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Birth story - Labour induction
At every antenatal appointment since 38 weeks, my midwife would check my cervix and right up to 41 weeks, it remained very posterior and closed. Therefore i was booked in for an induction on 3rd December 2010, 12 days overdue.
I had to be in the hospital for 8am as i was getting Propess which was a new, less aggressive was to be induced. I was put into a ward with 3 other women all getting induced. I was put on a monitor at 8.30 for half an hour for the midwife to check my babies heart rate. After all was well, she inserted the propess at 9am. This did not hurt atall. I was then put back on the monitor to make sure baby was not distressed.
The midwife told me not really to expect alot of progress as using the propess it can take longer to work. So after waiting 30 mins lying in bed, my husband and i were able to walk to the shop to get loads of magazines to pass the time.
At around 11.30 i started to get a sore back i felt with lying too long and the hospital beds being uncomfortable. I also suffer from sciatica which was aggravated by the pregnancy so i asked the midwife if i could have paracetamol. As time went on, i said to my husband that i didn't think my back pain was all the bed's fault lol. At 12:45, only 3 ???? hours since the propess was inserted, i started having contractions. (If anyone told you that contractions were like period pains, well they were lying lol) my husband pressed the buzzer and i informed the midwife. She came with the birthing ball and a fetal heart Doppler to monitor the babies heart rate during each contraction. Everything was still great. I had more pain killers (dihydracodine) around 3pm and as the pains were getting alot more intense i went for a bath, which really did help.
While in the bath, i noticed thick yellowish discharge coming away, at first i thought it might have been the propess coming away. My hubby shouted on the midwife who checked me and advised that i was having a heavy show and things had now started to progress. After 2 hours, i got out the bath to try and have something to eat.
From then it was all a kind of blur. I can remember my mum and sister coming to visit me at 7pm, then my husband had to leave at 8pm which i was heart broken. I was in so much pain and didn't want to be left alone, but the midwife insisted.
After they left, i asked for another bath. This time, i only lasted 10 mins as the pains were getting too intense. The midwife helped me out the bath and said it was time for me to go into a labour room and try gas and air. WOW, this was the best decision they could have made.
By 11pm, the midwife decided that she would check me to see if there was any progress. She advised that my cervix was still posterior and 1/2cm dilated. She managed to give me a membrane sweep. I was so tired by this point and really needed a sleep. So shame gave me an injection of diamorphine and turned the lights down. I managed to sleep during the contractions.
The next morning, my husband arrived with my sister who was also my birth partner. The new midwife i had was fantastic and stayed with me all the time. She gave me another internal and was only 1 cm. It was very frustrating. The doctor was supposed to come and see me at 9.30am to see if i could get my waters broken, but didn't arrive till 14.30pm due to emergancies. I was still onlt 1cm but the doctor decided that he would break my waters. Then all on a sudden, GUSH!! I think i started to panic. Just the realisation that my waters had broken and there was no turning back. This wasn't sore atall. Although when he gave me an internal, i did require the gas and air lol. The doctor advised the midwife to start me on a drip an hour later to bring on my contractions.
MY oh My it did exactly what he said. The contractions started to come thick and fast. To the extent that i wasn't even getting much of a rest period between them. My husband kept an eye on the monitor to tell me when they were starting ease off. I couldn't take the pain anymore....EPIDURAL ORDERD!.
The anethnatist arrived at 17.30pm. the midwife checked me and i was now 4cm dialated. They stopped the drip as i was getting the epidural and instantly with the drip off, i started to feel better. The contractions were not as intense. It took 3 attempts to site the epidural. Once this was in place, it was such a relief. I would recommend them to everyone. It allowed me to watch the x factor semi finals pain free. They started me up on the drip again, and to my husband's amasement, every time the monitor would peak, he looked at me, then the monitor again, then me again and kept asking if i could feel the contractions....NOT a thing i said lol.
As time went on, and another midwife change, i started to feel pressure down below. There was no change to my cervix even with this pressure. The pain started to get worse and in time required 2 other top ups.
At 11pm, the midwife done another check, i was still 4cm's dilated. Not what we all had hoped for. She then advised that she would get the consultant to come and review me. I was reviewed at 2.30am and still no change. And by 3.25am on Sunday 5th December 2010, my baby boy Charlie Jack was born by emergency c section.
The c section was the worst experience in my life so far. Even though you are numb, you still feel pressure and at one point i thought they were going to break my ribs trying to push down on Charlie's bottom. I couldn't take the pain anymore and i had to be sedated. I can remember Charlie being born, but the pain was so extreme, they took him off me and gave him to my hubby and sedated me even more. I really didn't want to miss anything, but the pain was just so over powering.
In recovery, i was given oxygen and pain relief. The midwife also freshened me up. I couldn't move, my tummy felt like it had been ripped apart. As time went on, my neck started to get really sore and had awful ringing in my ears. This carried on till a week after i got home. I cried most of the time as i couldn't do anything to help Charlie. My mum stayed with us for a week after. Anytime i wanted to hold Charlie, my husband or my mum had to fetch him for me from his crib.
It did honestly take six weeks till i felt more like myself and was able to be a proper mum to Charlie. My wound ended up infected but i would not change him for the world.
Sorry its so long, but thought everyone would like an indepth account of an induced labour.
I had to be in the hospital for 8am as i was getting Propess which was a new, less aggressive was to be induced. I was put into a ward with 3 other women all getting induced. I was put on a monitor at 8.30 for half an hour for the midwife to check my babies heart rate. After all was well, she inserted the propess at 9am. This did not hurt atall. I was then put back on the monitor to make sure baby was not distressed.
The midwife told me not really to expect alot of progress as using the propess it can take longer to work. So after waiting 30 mins lying in bed, my husband and i were able to walk to the shop to get loads of magazines to pass the time.
At around 11.30 i started to get a sore back i felt with lying too long and the hospital beds being uncomfortable. I also suffer from sciatica which was aggravated by the pregnancy so i asked the midwife if i could have paracetamol. As time went on, i said to my husband that i didn't think my back pain was all the bed's fault lol. At 12:45, only 3 ???? hours since the propess was inserted, i started having contractions. (If anyone told you that contractions were like period pains, well they were lying lol) my husband pressed the buzzer and i informed the midwife. She came with the birthing ball and a fetal heart Doppler to monitor the babies heart rate during each contraction. Everything was still great. I had more pain killers (dihydracodine) around 3pm and as the pains were getting alot more intense i went for a bath, which really did help.
While in the bath, i noticed thick yellowish discharge coming away, at first i thought it might have been the propess coming away. My hubby shouted on the midwife who checked me and advised that i was having a heavy show and things had now started to progress. After 2 hours, i got out the bath to try and have something to eat.
From then it was all a kind of blur. I can remember my mum and sister coming to visit me at 7pm, then my husband had to leave at 8pm which i was heart broken. I was in so much pain and didn't want to be left alone, but the midwife insisted.
After they left, i asked for another bath. This time, i only lasted 10 mins as the pains were getting too intense. The midwife helped me out the bath and said it was time for me to go into a labour room and try gas and air. WOW, this was the best decision they could have made.
By 11pm, the midwife decided that she would check me to see if there was any progress. She advised that my cervix was still posterior and 1/2cm dilated. She managed to give me a membrane sweep. I was so tired by this point and really needed a sleep. So shame gave me an injection of diamorphine and turned the lights down. I managed to sleep during the contractions.
The next morning, my husband arrived with my sister who was also my birth partner. The new midwife i had was fantastic and stayed with me all the time. She gave me another internal and was only 1 cm. It was very frustrating. The doctor was supposed to come and see me at 9.30am to see if i could get my waters broken, but didn't arrive till 14.30pm due to emergancies. I was still onlt 1cm but the doctor decided that he would break my waters. Then all on a sudden, GUSH!! I think i started to panic. Just the realisation that my waters had broken and there was no turning back. This wasn't sore atall. Although when he gave me an internal, i did require the gas and air lol. The doctor advised the midwife to start me on a drip an hour later to bring on my contractions.
MY oh My it did exactly what he said. The contractions started to come thick and fast. To the extent that i wasn't even getting much of a rest period between them. My husband kept an eye on the monitor to tell me when they were starting ease off. I couldn't take the pain anymore....EPIDURAL ORDERD!.
The anethnatist arrived at 17.30pm. the midwife checked me and i was now 4cm dialated. They stopped the drip as i was getting the epidural and instantly with the drip off, i started to feel better. The contractions were not as intense. It took 3 attempts to site the epidural. Once this was in place, it was such a relief. I would recommend them to everyone. It allowed me to watch the x factor semi finals pain free. They started me up on the drip again, and to my husband's amasement, every time the monitor would peak, he looked at me, then the monitor again, then me again and kept asking if i could feel the contractions....NOT a thing i said lol.
As time went on, and another midwife change, i started to feel pressure down below. There was no change to my cervix even with this pressure. The pain started to get worse and in time required 2 other top ups.
At 11pm, the midwife done another check, i was still 4cm's dilated. Not what we all had hoped for. She then advised that she would get the consultant to come and review me. I was reviewed at 2.30am and still no change. And by 3.25am on Sunday 5th December 2010, my baby boy Charlie Jack was born by emergency c section.
The c section was the worst experience in my life so far. Even though you are numb, you still feel pressure and at one point i thought they were going to break my ribs trying to push down on Charlie's bottom. I couldn't take the pain anymore and i had to be sedated. I can remember Charlie being born, but the pain was so extreme, they took him off me and gave him to my hubby and sedated me even more. I really didn't want to miss anything, but the pain was just so over powering.
In recovery, i was given oxygen and pain relief. The midwife also freshened me up. I couldn't move, my tummy felt like it had been ripped apart. As time went on, my neck started to get really sore and had awful ringing in my ears. This carried on till a week after i got home. I cried most of the time as i couldn't do anything to help Charlie. My mum stayed with us for a week after. Anytime i wanted to hold Charlie, my husband or my mum had to fetch him for me from his crib.
It did honestly take six weeks till i felt more like myself and was able to be a proper mum to Charlie. My wound ended up infected but i would not change him for the world.
Sorry its so long, but thought everyone would like an indepth account of an induced labour.
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Replies
Firstly well done for getting through what sounds like a horrendously long winded labour! Though looking at your profile pic (presumably baby Charlie), though, looks like all the pain was worth it...he is adorable!!
I'm glad you posted this- at 6 days overdue, I have just been booked in for an induction and not looking forward to it one bit. Fingers crossed something happens before then.
Glad you are feeling more human and can finally enjoying being mummy. Congratulations!!
Maria
Im a week over now and babys not in the best position, my cervix is posterior like yours was so I've been booked in for induction on Wednesday. Im hoping an preying that baby will make an appearance before then tho.
Congrats again and well done on coping with a long and traumatic birth xx