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My birth story
Hi everyone
Thought I'd post my birth story as when I was pregnant I used to love reading them whilst preparing for my own!! Sorry its pretty long!!
So I was 40+5 when I woke at 6am on Valentine's Day (Sunday) with mild period cramps. They were coming every 10 mins or so but weren't painful. I got quite excited and thought this is it!! My hubby woke about 10am and I informed him that I thought I was contracting. We exchanged Valentine's cards and presents in bed with me still timing them. I had a sweep booked at 12 that day so went along for that. The midwife attempted to do the sweep (was sooo painful, I winced!) but said I was fully effaced and 1cm dilated so wasn't going to bother. She said 'you'll have your baby today', which made me and DH very excited!! By that point I was contracting every 5 mins and they were getting more and more uncomfortable. The MW said don't go to hospital until you can't bear the pain anymore, so I got home and put my TENS machine on. I hated it though - just giving me a dull ache in my back from the electric shocks, but it was a good distraction from the contractions.
By Sunday night I hadn't progressed from contracting every 5 mins and they were painful at this point. I rang the hospital who said not to come in until they were every 3 mins. I sat bouncing on my ball for hours and hours. I didn't sleep at all on Sun night, as everytime I drifted off I was woken with another contraction. My DH took the day off work and sat with me, whilst I just bounced continually and breathed through the contractions. By Monday evening I just couldn't take it anymore, they were still 5 mins apart and weren't getting any closer. My DH drove me to the hospital, which was 20 mins away, and on the way I was vomiting in the back of the car. Think I was sick because I was exhausted (had been awake 36 hours contracting the whole time). Even though I took a carrier bag with me, there was a hole in it and sick went all on my clothes, UGG boots and car seat, it was gross!! I finally got to the labour ward where I was met by the meanest MW who told me I "clearly wasn't contracting or in labour". I couldn't believe it!! She refused to examine me and told me to go home. I felt like a broken woman! In hindsight I wish I had got her name as I would def make a complaint about her, but at the time I couldn't think straight. So we drove back home, and I spent another night up all night, contracting every 5 mins.
By Tuesday I was desperate and spoke to my neighbour whose also a health visitor. She told me to get walking to progress the contractions, so I walked from room to room in my house, stopping all the time to get on the floor and try and cope with the pain. Eventually, by about 7pm on tues night, they were coming every 3 mins and we made our way back to hospital. This time I put on a real show for the midwives on the ward, panting and making 'owww' noises, and I was seen. A different MW examined me at 9pm and said 'well done, you're 5cm, can't believe you got this far on your own'. I couldn't believe it!
I asked for an epidural as was so tired and in such pain, but she said as I'd done half the work already, I should try to do a bit more without any pain relief. She ran me a bath and then went to fill the birthing pool. I was lucky as she had a student MW with her as well, so had lots of support. I was given gas and air and loved it, despite throwing it up at first as it sent me lightheaded and after not eating or sleeping for days, I just couldnt cope!
I got in the birthing pool around 11pm and loved it. I was floating around in the lovely hot water, chattering to my hubby and the midwives and stopping every couple of mins to use G&A through a contraction. I got examined at 1am and was 8cm at this point. My waters still hadn't broken so I asked for the MW to break them, which she did. It was such a lovely feeling having them broken, really relieved some pressure, although I was a bit worried about the contractions intensifying. At 4am I was fully dilated and asked to get back in the birthing pool. The hot water really helped and I was loving it. I was pushing away, which was so weird, just like straining to do a poo, but the contractions started to slow again and I was told to get out. I think I was just getting too relaxed in the water. The baby was already quite far down the birth canal, so as I was getting out again, I had another contraction and had to quickly bend over the side of the pool and push again! I had lost all dignity and spent the whole of my labour in the hospital totally naked!! I just didn't care and usually I would be mortified about walking around naked in front of strangers! Eventually I was put on the bed and pushed again. I was averaging 3 pushes per contraction, but it was so exhausting and felt very strange as I couldn't actually feel contractions anymore. Earlier I'd told the MW I thought the baby was a girl and she said "well i can see her head, she's got loads of dark hair and you'll be able to put a ribbon in her hair when she's born'. I was so excited!!! I didn't think it was that painful when the baby's head crowned, although it did feel strange to feel it coming out, and with the next contraction, the MW helped to pull the baby out. It was a boy!! We couldn't believe it! He cried and screamed straight away, and was put straight onto my chest for skin to skin. He weighed 9lb1oz, so was a big boy, and I can't believe I managed the whole labour on G&A only.
The midwife and student midwife were so good and stayed with me the whole time. I've sent them both thank you cards, as their support was amazing.
The whole thing was exhausting but I'm pleased in some ways that I did do so much of the labour at home as he was a big boy and it helped him move slowly along. He didn't have a conehead and was born looking totally perfect. We've named him George. He's now 4 weeks 2 days old and is so gorgeous. I feel so lucky and proud.
I'm breastfeeding and its going really well![:\](https://forum.madeformums.com/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
)
Thought I'd post my birth story as when I was pregnant I used to love reading them whilst preparing for my own!! Sorry its pretty long!!
So I was 40+5 when I woke at 6am on Valentine's Day (Sunday) with mild period cramps. They were coming every 10 mins or so but weren't painful. I got quite excited and thought this is it!! My hubby woke about 10am and I informed him that I thought I was contracting. We exchanged Valentine's cards and presents in bed with me still timing them. I had a sweep booked at 12 that day so went along for that. The midwife attempted to do the sweep (was sooo painful, I winced!) but said I was fully effaced and 1cm dilated so wasn't going to bother. She said 'you'll have your baby today', which made me and DH very excited!! By that point I was contracting every 5 mins and they were getting more and more uncomfortable. The MW said don't go to hospital until you can't bear the pain anymore, so I got home and put my TENS machine on. I hated it though - just giving me a dull ache in my back from the electric shocks, but it was a good distraction from the contractions.
By Sunday night I hadn't progressed from contracting every 5 mins and they were painful at this point. I rang the hospital who said not to come in until they were every 3 mins. I sat bouncing on my ball for hours and hours. I didn't sleep at all on Sun night, as everytime I drifted off I was woken with another contraction. My DH took the day off work and sat with me, whilst I just bounced continually and breathed through the contractions. By Monday evening I just couldn't take it anymore, they were still 5 mins apart and weren't getting any closer. My DH drove me to the hospital, which was 20 mins away, and on the way I was vomiting in the back of the car. Think I was sick because I was exhausted (had been awake 36 hours contracting the whole time). Even though I took a carrier bag with me, there was a hole in it and sick went all on my clothes, UGG boots and car seat, it was gross!! I finally got to the labour ward where I was met by the meanest MW who told me I "clearly wasn't contracting or in labour". I couldn't believe it!! She refused to examine me and told me to go home. I felt like a broken woman! In hindsight I wish I had got her name as I would def make a complaint about her, but at the time I couldn't think straight. So we drove back home, and I spent another night up all night, contracting every 5 mins.
By Tuesday I was desperate and spoke to my neighbour whose also a health visitor. She told me to get walking to progress the contractions, so I walked from room to room in my house, stopping all the time to get on the floor and try and cope with the pain. Eventually, by about 7pm on tues night, they were coming every 3 mins and we made our way back to hospital. This time I put on a real show for the midwives on the ward, panting and making 'owww' noises, and I was seen. A different MW examined me at 9pm and said 'well done, you're 5cm, can't believe you got this far on your own'. I couldn't believe it!
I asked for an epidural as was so tired and in such pain, but she said as I'd done half the work already, I should try to do a bit more without any pain relief. She ran me a bath and then went to fill the birthing pool. I was lucky as she had a student MW with her as well, so had lots of support. I was given gas and air and loved it, despite throwing it up at first as it sent me lightheaded and after not eating or sleeping for days, I just couldnt cope!
I got in the birthing pool around 11pm and loved it. I was floating around in the lovely hot water, chattering to my hubby and the midwives and stopping every couple of mins to use G&A through a contraction. I got examined at 1am and was 8cm at this point. My waters still hadn't broken so I asked for the MW to break them, which she did. It was such a lovely feeling having them broken, really relieved some pressure, although I was a bit worried about the contractions intensifying. At 4am I was fully dilated and asked to get back in the birthing pool. The hot water really helped and I was loving it. I was pushing away, which was so weird, just like straining to do a poo, but the contractions started to slow again and I was told to get out. I think I was just getting too relaxed in the water. The baby was already quite far down the birth canal, so as I was getting out again, I had another contraction and had to quickly bend over the side of the pool and push again! I had lost all dignity and spent the whole of my labour in the hospital totally naked!! I just didn't care and usually I would be mortified about walking around naked in front of strangers! Eventually I was put on the bed and pushed again. I was averaging 3 pushes per contraction, but it was so exhausting and felt very strange as I couldn't actually feel contractions anymore. Earlier I'd told the MW I thought the baby was a girl and she said "well i can see her head, she's got loads of dark hair and you'll be able to put a ribbon in her hair when she's born'. I was so excited!!! I didn't think it was that painful when the baby's head crowned, although it did feel strange to feel it coming out, and with the next contraction, the MW helped to pull the baby out. It was a boy!! We couldn't believe it! He cried and screamed straight away, and was put straight onto my chest for skin to skin. He weighed 9lb1oz, so was a big boy, and I can't believe I managed the whole labour on G&A only.
The midwife and student midwife were so good and stayed with me the whole time. I've sent them both thank you cards, as their support was amazing.
The whole thing was exhausting but I'm pleased in some ways that I did do so much of the labour at home as he was a big boy and it helped him move slowly along. He didn't have a conehead and was born looking totally perfect. We've named him George. He's now 4 weeks 2 days old and is so gorgeous. I feel so lucky and proud.
I'm breastfeeding and its going really well
)0
Replies
Melissa