Thanks ladies!
Still surreal, can't believe she's here, crazy! Here's my current birth story....
So on Monday I was at home and my waters broke while I had my leg up on a surface to reach to clip my toe nails - weird internal pop and gush!
Went to MLU to be assessed and while being checked internally more waters went and I was told I was 2cm - so the pains I'd had the night before were not from a uti it turned out I didn't have...but from early labour!
So that was around 4pm I got checked (waters went at 3pm) and because I'd mentioned yet another bout of reduced movement they let me stay in that suite while I waited for triage or day assessment unit to have a space, they said the wait would be around 2 hours.
During the wait the pains got stronger and I texted my husband to say he'd be starting his paternity leave. I hadn't got my hospital bag with me as I was expecting to get checked and then come back 2 days later for induction if it didn't start...oops!
So I decided to sit on the ball and rock, well, more water gushed! I only had on jeans and they were soaked...I peeled them off and when my husband arrived I was just in my maternity top, socks and shoes!
The pains steadily and quickly got worse and quicker - I went from 3-4 minutes apart to about a minute quite quickly. A midwife came to check me and said I was in labour and wouldn't be going home...they checked me around 8pm and I'd got to 4cm!
I was asking to go in the pool at this point, but they delayed me because of being monitored and I said I couldn't sit still for the 20 minutes, I needed to move...thankfully they understood - let me get in the pool and simply did a doppler every 15 minutes with me in the water, I got some g&a as well and although neither the water or gas took away the pain, it certainly helped. In between contractions I floated on my back and dozed, I was spaced out but not hallucinating thankfully, just enough that I could be somewhere else when I wasn't needing to focus. I spent the majority of the time with my eyes closed. I did ask for the epidural a few times, but once they said I'd have to get out the water I said forget it - the water was my home
At some point the pains got a fair bit worse and my body started convulsing in the water as it tried to push the baby out. I wasn't in control, but thankfully wasn't shouting or screaming, just grunting with the effort. They said I pushed for around 49 minutes. Felt like longer, but at least it was productive. I pushed on my back floating as it was the only position I was comfortable in, unfortunately it meant her head went around the bend a few times. I have heard of the "ring of fire" before, and thought it would hurt and sting - I had NO IDEA it would sting/hurt that much! It really really hurt, but the midwives kept me calm and talked me through it, she stayed there a moment and I did some small pushes, then my body took over and did a big push - I think that's when I tore
Her head was out and I could see a tiny head with really dark hair - husband said after I did indeed 'look like a playing card'...the next push or two and she was out, into the hands of a student midwife and push straight onto my chest. We floated there for half an hour, her just staring at me and although there were 3 midwives there they just waited by the pool talking to us and they hadn't shouted PUSH or anything, just quiet encouragement, they were lovely
Then after around half an hour, my placenta still hadn't delivered and I allowed the cord to be cut, Daddy did it and had a cuddle while I tried to push out placenta. Over an hour after the birth and nothing, I don't think I had any push left. I'd been in active labour for 5ish hours and it was early morning...so tired!
They gave me the injection at the hour mark and nothing...they had to do a manual evacuation which hurt as much as delivering the baby! I think I made the same sounds, and I sucked a lot on g&a...then the midwife examined me and I'd got a 2nd degree tear
I then needed numbing and stitching up...it was the weirdest thing, I could feel her stitching, but couldn't feel the pain, it felt like a corset being done up!
We then got taken to another room to sleep/recuperate (I was the only person giving birth that night, so we were spoilt!). I didn't get much sleep, I have an irrational fear of SIDS and even now days later constantly worry when she's not in our arms.
The next morning we had a nice breakfast and came home. We were back in hospital the next day though because the midwife thought she heard a heart murmur - thankfully no murmur but she did have low blood sugar because I hadn't been able to get anything into her
This hasn't improved and she's still on mainly formula with whatever I can express, she gets too upset at the breast as she wants instant results...I'm going to a support group on Monday to try and get help.
She doesn't like sleeping at night it seems, but in the day is very happy - gotta work on that. Loving motherhood even though I haven't slept more than an hour at a time since Tuesday, but we're in love with our little rainbow miracle
Sorry it's so long - it's basically a positive birthing story, just a few surprises.
CONGRATULATIONS GREY AND WELCOME LITTLE ISABELLE!!!
I just knew she was going to be an early one!! And you are right, it does go fast! She will be toddling across the room in no time!!
everyone..stopped by the old thread and Amber and New convinced me to swing in and visit..sounds like everyone is doing great.
