aimee-lou
Totally Outnumbered!!
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- Dec 17, 2008
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I started to get strong contractions that I recognised as 'real' on Wednesday morning (23rd). Hubby was in exams - his last one was Wednesday morning and the contractions were regular and strong. I was very close to calling him to get him out of his exams. I'm glad I didn't as this was 4 days too early lol 
My contractions came and went for the next 3 days. We had made the decision to send our eldest to MIL's until the LO arrived, so Wednesday afternoon was spent in the car. We really did think that we were a matter of hours away at one point as the contractions became strong, painful and regular at 5 mins apart. The next 2 days were spent pottering about, going shopping, and trying to bring on labour with copious amounts of pineapple juice and clary sage baths. I had regular bouts of contractions throughout the Thursday and Friday, both nothing settled. I barely slept as I was getting them throughout the day and night, and I was so uncomfortable with the heat and the weight/size of my bump.
On Saturday morning I had an appointment with the MW to discuss options and to get a sweep. I was absolutely convinced I would never have this baby and was ready to beg for an induction just to get things moving. I wanted to be comfortable again, and to get my little boy back home too. The appointment went well and when she examined me she found that I was more or less fully effaced and over 4cm dilated!
I was having regular, albeit very low level contractions throughout the appointment, so she did a sweep, and sent us on our way telling us 'it wont be long'. Literally an hour later I was getting stronger, regular (5 mins apart) contractions. We went home and tried to relax. The contractions were coming solidly, and actually stopping me in my tracks a little. However, they weren't speeding up or gaining momentum or strength. About 2pm I called the hospital to see what they suggested. I was advised to play it by ear and if I wanted to come in to check on progress there was space in the midwife-led unit. We continued on, and even managed to eat dinner, but the contractions were starting to hurt more about 7pm, so we arranged to go in and see out of curiosity more than anything. Throughout this whole time I had been on paracetamol every 3.5 hours due to toothache (we had visited A&E on Thursday night due to it being so severe) so the contraction pain was coming and going with the painkillers.
We were at the hospital for a couple of hours. I was given some 'exercises' to bring baby round front as I was found to be slightly back to back - walking up and down stairs in all manner of different ways is very glamorous in 28 degree heat lol. The midwife who examined me said I was still at 4-5cm but very soft, so she did the mother of all sweeps! Now this woman must have magic fingers, as after this they sent us home saying it could be a few hours to kick in or even days til we see the LO. This was about 11pm. I was walking out of the hospital and the big contractions started. I was in the car on the way home and couldn't actually stop from moaning. Hubby got me home and tried to make me comfortable but I was literally in agony. Contractions were still 4-5 mins apart but they were so strong that I was screaming through them (sounded like I was being murdered 0- hubby was worried someone would call the police as due to the heat all the windows were open. At 12.30 he called the hospital and they said to bring me back. We were there at just after 1am.
I was sent to delivery suite as they didn't have room for me in MLBU but they sent one of their midwives and said that I was effectively under their care. I was checked in, my notes and obs done (all fine) and then I was given the g&a. I immediately felt better and was able to chat to the midwife (a lovely lady called Sue). By 2am though, the G&A was starting to make me feel drunk and I was in real pain with the contractions. Sue put me on a monitor as baby's HB was a bit jittery but looking back that seems to be that he had dropped into my pelvis. I started to get searing pain in my pelvis that was just excruciating. At about 3am I was examined, told I was 7cm (not bad progress really
) and I spent the next hour asking for pethidine as the pain in my pelvis was just the worst I had ever experienced.....EVER!
The midwife and my hubby chatted about it but I was making really fast progress....the G&A while not cutting the pain, helped me to get through it, and I had to wriggle and writhe my way onto my back to be slightly comfortable. At this point it becomes really blurry so apologies if it doesn't make much sense. The MW went to get my pethidine sorted out at about 3.30am
I am reliably informed that at about 3.45 I went very quiet, and simply went from one contraction to another. At 4am, I remember feeling like a weight had dropped into my pelvis (or should I say through) and I was pushing. I shouted at hubby that I was pushing. The MW came back at this point and both hubby and I were slightly panicky, as I was only 7cm an hour prior to this! MW checked and I was crowning, so she said push away. I don't actually remember pushing at this point, it was completely out of my control. What felt like seconds but I am told was about 15 minutes later his head was out and his shoulders were starting to emerge. The MW told me to breathe and give little pushes, and despite the g&A I was able to follow her instructions. This was the first time I remember actually consciously pushing. Apparently the MW was using her shoulder against my leg, and my hubby had hold of my other leg to try to get his shoulders out. She later told me they were on alert to get me to theatre as his shoulders were very tight fit and as Earl had had a shoulder injury, they were very aware of it.
However, at 4.24am Edward emerged on his own steam and everything was fine. I had a couple of grazes from the trauma of his shoulders but they didn't require any stitches. I had the injection to bring the placenta away which was apparently 'HUGE!'
We were both discharged at 10.30am the same day and we're now enjoying being at home as a family. It was a whirlwind, and some of the details I'm sure will take a while to come back to me, but overall it was a good, if not painful, experience.
My contractions came and went for the next 3 days. We had made the decision to send our eldest to MIL's until the LO arrived, so Wednesday afternoon was spent in the car. We really did think that we were a matter of hours away at one point as the contractions became strong, painful and regular at 5 mins apart. The next 2 days were spent pottering about, going shopping, and trying to bring on labour with copious amounts of pineapple juice and clary sage baths. I had regular bouts of contractions throughout the Thursday and Friday, both nothing settled. I barely slept as I was getting them throughout the day and night, and I was so uncomfortable with the heat and the weight/size of my bump.
On Saturday morning I had an appointment with the MW to discuss options and to get a sweep. I was absolutely convinced I would never have this baby and was ready to beg for an induction just to get things moving. I wanted to be comfortable again, and to get my little boy back home too. The appointment went well and when she examined me she found that I was more or less fully effaced and over 4cm dilated!
I was having regular, albeit very low level contractions throughout the appointment, so she did a sweep, and sent us on our way telling us 'it wont be long'. Literally an hour later I was getting stronger, regular (5 mins apart) contractions. We went home and tried to relax. The contractions were coming solidly, and actually stopping me in my tracks a little. However, they weren't speeding up or gaining momentum or strength. About 2pm I called the hospital to see what they suggested. I was advised to play it by ear and if I wanted to come in to check on progress there was space in the midwife-led unit. We continued on, and even managed to eat dinner, but the contractions were starting to hurt more about 7pm, so we arranged to go in and see out of curiosity more than anything. Throughout this whole time I had been on paracetamol every 3.5 hours due to toothache (we had visited A&E on Thursday night due to it being so severe) so the contraction pain was coming and going with the painkillers. We were at the hospital for a couple of hours. I was given some 'exercises' to bring baby round front as I was found to be slightly back to back - walking up and down stairs in all manner of different ways is very glamorous in 28 degree heat lol. The midwife who examined me said I was still at 4-5cm but very soft, so she did the mother of all sweeps! Now this woman must have magic fingers, as after this they sent us home saying it could be a few hours to kick in or even days til we see the LO. This was about 11pm. I was walking out of the hospital and the big contractions started. I was in the car on the way home and couldn't actually stop from moaning. Hubby got me home and tried to make me comfortable but I was literally in agony. Contractions were still 4-5 mins apart but they were so strong that I was screaming through them (sounded like I was being murdered 0- hubby was worried someone would call the police as due to the heat all the windows were open. At 12.30 he called the hospital and they said to bring me back. We were there at just after 1am.
I was sent to delivery suite as they didn't have room for me in MLBU but they sent one of their midwives and said that I was effectively under their care. I was checked in, my notes and obs done (all fine) and then I was given the g&a. I immediately felt better and was able to chat to the midwife (a lovely lady called Sue). By 2am though, the G&A was starting to make me feel drunk and I was in real pain with the contractions. Sue put me on a monitor as baby's HB was a bit jittery but looking back that seems to be that he had dropped into my pelvis. I started to get searing pain in my pelvis that was just excruciating. At about 3am I was examined, told I was 7cm (not bad progress really
) and I spent the next hour asking for pethidine as the pain in my pelvis was just the worst I had ever experienced.....EVER! The midwife and my hubby chatted about it but I was making really fast progress....the G&A while not cutting the pain, helped me to get through it, and I had to wriggle and writhe my way onto my back to be slightly comfortable. At this point it becomes really blurry so apologies if it doesn't make much sense. The MW went to get my pethidine sorted out at about 3.30am
I am reliably informed that at about 3.45 I went very quiet, and simply went from one contraction to another. At 4am, I remember feeling like a weight had dropped into my pelvis (or should I say through) and I was pushing. I shouted at hubby that I was pushing. The MW came back at this point and both hubby and I were slightly panicky, as I was only 7cm an hour prior to this! MW checked and I was crowning, so she said push away. I don't actually remember pushing at this point, it was completely out of my control. What felt like seconds but I am told was about 15 minutes later his head was out and his shoulders were starting to emerge. The MW told me to breathe and give little pushes, and despite the g&A I was able to follow her instructions. This was the first time I remember actually consciously pushing. Apparently the MW was using her shoulder against my leg, and my hubby had hold of my other leg to try to get his shoulders out. She later told me they were on alert to get me to theatre as his shoulders were very tight fit and as Earl had had a shoulder injury, they were very aware of it.
However, at 4.24am Edward emerged on his own steam and everything was fine. I had a couple of grazes from the trauma of his shoulders but they didn't require any stitches. I had the injection to bring the placenta away which was apparently 'HUGE!'
We were both discharged at 10.30am the same day and we're now enjoying being at home as a family. It was a whirlwind, and some of the details I'm sure will take a while to come back to me, but overall it was a good, if not painful, experience.
Jealous that ANYTHING about pushing felt like seconds for you! It was the most painful agonizing 20 min of my life! Each second an eternity and once you're crowning, well, you can't really go back now can you? 
