Baby Isabella arrived on new years eve at 9.10pm, we had a complicated labour with a very positive ending. This was my third pregnancy with a gap of 8 years and a new partner. We knew from the off that there was a chance any problems Id had in my first pregnancy maybe repeated due to the new genetic mix. I had extremely high bp when my daughter was born 12 years ago and I was very worried thru most of my pregnancy that if i got high bp again it would stop me having a natural drug free home birth. I gave birth to my son in a water pool with a labour of 4 hrs and that was the birth i wanted this time.
However, at about week 35 my bp went right up and although i didnt ever get anymore than a + for protein I became high risk right away. I knew then that a consultant led hospital birth was my only safe option and was pretty gutted. I have a fear of epidurals due to having had a very painful spinal tap for meningitis, i knew that epidurals are often given as a last resort to lower bp.
Anyway, I was put on bp meds and we talked about how big my baby was already and how apropriate an early induction would be. Thankfully the meds worked up to christmas and we made it to week 39. Straight after christmas my bp again shot up and the meds stopped working, i was in and out of hospital for several days between xmas and new year and induction was set for dec30th. I was induced with my first baby and found it very long and difficult, i hoped as Id given birth twice already that my body would know what to do. they put the prostin gel in on the evening dec 30 and although i was already 2 cm dilated nothing else really happened. Hubby was sent home at midnight and I tried, and failed, to get any sleep!
The next morning i was still 2cm so they put more gel in, by 1oam i was having contractions every 8 mins and they were getting quite strong, I had hired a tens machine which was fantastic. I started to need some gas & air but had to wait until the mid afternoon as the delivery unit was full.
It was decided that i would have my waters broken and then they started to get worried about my blood pressure which had rapidly risen. Ihad a brief discussion with the consultant about how i really didnt want an epidural, an arguement which i soon lost as it turned out to be the only way to get my bp down. I was prepped for the epidural and was absolutely scared stupid, my contractions were very strong and every 3 mins and i had to sit stock still as they put in the block. Unfortuantely the epidural took 3 attempts to go into the right area, i was in bits and in alot of pain.
After the epidural i could still feel the contractions and i knew that i could feel alot of pressure, i kept warning the midwife that i thought id progressed fast as I knew exactly when i should be pushing. I did have to reinforce my point and got examined at which point i had gone from 4cm to fully dilated in less than an hour. Unfortuanelty at this point babys heart started dropping, they had inisted on a fetal scalp monitor so it was obvious we were in trouble and they set me on my side, this then caused my bp to plummet and gave me uncontrollable shakes. It was almost as tho my body was saying enough! this baby has to come now because i felt the urge to push very clearly and told the midwives who asked me to wait a while! I knew i couldnt and said no, baby is coming right now so they examined me again and her head was on the way. I looked at hubby and said 'are we ready for this?' grabbed my legs and did the tinyiest push, the midwives were still putting on gloves as her head was born with her hand on her cheek. Her body was born with the second very gentle push and hey presto, baby Isabella was born with a very positive ending to an otherwise dire and hospital managed labour.
Slightly scary was the fact that at 39 weeks she weighed only 5lb 15 , had she been induced as they had discussed at week 36 she would have been very underweight.
Home now and we are both doing well, i have very painful and slightly depressing backlpain which i suspect was caused by the epidural, im taking lots of pain killers and hoping it will improve.
However, at about week 35 my bp went right up and although i didnt ever get anymore than a + for protein I became high risk right away. I knew then that a consultant led hospital birth was my only safe option and was pretty gutted. I have a fear of epidurals due to having had a very painful spinal tap for meningitis, i knew that epidurals are often given as a last resort to lower bp.
Anyway, I was put on bp meds and we talked about how big my baby was already and how apropriate an early induction would be. Thankfully the meds worked up to christmas and we made it to week 39. Straight after christmas my bp again shot up and the meds stopped working, i was in and out of hospital for several days between xmas and new year and induction was set for dec30th. I was induced with my first baby and found it very long and difficult, i hoped as Id given birth twice already that my body would know what to do. they put the prostin gel in on the evening dec 30 and although i was already 2 cm dilated nothing else really happened. Hubby was sent home at midnight and I tried, and failed, to get any sleep!
The next morning i was still 2cm so they put more gel in, by 1oam i was having contractions every 8 mins and they were getting quite strong, I had hired a tens machine which was fantastic. I started to need some gas & air but had to wait until the mid afternoon as the delivery unit was full.
It was decided that i would have my waters broken and then they started to get worried about my blood pressure which had rapidly risen. Ihad a brief discussion with the consultant about how i really didnt want an epidural, an arguement which i soon lost as it turned out to be the only way to get my bp down. I was prepped for the epidural and was absolutely scared stupid, my contractions were very strong and every 3 mins and i had to sit stock still as they put in the block. Unfortuantely the epidural took 3 attempts to go into the right area, i was in bits and in alot of pain.
After the epidural i could still feel the contractions and i knew that i could feel alot of pressure, i kept warning the midwife that i thought id progressed fast as I knew exactly when i should be pushing. I did have to reinforce my point and got examined at which point i had gone from 4cm to fully dilated in less than an hour. Unfortuanelty at this point babys heart started dropping, they had inisted on a fetal scalp monitor so it was obvious we were in trouble and they set me on my side, this then caused my bp to plummet and gave me uncontrollable shakes. It was almost as tho my body was saying enough! this baby has to come now because i felt the urge to push very clearly and told the midwives who asked me to wait a while! I knew i couldnt and said no, baby is coming right now so they examined me again and her head was on the way. I looked at hubby and said 'are we ready for this?' grabbed my legs and did the tinyiest push, the midwives were still putting on gloves as her head was born with her hand on her cheek. Her body was born with the second very gentle push and hey presto, baby Isabella was born with a very positive ending to an otherwise dire and hospital managed labour.
Slightly scary was the fact that at 39 weeks she weighed only 5lb 15 , had she been induced as they had discussed at week 36 she would have been very underweight.
Home now and we are both doing well, i have very painful and slightly depressing backlpain which i suspect was caused by the epidural, im taking lots of pain killers and hoping it will improve.
