Dory85
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This is my birth story of my unexpected preemie, born st 34+4 weeks.
I had contractions on and off throughout the day on Saturday and was a little concerned about how many I was having but they died off at tea time so I told hubby I would see if I had any more overnight and ring the assessment unit in the morning for peace of mind. I had similar contractions during my second pregnancy and it didn't amount to anything.
I went to bed as normal and woke just after 2, as normal, to have a wee. It was a big wee and I laughed to myself that this must be what it's like when people's waters go. When I wiped there was a lot of mucus with some blood streaks. I know now this was probably my show but at the time I thought little of it and tottered back off to bed. About 10 minutes later I felt very wet down below so figured maybe I had more mucus and went back to the bathroom where what was clearly my waters leaked on to the floor.
I decided not to wake my husband until I was sure so put a fresh pad in and went to lie down in bed. My husband was already awake so I told him and he got on the phone to make childcare arrangements for our other children whilst I rang the assessment unit who asked me to go in and take an overnight bag.
We got to the unit and she palpated me. Only 2 days before I was told my baby had turned from breech to cephalic but the midwife was now saying she wanted ultrasound to confirm it. She checked my pad and confirmed it did look like liquor and a lot of it so she put me in the monitor and bleeped the registrar to come and review me.
The monitor was picking up my contractions but they were still relatively mild and only occurring 4 in 10 minutes. The registrar conducted a speculum exam which confirmed my waters had broken and then a normal vaginal exam which showed I was one cm dilated with a long, posterior cervix.
She explained to me that there was a 50% chance labour would progress and at this stage they wouldn't try to stop it because it was unlikely to be successful. She also explained that most babies born at 34 weeks need extra help but cope ok with SCBU. Unfortunately there were no SCBU cots available at my hospital and so I needed to be transferred to a different hospital.
Whilst waiting for the ambulance I felt my contractions getting much stronger and feeling more like the beginning of labour. I also started to feel really sick and vomited.
The ambulance arrived and i was blue lighted across the city to another hospital despite my protests of embarrassment lol. We arrived at 0700. I vomited almost straight away again and noticed movement was bringing on more contractions which I know for me means I'm pretty established in labour.
I was connected to the monitor and thr registrar came to review me whilst another doctor put a cannula in and took bloods. The registrar explained that he believed the contractions were just caused by irritation from my waters breeaking and he thought they would tail off. If this happened i would be induced at 36 weeks. My heart rate was quite high which may be an indicator of infection and given that I'd been sick too they put some ivt up. There were very slight decels in baby's heart rate so they kept me on the monitor.
Paeds doctors were alerted that we'd arrived so came and introduced themselves and checked the resus equipment was in order. I lost the plot a little bit around now and kept getting weepy because I was so worried.
They really wanted to get a urine sample so after a contraction (and my first puff of entonox) the midwife helped me get off the bed. I couldn't move though. I suddenly had loads of rectal pressure so she asked me to get back onto the bed so she could do a speculum. Once helped back on the bed though she could see the head and got my husband to pull the buzzer.
Arrangements were made quickly while I struggled not to push through two contractions and the midwife supervisor and paediatricians attended. I think I pushed 4 times in total and she arrived at 0900. It was my most painful labour of them all but still very quick.
She cried spontaneously so I was allowed her on to my tummy while she was rubbed down and then taken to the paeds. They were happy so she was returned to me for skin to skin whilst my placenta was delivered and cord gases were taken (which were fine).
Baby Georgia Lauren arrived at 34+4 weeks, weighing a very good 5lb 10oz. Due to her gestation she remains under the care of SCBU but is allowed to room in with me because she is doing so well. We are totally in love!
I had contractions on and off throughout the day on Saturday and was a little concerned about how many I was having but they died off at tea time so I told hubby I would see if I had any more overnight and ring the assessment unit in the morning for peace of mind. I had similar contractions during my second pregnancy and it didn't amount to anything.
I went to bed as normal and woke just after 2, as normal, to have a wee. It was a big wee and I laughed to myself that this must be what it's like when people's waters go. When I wiped there was a lot of mucus with some blood streaks. I know now this was probably my show but at the time I thought little of it and tottered back off to bed. About 10 minutes later I felt very wet down below so figured maybe I had more mucus and went back to the bathroom where what was clearly my waters leaked on to the floor.
I decided not to wake my husband until I was sure so put a fresh pad in and went to lie down in bed. My husband was already awake so I told him and he got on the phone to make childcare arrangements for our other children whilst I rang the assessment unit who asked me to go in and take an overnight bag.
We got to the unit and she palpated me. Only 2 days before I was told my baby had turned from breech to cephalic but the midwife was now saying she wanted ultrasound to confirm it. She checked my pad and confirmed it did look like liquor and a lot of it so she put me in the monitor and bleeped the registrar to come and review me.
The monitor was picking up my contractions but they were still relatively mild and only occurring 4 in 10 minutes. The registrar conducted a speculum exam which confirmed my waters had broken and then a normal vaginal exam which showed I was one cm dilated with a long, posterior cervix.
She explained to me that there was a 50% chance labour would progress and at this stage they wouldn't try to stop it because it was unlikely to be successful. She also explained that most babies born at 34 weeks need extra help but cope ok with SCBU. Unfortunately there were no SCBU cots available at my hospital and so I needed to be transferred to a different hospital.
Whilst waiting for the ambulance I felt my contractions getting much stronger and feeling more like the beginning of labour. I also started to feel really sick and vomited.
The ambulance arrived and i was blue lighted across the city to another hospital despite my protests of embarrassment lol. We arrived at 0700. I vomited almost straight away again and noticed movement was bringing on more contractions which I know for me means I'm pretty established in labour.
I was connected to the monitor and thr registrar came to review me whilst another doctor put a cannula in and took bloods. The registrar explained that he believed the contractions were just caused by irritation from my waters breeaking and he thought they would tail off. If this happened i would be induced at 36 weeks. My heart rate was quite high which may be an indicator of infection and given that I'd been sick too they put some ivt up. There were very slight decels in baby's heart rate so they kept me on the monitor.
Paeds doctors were alerted that we'd arrived so came and introduced themselves and checked the resus equipment was in order. I lost the plot a little bit around now and kept getting weepy because I was so worried.
They really wanted to get a urine sample so after a contraction (and my first puff of entonox) the midwife helped me get off the bed. I couldn't move though. I suddenly had loads of rectal pressure so she asked me to get back onto the bed so she could do a speculum. Once helped back on the bed though she could see the head and got my husband to pull the buzzer.
Arrangements were made quickly while I struggled not to push through two contractions and the midwife supervisor and paediatricians attended. I think I pushed 4 times in total and she arrived at 0900. It was my most painful labour of them all but still very quick.
She cried spontaneously so I was allowed her on to my tummy while she was rubbed down and then taken to the paeds. They were happy so she was returned to me for skin to skin whilst my placenta was delivered and cord gases were taken (which were fine).
Baby Georgia Lauren arrived at 34+4 weeks, weighing a very good 5lb 10oz. Due to her gestation she remains under the care of SCBU but is allowed to room in with me because she is doing so well. We are totally in love!
