# Niamh Elizabeth Rose 23.12.08 [pictures added]



## Pyrrhic

Name: Niamh Elizabeth Rose
D.O.B: 23rd December 2008
Time: 4:15pm
Weight: 7lbs 11.5oz
Gestation: 40+11

Length of Labour: 21 hours
Length of Active Labour: 7 hours 15mins
Length of time pushing: 30mins
Pain Relief: TENS until 10cm, then gas and air

Well I had always imagined and hoped that I would have as natural a birth as possible. I was looking forward to being at home and feeling my contractions start and telling my OH excitedly that we would have our LO soon. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be! My little girl was running late, so the decision was made to induce me at 7pm on the 22nd of December when I was 40+10.

In all honesty I was terrified and made several posts on here looking for advice. I didn't know whether to hold off and wait for her to come naturally, or to go ahead with the induction as the health risks can increase the further on the pregnancy goes. In the end I decided to be induced and OH and I arrived at the hospital at 6:30pm.

I was hoping to get a private room, but they were full so was shown to a ward room. Thankfully it was just myself and one other woman who I ended up chatting to most of the evening. It was nice to have some company.

I was given the gel at 7pm and was told I was still only 1cm dilated. My contractions started almost straight away. The midwife explained that this was just my uterus contracting from the gel and was normal, but they wouldn't expect me to go into proper contractions for some time and that I would probably need more gel at 9am. Well, the contractions didn't stop, but I told OH to go home at about 8pm so he could rest up and get some sleep. I tried to lie on my bed but it was just too painful. I tried sitting up, walking, etc and everything was just too sore. In the end I bounced on a birthing ball all night and didn't sleep a wink.

By 1am my contractions were very intense and coming every 5mins. I couldn't find a position to ease them, but I didn't want to try to take any pain relief just yet as I knew they were only going to get worse. One of the midwives ran me a bath which I stayed in for over an hour. The contractions were so bad by this point that I couldn't move when I was having one.

By 3am I was exhausted and the contractions were getting very heavy. It was then that I asked for a TENS machine to help. I didn't feel any different at first, but kept bouncing on my ball and using the TENS and after about an hour I started to feel a little better. I stayed like this until 8am when I begged the midwives to have a look at me. From 6am my contractions had started coming every 2mins and I was in so much pain. I felt like there was no break between the contractions at all and I just wanted to sleep.

I had a midwife come and check me at 8:30am and I was only 3cms, but she decided to break my waters and take me up to the delivery suite. My OH arrived around the same time.

At first I tried walking around the suite to try and help the contractions. My MW asked me to sit on the bed to check my blood pressure, and I never got off the bed again. Now lots of people and books say lying down through your labour is the worst thing you can do, but I was exhausted. I could barely open my eyes and I was getting dizzy. I couldn't even sit up on my own and when I needed the toilet my OH and midwife had to help me get there. There was no way I could have done anything but lie down.

I don't remember much of the next few hours as it seemed to pass so quickly. I stayed on the TENS machine for the duration of my labour and didn't ask for any other pain relief. To be honest though, it crossed my mind alot. My LO was back to back so the pain was incredibly intense and not only across my bump, but also in my bum and back. I apparently didn't make any noise and just gripped the bed when I had a contraction. I had my eyes closed for the entire thing and I didn't want to be touched or talked to by anyone, even my OH! The poor man had to just sit and watch me in pain. At one point he picked up a newspaper to read and after 5 minutes of the pages rustling I opened my eyes, looked directly at him and said 'If you don't put that paper down right now I'll shove it up your fucking arse.' :rofl: He duly did!

At 1:30pm the midwife checked me again. I was only 4cms! 6.5 hours of labour for 1cm! I was too out of it to be upset by that point though, and the midwife decided then to start me on the drip to speed things up. She put it on a half dose.

I cannot even describe how painful things got after that. The contractions were now right on top of each other and unbearable. My TENS machine got whacked up pretty high then. I had no idea if it was helping, but I wasn't about to take it off and find out.

By 3pm I was telling the midwife that I was going to have to push soon. She told me that it wasn't possible as an hour and a half ago I'd only been 4cms. She told me she'd check me at 4pm.

At 3:30pm there was a shift changeover and a new midwife came on. She was introduced to me, but everything is quite hazy. The one thing that does stick out for me though is my MW said to the new one: 'She's doing very well, I haven't even heard her say ouch yet'.

Not long after the changeover I told the MW that I needed to push. I was told she had to check me first. I told her I couldn't stop myself, and that the baby was coming now! She went to give me an internal and with just looking at me she could already see my LOs head!

My body then started to push on it's own and I fought against it as the mw hadn't told me I could push yet. It hurt like hell. I asked for the gas and air then to help me through it. The mw then told me that my body would naturally push and that I could now push down with each contraction. I listened to every single word she said from that point as I wanted to avoided tearing. It took about 30mins of pushing for my little girl to be born at 4:15pm. I cannot describe the immense feeling as she slipped from my body. It was just amazing, the best feeling on earth. I loved her before I even looked at her.

The midwife placed her straight onto my chest, and waited for the cord to stop pulsing before my OH cut it. I was too tired to try to touch or even hold her, so my OH took her. He started talking to her and she stopped crying instantly to listen to his voice. I watched as she was weighed and taken care of by the MWs and then as I was stitched (no tear, just a small graze that required one stitch) I watched my OH cuddling her in a chair next to my bed. 

She is the most perfect thing I have ever laid eyes on, and I love her so much.

I had lost a lot of blood during labour, so was hooked up to a drip and had to stay on the bed when I was transferred onto a ward.

I stayed in hospital until the afternoon of the 24th December and then pretty much discharged myself as I was getting so stressed out on the ward and not sleeping.

Niamh is 5 days old now and doing very well. :cloud9: She is just gorgeous and I feel as though I had such a fantastic labour and birth. I even told my MW half an hour after I'd had her that I would do it all again that night. I still wish I could do it again, as the moment I gave birth to he is by far and away the most amazing moment of my life, and I will never forget it.

I will update with pictures when I can. :)

Here she is a few hours old:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/sublime_envy/Sophie/SDC10027.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/sublime_envy/Sophie/SDC10073.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/sublime_envy/Sophie/SDC10053.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/sublime_envy/Sophie/SDC10052.jpg


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## NeyNey

Wow honey...I loved reading your story.
Congratulations to you guys!! What a trooper you are!!
I had to laugh at what you said to OH about reading the paper, that so sounds like something I reckon I'd say too!!

:hugs:


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## Pyrrhic

Oh and in case anyone is wondering, Niamh is pronounced Neeve. Rhymes with Steve. lol :)

I did have a funny labour moment too. During a contraction I reached back so I could hold onto the midwife. Instead of grabbing her hand though I punched her full force in the face. :blush: :rofl: She was fine though thankfully!


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## x_Rainbow_x

congrats hunni so a beautiful name :) i hope she brings u & hubby all the happiness possible


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## fairywings

Congrats on your little girl. x :)


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## massacubano

Congrats on the new baby! I think you made a smart choice with the induction. Funny my daughter was 11 days late too! those ladies take their time :pink:


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## clairebear

great story congrats hun x x


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## doctordeesmrs

Congratulations


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## hellotasha

well done, cant wait to see pics xxx


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## bambikate

congratulatiosn honey x x


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## nessajane

congrats hun cant wait to see pics x x


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## lynz

congrats


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## claralouise

great story hun, cannot wait for the picis


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## rita lewis

Congrats... you have done so weel and she is lovelly!
x


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## Jem

Congrats!!! x


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## sparkswillfly

Super endurance! Glad it was all worth it in the end! No pics tho... your a tease!


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## Rumpskin

Bless, congrats to you both, fab story xxx


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## fifi83

Congratulations x


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## glamgirl

congrats hun x


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## polo_princess

Congratulations hun :)


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## FEDup1981

congrats, cant wait to see pics!!!


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## danni2609

congratulations what a beautiful name too!


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## Angelmouse

Aw you lucky girl to have such a beautiful birth experience. 

Well done and congratulations to you all. :flower:


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## redberry3

Congrats!!!!


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## AubreyK80

Congrats :)


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## Eoz

Congratulations darling.Have read a lot of your posts and I'm so pleased you had the birth you wanted.Hugs to you all xx


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## Sarahkka

Congrats rafwife!
I'm on your heels for the Overdue Award.
I hope my labour gets started soon. Or I just might lose it!
Welcome to the world, little Niamh!


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## Drazic<3

amazing birth story. 
Congratulations x


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## Kirstin

rita lewis said:


> Congrats... you have done so weel and *she is lovelly!*
> x

really?


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## Dona

Reading your story has brought a tear of joy to my left eye! xxxx


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## nataliecn

congrats hun! can't wait to see pictures!


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## Beth_18

congrats x x x


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## xJG30

Congrats :)


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## Pyrrhic

thanks everyone. Have now updated with pictures :cloud9:


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## Eoz

Beautiful xxxx


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## SJK

congrats, shes beautiful x


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## emma_27

Congrats


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## Tiff

What a little sweetheart :cloud9: Congrats hun!


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## pinkmummy

Wow well done hun! Shes gorgeous :)

My OH was sat in the corner with his legs rested reading a magazine! :shock: I also told him to put the magazine down before I stuck it where the sun don't shine! :rofl: He then sat by my side through the rest of the labour dabbing my head with a wet cloth and giving me sips of water :)


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## Michy

She is amazing hun, very interesting for me to read your birth story as am being induced on Friday. I think you did so well lasting all that time without pain relief, I will be screaming for an epi!!!:rofl:


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## Frankie

congratulations x


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## vicky

congratulations hun she is beautiful


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## bex

Congratulations. You've chosen a fantastic name!!!


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## Sarah_16x

congrats shes gorgeous xx


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## princess_bump

huge congratulations, she's beautiful x


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## momandpeanut

Congratulations she is beautiful !


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## Belle

Congratulations!! xx


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## PeanutBean

Hooray for you and your no-pain relief! Congratulations on your beautiful girl!


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## massacubano

whatta cutie! :)


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## Always&amp;4ever

Sooo cute


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## elm

Congratulations, she's beautiful xxx


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## Beth_18

congrats x x


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## ladypink

Congratulations, she is beautiful, thank you for your funny, lovely story! x


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## Vickie

Congratulations! She's gorgeous


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## ThatGirl

what a beautiful little girl x


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## celine

congrats and tx 4 sharing ur story :)


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## SareBear

That is a wonderful story which shows both the tremendous pain and love you felt.

Thanks

Sarah (the girl who asked about the NaturalVsInduced labour) x x x


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## navarababe

congrats hun xx


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## aurora32

congrats hunn, she is beatiful.

:hug::hug::hug:


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## jms895

Brilliant story, she is beautiful xx


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## bklove

Beautiful, beautiful beautiful! I know it wasn't all beautiful during the madness, but you did it! Hope you guys are doing well


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