katycam
Mummy to Austin
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- Dec 9, 2008
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Finally writing my birth story for Austin Aaron Andrews who was born on 29th March 2009 @ 12.25am weighing 9lb 3oz.
So, had my 40+1 midwife appointment on 27th March, my blood pressure was extremely high (as usual!) and there was protein in my wee (again) and my legs and feet were even more swollen so i was sent straight to hospital (for the millionth time!). I was monitored for a while, everything was fine according to them. They sent my urine off for testing and told me to phone back in the morning, if the urine came back high then they would induce on 28th, if not then i would be induced on 2nd April if Bean didnt arrive earlier.
Before i left they did an internal and discovered i was 1cm dilated and my cervix was low and soft.
Anyways, i went home and felt fine, other than uncomfortable because i was swollen. About 8pm i started getting little cramps but thought nothing of it so i went to bed. I woke up at 12am and had a clearout then the contractions started. They started at around 8-9 minutes apart so i sat on my ball, timing contractions on my laptop. It got to 2am and they were coming 5 minutes apart so thought i had better wake my mum up as they didnt seem to be going away, if anything they were getting more intense.
We left if until 4.30am and by this point they were coming at 4 minutes apart so i phoned labour ward who said to come in and bring a pillow!!
Before i went i managed to send Luke an email to let him know i thought this was it.
We got to labour ward at 5am where i was checked over by midwife. I thought they were going to send me home as by the time i got there the contractions were easing off.
I had an internal and was 2cm dilated, she said my waters were bulging and could easily be popped. She gave me a sweep too which set things off even stronger.
My midwife started on duty at 7am and decided to pop my waters which was a really weird feeling! It didnt hurt, just felt really strange.
As soon as waters were popped i could tell by my midwives face that something was right, there was meconium in there. So Bean had to have a clip on his head to monitor him. It took 4 attempts to secure it and now he has a little scab
An hour or so later i contraction every 2-3 minutes and was in alot of pain. Still hadnt asked for any drugs. Luke popped on msn so got to chat to him for a little bit which was nice. He was dead excited but worried and gutted he couldnt be there. Cheered me up getting to talk though.
By late afternoon i was only 3cm dilated and not looking to be progressing, although i was in alot of pain, i decided to go for gas and air to help me out.
This didnt really help in the slightest, and after a couple of contractions it made be violently sick (all over my shoulder and dad!!) so i decided i didnt want it anymore.
I had always said i didnt want an epidural but i was in so much pain i was begging for it.
It didnt hurt at all, just a little scratch at first then relief!
I was also put on the drip to regulate my contractions to try and help me along.
7pm came and i had another internal, only 4cm dilated after almost 24hours of labour. The doctors said to leave me another 2 hours then i would be examined again and decide what to do.
I wasnt in any pain at the point because of the epidural but i was exhausted and also starving hungry. I wasnt allowed any food I just wanted it to be over by this point. My dad was being brilliant, helping me out and holding my hand, my mum was getting more and more upset.
At 9pm my internal showed still only 4cm dilated. I was gutted. They said i may have to have c section, they wanted to leave me for another couple hours then if i hadnt dilated then i would have a c section.
The next few hours dragged like anything. I got examined and was only 5cm dilated so they offered me c section. Which i accepted. I was too tired to try and carry on.
My dad came with me into the theatre to hold my hand. I had a stronger dose of the epidural which was so weird, my legs were totally numb!
I could feel exactly what was going on when the were cutting me open it was so surreal, then at 12.12am i heard a cry and was passed my beautiful baby boy Austin
It didnt quite sink in that i had a son. I was in alot of shock after an exhausting labour.
I was wheeled back into recovery where Austin was passed to my mum and dad to hold whilst i was checked over.
What happened next im not too sure, its all a blur.
I was shaking like anything and felt really really sick which i told them.
I heard them say i was losing alot of clots, then the doctor was called in.
All i remember is being wheeled back into theatre and given something to drink which tasted disgusting, then told to breath in the oxygen.
Next thing i remember is my name being called and waking up attached to loads of drips.
I have been told that i lost 3.5 litres of blood, and had to have a massive blood transfusion. 5 units of blood was pumped back into me along with a unit of frozen plasma and some other stuff im not too sure what though.
My uterus had messed up due to having such a long labour, and had to be stitched up (sorry about the vagueness, im not sure exactly what the terms are or what exactly happened).
My blood pressure dropped to 70/55 and two consultants were called out of bed into the theatre to operate on me.
I was in surgery for around 2 1/2 hours, my parents were left with my son thinking that they were going to lose me.
I came around at about 5am not knowing what had happened to me, or even that i had a son. My parents were brought back in to see me and apparantly i was talking aload of crap because of the general anasetic.
I was taken to the high depenecy unit where i stayed until 30th March. All the drips and cannulas were took out of me and i was transferred upstairs to the normal ward.
On the 31st March, in the evening i was sat in bed with my mum next to me talking to her, when i looked up and saw Luke walking down the corridoor with a bunch of flowers, in his uniform. I burst into tears! My mum ran off crying. No one had told me he was on his way home, i was still on the understanding he wouldnt be home until May. (He was in afghanistan with the army). I had never been so happy in my whole life. He doesnt have to go back now either, he is off until the end of april then has to go to work for 4 days, then he has another 5 weeks off
Austin was put on antibiotics as he was a bit mucousy, and finally on 2nd April they discharged me.
Everyone was really shocked how quickly i recovered considering i lost over half the blood from my body. But i think i just forced myself to get on with it and get better for Austins sake. I couldnt even hold him for 2 days which was awful. All i wanted was to cuddle him but i didnt even have the strength.
Now i am at home and feeling great. Im tired alot but im doing really well, especially with Lukes help. Austin is great. Really well behaved and is only up once in the night for a feed. I cant stop looking at him. I have never felt love like it.
Im so grateful for all that the doctors did for me at hospital, if it wasnt for them Austin wouldnt have a mummy.
So, had my 40+1 midwife appointment on 27th March, my blood pressure was extremely high (as usual!) and there was protein in my wee (again) and my legs and feet were even more swollen so i was sent straight to hospital (for the millionth time!). I was monitored for a while, everything was fine according to them. They sent my urine off for testing and told me to phone back in the morning, if the urine came back high then they would induce on 28th, if not then i would be induced on 2nd April if Bean didnt arrive earlier.
Before i left they did an internal and discovered i was 1cm dilated and my cervix was low and soft.
Anyways, i went home and felt fine, other than uncomfortable because i was swollen. About 8pm i started getting little cramps but thought nothing of it so i went to bed. I woke up at 12am and had a clearout then the contractions started. They started at around 8-9 minutes apart so i sat on my ball, timing contractions on my laptop. It got to 2am and they were coming 5 minutes apart so thought i had better wake my mum up as they didnt seem to be going away, if anything they were getting more intense.
We left if until 4.30am and by this point they were coming at 4 minutes apart so i phoned labour ward who said to come in and bring a pillow!!
Before i went i managed to send Luke an email to let him know i thought this was it.
We got to labour ward at 5am where i was checked over by midwife. I thought they were going to send me home as by the time i got there the contractions were easing off.
I had an internal and was 2cm dilated, she said my waters were bulging and could easily be popped. She gave me a sweep too which set things off even stronger.
My midwife started on duty at 7am and decided to pop my waters which was a really weird feeling! It didnt hurt, just felt really strange.
As soon as waters were popped i could tell by my midwives face that something was right, there was meconium in there. So Bean had to have a clip on his head to monitor him. It took 4 attempts to secure it and now he has a little scab
An hour or so later i contraction every 2-3 minutes and was in alot of pain. Still hadnt asked for any drugs. Luke popped on msn so got to chat to him for a little bit which was nice. He was dead excited but worried and gutted he couldnt be there. Cheered me up getting to talk though.
By late afternoon i was only 3cm dilated and not looking to be progressing, although i was in alot of pain, i decided to go for gas and air to help me out.
This didnt really help in the slightest, and after a couple of contractions it made be violently sick (all over my shoulder and dad!!) so i decided i didnt want it anymore.
I had always said i didnt want an epidural but i was in so much pain i was begging for it.
It didnt hurt at all, just a little scratch at first then relief!
I was also put on the drip to regulate my contractions to try and help me along.
7pm came and i had another internal, only 4cm dilated after almost 24hours of labour. The doctors said to leave me another 2 hours then i would be examined again and decide what to do.
I wasnt in any pain at the point because of the epidural but i was exhausted and also starving hungry. I wasnt allowed any food
I just wanted it to be over by this point. My dad was being brilliant, helping me out and holding my hand, my mum was getting more and more upset.At 9pm my internal showed still only 4cm dilated. I was gutted. They said i may have to have c section, they wanted to leave me for another couple hours then if i hadnt dilated then i would have a c section.
The next few hours dragged like anything. I got examined and was only 5cm dilated so they offered me c section. Which i accepted. I was too tired to try and carry on.
My dad came with me into the theatre to hold my hand. I had a stronger dose of the epidural which was so weird, my legs were totally numb!
I could feel exactly what was going on when the were cutting me open it was so surreal, then at 12.12am i heard a cry and was passed my beautiful baby boy Austin
It didnt quite sink in that i had a son. I was in alot of shock after an exhausting labour.I was wheeled back into recovery where Austin was passed to my mum and dad to hold whilst i was checked over.
What happened next im not too sure, its all a blur.
I was shaking like anything and felt really really sick which i told them.
I heard them say i was losing alot of clots, then the doctor was called in.
All i remember is being wheeled back into theatre and given something to drink which tasted disgusting, then told to breath in the oxygen.
Next thing i remember is my name being called and waking up attached to loads of drips.
I have been told that i lost 3.5 litres of blood, and had to have a massive blood transfusion. 5 units of blood was pumped back into me along with a unit of frozen plasma and some other stuff im not too sure what though.
My uterus had messed up due to having such a long labour, and had to be stitched up (sorry about the vagueness, im not sure exactly what the terms are or what exactly happened).
My blood pressure dropped to 70/55 and two consultants were called out of bed into the theatre to operate on me.
I was in surgery for around 2 1/2 hours, my parents were left with my son thinking that they were going to lose me.
I came around at about 5am not knowing what had happened to me, or even that i had a son. My parents were brought back in to see me and apparantly i was talking aload of crap because of the general anasetic.
I was taken to the high depenecy unit where i stayed until 30th March. All the drips and cannulas were took out of me and i was transferred upstairs to the normal ward.
On the 31st March, in the evening i was sat in bed with my mum next to me talking to her, when i looked up and saw Luke walking down the corridoor with a bunch of flowers, in his uniform. I burst into tears! My mum ran off crying. No one had told me he was on his way home, i was still on the understanding he wouldnt be home until May. (He was in afghanistan with the army). I had never been so happy in my whole life. He doesnt have to go back now either, he is off until the end of april then has to go to work for 4 days, then he has another 5 weeks off
Austin was put on antibiotics as he was a bit mucousy, and finally on 2nd April they discharged me.
Everyone was really shocked how quickly i recovered considering i lost over half the blood from my body. But i think i just forced myself to get on with it and get better for Austins sake. I couldnt even hold him for 2 days which was awful. All i wanted was to cuddle him but i didnt even have the strength.
Now i am at home and feeling great. Im tired alot but im doing really well, especially with Lukes help. Austin is great. Really well behaved and is only up once in the night for a feed. I cant stop looking at him. I have never felt love like it.
Im so grateful for all that the doctors did for me at hospital, if it wasnt for them Austin wouldnt have a mummy.
That was sooo sweet. Congratulations Glad everything worked out ok!!!
