PresqueVu
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I've lurked here quite a while and perhaps its time to now share the arrival of my LO 
I had a scare with gestational diabetes - because I was drinking too much fruit juice basically - and had to self-test for a week. On the 21st June we went into to the JR to get it confirmed that I didn't have it, but that the scare meant I was no longer able to have a water birth at Wantage. I'd suspected this and been extremely upset but it did turn out to be for the best.
Whilst walking out the hospital my waters broke, but only a trickle. Tried to contact midwife and couldn't get through and nothing else happened until about 9pm at night when I got a gush. Rang the Spires unit at the JR and was advised to go in and have a sweep. This didn't hurt as much as I'd feared - just made me feel quite odd.
Was getting contractions by this time but too far apart at between 7 and 14 minutes. They didn't improve in time so was admitted to the JR for an induction on the 22nd June the next morning at 8am, after NO sleep - and this was the day before his due date!
Got all hooked up and quite upset as I'd really wanted a mobile birth and I had pretty much the opposite of that with all my leads. This wasn't to be and it took a long time to get going - Tens machine was brilliant for the beginning, then got to 5cm dilated with gas and air which I loved. I was really disappointed not to get high on it though!
I was no longer coping here so went for a mobile epidural. Was holding onto my husband and this lovely midwifes hand whilst they gave it and the relief was brilliant although it probably blocked about 60% of the pain not all. Lasted for about an hour and then it got far too intense as I was pushing so hard I was getting dizzy but he wasn't moving and the pain was increasing. After an hour and a half they told me he was the wrong way round and unable to come out without assistance.
A rather frustrating man took a hideous amount of time explaining the pros and cons of a 'trial by forceps' and asking me to sign a form. I really don't know what I signed, luckily, as apparently it would have gone to a cesarean if the forceps had failed and its probably just as well I didn't know to be scared by this!
Went to theatre and given a full epidural and held some more hands whilst waiting for husband to be gowned up and join me. About seven people were staring at me down below by this point and another staring through a glass door!
After 12 mins of serious pushing in theatre I heard the loudest most beautiful crying I've ever heard! Husband admits he was in tears by this point but I didn't notice. I only got to hold this gorgeous hairy little baby briefly before they whisked him off to weigh - 7 pounds 5 ounces, and then when they brought him back I realised after a bit that there was a man stitching me up down there. He did tell me how many but I wasn't listening.
I then had to stay in hospital overnight, numb from the waist down which was upsetting as they put my baby on the wrong side of me so for the first few hours after birth - my husband had effectively been chucked out by this point - I could'nt even see my little guy
A midwife came in when he next needed breast feeding and was incredibly apologetic about this but I still feel bad about the fact that I could'nt go to him, or even see him, for the first few hours of his life.
The next day there was a shocking amount of blood in the morning and most of the day seemed to centre over whether I'd been able to pee or not after the catheter came out. I also found breast feeding really hard although I'm happy to say that my local midwives and the help of a pump to express and give my breasts a break when they need it have now cleared that problem up.
I lost more blood then they wanted and became anaemic but I refused to stay in for another night as I need to go home and sleep. I'm not saying I recommend ignoring medical advice but in my case it had been two days since I'd slept and I felt that would be a better healer than anything the hospital could do.
Putting small thing in his moses basket was the most fantastic thing I've ever done. I've apparently got post-traumatic stress disorder so I thought posting this might help - although I do feel a bit silly at feeling that way as the lady next to me in hospital had had twins by cesarean so mine wasn't that bad by comparison!
Thank you for reading - the pictures below are him at birth and then what he is like almost a month on, got to love the spiky hair as it refuses to be tamed!
I had a scare with gestational diabetes - because I was drinking too much fruit juice basically - and had to self-test for a week. On the 21st June we went into to the JR to get it confirmed that I didn't have it, but that the scare meant I was no longer able to have a water birth at Wantage. I'd suspected this and been extremely upset but it did turn out to be for the best.
Whilst walking out the hospital my waters broke, but only a trickle. Tried to contact midwife and couldn't get through and nothing else happened until about 9pm at night when I got a gush. Rang the Spires unit at the JR and was advised to go in and have a sweep. This didn't hurt as much as I'd feared - just made me feel quite odd.
Was getting contractions by this time but too far apart at between 7 and 14 minutes. They didn't improve in time so was admitted to the JR for an induction on the 22nd June the next morning at 8am, after NO sleep - and this was the day before his due date!
Got all hooked up and quite upset as I'd really wanted a mobile birth and I had pretty much the opposite of that with all my leads. This wasn't to be and it took a long time to get going - Tens machine was brilliant for the beginning, then got to 5cm dilated with gas and air which I loved. I was really disappointed not to get high on it though!
I was no longer coping here so went for a mobile epidural. Was holding onto my husband and this lovely midwifes hand whilst they gave it and the relief was brilliant although it probably blocked about 60% of the pain not all. Lasted for about an hour and then it got far too intense as I was pushing so hard I was getting dizzy but he wasn't moving and the pain was increasing. After an hour and a half they told me he was the wrong way round and unable to come out without assistance.
A rather frustrating man took a hideous amount of time explaining the pros and cons of a 'trial by forceps' and asking me to sign a form. I really don't know what I signed, luckily, as apparently it would have gone to a cesarean if the forceps had failed and its probably just as well I didn't know to be scared by this!
Went to theatre and given a full epidural and held some more hands whilst waiting for husband to be gowned up and join me. About seven people were staring at me down below by this point and another staring through a glass door!
After 12 mins of serious pushing in theatre I heard the loudest most beautiful crying I've ever heard! Husband admits he was in tears by this point but I didn't notice. I only got to hold this gorgeous hairy little baby briefly before they whisked him off to weigh - 7 pounds 5 ounces, and then when they brought him back I realised after a bit that there was a man stitching me up down there. He did tell me how many but I wasn't listening.
I then had to stay in hospital overnight, numb from the waist down which was upsetting as they put my baby on the wrong side of me so for the first few hours after birth - my husband had effectively been chucked out by this point - I could'nt even see my little guy
A midwife came in when he next needed breast feeding and was incredibly apologetic about this but I still feel bad about the fact that I could'nt go to him, or even see him, for the first few hours of his life.The next day there was a shocking amount of blood in the morning and most of the day seemed to centre over whether I'd been able to pee or not after the catheter came out. I also found breast feeding really hard although I'm happy to say that my local midwives and the help of a pump to express and give my breasts a break when they need it have now cleared that problem up.
I lost more blood then they wanted and became anaemic but I refused to stay in for another night as I need to go home and sleep. I'm not saying I recommend ignoring medical advice but in my case it had been two days since I'd slept and I felt that would be a better healer than anything the hospital could do.
Putting small thing in his moses basket was the most fantastic thing I've ever done. I've apparently got post-traumatic stress disorder so I thought posting this might help - although I do feel a bit silly at feeling that way as the lady next to me in hospital had had twins by cesarean so mine wasn't that bad by comparison!
Thank you for reading - the pictures below are him at birth and then what he is like almost a month on, got to love the spiky hair as it refuses to be tamed!
