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My birth story - about time!

Well as promised, I will start my birth story. It will be long though, I'm afraid! I may have to do it in instalments if J wakes up anytime soon!

So things all started when I went to my routine midwife's appointment at 39+5 on Thursday 14th May. She did all the usual checks and was quite surprised when my blood pressure was 160/105 (all the way through my pregnancy it had been 120/70ish) so referred me to the day assessment unit at the hospital. They monitored me there and while my bp wasn't quite as high, they also found 2+ of protein in my urine, so a doctor was called (!) She was lovely but said that as I was so close to my due date they wanted to admit me straight away! I was so scared as I was convinced that Joseph was going to be two weeks late and didn't feel prepared at all.

So when I was on the ward, they checked me and said I wasn't favourable at all so they wouldn't induce me straight away but keep monitoring things. I had to start taking medication to control my blood pressure too. Nothing much happened on the Friday but I strangely quite enjoyed being taken care of as I had been feeling rough for the previous two weeks and it was a relief to know what was wrong. Oh, I did have to collect all my wee in a bottle for 24 hours which was an experience!!!

Anyway, the next day (my due date and also hubby's birthday) they weren't happy with the trace of the baby's heart rate and I now had 3+ of protein in my urine so they decided to induce me. I was SO scared. When hubby came to the hospital, I forgot to say Happy Birthday to him as I was in such a panic! But it was actually fine, they put in something called Propess which is like a tampon and nothing happened for ages. As I hadn't been 'favourable', I was fully expecting it not to work and to have to have the gel the next day. At quarter to four though, as my stepchildren were visiting, I was bouncing on my gym ball and drinking raspberry leaf tea to try and hurry things along when I suddenly felt a funny strong movement (like a pop) and though it was a bit strange. Then I realised that I felt very wet (sorry tmi) and suddenly rushed to the toilet to find out what was going on! It was my waters going which was quite funny as I had to get oh to take the children out while I spoke to a midwife about what was happening. Everyone started getting excited that the induction was working but hubby had to leave then as visiting hours were over for the children which was a bit scary. He came back soon though.

As soon as my waters had gone, I started getting contractions. They were manageable at first but I was having 2-3 in ten minutes right from the start. They kept checking the baby's heart rate and still thought it was a bit 'flat' but didn't do anything at this stage. I leaned over my gym ball and rocked for a while. When they started getting more painful, the midwife wheeled me down to the delivery suite. Hubby came along behind, carrying all the bags! I don't really know what time this was, maybe about 7 or 8 o'clock - it's all a bit of a blur.


[Modified by: manicmiz on 20 June 2009 23:02:52 ]

Replies

  • When I got to the delivery suite, they examined me and I was only 1-2cm dilated, but they didn't send me back or anything luckily! (found out later why it was all so slow) Anyway, I tried gas and air for pain relief first but it didn't do anything for me (don't think I was using it right at this point!) and I asked to use the pool because my hips were killing me (don't know if it was my SPD or if that's normal in labour, but all my pain was in my hips). At first they said know because they wanted to keep monitoring the baby's heartrate, then they agreed to use a mobile monitor so I could go in. It was lovely to feel the warm water in between contractions, but as the gas and air wasn't touching the pain, it wasn't enough for me in terms of pain relief, so principles went out the window and I called for an epidural! (lol) The anaesthatist was in theatre at this point and they said it would be a half an hour wait. I stayed in the pool until the last minute, then ran across dripping wet to get my epidural! ha ha!

    The next part still makes me laugh thinking about it, because even though my labour ended up being quite traumatic and a lot of it is a blur, I will never forget the next bit or how lovely the anaesthatist was! So there I was in agony, listening to the anaesthatist going through the procedure and the risks etc. I didn't really listen, just grabbed the paper and signed! Didn't care about the risks at that point! Then he asked me to lie on my side while he put it in. Well with my hips, I just physically couldn't get in that position. I tried a couple of times and ended up in tears because I couldn't do it! So he said I could try sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning forward. I could just about get in this position, but every time he went to put it in, I had a contraction and leapt up off the bed. I just couldn't keep still! Bless him, he was SO patient with me and the same thing happened several times. I was getting hysterical by this point and apparently told my husband to 'stop talking and just pray that they can get it in!' :lol: ha ha! I was such a nightmare! So in the end, the anaesthatist told me to keep sucking the gas and air all the way through until he told me to stop. When I did this, I realised how gas and air was actually meant to work! It was so funny, felt like I was rising up and up above everyone and could hear them talking to me but as if from far away! And finally the epidural was in! Phew! A relief for all concerned! When it started working, I told my oh 'I do love you, but actually I think I love him (the anaesthatist) as well!'

    As soon as the epi was in I was hooked back up to the monitors and hubby was told to have a sleep in the corner! I felt much more relaxed at this point....but not for long!
  • Wow, this is mammoth! Sorry everyone and I'm impressed if you've got this far! Last bit coming up!

    So as they were monitoring the baby's heart rate, they were not happy with it at all. Every time I had a contraction, it kept dipping. First to 100, then 90, and eventually right down below 60 (it was normally around 115). This was very scary and I didn't know what was causing it. They called for a doctor to look at what was happening and they did another internal. I was still only 3-4 cm dilated (was about 1am by this point). They explained that the baby was distressed and they needed to get him out, but I wasn't dilated enough to use forceps etc. so they would have to do a c-section. At this point, I didn't care, I just wanted him here safe. So I woke hubby up and he went to the car to get the last few baby bits we needed. I was really scared but also excited that we would get to meet our baby boy within the hour!

    They wheeled me down to theatre, where there were LOADS of people - no idea who they all were but my lovely anaesthatist was back! He topped up my epidural and I was so glad I'd had one as it meant I got to stay awake. He sprayed cold stuff to check it was working but it was weird because you could still feel the spraying sensation, just not the coldness. I was terrified I would be able to feel the operation but they assured me I wouldn't!

    The preparation took much longer than the actual operation and he was out in about ten minutes. He cried straight away and so did I because I was so relieved that he was ok. We called him Joseph and guessed his weight, but we were all wrong, he was only 6lb 13 oz (but VERY long - 54cm!) He was absolutely fine apart from some red swollen marks on his head. The staff were so lovely and brought him round for me to cuddle and took lots of photos for us of them cutting the cord etc. which we couldn't see. The stitching up afterwards seemed to take ages but I was just so happy my baby boy was here! The surgeon said at one point 'Oh I wish all our patients were nice and slim like you, that makes our job much easier. That's a good section!' lol so it was nice and straight forward.

    Anyway, I was in recovery for ages and not able to have skin-to-skin yet because they needed to keep monitoring my blood pressure (apparently it had gone right up during the op). That was a bit of a shame, but it was all still a bit surreal at this point. One of the doctors came to talk to me and explained that Joseph had been stuck sideways in my pelvis and there wasn't room for him to rotate round. When I had a contraction, I was contracting onto him (hence the red marks on his head) and this was actually making me swell up inside as well so there was less room for him to come out, not more! She said he would never have come out naturally and it was the right decision to have a section. Then, unbelievably, she added 'When you have your next baby, it's likely you'll need another section!' I was like, 'One is fine for now, thank you!' lol

    So that's it, sorry it was so long but it's good to get it all out. I always said I never wanted a section but in the end, I didn't care because it helped Joseph get here safely. He's 5 weeks old now and I can't remember what it was like without him - he's my little star!

    imghttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2547391&l=84b1cf49a2&id=531578155img
  • I can't remember how to add pics - can someone remind me please!
  • wow your story is remarkably similar to mine! Poor Mathilda was stuck sideways too which resulted me having an emergency section after pushing for 3 hours with no progress! They tried ventuose first put she was not coming out at all. She too had marks on her head and face bless her and even nearly 5 weeks later she still has a red patch between her eyebrows.
    Well done tho on the birth of your lo, main thing is is that he's well and safe. image
  • Also mathilda was long too, I wonder if that has anything to do with it! She was 51cm but was also 9lbs 11.5oz! Ouch! Kinda glad I did have a section in the end !
  • Oh I LOVE a good birth story!!

    Congratulations.xx
  • glad he got here safe, congratulations! xx
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