nicnicjayne
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When I was pregnant (and especially when I was overdue) I loved reading all the birth stories on here so here's mine! Sorry this is going to be long but I know the detail is interesting...
Charlie was born on 14th October. The day before I was exactly 41 weeks and I went to the midwife for my first sweep at 11am. She said my cervix was soft but thick and managed to do a sweep. After the appointment, I went for a really long walk of about 4 miles and I really think this must have helped!
I woke up at 1.45pm the next morning to a gush of liquid and had a show (which was just like a period). I called the hospital and they said to put a pad on and call back in an hour. I called back and they asked me to come in to be assessed. The midwives were lovely and when they saw me at 4am, they said I was 2cm and my waters hadn't broken yet but were bulging.
We went home and spent the day pacing and timing contractions which steadily grew more frequent. I had three hot baths and lots of paracetomol and called the hospital who insisted we wait until the contractions were 3 every 10 mins, lasting a minute each. At 4pm, I had an agonising contraction which made me sick so my partner called again and they said to come in. At this assessment, the midwife said I was 7cm dilated but I couldn't stay in the midwife-led unit because she was concerned that the baby was going to be very big. She measured my bump at 47cm!! I know this can't have been right though because I'd only seen my community midwife the day before.
We went down to the delivery suite and began the gas and air. Luckily, the hospital wasn't at all busy and we had a midwife with us throughout the whole experience. Here I was given information about an epidural and I asked if it was advisible to which the midwife said yes due to the size of the baby, but we'll wait until I next examine you. Of course by the time she examined me four hours later, I was 9cm and too late for any pain relief apart from gas and air!! From here on in, the pain became unbearable but the doctor insisted that I push for an hour. It was awful and I screamed the place down, ignoring everyone's advice to 'use the gas and air'! I was pleased to hear afterwards that I didn't swear at all though.
After more than an hour, the doctor came back and said the choice was forceps delivery in theatre with a spinal or keeping pushing for another hour and see if the head descended. (Oh, he was back to back too which added to the agony). I literally begged for that spinal and forceps because I was pretty sure at this point it would end that way, what with all their talk of big shoulders, a huge baby and needing to turn him!! Eventually they agreed and I signed the forms.
Once in theatre, I was given the spinal and after that, I became the calmest, most pleasant patient in the world. I can't explain the relief and calm I felt as I could feel nothing from my chest downwards.
Little Charlie was born via forceps at 11.25pm and after spending a minute being cleaned up, he screamed and screamed and I got my first cuddle! Amazing. In the end he was 8lbs 11oz, with very long legs. Big but not the monster that was predicted!
He had pooed so there was meconium in the waters but he wasn't affected by this at all.
The doctor had given me an episotomy and delivered the placenta and stitched me up but I didn't feel a thing and couldn't have cared less wh hat they were doing down there. Apparently I lost a few pints of blood but didn't need a transfusion because my blood count was still really good. I am sure my daily pregnancy vitamins helped with this!
We spent 5 very happy hours back in the delivery room before I was taken to the ward and my OH went home to grab a few hours sleep. I spent another night in the ward and we went home in the afternoon of 16th.
Since then, I have healed really well, breastfeeding has being going great and I have lost 26lbs! So, so worth and would do it all again tomorrow!
Charlie was born on 14th October. The day before I was exactly 41 weeks and I went to the midwife for my first sweep at 11am. She said my cervix was soft but thick and managed to do a sweep. After the appointment, I went for a really long walk of about 4 miles and I really think this must have helped!
I woke up at 1.45pm the next morning to a gush of liquid and had a show (which was just like a period). I called the hospital and they said to put a pad on and call back in an hour. I called back and they asked me to come in to be assessed. The midwives were lovely and when they saw me at 4am, they said I was 2cm and my waters hadn't broken yet but were bulging.
We went home and spent the day pacing and timing contractions which steadily grew more frequent. I had three hot baths and lots of paracetomol and called the hospital who insisted we wait until the contractions were 3 every 10 mins, lasting a minute each. At 4pm, I had an agonising contraction which made me sick so my partner called again and they said to come in. At this assessment, the midwife said I was 7cm dilated but I couldn't stay in the midwife-led unit because she was concerned that the baby was going to be very big. She measured my bump at 47cm!! I know this can't have been right though because I'd only seen my community midwife the day before.
We went down to the delivery suite and began the gas and air. Luckily, the hospital wasn't at all busy and we had a midwife with us throughout the whole experience. Here I was given information about an epidural and I asked if it was advisible to which the midwife said yes due to the size of the baby, but we'll wait until I next examine you. Of course by the time she examined me four hours later, I was 9cm and too late for any pain relief apart from gas and air!! From here on in, the pain became unbearable but the doctor insisted that I push for an hour. It was awful and I screamed the place down, ignoring everyone's advice to 'use the gas and air'! I was pleased to hear afterwards that I didn't swear at all though.
After more than an hour, the doctor came back and said the choice was forceps delivery in theatre with a spinal or keeping pushing for another hour and see if the head descended. (Oh, he was back to back too which added to the agony). I literally begged for that spinal and forceps because I was pretty sure at this point it would end that way, what with all their talk of big shoulders, a huge baby and needing to turn him!! Eventually they agreed and I signed the forms.
Once in theatre, I was given the spinal and after that, I became the calmest, most pleasant patient in the world. I can't explain the relief and calm I felt as I could feel nothing from my chest downwards.
Little Charlie was born via forceps at 11.25pm and after spending a minute being cleaned up, he screamed and screamed and I got my first cuddle! Amazing. In the end he was 8lbs 11oz, with very long legs. Big but not the monster that was predicted!
He had pooed so there was meconium in the waters but he wasn't affected by this at all.The doctor had given me an episotomy and delivered the placenta and stitched me up but I didn't feel a thing and couldn't have cared less wh hat they were doing down there. Apparently I lost a few pints of blood but didn't need a transfusion because my blood count was still really good. I am sure my daily pregnancy vitamins helped with this!
We spent 5 very happy hours back in the delivery room before I was taken to the ward and my OH went home to grab a few hours sleep. I spent another night in the ward and we went home in the afternoon of 16th.
Since then, I have healed really well, breastfeeding has being going great and I have lost 26lbs! So, so worth and would do it all again tomorrow!
