nicetosmile
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My birth story Hannah 7LB, 7OZ. 9th May
This is a very long story and I feel that I needed to get the birth experience clear in my head.
My contractions first started on the 8th May at around 6pm. I called the hospital to say that I think I am in labour. I stayed at home for a long time. I stayed at home for two hours until around 8:30pm. I used my tens machine.
At this point my contractions were getting really strong and very regular. My tens machine was at full blast. At 8:30pm in the evening my DH and I made our way to the hospital.
When I got to the hospital in the reception area I was told to wait for a further three quarters of an hour and then someone will come out to me. So there I was clinging onto the back of chairs or walls dealing with my contractions with just my tens machine.
After this time a receptionist called us into the labour ward to get settled for the night. A midwife examined me and then said I was in early stages of labour, 3cm dilated and gave me gas and air for pain relief.
I was having regular contractions right until 4:00am in the morning. I had not dilated much further so they broke my waters.
I carried on with gas and air and then the contractions were still coming. At this point I started to get tired at around 7:00am so I asked for Pethidine. I asked the consultant first what effects it may have on my baby in which the response was none.
This did ease the pain shortly but not for very long.
By 9:00am they examined me again, said that I was still 3cm dilated, so I requested for an epidural. After they did this I was still taking some gas and air and they said that I shouldn't be taking this as the epidural should be enough.
They hadn't done the epidural correctly and it had to be adjusted. They adjusted the epidural and then gave me a hormone drip to try and encourage more dilation.
At 1:00pm on 9th they examined me again. I was still 3cm dilated. They left me for a while to try and relax....they then said that the baby's heart rate was decreasing and there was a need for emergency caesarean section.
At 1:00pm on 9th May baby Hannah was born by emergency caesarean section.
In total I was in labour for nearly 20 hours. Had all the pain relief that was offered and then the caesarean section at the end. I was only dilated at 3cm all the way through my labour and could not progress further. I felt deflated at this time but then I was also glad that she was going to be born at any moment and I'll see my baby.
My husband and I cried the moment she was born and little Hannah was handed to him to hold.
We are having additional problems at the moment with Hannah feeding. I did try breastfeeding but Hannah was so exhausted after the long labour that I persevered with it for around a week. Hannah would not suck. Hannah also started to lose weight and is now in special care being closely monitored in regards to her feeding. I have now decided to formula feed Hannah for ease. This seems to be the only way that Hannah is happy to feed.
I also feel that I did not get enough support from the hospital midwives initially after my labour to encourage breastfeeding. I felt I was left to it. I raised my concerns over and over again to try and get assistance but the midwives did not help me.
She is still in special care but her formula feeding is sooo much better, she has put on weight. I am now waiting for her to arrive back home for me to cuddle her in my arms.
I feel that if you have a cesearean that some times you can't breastfeed. Simply because the baby is too tired, drugged up etc. I tried and tried, had milk flowing, Hannah latched on but then she simply did not have the energy to suck.
I am not feeling low about this anymore I tried my best, gave her my colostrum by expressing to start off with and have tried to giver her the best start in life. Sometimes it's just not to be.
I will upload pictures shortly
This is a very long story and I feel that I needed to get the birth experience clear in my head.
My contractions first started on the 8th May at around 6pm. I called the hospital to say that I think I am in labour. I stayed at home for a long time. I stayed at home for two hours until around 8:30pm. I used my tens machine.
At this point my contractions were getting really strong and very regular. My tens machine was at full blast. At 8:30pm in the evening my DH and I made our way to the hospital.
When I got to the hospital in the reception area I was told to wait for a further three quarters of an hour and then someone will come out to me. So there I was clinging onto the back of chairs or walls dealing with my contractions with just my tens machine.
After this time a receptionist called us into the labour ward to get settled for the night. A midwife examined me and then said I was in early stages of labour, 3cm dilated and gave me gas and air for pain relief.
I was having regular contractions right until 4:00am in the morning. I had not dilated much further so they broke my waters.
I carried on with gas and air and then the contractions were still coming. At this point I started to get tired at around 7:00am so I asked for Pethidine. I asked the consultant first what effects it may have on my baby in which the response was none.
This did ease the pain shortly but not for very long.
By 9:00am they examined me again, said that I was still 3cm dilated, so I requested for an epidural. After they did this I was still taking some gas and air and they said that I shouldn't be taking this as the epidural should be enough.
They hadn't done the epidural correctly and it had to be adjusted. They adjusted the epidural and then gave me a hormone drip to try and encourage more dilation.
At 1:00pm on 9th they examined me again. I was still 3cm dilated. They left me for a while to try and relax....they then said that the baby's heart rate was decreasing and there was a need for emergency caesarean section.
At 1:00pm on 9th May baby Hannah was born by emergency caesarean section.
In total I was in labour for nearly 20 hours. Had all the pain relief that was offered and then the caesarean section at the end. I was only dilated at 3cm all the way through my labour and could not progress further. I felt deflated at this time but then I was also glad that she was going to be born at any moment and I'll see my baby.
My husband and I cried the moment she was born and little Hannah was handed to him to hold.
We are having additional problems at the moment with Hannah feeding. I did try breastfeeding but Hannah was so exhausted after the long labour that I persevered with it for around a week. Hannah would not suck. Hannah also started to lose weight and is now in special care being closely monitored in regards to her feeding. I have now decided to formula feed Hannah for ease. This seems to be the only way that Hannah is happy to feed.
I also feel that I did not get enough support from the hospital midwives initially after my labour to encourage breastfeeding. I felt I was left to it. I raised my concerns over and over again to try and get assistance but the midwives did not help me.
She is still in special care but her formula feeding is sooo much better, she has put on weight. I am now waiting for her to arrive back home for me to cuddle her in my arms.
I feel that if you have a cesearean that some times you can't breastfeed. Simply because the baby is too tired, drugged up etc. I tried and tried, had milk flowing, Hannah latched on but then she simply did not have the energy to suck.
I am not feeling low about this anymore I tried my best, gave her my colostrum by expressing to start off with and have tried to giver her the best start in life. Sometimes it's just not to be.
I will upload pictures shortly
