Marie1337
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Short version
Name: Flynn Richard Manning
Born: November 6th @ 3:06 am
Weight: 8 lbs 8 oz
Method: Via emergency c-section after 26 hours of labour.
Long version
My due date was November 2nd, which came and went without the slightest wiggle. As this was my first baby I wasn't expecting him to be on time anyways. As I started going overdue I was hoping to go into labour soon, as my doctor decided to book me for induction on November 9th. When she described my induction as a balloon inserted into me to dilate me over a period of 24 hours I was determined to go into labour naturally. I spent all of November 3rd and 4th on my ball bouncing away. I even walked a few miles on the treadmill.
At 12:30 am November 5th, I was woken up by a strange sensation. I didn't know what it was so I just went back to sleep. When I woke up again at 2:30 I had my show. I phoned the maternity ward and as I wasn't having contractions yet and my pregnancy was a normal one, I shouldn't be worried. After I hung up the phone I felt my first contraction. I went back to bed and tried to get some sleep. By 6:30 am the contractions had started to get regular and lying down was only making them worse.
I got up and ate breakfast and sat on my ball to help with the contractions. I had phoned my parents in the middle of the night and they made the 700 km journey to Vancouver in 8 hours. I'm sure my mom set a new land speed record driving down here to be a part of the birth.
At 2:30 pm the contractions were getting too much to handle at home so we went to the hospital. At this time they had increased to one every 4 or 5 minutes. I got shown into the birthing suite at the hospital. When the nurse was examining me she said I was 4 cm (woohoo!). As she was feeling around she broke my water and I was then at 5 cm.
I wanted a natural birth with no medication so my husband and mom were great with helping me with breathing, rubbing my back, and walking/swaying to help with the contractions. The pain was pretty incredible but I was handling it really well initially.
The details after this are a bit fuzzy but this is what I remember. At some point the nurse examined me and said that the baby was back to back. My contractions were getting really hard to deal with by breathing/other techniques so I asked for pain relief. She gave me some gas and air which made me sick and a shot of pain medication which provided temporary relief but only took the edge off and lasted maybe 15 minutes. They then put me on my side in bed to try and turn the baby, hoping gravity would help. Looking back I think that made it worse as I was in agony on my side but couldn't move to get more comfortable.
Finally I had enough and asked for an epideral. I had made it to 9.2 cm on minimal pain relief all on my own, but couldn't make it the last bit. I was so close! Eventually the happy-deral came and I finally got some rest. This was at 9 pm.
After sleeping/relaxing for 2 hours, the nurses came and asked how I was doing. I told them I could feel the contractions and we got ready to push. At 11:30 I started pushing. I was doing really well, but baby was still back to back and I couldn't move him down the birth canal as his head was in the wrong position and he wouldn't turn. Eventually they started to turn down the happy-deral and up the oxytocin so my contractions got stronger and I could feel them. Eventually it got to the point to where I was not getting any pain relief and the baby still hadn't moved.
My doctor had been called in and she examined me and decided I couldn't get the baby out on my own. The OB/GYN for the hospital came down and they presented me with two options. I could either get a c-section or they could try a trial by forceps to try and turn the baby and then I could push him out. I really don't remember much but by that time it was 2:30 am and I had been in labour for 26 hours. The pain was making me incoherent. My husband and doctor decided I had enough and that I didn't have the strength to deliver naturally. I was quickly prepped and sent to the OR for an emergency c-section.
Once there I got my happy-deral topped up and finally I wasn't in pain anymore. My anesthesiologist was amazing and took really good care of me making sure I was comfortable. They set me up and my husband was shown in. A few minutes and tugs later, my son was born. They pulled him out and he let out a mighty wail. It was the most amazing thing I've ever heard. They cleaned him up and were going to give him to my husband so I had a quick look but my anesthesiologist stepped in, and put the baby on my chest so I got skin-to-skin, even though it wasn't allowed. They then took Flynn away with my husband to get his vitamin K etc. I was set to recovery.
A few hours later they took me down to the maternity ward and I was finally able to see my son. When I got to my room he was cuddled skin to skin with my husband. They get me sat up and gave him to me. Flynn instantly knew what to do and with a few head bobs and a wide open move he latched on instantly and started sucking away. My boy is a boobie baby.
So my plan for a natural no med birth went completely out the window and I honestly don't mind. I do confess that a c-section was the absolute last thing I wanted. I did everything to avoid one but looking back now, any method to have my son in my arms healthy and safe is perfectly fine. We are home and he is doing amazing. He BFs like a champ and I am looking forward to watching him grow up, but not too soon. I like having my little baby boy.
Pictures!
He is adorable!!
