- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
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Thursday 11th November
Spent the day on and off the toilet
Feeling quite teary and emotional, but didn't think anything of it, just pregnancy hormones 
About 11.30pm, started getting contractions. Not strong, coming every 7 minutes or so. They felt soooo much different to braxton hicks, and I was pretty sure it was labour from the start
Told FOB, who said he'd keep his phone on and to ring him if needed.
Friday 12th November - My Due Date!!!
After a horrible sleepless night, was having what I thought were strong contractions. How wrong was I!
Phoned labour and FOB, told to go to hospital.
FOB came to pick me up, we got to the hospital around 10am ish. Put into a room in the maternity led unit, and was soon examined by the midwife. Had only just started dilating!!!!
So was sent home with some codeine, and told to get some rest as things would probably start coming to a head.
Had about an hours sleep, contractions 'strong' (but not, as I later learnt:
By the evening, I realised I was definitly,certainly in labour. I never really properly timed my contractions though.
Tried to relax with my Mum. Watched my fav Russell Howard DVD, but even he couldn't distract me, and he can usually make ANYTHING better
About 10.30pm, phoned labour and FOB again. Went to hospital. Again, was put into a room and examined. I was in quite a bit of pain, and swore that if they sent me home with more codeine, I'd kill somebody... Got examined, was 3cm, so was sent home
Saturday 13th November
Got home about half past midnight, tried to sleep. Got none
Contractions started coming thick, and strong. I knew then that the ones I was having earlier were only mild!
Made it through each one in different positions, like on my knees, cat stretch like and in a ball. By 3am, I was crying and moaning with each one, by 4am, screaming for my Mum! She was in the next room, and didn't actually hear me till about 5ish!
By this point, I was really struggling to cope, so phoned labour and FOB again. I was crying to my Mum that I couldn't do it anymore, that if I couldn't cope now, how on earth would I cope later???!!!
Waited for FOB, couldn't believe it, he took AGES Was so desparate, my Mum nearly took me herself. But it turned out he'd been stuck behind a bloody slow vehicle (Typical! What are the chances at that time??!!)
Made it to the hospital eventually, was shown to a room, and given toast
Half an hour later, about 7, after the staff change over, a midwife called Jo came to see me. Told me she wouldn't examine me until I needed pain relief, was quite disappointed, but was told later that sometimes it's best not to know, because you can start to imagine the pain being worse, similarly to the placebo effect, and will ask for pain relief thinking you need it when you don't.
Was sitting on the bed and walking about for a while. FOB loving it, messing about on the birthing ball
Bless him 
Thanks to him, I tried the birthing ball. Wow Made it so much more barable! Not long later, Jo came back and showed me how to sit with my head lay on the bed so I could rest for a it. She also made me up this cool little heat pack It was a microwavable thing, but within like a drawstring bag. I wore it on my back, and it got the pain just right 
Time was really flying
At 9.15am, I felt like I needed some pain relief, so Jo examined me. I was 5-6cm!!! 
She asked what I wanted to do, I wasn't sure so she offered the birthing pool. Hadn't thought about using it, but as I like water, I though f*** it Got some gas and air to use while waiting for it to fill 
Aha, I LOVE that stuff!!!
The pool was amazing
Everything felt light, and while the pain didn't really ease, it felt much more barable.
By 12, the pain was really up. The gas and air made me feel and act drunk
It's all abit hazy from here on, but I have vague memories of sitting in the pool saying things like 'I miss my cat. He's called Ralph', 'Can I have an episiotomy? Ventouse? Epidural? Ceasarian?' 'My brother plays COD, he doesn't do anything else, just COD, and I don't understand why it's so good'. Jo and FOB either ignoring me, laughing or answering back the whole time.
Started feeling pressure, wow, just like I need a fat poo Tried pushing for a while, nothing was happening. I stuck my finger up myself (TMI sorry!) and felt babys head, about half a finger up. Was so nice! After a while, Jo noticed I wasn't progressing. She felt the membranes, and asked if I'd been to the loo. No! I'd actually forgotten to go all day! Had to get out the pool Tried to go to the toilet, nothing came at all 
Jo said my full bladder was stopping the baby coming, yet the baby was preventing it from emptying So had to have the joy of a catheter (Ouch!) She then broke my waters (No big gush like I wanted to experience)
Got up, started trying to push again. By this point, I was naked except my bra, standing up leaning against the wall with Jo kneeling looking at 'that area'. All dignity gone, and I couldn't give a s*** She told me that I was holding it in instead of pushing 
Kept trying to push, but wasn't really getting much of an urge. Basically it hurt to push, and it hurt not to. Jo would ask if I was contracting, and I honestly didn't know There was no overwhelming urge like I heard there'd be. Jo got her colleague, said to listen to my body. I screamed 'Obviously my body doesn't f****n speak English, coz I don't f*****n understand it!* The pain and gas and air turned me into a BITCH
Kept trying to push, hard when you can't feel it. Was 'pushing insufficiently' Jo said to push as hard as I could, I honestly did, and kept doing, she said I wasn't
In the end, she had to go fetch the doctor. The doctor watched me push a few times, and said I could either carry on pushing or she could perform a ventouse delivery. Agreed to have the ventouse. Wow, suddenly it was all action stations. This homely midwife led delivery room suddenly turned all clinical, the doctor and 3 midwives brimming around, the end of the bed came away and everything started happening. I barely noticed the injection for the local anaesthetic. Not sure what went on, but the doctor had her fingers inside me (Get your f*****n hands out of me!) The ventouse went in, which was pretty uncomfortable, the episiotomy cut (which didn't hurt, but I heard the loud 'snip' of the scissors), and waited for the contraction. Had to wait about 30 seconds (felt like forever!) and then I pushed. I can't remember any pain, just intense pressure Before I knew it, his head was out! I just remember seeing a reddy, purple thing with what looked like dark hair, and wondering why he had dark hair when me and FOB are natural blondes. Next contraction, I pushed his body out Wierd sensation! He was put on my chest and everything that had happened was meaningless, all that was important my beautiful baby boy 
I didn't notice the injection for the third stage or the placenta coming out. This screaming purple creature was just too precious.
He soon stopped crying, and we had skin to skin contact for a while and he went on the breast. We had about an hour, but it seemed like nothing. All too soon, he was taken off me, and given to Daddy.
Got up to have a shower. Jo said that I might lose a bit of blood when I stand. 'A bit' didn't quite cover it. I stood up, and it was like someone had chucked a bucket on the floor Bit of a shock
After, I was wheeled to the ward. I stayed until late Tuesday evening after having having trouble breastfeeding
I'm really pleased with the care I had throughout my pregnancy, labour and afterwards. In labour, I wasn't left for longer than half an hour ish without being seen, even if Jo was busy delivering another baby for a while, another midwife would come. I felt at ease throughout, they respected my wishes, were encouraging yet firm, and the aftercare was amazing.
Anyone from the Nottingham area, I strongly advise going to QMC.
I don't usually swear as much as this shows by the way!!!
Spent the day on and off the toilet
Feeling quite teary and emotional, but didn't think anything of it, just pregnancy hormones About 11.30pm, started getting contractions. Not strong, coming every 7 minutes or so. They felt soooo much different to braxton hicks, and I was pretty sure it was labour from the start
Told FOB, who said he'd keep his phone on and to ring him if needed.Friday 12th November - My Due Date!!!
After a horrible sleepless night, was having what I thought were strong contractions. How wrong was I!
Phoned labour and FOB, told to go to hospital. FOB came to pick me up, we got to the hospital around 10am ish. Put into a room in the maternity led unit, and was soon examined by the midwife. Had only just started dilating!!!!
So was sent home with some codeine, and told to get some rest as things would probably start coming to a head.Had about an hours sleep, contractions 'strong' (but not, as I later learnt:
By the evening, I realised I was definitly,certainly in labour. I never really properly timed my contractions though.
Tried to relax with my Mum. Watched my fav Russell Howard DVD, but even he couldn't distract me, and he can usually make ANYTHING better
About 10.30pm, phoned labour and FOB again. Went to hospital. Again, was put into a room and examined. I was in quite a bit of pain, and swore that if they sent me home with more codeine, I'd kill somebody... Got examined, was 3cm, so was sent home
Saturday 13th November
Got home about half past midnight, tried to sleep. Got none
Contractions started coming thick, and strong. I knew then that the ones I was having earlier were only mild!Made it through each one in different positions, like on my knees, cat stretch like and in a ball. By 3am, I was crying and moaning with each one, by 4am, screaming for my Mum! She was in the next room, and didn't actually hear me till about 5ish!
By this point, I was really struggling to cope, so phoned labour and FOB again. I was crying to my Mum that I couldn't do it anymore, that if I couldn't cope now, how on earth would I cope later???!!!Waited for FOB, couldn't believe it, he took AGES
Was so desparate, my Mum nearly took me herself. But it turned out he'd been stuck behind a bloody slow vehicle (Typical! What are the chances at that time??!!)Made it to the hospital eventually, was shown to a room, and given toast
Half an hour later, about 7, after the staff change over, a midwife called Jo came to see me. Told me she wouldn't examine me until I needed pain relief, was quite disappointed, but was told later that sometimes it's best not to know, because you can start to imagine the pain being worse, similarly to the placebo effect, and will ask for pain relief thinking you need it when you don't.Was sitting on the bed and walking about for a while. FOB loving it, messing about on the birthing ball
Bless him Thanks to him, I tried the birthing ball. Wow Made it so much more barable! Not long later, Jo came back and showed me how to sit with my head lay on the bed so I could rest for a it. She also made me up this cool little heat pack It was a microwavable thing, but within like a drawstring bag. I wore it on my back, and it got the pain just right Time was really flying
At 9.15am, I felt like I needed some pain relief, so Jo examined me. I was 5-6cm!!! She asked what I wanted to do, I wasn't sure so she offered the birthing pool. Hadn't thought about using it, but as I like water, I though f*** it Got some gas and air to use while waiting for it to fill Aha, I LOVE that stuff!!!The pool was amazing
Everything felt light, and while the pain didn't really ease, it felt much more barable. By 12, the pain was really up. The gas and air made me feel and act drunk
It's all abit hazy from here on, but I have vague memories of sitting in the pool saying things like 'I miss my cat. He's called Ralph', 'Can I have an episiotomy? Ventouse? Epidural? Ceasarian?' 'My brother plays COD, he doesn't do anything else, just COD, and I don't understand why it's so good'. Jo and FOB either ignoring me, laughing or answering back the whole time. Started feeling pressure, wow, just like I need a fat poo
Tried pushing for a while, nothing was happening. I stuck my finger up myself (TMI sorry!) and felt babys head, about half a finger up. Was so nice! After a while, Jo noticed I wasn't progressing. She felt the membranes, and asked if I'd been to the loo. No! I'd actually forgotten to go all day! Had to get out the pool Tried to go to the toilet, nothing came at all Jo said my full bladder was stopping the baby coming, yet the baby was preventing it from emptying So had to have the joy of a catheter (Ouch!) She then broke my waters (No big gush like I wanted to experience)Got up, started trying to push again. By this point, I was naked except my bra, standing up leaning against the wall with Jo kneeling looking at 'that area'. All dignity gone, and I couldn't give a s***
She told me that I was holding it in instead of pushing Kept trying to push, but wasn't really getting much of an urge. Basically it hurt to push, and it hurt not to. Jo would ask if I was contracting, and I honestly didn't know There was no overwhelming urge like I heard there'd be. Jo got her colleague, said to listen to my body. I screamed 'Obviously my body doesn't f****n speak English, coz I don't f*****n understand it!* The pain and gas and air turned me into a BITCH Kept trying to push, hard when you can't feel it. Was 'pushing insufficiently'
Jo said to push as hard as I could, I honestly did, and kept doing, she said I wasn't In the end, she had to go fetch the doctor. The doctor watched me push a few times, and said I could either carry on pushing or she could perform a ventouse delivery. Agreed to have the ventouse. Wow, suddenly it was all action stations. This homely midwife led delivery room suddenly turned all clinical, the doctor and 3 midwives brimming around, the end of the bed came away and everything started happening. I barely noticed the injection for the local anaesthetic. Not sure what went on, but the doctor had her fingers inside me (Get your f*****n hands out of me!) The ventouse went in, which was pretty uncomfortable, the episiotomy cut (which didn't hurt, but I heard the loud 'snip' of the scissors), and waited for the contraction. Had to wait about 30 seconds (felt like forever!) and then I pushed. I can't remember any pain, just intense pressure
Before I knew it, his head was out! I just remember seeing a reddy, purple thing with what looked like dark hair, and wondering why he had dark hair when me and FOB are natural blondes. Next contraction, I pushed his body out Wierd sensation! He was put on my chest and everything that had happened was meaningless, all that was important my beautiful baby boy I didn't notice the injection for the third stage or the placenta coming out. This screaming purple creature was just too precious. He soon stopped crying, and we had skin to skin contact for a while and he went on the breast. We had about an hour, but it seemed like nothing. All too soon, he was taken off me, and given to Daddy.
Got up to have a shower. Jo said that I might lose a bit of blood when I stand. 'A bit' didn't quite cover it. I stood up, and it was like someone had chucked a bucket on the floor
Bit of a shock After, I was wheeled to the ward. I stayed until late Tuesday evening after having having trouble breastfeeding
I'm really pleased with the care I had throughout my pregnancy, labour and afterwards. In labour, I wasn't left for longer than half an hour ish without being seen, even if Jo was busy delivering another baby for a while, another midwife would come. I felt at ease throughout, they respected my wishes, were encouraging yet firm, and the aftercare was amazing.
Anyone from the Nottingham area, I strongly advise going to QMC.
I don't usually swear as much as this shows by the way!!!
****Connor Ewan Reading****
***13th November 2010***
**3.48pm**
*7lb*
***13th November 2010***
**3.48pm**
*7lb*
Would neverrr let them cut me like that. I know my OH wouldn't either, XDD. 
. 
