# Jenson Paul James - 27.09.12 8lb 11oz currently in NICU



## Charlotteee

So here is my birth story, it may get long so grab a coffee and put your feet up :coffee:

I was 41+3 when I had my third sweep, was so sure nothing was going to work but went home and had a hot curry and sex and went to bed thinking nothing of it. Went to the toilet about 3 times in the night and each time there was a lot of bloody show. Was woke up at about 6am with cramps which were uncomfortable but nothing I couldn't try and deal with. At about 8am they were getting quite strong and were every 5-6 minutes apart. Decided I would have a bath, sat in there for an hour and then got out. I went downstairs and had some breakfast and then sat on my ball until about 11am when I rang the birth centre as the pain in my back was excruciating. I went in and they examined me, I was still a finger tip dilated but my cervix was nearly almost thinned out. She sent me home with things to do to get baby off my back as he was currently lying posterior which is why it was hurting me so much.

Off home I went and got back into bed for about an hour with OH massaging my back but I kept getting woke up with contractions, by this point they were lasting a minute and were 2-3 minutes apart so at half 4 we went back to the birth centre. Just as I was about to get on the bed for them to examine me my waters went everywhere and would not stop gushing, they were clear and fine so they said they would give me some paracetamol and let me have a bath and check me at 7, if there was no change in my cervix they would send me home.

My god the contractions got so much more painful from here on, it really is true they are more painful once your waters have gone!! I was in the bath for about 2 hours trying to get some sleep but I just couldn't. I kept on going hot and cold and shivering when it was really warm but didn't think anything of it. At 7 o clock I was checked and I was 2cm but because my contractions were quite painful they said they could give me some pethidine to take the edge off things. The pethidine didn't really help the contractions at all, just helped me to sleep. Then at 9 the midwives swapped shift and a new one came on, she asked if I wanted another bath but I said no as it wasn't doing anything as I couldn't get my bump under the water so she said she would fill up the birthing pool for me and we could use it just as a bath for now. When I got in the birthing pool it was bliss. I felt so much more relaxed.

At about half 9 she checked me again and said I was 5-6cm!! How did I do that!! I felt so much happier that I was more or less halfway. I was given the gas and air, which again doesn't do much except dry your mouth out ridiculously. I was so so thirsty. I've never gone through so much water in my life. At 10pm I felt like I needed to push so she checked me and I was 8cm - he was back to back though still which is why I felt like I wanted to push. She was monitoring his heart rate and it was always inbetween 165-170bpm which they have to transfer you to the hospital for monitoring for if it stays at this. So out of the pool they make me get and change me into something comfortable for the ambulance journey.

From here it gets a little blurry. She was worried I was going to give birth in the ambulance because I was still pushing with every contraction. But we made it to the hospital and I was put on the monitor. His heart rate was high but kept dropping to a normal rate whenever I had a contraction. I was asking for an epidural so the anaesthetist came up and started asking questions, they did my obs and my temperature was 38.1 and because I was still getting my hot and cold shivers he was telling me that it was a risk giving me the epi as if I had an infection then him injecting into my spinal column could introduce the risk of meningitis, I didn't really care and kept saying ok just do it but OH at this point put his foot down and said no, try diamorphine. Finally I was given the diamorphine at ten past 1.

A doctor came in and examined me and said I was still 8cm. What happened next I don't really remember, this is what OH has told me. The doctor tried turning him in me so that he would be anterior and then with every contraction she was messing with a lip on my cervix trying to get it to move out of the way as that was the only thing stopping him coming out. At half 1 they told me I was 10cm and I could push. The Diamorphine still hadn't kicked in and they took my gas and air off me and said use the anger of the contraction to push. I was pushing and pushing and she then asked if she could perform an episiotomy, I don't really remember saying yes but I agreed and she did it when I had a contraction. I remember feeling his head, and making all the doctors and midwives laugh when I said to OH "If you ever come near me with your penis again I shall chop it off"

Finally with one last push at 02.25am on the 27th September 2012, my little man Jenson Paul James was born, he decided to poo on the way out but he didn't swallow any. He had such a cone head.

His Apgar scores at 1minute were 2, 5minutes, 6 and 10minutes 7.

This is where it all went down hill very fast. He made one feeble little cry and they whisked him off to the side to get him to breathe, OH couldn't cut his cord or anything and then all of a sudden in came the incubator transporter. (I'm getting quite upset writing this) There were about 13 people in the room.

I then didn't feel very well. My face felt all numb and tingly and I kept rolling my eyes and drifting in and out. My pulse was up at 170 and my sats were dropping so they put me on oxygen and after about an hour I started to feel ok again. OH and my mum went to visit Jenson and he came back looking broken. I never want to see his face like that again ever. 

Anyway I'm cutting this short as I'm in tears, I'm so gutted that I didn't have my skin to skin and I've still not had a cuddle with him. I'm gutted that OH didn't get to cut his cord and that we still haven't been able to breastfeed.

We aren't 100% sure what happened to him, but they think it was lack of oxygen. I'm not sure how because half an hour before he was born they took a sample from his head and said his oxygen levels were fine. So somewhere something went wrong. I intend to make an appointment to see the obstetrician and find out what they think happened. 

But Jenson had to go on a cooling mat for 72 hours to stop any further brain damage, during his first day of life he was having seizures, these have now stopped and he is off the cooling mat. And his breathing tube has been removed today. I am hoping for our first cuddle when we visit him soon. I don't really remember much of my first day visiting him as I was so distraught. 

One things for sure is, I won't be risking this again on my next child, I will be having an elective C-Section. I came so close to losing my little man, we still aren't 100% out of the woods but everything is looking good so we are hopeful.

Here are some pictures of our boy.

https://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/255482_10151180178249127_1414040753_n.jpg

https://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/560920_10151183322494127_2004759937_n.jpg

https://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/185030_10151185021014127_368594321_n.jpg

The last picture is him off all his meds and finally awake :cloud9:

If you made it this far thankyou for reading :) xxxx


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## mumandco

I'm sorry you've all had such a tough time,hopefully the worst is over now. Jenson is absolutely gorgeous and such a strong little man you and you oh must be soo proud!! Enjoy cuddles with him after x x


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## holywoodmum

I'm crying all over again Charlotte xxx


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## lozzy21

Congratulations hun, i really hope you get your cuddles today.


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## Pink Flowers

thank you taking the time to write about it, I am sat here in tears for you and your little boy. Hope he recovers quickly x


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## MissMummyMoo

So sorry you've had such a bad time hun. He's a strong little guy just like his mummy :hugs: but congratulations, he is gorgeous :flower: x


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## mum2b2009

Congratulation hes so cute. Im so glad hes improving all the time xx


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## hayzeb

I'm in floods of tears reading that, so sorry you both had such a frightening and awful start:hugs: but congratulations he is sooooooooooo beautiful cute and scrummy all rolled into one :haha: 

:hugs: xxxx:hugs:


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## FlowerFairy

Awww :hugs: Thanks for sharing hun. So sorry he had such a tough start, but he's a fighter xxx


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## Lyd

All the best with your beautiful little boy xxxxxx


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## Jemma_x

Congratulations hun, he is gorgeous. I really hope you get your cuddles today:hugs:


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## Raggydoll

I'm so sorry you've had such a traumatic time. Jenson truly is a brave little boy. I hope you got your cuddles today and he's home with you soon. 

Congratulations, he's beautiful. Xx


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## Bevziibubble

Such an emotional story, thank you for sharing :hugs: I hope your little man makes a speedy recovery xx


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## shocker

Really hard to read, cant imagine how difficult it was for you all :( , you and jenson are tough as nails though, I really hope you got your snuggles today and little man is home with you and OH soon :hugs:


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## Naturalmystic

Congrats. He is a handsome little man and I hope that he goes home soon


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## Ezza BUB1

Charlotte uve done so well and are getting there every day, lil Jensen is a strong little man and he will pull through ...I know how tuff it is sitting and watching them in that humidicrib but know he's in the best place till he gets better.... I didn't go through the traumatic experience of labour like u did but I truly understand how hard it is to have ur baby in ICU/special care.... It will get easier I promise but watch him, touch him wen u can kiss him wen u can lap up all the snuggles in the world wen u can and talk and sing to him.... He knows ur voice and it will help .... Sending loads of love babe to all 3 of u.... Xxxxx


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## Spunky

Just major :hugs: I hope you and your little man recover quickly. So sad for you, hopefully more and more of this will blur as time goes on.


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## Mummy2B21

Congraulatiins!!


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## Diamonddust

madee cry! im so pleased he is doing well now xxx


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## MrsBandEgglet

He's beautiful :cloud9: sorry to hear he had such a tough start but I hope he's improving now. Well done, you must be so proud; he's such a perfect little fighter xx


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## Charlotteee

Just to let you all know he came home on Monday :) we still have to see a specialist every 3 months but he's home! That's all that matters xxxx


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## mumandco

That's fantastic news :) I'm glad you have him home with you now x x


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## mum2b2009

So glad hes home xx


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## hayzeb

Charlotteee said:


> Just to let you all know he came home on Monday :) we still have to see a specialist every 3 months but he's home! That's all that matters xxxx

Only just seen this update! :happydance::happydance::happydance: yay whoop whoop!!! 

So happy for you Hun. Can I be cheeky and ask for a piccy ? :blush: xxxx


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## Charlotteee

That's not cheeky lol. This was this morning

https://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/522803_10151201482529127_1037443228_n.jpg

Think he was getting annoyed at having a camera in his face haha xx


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## mumandco

He's gorgeous,his face looks as if he's saying "mummy what are you doing to me Please just stop with the photos"


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## hayzeb

Omg he is sooooooooo gorgeous, what a little stunner :) ahhh I want to eat him lol xxxx


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## Luzelle

What a handsome little man. Congratulations and I am glad he is now home for you.


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## ttc_lolly

What a beautiful, strong little boy :flower: congrats hun! He shares his birthday with my DD :)


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## bluebell

Congratulations :happydance: Great news jenson's home now :flower:

xx


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## lizlemon

Congratulations and glad he's home now x


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## Agcam

I just saw this, Charlotte. I'm sorry he had such a hard start, and am delighted to read that he's home now. Hope the two of you are doing well :) :hugs:


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## babyerin

Ooh god love him he is a stunner ans a good weight too.

You were so brave and kept strong I wish you all every happiness in the future xx


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## nineena

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYy Charlotte I am SO thrilled for you all having your lil man at home :) He's gorgeous, enjoy every second xxxxx


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## Missy86

I am so sorry you had such a rough time
I am glad he is on the mend now thro


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