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The Due in April 2016 Big Birth Announcement thread

Hello everyone!

Well Easter has been and gone, and some of you have had your babies ALREADY! Congratulations!

So here is a special thread for your birth announcements.

Please use it to tell us all about your labour and birth, and your first moments with your newborn – and we'll come and shower you with congratulations – and, courtesy of our friends at MAM, a free MAM Start Soother and MAM anti-colic bottle with patented Silk teat and innovative vented base. MAM tell us the anti-colic bottle also 'self-sterilises in 3 easy steps'.

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Note: This thread is not meant as a replacement thread for the wonderful, long-running Due in April 2016 thread. We just thought it would be nice to have an extra thread running alongside, with all the birth news on it – and to have all the birth announcements all in one place to look back on in May and beyond.

Replies

  • Purple Star Birth Announcement!

    My son Joseph Paul arrived on 24th March 2016 weighing 6lb 13oz. He was born at 38+2 weeks gestation which is absolutely amazing as my daughter was born in 2014 at 32+4 weeks and we were expecting another prem baby this time.

    Here is my attempt at my birth story!

    Due to previous bowel surgery I always knew my pregnancy would be ending in a c-section rather than a vaginal birth. As my daughter was born so early they decided to set my section date ahead of time so that it was in my notes if anything did happen early. At 21 weeks my section was booked in for what would be 39 weeks (29th March 2016) but none of us expected me to make it there.

    So here is what happened...

    On 24th March 2016 at 8pm I was sitting on the sofa when I heard a popping noise followed by a strange sensation and searing pain down below. I was  talking to a friend via messenger and told her what had just happened and she laughed and said maybe it was my waters. As I didn't feel damp I just laughed it off and said no chance! After about 5 mins I decided to pop to the toilet to check and once I stood up my waters began to leak.

    By the time I made it upstairs there had been a gush into the toilet and I could no longer deny that my waters had definitely gone! My husband was out with the dog so I sat on the toilet awaiting his return.

    When he made it back I shouted down to him that I was pretty sure my waters had gone and that we needed to call somebody! I sat on the toilet for another 15 mins or so then decided to search out my pregnancy notes and phone the maternity triage team for advice.

    Whilst on the phone to the triage team my contractions began (8.30pm), they were quite strong from the off and took me by surprise as with my daughter they had started much slower and took a good few hours to be considered painful.

    We rang my parents and got my dad to pick up our 20 month old daughter and then made our way to the hospital. Upon arrival (9pm) the midwives were quite blase and didn't seem to grasp that I was in actual labour despite my obvious discomfort. After about 20 mins of me rocking about on the edge of the bed squealing in pain they decided to examine me and discovered I was 3.5cm dilated and it was confirmed I was in labour (doh! I could of told them that!)

    It was decided at 9.30pm I needed to get to theatre sooner rather than later and they said I'd be going for my section soon. I was told they'd be back soon and everyone left the room. I continued contracting and the pains were getting incredibly strong and increasing much faster than i'd anticipated. I kept shouting at my husband that he needed to get someone back because it was really hurting but he just kept saying they'd be back soon!!

    At 11pm I was taken into the operating theatre and given an spinal ready for my c-section. They swung my legs up onto the table and paged the surgeon as she'd disappeared, we all chatted and now I was numb and not in pain I was oblivious to any goings on down there! After 20 mins of waiting for the surgeon the midwife decided to examine me again (hadn't done it since the first time) and discovered I was actually now fully dilated and that I was leaking a large amount of meconium.

    I knew meconium was bad and that it meant my baby was in distress, the operating team paged the surgeon again and my section was escalated to a priority case. The team in the room were lovely and were getting really annoyed that the surgeon had disappeared! Finally at 11.30pm she appeared and the section was started... so relieved!! 

    At 11.50pm we heard a cry and our baby was out! The dropped the sheet slightly and showed us our baby as we didn't yet know the sex (he was very clearly a boy!!) and congratulated us. Due to the fact he was breech and the meconium that had been found he was whisked over to the bench for some extra checks but he was back with us in no time (with my daughter she was taken straight to neonatal and it was hours before we saw her so it was very different!).

    My husband held him to my face and I stroked his little cheek. Whilst they were sorting me out behind the sheet we sat there discussing names and eventually my husband decided we were going to call him Joseph and his middle name was to be Paul (its my dad's middle name and his dad's first name).

    In total my labour was 3hrs 50mins and was all extremely quick - i've had two pregnancies in which I should never of experience labour but both times my body has had different ideas! I definitely don't plan on having a third baby though as I don't think I could do it again!!

  • image

    Here it goes... The birth story of my beautiful daughter.

    On the 1st April at 16:00, as I was having a wee, I noticed that my waters were breaking, and didn't stop. I rushed upstairs into the shower and just stood in there whilst I called my partner.

    We phoned the midwife, but as I wasn't having any contractions she said to just watch things and come in when contractions are coming in closely. 

    At about 8pm I hadn't fell her move much so we phoned the midwife and she said to go to the hospital. I went to the labour ward and was strapped up to the monitor, baby girl was fine and I was starting to have very mild contractions. We were sent home and at about 1am, my contractions were four minutes apart. 

    We went back to the hospital and I was 4cm dilated. I was taken to a lovely labour room, and started on gas and air. I sat through contractions with just gas and air for many hours, at the next check I was about 5 1/2 cm dilated. Hours after that I was 7cm, and didn't progress after that. They put me on a drip to intensify my contractions, and was then imageat 7 1/2 cm, I felt the urge to push! I pushed for 1 hour 50 minutes, and give birth on a birthing stool. I had a small tear with no stitches. I gave birth to my beautiful Daughter at 7:48pm on the 2nd April. 

  • Oh MummyFee, sounds like you had a really good labour and it went nice and smooth. Might we ask, what did you name your gorgeous girl? And thanks so much for sharing your story.

  • Here is my birth story.  

    On 15th March I was admitted in hospital for having high blood pressure. When they carried out tests and did a scan they found the baby didn't have enough fluid around him.  After keeping me in for two days the consultant came to see me and told me I could go home but I would have go back in to be induced on Saturday.

    0n Saturday 19th at 9 o clock I phoned the hospital and was told they had no beds and they would phone me back.  Half an hour later I received a phone call and the midwife told me I would have to go to another hospital further away as they wouldn't be able to fit me in.

    we got to the hospital and the midwife that would be looking after me that day came to see me and told me they couldn't start the induction until they received my hospital notes from the other hospital.  Finally at 2.30 the 24 hour pessary was inserted and every 4 hours the baby was monitored.  For the rest of the day I didn't feel anything.  At midnight they put me on the monitor and when they came to check found baby wasn't moving much so they decided to monior it for another hour.  Then she came back and still no improvement. they asked me to have some fizzy drink and chocolate to see if that would help but when they checked again there was still no imrovement so she spoke to the consultant and decided to remove the pessary. once it was removed the baby started moving again.

    The next day the 20th they decided to put in the 24 hour pessary again and told me they would put it in at 10 but at 12 I was still waiting finally they put it in at 2 o clock.  They continued to monitor it every 4 hours.  at around 10 pm I fell asleep. At 2am woke up with back pain and started bleeding heavily and the pessary fell out.  I told the midwife I was getting contractions and when she examined me said the cervix was still high up and I was only 1cm dilated and they wouldn't be taking me down to the labour ward until late evening the next day as they had no beds.  The contractions started getting stronger and stronger and the pains were getting worse and when I asked for pain relief they said I couldn't have any until I was moved to the labour ward and they put me on the monitor again but it wasn't picking up the contractions.

    the midwife that was looking after me went on a break and another one came at that point I wanted to push and when I told her she asked if she could examine me andcwhen she checked the babies head was going to come out so then she pressed the alarm and I was rushed downstairs at 5 am and baby Yahya was born at 5.19.  Had a tear and had to have stitches.

    Sorry about the long story.image

  • Wow Sophie34, all that waiting around! You really were passed from pillar to post. But wasn't it worth it - your son is beautiful.

  • Thank you Danielle he was worth it 

  • image

    Here is my birth story.

    I was all ready and waiting for my induction on Sunday 3/4/16 at 1pm. All along I had been told i would only need one 24 hour pessary because i had children already and cervixs never close. How wrong they all were.

    I had to wait until a monitor was free before i got hooked up to one. Once this was done a 24 hour pessary was inserted and another 30 minutes of monitoring was done. Baby was fine and heartbeat was strong... Throughout the day i was feeling a few braxton hicks but nothing to have a song and dance about. 

    In the early hours of the next morning the woman sleeping on the right of me was in established labour. I could hear her breathing heavily and it took a while for her to get the gas and air that she needed. I felt sorry for her as there was no one there to support her. Finally when she got the gas and air the woman across from me screamed' i need to push' all members of staff ran to her and left the other one unattended.  Anyway push is what she did And She gave birth to her baby on ward behind a curtain infront of me. Finally the other one got sent downstairs To the delivery suite. It took so long. I was not impressed with the staff or the hospital.

    It took ages for me to get back to bed as the lights were on  And the staff were considerably noisy when cleaning up the beds.

     Monday morning came and went with new people admitted onto the ward sharing my room. I hadnt got over the events from the night before. 

    The pessary was suppose to be removed at 2pm but didnt until 5pm. Lots of monitoring was done. I had only dilated a finger tip. I was reassured that the second pessary would work Much better.   

    MY husband was with me but went home A few times ensuring that my children were settled. He was running back and forth like a yoyo, bless him.

    the hospiral beds were filled up with new ladies that were waiting to be induced. the lady that was now across from me was lovely and we just clicked on really well... We chatted and chatted about anything and everything which made out stay much pleasant.

    I felt no contraction like pain for the second pessary and hadnt even dilated further than the fingertip.

    On Tuesday evening once the second pessary was out the midwife said there was nothing else they could do for me. I had to wait till i naturally went into labour. I asked if i could go home in the meantime as this could potentially take days but i was told if i discharged myself it would be my responsibility if something had happened.

    i asked for a second opinion and it took them a few hours to get to me but i spoke to the registrar. She conducted an internal and confirmed what the midwife had said. But she said she would do a sweep too. BY this time the two ladies that came in the day before were also in established labour and still waiting for a room to be a ailable in the delivery suite before they could go downstairs. I really didnt like the idea that i would have to stay on ward when labour was imminent and contractions were so strong that others could hear me. For me labour is a private matter one where i maintain dignified and only people that are close to me who i want to be there are there. So i really felt for these ladies, it wasnt fair that they had to wait for a room to become available. And it certainly wasnt fair listening to women going into labour screaming out in pain.

    I shared my concerns with the registrar, i wasnt going to have my baby on ward and i sure as hell didnt want to frighten any other woman on ward who had to experience me going into labour. MY midwife said that they were all experienced and the baby would be safely delivered but i had seen, heard and experienced the lack of care given to women for the past two days and night and i sure didnt want that for me. The registrar tried to reassure me by saying as long as an emergency didnt arise or an ambulance with a lady in labour it would be me next in line to go down to delivery. i kindly reminded her about the two ladies either side to me who had been waiting for 12 hours to be taken downstairs. 

    i waited for my husband and children. I couldnt take them to my bed on ward because ladies were breathing heavily through contractions and its not where i wanted to take my children to. 

    MY husband and children left and as i walking back to my room i felt a sudden gush. I panicked and went to the toilet. All i can remember seeing was what i would describe as a heavy period.

    i asked the midwife to come and check it she didnt come and it been half an hour and i was panicking. I asked another nurse on ward and she said it was a show... Now i had moved up to definitely being next in line in going down to delivery suite. 

    At 1am they came to get me and i moved downstairs. The midwife there was fab. We talked for ages whilst assessments were careied out.  She broke my waters as she inserted a monitor which would attach to baby's head.

    i rang my husband and he came. By 8 oclock i was in established labour and with gas and air being my only friend i wanted to try pethidine. My bp was up and down althrough out the last few says too. The midwife was happy for me to carry on without pethidine so as soon as her shift was over i asked for pethidine again this time i was given it. Twenty minutes into her shift the replacement midwife left to attend a meeting and was replaced by another midwife.

    My oh said this one was fab.  She checked the monitors and realised they werent working properly and neither was the monitor inside me. She noticed my bp going up and down.  She quickly asked for a blood test to be carried out from babys head.

    As soon as one lot of blood was taken and sent to be tested the second nurse was ready to do hers. She didnt get to do hers because a whole network of people entered the room All talking to me at once. All i remember is they were explaining the risks of a c section, the roles each person had to play etc and asking me to sign consent papers..

    i vaguely remember what happened next just my oh stroking my hair and me waiting for baby to Make a sound. The next thing i remember is that i am upstairs on ward and i cant feel my legs. My baby was in the cor next to me but i couldnt get him out. I was so grateful that he was alive and so was i.

    my oh filled in the gaps in memory and told me that the reason i had the c section was that my babys heart rate began to dip and everytime i contracted his oxygen levels would fall so a c section was the only option to make sure baby was safe.

    i cant thank the hospital staff enough especially the theatre team.

  • WOW Smileyface, just wow. That was too intense - a bit of an ordeal actually, and I agree with you, I would not have liked to have had my babies on a ward AT ALL. For me, it was a private experience. Thanks goodness your darling boy is here safe and sound. How are you healing up?

  • danielle,

    ive been quite high on a concoction of prescribed morphine and paracetamol so not really felt the brunt of all of it without meds.

    movng around the first few days was excruciating. Coughing was the worst. As the days pass i am feeling much better and i am able to do things unaided. I have to remind myself to take it easy and not stress about the state of the house etc as there are a lot of things that the midwifes have told you not to do e.g vacuuming, holding anything heavier than the baby that includes any shopping or babys carseat and even not to push babys pram.

  • Here is my birth story!

    I was due on the 16th April with a view to be induced on 19th April because of high blood pressure. I was given a membrane sweep on the 12th April and my consultant said I was already fully effaced and definitely 3cm - almost 4cm dilated! She was surprised that I was still pregnant and not having any pains lol

    Nothing really happened after the sweep so I just assumed nothing would happen until my induction.

    On Sunday night, around 23:30 I started to get the familiar feeling of lower back ache and period pain! I secretly started to time them and they were around 4mins apart and lasting between 1-1:30 minutes.

    I casually said to OH that I think we should make sure that my hospital bag was packed and he replied to write a list and we'd pack it properly the following day (we were going to use the Monday as a preparation day lol so we were having a quiet night together). I told him that I didn't think there would be that much time- his face was a picture haha, bless him! So we made sure the bag was ready and I got into the bath to see if the contractions tailed off or not. All in all they were between 3 and 6 minutes apart, still lasting a full minute or longer and pretty darn painful. When I suggested that I would try having a nap my OH nearly fainted lol

    At the time i knew it was the real thing- i just really didn't want to get sent home again! I called the hospital and explained that I'd been timing my contractions for over an hour and with my past history of quick labour + PPH I would like to come in which the midwife was happy with.

    OH and I had a quick chat and decided that he would stay at home with the boys and my mum would be my birth partner - it was supposed to be both of them with me at the hospital but I didn't feel comfortable calling people in the middle of the night to try and arrange childcare.

    So I get to hospital at 02:15 and get hooked up to a machine to see if baby's heartbeat is ok and to see how often I was contracting (every 2-3mins at this point). The hardest thing is having no pain relief and being still on a bed! My bp shot up. I can't remember the exact numbers but it was around 198/110 at one point! Midwife came and examined me and took less than 20 seconds to declare I was 7cm and marched me off to my delivery room lol

    My midwife was absolutely lovely! She was so calming. I got my gas and air and puffed for England! I did ask for something stronger but I was so far on that there wouldn't be any time! I was pretty out of it, gas and air has a real weird way of warping my sense of time lol! She had to put a clip on the baby's head because they kept losing it on the trace every time I contracted, when she did that I think my waters must have broken. She said baby's head was really low and that it wouldn't be much longer- I was getting emotional (I always seem to get teary just before I need to push lol) I remember saying to my mum that i didn't think i'd really be able to do it.

    Pretty soon after, I started to feel pressure with my contractions so I told her I wanted to push- actually I think I just grunted as I pushed! She said to go for it so I bloody did! 3 whole minutes of pushing and my gorgeous baby, Elliot was born on 18th April at 04:03 with his cord wrapped around his neck, bless him! 

    Had an injection in my thigh to help deliver the placenta and a drip on to help me contract (due to previous pph). Unfortunately I lost a litre of blood even though I was on a drip to help my uterus contract. I needed another injection in my thigh with a different medicine to help me contract which one of the side effects is a dodgy tummy- great! I was catheterized and was desperate not to poo myself on the bed lol- thankfully I managed not to! Lots of doctors in and out making sure my blood loss was being managed- all very dignified and I wont share all the grim details lol

    At 10am I was transferred to the postnatal ward. They had no intentions of letting me out that day- to be honest they could have let me home that day with no issues at all! They just didn't add me to their list of jobs that needed doing! I really dislike hospitals as I can never rest and always feel like the midwives are judging me! They all had contradicting views on what to do, how much to feed, etc. which did irritate me but I guess they meant well.

    We were finally discharged the following day at 6pm. We are just so happy to be home! Sorry for the long story lol! 

    I am now a proud mummy of 3 boys with their birthdays all in a row (April, May and June) and the dates in a row too (17th,18th,19th) lol spooky!

    image

  • Oh, forgot to add- Elliot weighed 7lbs 13oz! and his feet are massive! lol

  • That's a pretty amazing birth story StubbornBrit - It sounds like a really relaxed, peaceful birth! Crazy birthdates of your boys too! Thank you so much for taking the time to share it, and your new son Elliot is just beautiful - is he like your other boys? (ps can you pop me your full name and addy on PM please?)

  • Thank you Danielle. I received the goodies this morning but before i got to the envelope hubby had already opened it.😡 I dont like anyone opening my mail especially my prezzies.

    Thank you once again. X

  • It was a pretty good birth actually! Just the after part I always seem to bleed- my health visitor called me a "bleeder" lol charming 😜

    Elliot is a lot like my eldest - very content and a little piggy! Only cries if I take too long to grab the bottle - typical man lol 

    i shall send a pm now!

    smileyface I would literally smack my oh in the head if he did that lol although that may be the hormones talking :p hope you are healing well! X

  • Stunbornbrit..... I know i'm suprised at myself i missed the perfect opp to lamp him one especially when i could have blamed it entirely on my hormones. 😜

    I am healing up just getting back into the swing of things but every now and again i feel like im stretching my stitches and then i hit reality remembering i shouldnt be doing so much housework.... 

    i remember healing much quicker when giving birth naturally so this cesaerian is all new to me but like my midwife said to me ' if we stopped calling it a c section and we called it  for what it is 'major abdominal surgery' we soon would comprehend how massive the whole operation was and how much  rest is actually needed in order to make a full recovery.

    i just got to remember to sleep when baby is asleep but not easy when ive got other children to look after.

  • Thank you Danielle I have received the goodies this morning ☺️

  • Hello ladies

    Nobody has posted for two weeks☹️ I am sure its due to us being absolutely rushed off our feet with our babbies..

    Adam had his jabs today.. Three jabs in total with a concoction of different strains.. I cant believe how the load  seems to increase from year to year. It was only two weeks agonwhen he had his bcg vaccination. Poor babba is fast asleep at the moment but wakes up crying now and again🙁

    Anyway i hope you are all enjoying your babies and the sunshine😊 

  • Hi lovely Smileyface, how is Adam doing? You're on the Big Birth Announcement thread, so please do head over to this thread HERE where your April 16 Babies group are chatting. We don't want you tomiss out, and we're sure everyone really would love an update on Adam after he was in hospital.

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