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Birth Stories

Did everyone write their birth story? I'm thinking about doing mine now I've had a chance to go over my notes with my Midwife (well a while ago now). I know it was months ago, but I've enbraced BE now and it seems theres no stopping me!! image

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  • we should put them all on here (lol although im trying to forget it) ........yerr it will be good to read them x
  • heres mine before i forget it....

    Im a really chilled out person and my midwife always said to me how relaxed at every appointment. I loved my pregnancy and kept active throughout it all i went swimming and went to yoga.

    when i was 13 weeks i had a bit of spotting however i had my scan the next day and everything was fine..a week later i was in work and i found i was bleeding heavy so i phoned my hubby and said we need to get to the hospital. (everything was fine i had an anti D injection as im rhesus negative) and i think i stopped bleeding about 2 weeks later.
    on my 20 week scan they found my placenta was low.
    on my 34 week scan my placenta had moved out of the way, however she was breech.
    36+4 i felt an enomours amount of movement and this is where i think she had turned head down.
    i finished work two weeks before my due date (5th May)

    Friday 15th May - my 23rd birthday

    Saturday 16th May 2009 14.30pm - my hubby and I had been to see his parents,on our way home we stopped to get a picnic (i had sandwiches and wotsits) we went up the park with Roxy (our dog) we sat and eat in the car, as we got out we started walking after a min i felt a little trickle and thought oh ive wet myself :lol:
    so i stood there and crossed my legs i couldnt move, John (my hubby) asked if i was alright and then i step forward and gush!!! i was like um john either ive proper wet myself or my waters have gone ?
    so we started walking back to the car and gush!! i felt it all again. when we got home we phoned the midwife and she came over and checked it was my waters which it was.
    by 15.30 my contractions were coming every 3 minutes for 45 seconds we then went to the birthing centre. I was 2cm, as my contractions were coming quick they said its best not to go in the birthing pool so i just had gas and air. at 9.30pm i was 4cm. so they told me i wasnt dilating quickly enough so they would transfer me to hospital.I went in the ambulance to the hospital it was a 30minute drive and arrived there at about 11pm.

    when we arrived i was checked and i was told i was 2cm ?? i was devastated as my contractions through the whole of my labour were coming every 3 minutes for 45 secs and were painfull.
    one nurse said to my hubby she cant be in that much pain shes not leaning over ???
    anyways i was strapped up to monitors and had to lie on the bed. i had a pethidine injection which helped a bit but also made me sick a few times. after a few hours of being constantly on gas and air they gave me some more pethidine which made me sick again.

    I was put on a hormone drip to speed up my contractions. after a few more hours I had an epidural put in 10am? which was bliss as i managed an hour sleep but i could feel the contractions again and all in my back, she had turned back to back. i got back on the gas and air and the midwife came and topped up my epidural. however this didnt seem to be working i could feel the full strength of the contractions in my front and back. then she topped it up again but nothing!

    at about 4pm i was 6cm and then about 6pm the aneasnatist came and checked my epidural where he found it had disconnected and blocked.
    by 8pm i was 8cm. and my temperature was really really high and the babys heart rate started speeding up. by 9pm they checked me and said i need i may have to go for an emergency c section if i dont dilate anymore within an hour and they said i had a big baby which would need forcepts. so constantly still on just gas and air 11pm came and my temperature was still up the babys HR was gettin higher and they found shed pooed in my tummy so they said i needed a c section now...

    in theatre i cant really remember much but the feeling of relief that after all this she was going to be out..
    sunday 00.09am after 32 hours of labour with contractions every 3 mins for 45 seconds My Baby girl Morgan was born 9lb 3oz

    and im gonna do it all again soon lol
  • sorry coppied and pasted my original story so its massive lol xx

    Sorry ladies its a little long as i did it detailed so i can save it!

    I started getting belly ache at about 9pm on sunday 10 may 1 day after my due date and had to keep going to the loo with the runs for about an hour. Finally it all settled down and i popped on the internet to check my facebook as everyone kept leaving me messages asking if i had had baby yet thats when the tightenings started. I had absolutely no pain at all could just feel my stomache tightening but it was regular. At 1st they were coming every ten minutes then every 8 then every 5 and dropped to 4 eventually over a period of 2 hours but still no pain so i decided to go to bed with my oh going mad saying every 4 mins are you mad you have to call the hospital but with no pain i knew the midwifes would not take me seriously and it probably would stop in the night. I slept real bad not because of discomfort but because my oh kept waking me up every hour to ask if i was ok hmm i would of
    been great if i was allowed to sleep lol.

    At 5 past 8 my lo gave me the biggest kick right where my belly button is like she was trying to escape i was fast asleep and jumped about a foot in the air she had never kicked like that before. Oh jumped up thinking that it was all starting but i said nope she just woke me up thats all and there was no more tightenings. We chatted for a bit when i decided i need the loo and went to the bathroom just about to sit on the loo and a big gush of brown water with black gooey bits in came out and i just thought omg here we go and shes pooed so might be in distress. I shouted Oh and he panicked bless him running about getting dressed calling my brother as he was my lift to hospital luckily my girls were at their dads for the weekend i just got on the phone to the midwife who told me to come straight in as baby might be distressed i still wasnt contracting though.

    I quickly whipped on some clothes and went outside and got in my brothers car and started my journey to hospital. Normally it takes 20-30 mins to get to hospital but my daughter decided to arrive in the morning rush hour and as soon as i got in the car and sat down my contractions started thick and fast they were coming every 2 mins and lasting about 40 seconds each and were agony. My poor brother i told him to stick his hazzard light on and drive down the bus lane as we wernt going to make it otherwise as my 2 previous labours were very quick and started in a similar way with my waters going 1st (my brothers only 20 and only been driving a year hes so careful normally he was so scared of getting points on his licence lol).

    About 5 mins from the hospital traffic was at a stand still and i was starting to panic as the pain was so
    intense when my Oh said i know a shortcut and directed us down a side street to a bridge which turned out to be one way and only one lane he started to turn round i had to shout at him he had the choice go over the bridge the wrong way or let me give birth in the back of his car he chose the bridge Happy (he got quite a few beeps lol)

    Finally i got to the hospitalat 9.20am to be told the floor was wet can i sit in a side room for ten mins this was the moment that i turned into the exorcist and said does it look like i have ten mins to sit around i need pain relief feel kinda bad about this now but if they looked at my notes they would know i labour very quickly lol. So off i toddle into the room with the wet floor and get some gas and air ooh the bliss got my gown on and got on the bed and midwife came straight in and did an internal and said your 4cm but quite stretchy i said omg im going to be ages and she said would you like a different pain relief other than the gas and air i was sucking on constantlyi was so considering it when the next contraction came and i said omg i need to push.

    The midwife said your only 4 cm ignore those feelings i said nooo i cant i need to push now she had a quick look and said gosh i can see the head dont push yet im not ready to which i proceeded to push how the heck can you stop yourself its instinct so she talked me through it pant and push and the head came right out i couldnt believe it. My midwife called for the paediatrician(sp) to come to check her cause of the mecconium and said on the next contraction we need to push out her body. The next contraction came and out she popped at 9.40amwith just a slight graze and no stitches needed. The midwife had to cut the cord so she could check her over but she screamed straight away so midwife said she was fine and put her on me so the doc didnt even check her over i was sooo happy and my oh cried.The first thing i said i isnt she tiny to which the mw said i would place a bet on her being about 8lb 11 i was so shocked as my 1st was 7lb14 and my 2nd 7lb6.5.she turned out to weigh 8lb7.5 oz and we called her lola-mae.I left the hospital at 12.00 after some tea and toast and a lovely hot shower my midwifes were brilliant and i couldnt fault them i had a student mw and a wonderful mw called michelle pearce who we are taking a big bunch of flowers next week. I had about 10 mw all come in to congratulate me as it was such a quick birth they were amazed (so was i).
    claire and lola-mae 4.5 months xx
  • Fabulous!!

    I'm going to do mine, brace yourselves ladies it's a long one!!

    Here's a bit of background....

    Originally I was due 27th April and when I was about 18 weeks pregnant I had a dream Baby would be born 9/4/9 and seeing as I was early and all my aunties had their babies at 37 weeks with really short labours and no pain, I had high hopes I'd be the same. The 9th April came and went and before I knew it it was 24th and I had my regular midwife appointment. I get there with OH, armed with my wee and looking forward to an afternoon in town with my Mum looking for re-usable nappies. Midwife took my blood pressure it was quite high for me, but nothing to worry about on its own, then she tested my sample ++++protien! Yikes! She calls the maternity hospital, about 20 minutes drive away to tell them she's sending me in. She tells me to pack a bag because it's likely I'll get induced that day. Panic stations! Called my Mum, who called my Gran to give us a lift through, I drive OH doesn't.

    We get throught to the hospital, after waiting ages, they hook me to the trace and take another sample. There's no protein and my BP has gone back to normal. OH asks about being induced and the reply? 'oh we're far too busy to induce her today' :roll:

    Then I get annoyed when they ask ME why I have less protein than I did an hour ago?! Eh?! So they send me home and make arrangements for midwife to see me again the next day.

    The same thing happens the next day ++++protein and high BP, again I'm sent to hospital, upon getting there, there's no protien and my BP has gone down and I'm sent home again! This continues daily until 1st May, when I'm given a sweep and an induction date, Friday 8th May. But it's a new type of induction they're using, it's a propess pessary that has to be in for 24hours and if it works, they break my waters and labour is quickened using the drip. I get another sweep a few days later - I'm still having daily visits to the hospital for traces of the baby. The sweeps don't work and I arrive at 11am 8/5/09 to have the pessary inserted.

    I'm told to please myself until 5pm and to come back to the ward to get a room. I return and I'm put in a room with 4 beds and two teenage girls, who are quite brash, keep nipping out to smoke, ect. Midwife come and draws the curtains around me and i burst into tears, OH demands they move me rooms, Midwife agrees and apologies that I was shouldn't have been put in the room, she obviously knows where I'm coming from!!

    I get moved to another room, where I meet J, she's also being induced but with the gel - we're quite good friends now -we chat and another girl is brought in, followed but another. All three have their babies that night/early Saturday morning. I haven't slept since Thursday!

    Fast forward, 1.20pm 9/5/9 my waters are broken me OH and Mum are left to it. Midwife decides I'm not contracting quick enough so I get hooked up to a drip, not ideal but I accept it. I keep needing the loo, so me and Mum, the drip and the Gas and Air, make our way across the hall - at first I kept my dignity with a housecoat, but after the 6th time I was almost starkers walking across this bit of hall - why not have ensuite?!

    I get a shot of pethedine, and I'm sick all over OH, egg and tomato sandwich I'd been given earlier! I need the loo again, but I've had quite a bit of gas and air, so thinking I'm wispering announce to OH that I'm just going to wee myself because no-one would notice!!

    TBH, I wasn't sure how the drip worked and couldn't understand how everytime the midwife came in my contractions got stronger. I ask OH who says she's turning up the drip when she comes in....to which I shout the next time MW enters,don't let that b***h turn that drip up any more, I'm in enough pain!! She does anywya and I notice it makes a beep,so I'm now even more aware of when the pain's going to get worse.

    I ask my OH where the ducks are and ask him to switch of fthe radio because he knows I hate U2 and can't understand why he's letting them play it. I told them my Mum shaved her knees, my friend Lou has new curtains and that baby was conceived at T in the Park - not sure where that came from!!I had had a LOT of GA but this time.

    From here on it's a blur,I remember being examined, getting another pethedine, telling them my eye sight had gone funny - I was seeing double,they had given me tablets to lower BP which had lowered it too much!! The blur continued until about 4am when I'm offered an epidural. I obviously agree, the lights are turned on and loads of people are in. Thankfully the drip is turned down so epidural can be sited. This turns out to be a nightmare,after 3 attempts the guy asks if I've had any surgery on my back, because the bit that the epidural has to go into isn't there?! What? My Mum informs him she has the same problem that was discoved when she had a lumber puncture. Eventually I feel no pain and dose off, I think I'm about 6cm at this point - I was 2 when waters were broken. I'm wakend by the lights coming on and someone asking to examine me - I don't know this at the time but baby's heartbeat is dropping after every contraction. I'm only 7cm, it's now 6am 10/5/09. Another senior MW appears and examines me, I'm now only 5cm and the want to perform a c-section.I sign the form - I asked for my glasses burt couldn't read it!!

    Wheeled down to theater,OH in scrubs, loads of people. i don't care I just want it to be over. The same guy that does the epicural is back to do the spinal, he sprays me with cold stuff and asks if I can feel it, I can, he goes away come back does the spray again, I can still feel it. He does this 6 times and then says ' you've got 10 minutes and then it's a general' I panic and the next time he asks, I tell him I can't feel a thing, I can feel something, but there's no way I'm telling him that.

    The surgery starts alot of tugging and pulling and I'm told 'Baby's here' even through my haze I managed to tell them that me and OH wanted to find out the sex ourselves. Baby is wisked off, all is silent. For about 10 minutes my whole world stops, then I hear a cry. Baby's fine, OH is sobbing. The baby is brought to us wrapped up in a towel. OH says it smells really badly, we open his towel and together discover we a son - i would reccommend finding out this way and definatley doing it this way next time!! I'm put back together and I flinch quite a bit, surgeon asks if I can feel anything and I confess I can, he looks horrified!!

    We name the baby Jaxson,he's born at 07.48 and weights 8lbs 8oz. 13 days late 10/5/2009 - same day as Bono!!! Strange!!

    I stay in hospital for a few days and notice I seem to be in a lot more pain than the other c-section Mums. I can't lie down I can't stand up straight. I ask the MW daily to look at the wound and I'm told on each occasion I'm just badly bruise. We get home on 13th May.

    Own MW comes everyday,I'm on antibiotics because of the smell off of baby, swabs show no infection and no one can explain it. She checks my wound every day and I tell her the pain is getting worse and I can't get out or in bed/lift baby and the wound is leaking excessivley. She tells me it's normal.

    On 15th my stitch is to come out at home, it's not my MW that visits but another one I had met a few times prior to this day. She won't take the stitch out,she wants me to go to hospital to get it out - in case the wound opens, she's playing it down I'm told later.

    I leave Jax with his Daddy and off I go to the hospital, thinking I'll be back in an hour. Wrong.

    The registrar has one look, demands IV antibiotics and tells me I'm staying in. I am heartbroken. I didn't say goodnight to my 5 day old son. Another Dr comes in and can't site the IV drip, I'm sobbing that I want to go home and request another Dr try to get the drip in.

    They find me a room, ironically enough the same room I had the pessary put in!! I'm there for 5 days, anibiotics every 4 hours by drip. My wound is infected, quite badly. A wound specailist comes to assess me that day I get released. I have to get the wound 'packed' daily by a nurse from my surgery. I'm house bound for about 6 weeks, I see the nurse everyday for 8 long weeks, then every second day for 3 weeks and then I go to the surgery for a few visits. By 14 weeks and 1 day after the section, I'm healed and can drive.

    Phew,told you it was long. I struggled a lot, missed Jax first bath, the first time he met my family - they had come to visit the day I was admitted. It has been really hard, but I'm blessed with such a wonderful baby and he's worth every second of the whole pregnancy/labour experience. I'm still dealing with it, but it hasn't put me off at all.

    Claire, xx



    [Modified by: McGillair on September 30, 2009 11:16 PM]

  • i copied and pasted mine too!

    Hi everyone, the last week has flown by and I have not had chance to post my birth story so here goes....

    I was booked in to have an elective c-section on the 6th May, however on the 2nd May I hardly felt much movement and my feet were starting to swell quite rapidly so I was told to go to hospital to be checked out. Once there they were quite happy with baby but my blood pressure was very high and stayed that way so they kept me in.

    Next morning the consultant came to say hello and did a scan to confirm that baby was still breech and offered a section that day. It was a very strange feeling, I wanted him here, but I was also really nervous (like queuing for a really scary ride at Alton towers - you know you want to go on it but it looks terrifying!!)

    Rather than waiting the extra days I agreed and they prepped me for the section. The staff were fantastic and kept me calm all the way through (we were discussing which parts of my body they could work on if they were plastic surgeons ) the only thing that freaked me slightly was the spinal block as it seemed to take forever getting it in but it wasnt painful.

    At 2.52pm (I think Snow Patrol was on the radio) Caleb Mark entered the world, weighing 7lb 13.5 oz and was in perfect health. As it turns out it was a good thing they had done the csection there and then as there was no amniotic fluid so they are still looking into that.

    I was kept in hospital until Wednesday, Caleb had slight jaundice but they were happy for us to go, and I am very happy to say my crutches have been put away (I probably still do need them a bit but I am stubborn!!)

    The midwife came on Friday and unfortunatley Caleb had lost a lot of weight and his jaundice had got worse so he was admitted to hospital and I spent the night there with him which also had an effect on me and i was also then admitted the next day with hight blood pressure so we were on seperate wards.
    The staff that looked after him were fantastic and after a weekend under the uv lights and contstant blood tests he was allowed to come home on Sunday night.

    I never thought I could feel this way (I worried all the way through pregnancy about if I would be 'maternal' enough) but I have to say I love my lil man so much and I already can't imagine life without him.

    Who needs sleep eh?



  • I love reading birth stories!

    Here's mine:

    JJ was due on 13th May. I had signs that I was in slow labour about two days before he wad due. I was losing my plug slowly, he had dropped and my BH were getting stronger.

    On the evening of 17th May I was thoroughly pissed off that I was still pregnant. I was in a very bad mood and was snapping at my friend who was staying with me incase I went into labour. My BH had been quite strong, but had no particular regularity.

    I decided before I went to bed to have a soak in the bath with some clary sage oil and then do some nipple stimulation. I had read reviews that it was effective and by now I was willing to try almost everything. I had a bath and that tried NS for 15 minutes on each breast. Almost immediately I started to get very strong BH's - I was hopeful that it was all going to kick off.

    About 12:30am I woke to what felt like really bad period pain. I felt quite nauseous and like I needed to go to the loo. I woke up my friend and told her that I thought something was happening and for her to try and get some more rest while I pottered - she quickly fell back to sleep! I sat on the loo and tried to go but I couldn't and as I strained I had my first contraction - AND OH MY GOD did it hurt!!

    I went back into my bedroom and woke my friend and told her I had had a major contraction and I was scared. She started timing them online and about a minute later I had another that had me on the floor. 3 Minutes later I had another.. 3 minutes... 3 minutes...

    I started panicking really badly about how quickly they were coming and the fact that all the pain was in my back (back to back) My friend was trying to massage my back while I tried not to wake my 14 month old little girl - or my neighbours!

    About 2:00am the contractions were now so intense that I couldn't speak through them - just groan really. My friend called my Dad and said that she thought things might be moving too quickly and to come and collect my little girl. He came to the house about 2:30am with me screaming - and said he suggested my friend call the ambulance because it was obvious that I wasn't coping.

    The ambulance arrived about 3:00am (after me saying that I didn't want to go yet as I would just be sent home) It felt like an eternity to the hospital with the paramedic chatting my friend up whicle I was contracting! Talk about stealing my thunder!

    We arrived at the delivery suite at about 3:20am and my beloved G&A was taken away from me! I had to endure 20 minutes with contractions with no pain relief. I was starting to panic as all the pressure was in my lower back and bum and I was convinced that I was going to have the baby soon.

    I was shown to my room about 3:45am and waited for ages while the midwife sorted out the gas and air. They were busy but the first midwife was a bitch. The room was dirty from the last woman who gave birth, there was no pillow and the air conditioning was broken so couldn't be switched off. It was very cold. When my friend aked for a pillow for me she tutted and told my friend to go and find one from another room! Cheek!

    Anyway about 4:30 she EVENTUALLY came to do an internal.. I was crying by this point and saying that I couldn't do it anymore. She examined me and said "Oh you're 4-5cm with bulging membranes" I aked her to break my waters but she wouldn't.

    I asked for an epidural but was told that the anaesetist (sp?) was in theatre. The MW's changed over and I got a lovely one called Angela. I got my epidural set up but there was no pump so I just had a shot. It numbed me for about 10 minutes but I was still feeling the pain after that. I was starting to feel out of it because of the G&A and started to hallucinate.

    At about 6:00am the pressure I was feeling was unbelieveable. I started to feel sick again and like I was unable to cope. I kept telling my friend I couldn't do it and that I was too tired to do it anymore - I think in the back of my head I knew I was going through the transition phase.

    About 6:30 Angela became concerned that James' HB was low. Apparently it was in the low 100's. I was asked to get on my side and as I did and opened my legs I felt what could only be described as a slug come out between my legs - It was my amniotic sack and it burst all over the bed and splattered my friend and the MW.

    It's amazing how the body takes over at this stage. I just started to get an overwhelming URGE to push. I said "Urrghhhh.. I need to push" and Angela said "I can't see anything yet" - 6 minutes and 3 pushes later JJ was born at 6:50am weighing 8lbs 8oz.

    The placenta wouldn't come away with just the injection so Angela had to get a consultant to manually remove it by pulling on it. It probably hurt more than the whole labour put together.

    So now... I have a gorgeous, smily and generally happy baby boy. He coos, gurgles and genuinely makes me the happiest mummy alive.x
  • heres mine.

    emily was due on the 14th may which passed with no action. i started to have a little backache the next day but wasnt painful and didnt get any worse. on saturday the 16th id spent the day quite happily bouncing on my ball while on the net( here probably lol) that evening,as i hadnt been sleeping my hubby dave run me a lovely hot bath which i soaked in for about an hour until my indian takaway arrived, being a wimp i had a chicken korma. at 9.45 dave told me i had to go and relax in bed( code for i wanna watch match of the day). so armed with my martina cole book i jumped into bed and threw my leg over my pregnancy pillow, cue waters exploading everywhere! i called dave who thought i was on a wind up as spurs had just come on. as i had group b strep i had to go into hospital as soon as i went into labour, so i got myself dressed and did my hair n make-up(hubbys face was a picture, still makes me laugh) while dave called a cab. i wasnt having any contractions so was in no rush to move.

    by 11pm we had arrived at the hospital, we had a wait of about 30mins for a bed on labour ward as it was packed but i still wasnt in any pain. eventually got taken to a delivery room and just sat there expecting to be told i was going to the ward until i was further along. midwife finally got round to checking me at 1am and i was 4cm!!! still no pain. i was told i wasnt going anywhere and to get changed and into bed so they could moniter me and set up my antibiotics.

    then my contractions started.

    after about an hour of contractions i was in agony and asked for some pain relief, i got a huge contraction just as the midwife was about to explain how to use the G&A, i snatched it off her, sucked it in til my lungs hurt and a friendship was born lol!

    by about 2am i was in such pain i asked them to check how far along i was, i was 5cm. i think because id done the 1st 4cm without knowing i was a bit dissapointed that id only gone another 1cm. MW offered to give me a sweep and it worked straight away.

    as the ward was so busy i was given a new MW (male). by then i was completly off my nut begging for an epidural, he told me i was next on the list. think it was abnout an nour and a half later i still hadnt got one and he told me that there was now 4 women in front of me!!! i got a bit vocal with my opinions of that and was adament that the emergancy c sec could wait as it was only fair that i was next!!

    anyway, i was feeling a really stong urge to push and was struggling to hold it back so got midwife to check and he told me i was 6cm. i still hadnt got my epidural and was losing control, the contractions had been on top of each other from the start and i knew that i would be in pain til i got to the front of the queue. thats when i gave up and let my body do what it wanted i coudnt hold back the pushing anymore anyway.

    the midwife had left the room for a minute but come running back when he heard me scream that i was pushing! he put me on my back and checked me, id gone from 6cm to 9cm in just 20mins!
    with that i was told to push and 20mins later out popped my beautiful little lady weighing 7lb 5oz at 4.51am. labour time was recorded as 4 and a half hours. no stitches needed!

    looking back my labour went the was i had planned all along and i cant wait for the next one, id even go as far as saying i enjoyed it image

    thanks for reading x
  • Firstly i apologise for the vagueness and also the length, i've had a few sleepless nights since so i've done my best to remember what i couldimage

    I was due on Monday the 18th of May, and bar normal BH's, this came and went with nothing too much happening. I was gutted as my sister's wedding was on the Saturday 23rd, and i had hoped to have given birth and be able to go to at least the ceremony.

    Anyhow, by thursday, i was sick of being pregnant, and had tried pretty much everything to get the labour going, and my final old wives tale to test was eating pineapples. Hubby went to the shop and brought 2, and i ended up only being able to manage 3/4 of one (the juice stung myt mouth too much!)

    Well, it appears that worked for me, the whole night and next day, i had mild contractions, and realising this might be it, i spent the day resting and trying to sleep as much as possible between contractions. By the evening they were starting to get painfull, but i managed to cope with just breathing exercises i had learnt. At midnight, or around then, i was starting to panic, and called the delivery suite to ask what i should do. As my contractions had no regular pattern to them, they said i should just try to hang on as long as i could at home, as i probably wasn't in established labour yet. So i spent the rest of the night wandering around the house, trying to get comfortable, having long baths and trying to be quiet while hubby slept (i was worried he would fall asleep while i was in labour, as he had done so several times during hospital visits previously!). I will always remember kneeling down in our bathroom with my head on the floor and my bum in the air for what must have been a couple hours tring to ease the pain.

    By 6am (23rd), the pain was intense, and when hubby came down to check on me, i told him to call the hospital and tell them i was coming in. The midwife asked to speak to me, and said that i could come in, but as it was my first labour, and i could still talk, i probably would be sent home. We rang my MIL to get her to take us to the hospital, and we made our way over.

    When we had gotten to the hospital, we gradually hobbled our way up to the delivery suit, and i was put straight into one of the delivery rooms so they could do an internal exam. I had a student midwife check me first, and she said she had to get the other midwife to check as well to make sure she was measuring correctly, as it turned out i was already 5cm dialated, and wasn't being sent home at all, but would be staying for the duration. The contractions were getting more painfull now, and breathing alone wasn't cutting it. I was scared though to try gas and air incase it made me sick, but finally gave it a go, and OMG, it's the best thing in the world. I probably had too much, and ended up asking my hubby where David Dickenson was and when he was going to arrive, and saying he looked like a mickey mouse cartoon, making weird faces etc.

    By 10am i was starting to get very emotional, as i knew my sister was getting married at 11am. I had my mum&dad on the phone to me (whose heads was spinning around, with one daughter about to get married in manchester, and one in labour near Birmingham) I spoke to my sister as she arrived at the church and blubbed that i was sorry i had gone into labour and was missing her big day. She actually has a picture or her on the phone to me as she is telling me not to be silly and not to worry about it image Hubby did his best to calm me down, but i was quite emotional about it all.

    We passed the time while i was contracting just chatting with the midwives, having checks done, eating jelly babies and getting high on G&A etc. The pain was definately getting more intense and my waters still hadn't broken. Just before the shift change around 3pm, the midwives checked me again and said i was about 8cm with bulging waters and this is probably why i was feeling so much pressure. I thought, great that means it wont be too long before i've had him, and all this pain will stop. The new midwife came and checked me later and decided that actually i was only 6cm still. I was not impressed, and was starting to feel the need to push, but thought i probabky just needed to poo. I decided to sneak to the toilet while the midwife and hubby were out the room, and oh my goodness was that a bad idea, the contractions were excruciating, and hubby came to find out why i was screaming, but i didnt want him or the midwife to see me on the toilet (trying to retain my last shred of dignity) and had to try and calm down and wait for the pain to pass a bit before hobbling back to the bed. I was checked again about 7pm, and found to be 8cm, with bulging waters, so the midwife decided to break my waters to get things moving. Soon after this she realised i was 9cm with a lip of the cervix still in the way, so despite my body trying to force me to, i wasnt allowed to push. The midwife seemed to dissapear for ages at this point, and i remember screaming at hubby for her to come back. (Also at this point, my mum rang hubby to check on me from my sisters reception, and heard me screaming in the background, and packed the family in the car and raced down like a mad woman so i'm told). I was told that i could have pethadine or an epidural at this point, but they didn't want to give me pethadine as so close to delivering it could affect the baby, so i said an epidural. I remember through the G&A haze the head midwife asking the other midwife if she knew how to do an epidural, and she said she did, but hadn't done it for a few years and could give it a go. Hubby said i looked at him like a scared crazy woman, and he told them i was major fear of needles already and i would prefer a proper doctor to do it, finally one arrived, and went through all the spiel, then said that as i was so close to delivering it probably wouldn't take effect in time so i decided against it (I'd gotten this far!) Not long after that i started pushing, but was exhausted. I have to say hubby was brilliant, holding my hand and really encouraging me to give it my all, all the way through. I felt like i had been pushing forever, and apparently he kept coming out and then going back in, but in the coming out his head had started to expand, making it even harder to push out, so he was just there waiting to crown for ages. Very bizarely, the midwives kept asking me if i wanted to feel his head as he had loads of hair, and i was like...er, no i dont want to feel him and all the carnage going on, i just want you to get him out of me!!! In the end, they decided it had been going on too long, and at 9:14pm on saturday 23rd May, the head midwife gave me an emergency episiotomy, with no pain relief, which didn't hurt as much as i thought i would, and Oliver James Samuel Roberts made an appearance into the world.

    He was delivered straight onto my chest, all wriggly and warm, as we waited for my placenta to be delivered naturally. About 20 minutes later, when me and hubby had had a cry and a marvel at our beautiful son, the midwife asked if my mum could come in as she had just arrived. She opened the door and before even walking into the room, my mum looked at me holding the baby on the delivery bed and burst into tears.

    We were transferred onto the labour ward that night, in which i hardly slept watching my son in the cot next to me. We ended up staying 2 days in hospital as he was my first, and we were having trouble latching on to feed.

    18 weeks later, i have a wonderful healthy 15lb 9oz son, who i can truely say is the centre of mine and hubby's world! I would definately do it all again!
  • Oh I love love love birth stories!! Funny old thing Gas and Air eh?xx
  • hi guys been meaning to do this its only taken me 4months lol WARNING VERY LONG

    i was due on 15th may, that came and went on thurs 21st i went and had a stretch and sweep(god did that hurt!) had a show the next morning then had another stretch and sweep done on the saturday was really banking on this one working but no, was so worried it was gonna really hurt again but it didn't , it was a different midwife much gentler lol but thats why i think it didn't do nothing. they then booked me in for induction for tues 26th obviously if nothing happens in the meantime , tried everything but nothing she was quite comfy in there and had no plans on making an appearance lol.

    i had to phone hospital at 9am tues morning to check if a bed was available for my induction !! they then tell me on the phone to ring back at 12 ! very frustrating, anyway phoned back and was told to come in at 3pm. hurray !!!

    on arrival they done the normal checks bp etc put on monitor for half hour baby would not stop moving lol they had to keep coming back where heartbeat kept disapearing little monkey !

    4.20pm had a propess pessary inserted which they leave for 24 hours then if nothing happens they try the gel then last resort break waters and go on drip which i didn't want, hate needles ,anyway it really really hurt she couldn't get it in the right place behind my cervix , eventually was sorted and was put on monitor for an hour.
    had few cramps and back ache but nothing else.

    5.25am started getting some mild pains coming quite frequently , went to the loo to have a wee at 6am had big show and the bloody pessary came out ! they had told me if it came out put it in tissue coz needs to go back in.
    was still geting mild pains every 5 mins for about an hour then they stopped being regular and was just coming and going but wasn't hurting
    7.10am was put on monitor again for an hour and had checks done.
    finally at 8.45am they put the pessary back in, put on monitor again, midwife said she could see i was contracting but not very strong and cervix was still the same.
    the pains stopped and at 10am the poxy thing came out again this time they said they'd leave it out but still cant do anything else until after the 24hours coz the hormones were released

    1pm started getting pains on and off but not strong
    4pm put on monitor my mum, nan and daughter came to see me not that i could move i was still on monitor until 6.30 ! babys heartrate was a slow trace 2 different doctors came in to look at it but said its just a sleepy trace she might be sucking her thumb lol but no need for concern but they'll keep an eye on it.oh was with me when i had the most painful examination she stretched cervix and when she finished she said 2cm dilated now so no need for any gel or anything else things should progress by themselves.

    started getting regular contractions from about 6.45 every 5 mins , had some pain killers at 7pm and i decided to put my tens on which helped quite a bit i was just laying there while oh was watching football lol they slowed down a bit to 7-10mins apart until about 8.30 oh had to go and i said not alots happening anyway will be ages at this rate i'll know about it when the contractions get stronger ! i went and had a bath then put the tens back on
    9.30 pains were moderate coming every 8 mins
    i told the midwife they were getting regular again and she said i'll have to wait for a room to become available on labour ward to have my waters broke, didn't hear nothing just carried on with the tens.

    11.45 got the midwife and said they're getting stronger now but still 8 mins apart she examined me and she said ooh we better get you to labour ward your 4-5 cms dilated!
    i rang oh and my mum and sorted my stuff out and made way round to labour ward , the only room available was the biggest with the birthing pool hehehe ! as soon as i got in there and met my lovely midwife she offered me gas and air but before i could get to it a big pain came and i had to lean over the bed and concentrate on breathing lol that was when oh walked in looking rather worried that i was actually in pain now !
    mum turned up few moments later , had my first bit of gas and air and remembered how could it was and remembered how u cant speak properly for a few seconds after so after every contraction passed i would just sit there blowing it out looking like a right idiot lol and if someone asked me something and i had to answer it just sounded all muffled to me! the contractions then were coming every few minutes wasn't really getting a break in between.
    it was actually my mums suggestion that as i had the room with the birthing pool i may as well have a go, i said yeah might ease the pain a bit i'll just get in for a bit then get out
    midwife offered me pethdine but i said no thanx dont want any unneccessary needles and i'd had that when i had my first daughter and it slowed things down.
    got in pool at about 1am was lovely she put lavender in for me , i was still puffing away on the gas and air and i do remember at a few moments at this point i thought oh god i'm not gonna be able to cope with just gas and air if this pain gets worse, but luckily it didn't, i was leaning over the side then midwife asked me to turn round so that my bottom was on the bottom i swear by this point as soon as a contraction ended another started i constantly had the gas and air in my mouth and i was so dopey and not with it that oh was behind me out of the pool holding me up which he did throughout he said i'd have gone under the water if it wasn't for him lol
    i said i felt alot of pressure then said i needed to push in which i gave a little push and felt a massive pop which was my waters going i then got a very strong pushing instinct and said i need to push and my mum shouted no dont your not ready yet and the midwife replied its fine i'd say shes in the final stages of labour now she didn't examine me at all she just had mirror to see what was going on i pushed and her head was born then gave a massive push and it felt like she came out really quick !
    maddison was born at 1.33am 28th may weighing 7lb4oz just half an hour after getting in the pool and an hour and a half after getting to labour ward !
    i sat in the pool admiring my new baby waiting for the poxy placenta, the midwife said we wont give you an injection coz you've got this far without any needles , i waited and waited then they decided to cut the cord and get baby out of the water incase she was getting cold and because nothing was happening i had to get out of the pool with one umbillical cord hanging from me and get to the bed, but just as i reached the bed i had to push , my body just took over and the placenta slid out onto my feet and the floor lol the midwife tried catching it but didn't make it lol it was lucky oh was busy with the baby at that point he would have been discusted hehehehe
    i said to my mum ive torn she came out so quick i felt it i just knew , then when they examined me they said i had a second degree tear and that she'd get the doctor i then had the most horrific after pains it was so bad i had some gas and air , i had 3 different people looking at my bits deciding whether to stitch or not then the doctor had to check i hadn;'t torn to my bum it was horrible , worse than the contractions and birth i'd had such a nice birth then this just ruined it i was crying with the after pains and was scared at the thought of being stitched, i'd had an episiotomy with my first daughter and remembered the pain from the injection and stitches , the doctor then said after about half hour of them pulling and prodding me about that they could take me to theatere to stitch me or leave it to heal as it was a very neat tear , i said leave it so they put in a pessary for pain relieve.
    i then got to relax a bit and hold my baby again and she put her thumb in her mouth a few times and she is a proper thumb sucker now lol so the sleepy trace earlier probably was because she was sucking her thumb !
    finally after all that i got to the postnatal ward at 4am i didn't even get to give maddi her first feed my mum and oh did whilst still on labour ward but i wouldn't change any of it for the world my little girl is perfect and i healed up in no time and wasn't even in much pain once i got home it only stung to wee for first 3 days , i stayed in hospital the next night and came home friday afternoon.

    finally a sigh of relieve for getting all that off my chest lol been meaning to do it for so long and its so nice to compare stories , but sorry for babbling on ! xxxxx:\)
  • here is mine! mine is very very long!!!! (copied from word document i wrote at the time!)
    xxx


    It all started on Thursday 21st May. Throughout the day I couldn't stop eating and I jokingly thought to myself that it was my body wanting extra energy for labour. I had 2 cups of raspberry leaf tea through the day as I had been doing recently. In the afternoon I started to feel my bump was a bit strange - I thought he was wriggling in a very strange position, so I kept watching it and I realised it wasn't him moving, it was my tummy going hard. So I figured I was having Braxton Hicks - I must have been having them before but not realised. Anyway I put it down to the RLT. I was on BE most of the day and we were trying to work out who was going to be next, but I didn't think it would be me! We went to bed about 11pm, but I was very uncomfortable. I put it down to eating too much throughout the day. But I just couldn't settle and I felt lots of pressure down below, I can't really explain it. I was just very uncomfy. And I kept on needing a wee - I know I was weeing more in late pregnancy but I went about 4 times in the space of an hour which was a LOT for me. So I decided to get up about 12 and sit in the nursery (hubby had got a headache and really wanted a good night's sleep so I thought I'd get up to save disturbing him!). I was rocking in my chair and kept feeling these tightenings and was very uncomfy. I actually got my pregnancy book out to read about labour, not actually thinking anything of it. I thought about timing my tightenings but didn't really as I was tired. I moved position, to lean over my rocking chair stool as by this point I was very uncomfortable and wanted to get in some position to help ease it (I still thought I'd eaten too much). Then all of a sudden at 1am I felt a big gush and felt like I was wetting myself. I ran to the toilet and shouted to hubby that my waters had gone. Somehow I got to the toilet without ruining the carpet, and my waters just kept flowing. Luckily they were clear. I honestly felt like I was having a big wee but couldn't control it. Hubby passed me the phone and I phoned the hospital whilst on the toilet. They told me to come in. So we gathered everything together and we got the hospital about 1.45am. Very surreal as no one was around in the hospital, being the middle of the night! I was examined straight away and it was confirmed my waters had gone. They asked me if I had felt him move and I said he was moving until my waters went but I hadn't felt him since. So I was put on a monitor until about 3am, during which time he moved a few times, and his heartbeat was fine. The monitor also confirmed I was having mild contractions. So they decided to send us home at 3.30am to wait for things to happen - they said we'd be back later that day probably, but if not I was to go in for 8am the next morning (Saturday).

    So we arrived home and hubby made a bed up for me on the sofa as I really wanted him to get some rest. I didn't sleep, as my contractions were coming and going and getting stronger at times. But they weren't regular and at this point I was coping fine. This continued for a few hours. At 9am they slowed right down and I didn't have any for ages. This actually continued throughout the day. I was trying to get some rest but couldn't - being uncomfortable but also having things spinning through my head with what was happening/about to happen! I wasn't very hungry throughout the day, so it was a good job I'd eaten lots the day before. We decided to go on a few walks in the afternoon to try and get things moving. I kept listening to my Doppler to check he was ok and he was. At 4pm I seemed to have contractions 10/15 minutes apart so I thought things were moving in the right direction.

    At 5pm I will never forget - I had a phone call from some shopping survey company thing that I am part of (get vouchers for scanning barcodes of what I buy each week) who said they'd noticed a change in my shopping lately, in that I'd been buying some baby products so they asked if I was expecting, or had a baby. I told them I was actually in labour - I don't think the woman was expecting that answer! She basically sounded shocked and said she'd better leave me to it!!

    I had planned on meeting up with a friend that evening, someone who I hadn't seen for about 10 years. We'd finally sorted out a time and date to meet up and then I go into labour! But I asked if she would like to come round my house still, and she said she would. So she came round about 6pm and that was nice as it took my mind off contractions for a while. Later in the evening we went for another walk to try and keep things moving, but contractions were still fairly irregular, some were 10 mins apart but then I'd go a while without any.

    I had wanted a waterbirth but I knew my hopes of this were slowing fading away, as I couldn't have one if my waters had gone 24hrs beforehand. So I was getting disappointed. I rang the hospital about 10pm because my waters had got pink in them and I was worried but they said it was probably my show. Throughout my labour my waters continued to have pink in them but I figured it was probably things stretching etc.

    We went to bed about 11pm and I was having contractions about 10mins apart. Somehow I managed to get some sleep - only an hour or two. Then at 2am my contractions woke me up as they were increasingly uncomfy/painful. I got up and decided to phone the hospital. We thought they'd tell me to go in but they didn't. We'd already got dressed as hubby was having to help me through rubbing my back in contractions. The hospital told me to stay at home because I wasn't in enough pain to go in! So I was disappointed. But they thought I'd be in soon. They told me to time the contractions properly. So I decided to do that. They were lasting 55 seconds each, and they went from 10mins to about 7 mins apart. At one stage they were 4 mins apart but then they dropped to 8 mins or so, and then I had some 20mins apart! I was getting frustrated as I seemed to be going backwards. We watched TV for a while (nothing on at 4am I tell you!! We watched London's Burning???!) Hubby managed to get some sleep in his chair and I tried but failed. I was very tired, having not slept since the Wednesday night but I just couldn't sleep. My contractions continued to be very irregular. At 7am it was getting silly and I said we'd just go in, seeing as I was going to have to be in at 8am anyway.

    So, Saturday 23rd May.

    We arrived at the hospital about 7.30 and my contractions were still all over the place but they were getting more and more painful. Another woman was about to come into the waiting room with us but then someone took her to one side and led her to an assessment room, saying I would be next. The woman did look very uncomfortable and was making noises. Hubby joked that I should have done that and I would have been seen earlier. Anyway within about 10 mins we heard some very loud noises and it scared me! She sounded in so much pain. A few minutes later we heard screams, followed by a baby crying! At that point I got very emotional. I'd never experienced that before - I'd just heard a baby being born!! It also seemed rather real - why we were there etc. Anyway I should have been seen at 8am but I wasn't, and I was having random contractions still. At 8.45 I think I was finally seen. I was hooked up the monitor and the baby was doing fine.

    At 9.30, in triage, I was examined and they said I hadn't dilated (great! All that pain so far for nothing!) so they inserted prostin into me to soften the cervix. I was told that at 3.45pm I would be taken to delivery to go on a drip to increase my contractions and get things moving. I had to be monitored continuously for a few hours, so I wasn't mobile. (my birth plan really wasn't going to plan at this point!)

    I had a few contractions whilst hooked up to the monitor but they weren't regular. I tried to get some sleep but failed again. Finally I came off the monitor about 11.30ish and at 12 I decided to go for a walk to get some lunch. Me moving round must have started things off because on the walk I experienced some very painful contractions. I got back and then hubby decided to go for a walk to get something from McDonalds. Whilst he was gone the contractions really started coming!!

    He came back and I told him that I was in a lot of pain, so he started to rub my back etc and we used the birthing ball. At about 1.30pm we decided to phone for my mom as I didn't want to be left alone - which made hubby going for a drink/toilet quite difficult! So my mom came about 2pm. I think she was a bit shocked at how in pain I was (she never laboured with me and my sister - they were planned c-sections). I kept wanting my back rubbed which was tough on hubby as I didn't want him to stop.

    I started to ask for pain relief but I was told the delivery suite was very busy and no rooms were available. So I couldn't have anything and they suggested I use the ball and have a bath. At 3pm I decided to have a bath and they also gave me a co-codamol. Before I went in the bath I was feeling so much pressure in between contractions as well, so I was continuously in pain. As soon as I got into the bath I felt that discomfort go. It was great. I still felt the contractions but I coped better and I wasn't in pain/discomfort in between (so, almost my waterbirth!). I was quite hot, so hubby kept spraying me with my water fan which was great, and helped me with my breathing. He and my mom kept taking turns to sit with me in the bathroom (this was still all on triage - I was in a room with another woman and there was only one bath for the whole floor). I kept watching the clock and was getting relieved it was approaching 4pm as I knew I should be taken to delivery and I might get some pain relief. At the same time I was worrying as the drip they were going to put me on was to increase the contractions - I didn't want them increasing!!! 4pm came and went and no one came for me - so I stayed in the bath. I stayed in as long as I could, and finally had to get out about 4.45. I didn't want to get out but the midwife was coming to examine me (I hadn't been examined since 9.30am as they were so busy). As soon as got out of the bath I was in so much pain - the discomfort had returned. From this point on I started to lose control. They examined me and told me I was 4cm. I was gutted!! I wanted to be further on as I was in so much pain but they reassured me I was doing well and it shouldn't take too much longer as my cervix had thinned a lot.

    At 5pm I was really struggling. I was begging for pain relief but the ignored me. I asked for gas and air and finally at about 5.30/6pm I had it. The contractions were very regular and frequent at this point. The gas and air was strange. I like to be in control but it was making things spin and I felt out of it! But I got the hang of it and I kept apologising to mom/hubby saying I didn't know what I was saying so if I said anything strange I didn't mean it. I was trying all sorts of positions to get comfy in but failed. Then at 6.30 I had to be hooked up to a drip for antibiotics seeing as my waters had gone so far in advance. Which meant I had to be on the monitor as well, restricting my movement even further. I wasn't happy! At this point I remember I just shut my eyes and I just concentrated on coping mechanisms for the pain. I was focussing on breathing in the gas and air, on the noise it was making, and ignored everyone and everything around me. That seemed to help. Until someone would come and I would BEG for an epidural saying I couldn't go on anymore. I kept saying I hadn't had any sleep since Wed night and I was exhausted and couldn't cope any more. They still ignored me, saying delivery was full so there was nothing they could do! Hubby and mom didn't like seeing me in so much pain but there was nothing they could do. I just kept concentrating on the gas and air, telling myself I could do it and blocking everything else out. At 8pm I felt a bit of an urge to push and I told the midwife. All I remember being told was that I was next for delivery suite. I still thought I had to be hooked up to the drip to increase contractions which scared me as I was in enough pain as it was!

    I finally got wheeled round to delivery at 8.15pm. Just before that, I had the strangest experience I have ever felt. I felt the urge to push. It was uncontrollable and I made the strangest noise I have ever made!!!! It was like a reflex action and the noise that came out of my mouth was an animal noise!!! I shocked myself and kept apologising saying I had no control over it!!!! They wheeled me to delivery without the gas and air (was told to just bite on the mouth piece in the meantime!)

    I got into the delivery room and I kept having the urge to push and they told me that I could go with my body and push when I wanted. I was told it wouldn't take long. The contractions were entirely different to the rest of the day. All day they had been really uncomfy and painful. Now the contractions came with an urge to push and they weren't as painful, plus the discomfort in between was going. So I was a lot calmer.

    I started pushing - my body was taking over and I was still making my strange animal noises and apologising. With each contraction I started to get bad back pain, which became unbearable and I was scared of having another contraction as I knew the back pain would be bad when it finished. I was managing to get 2 or 3 pushes with each contraction but nothing much seemed to be happening. The midwife said our little boy would be here by the end of her shift (9.30) but they would let me push for 3 hours in total before they'd intervene. I panicked and said there was no way I could push for 3 hours as I was exhausted and in so much pain with my back. In fact I actually felt I could fall asleep in between contractions as I was that tired. I changed positions to leaning over the back of the bed which helped a bit with the pain but nothing much was happening. They said his head was progressing but not very much. I was hooked up to the monitor so was still restricted with what positions I could be in.

    I had to have a catheter inserted as they felt my bladder was full. It certainly was!! Two big bowls full!! They said my bladder could have been damaged if I'd left it.

    At 9.30pm they changed midwife. I was disappointed as I'd been pushing for so long and getting more and more tired. The new midwife kept examining me and could see the head but realised that my contractions were long enough to help me with the pushing. And she felt his head was in the wrong position too, which was causing my back pain. I had to return to lying on the bed on my back which really hurt. They said again about me pushing for 3 hours and that really upset me, I just couldn't go on anymore and my mom and hubby looked concerned. I also kept thinking I was pooing myself. So at 10pm she said that she would cut me - I said she could do anything, just get him out. So she numbed me etc and in a few contractions she had cut me in two places. On the next contraction she managed to manipulate his head, and then his head came out. On the next contraction I pushed with all my might, as my mom and hubby told me what they could see and that spurred me on. All of a sudden he came out and he was crying!!! I'll never forget my mom's reaction when she could see him - she first of all told me she could see his head (in such an excited voice) and then got back to encouraging me to push the rest of him out. Mom and hubby were so excited when he arrived, telling me they could see him and he was crying!

    He was born at 22.16, so 2 hours after I started pushing. I was so over the moon and relieved. All the pain went, and I had my gorgeous little boy in my arms! Hubby cut the cord, and then my placenta was delivered a few mins later. We had some time together before our son was dressed and put under the light thingy to warm him up. The midwife then had to start to sew me up. She was concerned my cervix had torn (she'd had to move it out of the way when I was pushing or something) so a doctor had to come and examine me, but it hadn't torn luckily. I needed the gas and air again for the stitches. Finally it was all done and I was so hot! I think I had a shower about midnight - I felt very hot and dizzy and in so much pain down below - I thought it was my stitches but I know now it was piles, through all that pushing. At 1am I got taken down to the ward with my son. I had to say bye to mom and hubby in the corridor which was strange and then I was all alone with my baby in my bed. All night I couldn't take my eyes off him. Whilst all the other babies were screaming my baby was just sleeping - he was gorgeous. I should have got some sleep but I couldn't as I couldn't take my eyes off him. He kept making noises/twitches so that would wake me as I was fascinated, then he would stop and I would worry something was wrong! I was able to breastfeed straight away which was a really amazing experience.

    During pushing I really thought I was having a poo. It turns out I never did poo myself but what I could feel coming out was the piles!! That is what I've been suffering from for the last week. The stitches have been fine, but the piles have been awful - I'd thought through all the other symptoms etc of labour but not this one!!

    I can't believe I did it all on gas and air. I really wanted an epidural and would want one next time (next time?!!) but he came safe and sound so that's all that matters. I was convinced he'd get in distress or something but he was fine throughout labour which amazed me.

    We had to stay in hospital until the Monday lunchtime as he had to be monitored due to my waters going in advance. He was ok though. I didn't get much sleep on the ward with the other screaming babies and it was so hot, so I was glad to get home.

    We are so in love with our little boy. It's been such an emotional twelve months, with two miscarriages, which led to constant worry throughout this pregnancy, and it's still hard to believe he is ours!! I still half expect to wake up the night before my 12 week scan!!! I will never forget my two little lost beans, they taught me so much. And our son is worth every bit of pain that I went through in labour (and am going through now with the piles!). Even when I'm awake in the middle of the night feeding him really often, I look at him and am overwhelmed with love for him.

    So that is my birth story!! Sorry it is long but I wanted to get it all down!!


    ps he was born exactly a year to the day, and in the same hospital, that i had my ERPC with my first mc xxx


    [Modified by: mrs_e on October 03, 2009 04:59 PM]

  • Copied from word document. Iwrote it not long after ciara was born so it might sound a bit 'flakey'..i blame the codein.

    Ciara Graces' birth story
    After a day out shopping at White Rose on Sunday 3rd May(our due date) we were having a late night and sat up in the living room watching Toy Story. (we started collecting the Disney movies for baby but decided to watch some ourselves.) At around 2am on Monday morning while still watching the movie I started to get very mild tightenings in my stomach..my first contractions...I tell you watching toy story will never be the same again. It was very exciting to think that things were starting off, but it was very mild. We went to bed but there was no way that I could sleep, the contractions started coming more intense at 4am so Robb phoned the birth center, they told us to take some paracetamol and have a warm bath, then call back. We did all these things and the bath definitely helped but then the contractions kicked in more intence so when we phoned the birth center she told us to come in. It was so exciting to know that baby could be on its way. When we got to the birth center the contractions continued and everything was going well but at lunch time they stopped. I was a little disappointed because i really thought that baby was on its way, the midwife in the birth center said that we had to go into the hospital to be discharged, so we went and after a long wait..and some more mild contractions that started up again, I was admitted for high blood pressure and told that I had to stay the night. This turned out to the for the best....The staff in the birth center had leant me a tens machine that I was using to help through the contractions (as well as squeezing robbs hand till it almost turned blue.) When Robb left I tried to get some sleep but the contractions kept on coming but was not painful and the tens machine took the edge off any discomfort. Throughout the night the pains started getting more intense and I was in a lot of pain. From this point I lost all track of time. It must have been around 5 am on Tuesday when i -buzzed' for the midwife to come and give me something for the pain,and it seemed like a lifetime between me pressing the button and the midwife coming in as i was in so much pain by this point. While i was talking to her i had 2 contractions close together and she realised that baby was on its way. She decided to put the heart monitor on me and babies heart rate was good and my contractions regular. At this point she tried to examine me but she could not figure out what part of baby she could feel...so she went and got the doctor to come and examine me. By the time they had finished I ended up with 4 people -having a turn' and trying to establish what part of baby they could feel. Eventually they brought the ultrasound scanner in and found that baby was breach, but i was already 5cm so they needed to perform an emergency c-section before baby made too much more of an effort to come out of its own accord. They started giving me gas and air which worked wonders through the contractions and they phoned my husband (thank goodness we live fairly close to the hospital) and by the time they had prepped me for the surgery he was by my side. I think the worse part was when they put the catheter in..oh my god that hurt a lot. From this point everything happened so quickly. I was wheeled on the bed through corridors and a lifth to the room where the section would be performed and Robb was sent to change into some scrubs. They immediately gave me the spinal...which did not hurt at all...at least not compared to the contractions that i was having by this point. And i was now at 10 cm so they had to work fast. The spinal worked instantly and i had to be helped to lay down, then they put up the little -curtain' and got to work. I was amazed at how fast everything happened, I could not feel anything from my chest down...which was very weird, but robb was sat beside me talking to me and I just had a nice warm feeling throughout. At 6.39 on Tuesday 5th May our little girl was born..Ill never forget that moment when the midwife held her up so we could see the sex of our baby..It was amazing, everybody thought our baby was going to be a boy because of how I carried so she was a wonderful surprise! Robb went and watched while they cleaned our daughter up and weighed her, 7lb 4oz and nice and healthy. Then the midwife brought her over and robb sat and had his first cuddle while the doctors finished stitching me up. I got a bad case of the shakes in my hands and upper body but they kept reassuring me that it was normal. We were then taken through to the recovery room where a midwife there helped to latch our baby on for her first feed. She went on straight away, it was amazing. Our little girl Ciara Grace was finally here. After about an hour we were taken onto a ward where we stayed until Thursday, then finally..we came home and our adventure really began.
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