the drip it was. Initially it started off well, I was bouncing on a birth ball, breathing through every surge (contraction), I was feeling good! However eventually the drip got the best of me and the surges got stronger and I needed some pain killers. I quickly went from paracetamol, to paracetamol and codeine, to gas & air, to pethadine to an epidural! It was just TOO intense! Plus with meconium in the water baby had to stay in for 12hrs post birth to check he was ok, having the epidural also meant I’d need to stay in for 12hrs too. Whilst I wanted to breathe through each transaction and keep it natural I soon realised with the drip involved this wasn’t going to happen, and aside from a bragging rights that I did it natural (if that’s even a thing?!) there was zero purpose in suffering just for that.
The epidural was one of the best decisions I ever made! The pain vanished and I labored pain free! I could even get some sleep - something I hadn’t done in 36 hours! So my husband and I did just that! About an hour or two into our sleep the midwife woke me to say the baby’s heart rate was dropping. She thinks it’s the wireless monitors I was wearing and would I be ok to put a sensor on his head? Seeing as I was numb from the waist down I agreed as it wasn’t going to bother me at all. After the sensor was applied I went back to sleep!
Another hour passed and I was woken again. Sadly baby’s heartbeat hasn’t improved and the doctors suspected either baby wasn't agreeing with the meconium in the water, or his cord had got stuck when the waters broke. They were recommending I go in for a c-section NOW! Both me and my husband agreed. Again not something in my birth plan but we’d come so far and didn’t want to risk baby’s health. As I’d had an epidural most of the work on me was done, they just needed to up the anesthetic. Not long after I found myself in theatre, my husband by my side, knowing I was moments from meeting my son!
Sadly they couldn’t do delayed cord clamping as they needed to check he was ok, and get any meconium off him before he breathed it in. But they did let me have skin to skin as soon as they’d checked him over. I wasn’t expecting it but as soon as he was out of me he cried! I was sure he’d be silent and wouldn’t cry until they’d cleaned him and checked him over. It was such a relief! My husband and was with him from the moment he left me so got to see him being checked out which was nice, and it wasn’t long until he was on my chest, and he stayed there until we were in the recovery room!
I was convinced my birth story would be so negative after that midwife dismissed everything I wanted. But the midwives on the delivery suite were so wonderful that even tho I did almost everything I didn’t want, it was still fantastic and I look back at it with a smile!
So here he is. My baby boy, born at 4.33am on the 23rd May! Rex Orion!
He’s gorgeous btw!!
@StephieLou95 our jaw is still on the floor, but what an amazing story you have to tell - amazing your mum was there too, and your husband delivering, just wow.
@PaulaLarr You really went through the mill, but thank goodness all ended well and your Rex is here safe and sound. Are you guys home now?
@MillP Just read your story too - wow, another home delivery! We are just awe struck how chilled out you guys sound.
So lovely to hear from you all here
So here's my birth story 😊
I was booked in for a elective c section on the 22nd of May 2020 we arrived at the hospital and got put in a room to wait for a Dr, Dr came and briefed me on what would be happening and have use masks, hair nets and gowns and scrubs to my partner... my son was born at 10:25am so we didn't have to wait long between arriving at the hospital and meeting him 😊, we got put in a 4 bed room but due to covid 19 only 2 women to a room... Everybody is wearing protective aprons and masks, I even had to wear a mask while I had the section done... No visitors can come to the ward... Only dads or the 1 birth partner... But due to covid 19 my partner is at home with our first born son as obviously with everything going on we can't risk him staying with other people while his dad comes to the hospital to be with me and baby... Should be home tonight or tomorrow tho so not to fussed 😊... The elective section has been much easier to cope with the pain is manageable and I am up and walking around, last time I had an emergency section and it was very painfull but I was OK after 5 days... This time I'm on day 2 and I'm feeling fine xx (wrote this a few days ago, at home now
@Rebecca1992 we are so glad to hear from you and meet Ozzy - he is gorgeous. How has Odin taken to him?
And yes @Rebecca1992 I think that is both surprise gender babies making surprise appearances at home! How crazy!
I think that's all of us who have had their babies now?! Now it's all about the craziness of life with a newborn!
I've been catching my let down through the day using a haaka pump for a freezer stash for when I feel ready/gyms reopen so I can go back to train again. I've attached a picture because the difference in colour from day 2 to day 6 facinates me - just goes to show the difference between colostrum and the normal stuff once you'r milk comes in!