Lady-K
Mum of two cheeky girls
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- Jul 10, 2010
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Wednesday 30th March – “The Beginning”
I was booked in for induction at 12 days overdue and had been told to ring at 10am to see if a bed was available. I woke very alert at 7am and just got up as I was so excited. Got the last of my bag packed, showered and got ready then rang at 10am. No, no beds available. Gutted. They said they would call me as soon as one became available, or at 1pm to tell me the situation.
At 12.20 I broke down in tears of frustration. I’d been on tenterhooks waiting for labour ever since 37 weeks, and now, nearly 5 weeks later, I was still being delayed. DH was trying to comfort me and just then the ‘phone rang. They had a bed! We had a cuppa then headed in.
When I arrived they hooked me up to a monitor and said they needed a good half hour readout of babba’s heartbeat. Unfortunately, baby was at most active and kicking and wriggling all over the place – averaging 180bpm. Induction couldn’t start until they had this reading and it took until 6pm before I was finally given the Propess pessary. I was examined and told cervix was 2cm long and I was about 1-2 cm dilated. I was told to keep the pessary in for 24 hours and see what happened. If nothing, then they’d given another. I then learned the girl in the bed opposite was on her 3rd pessary and had been in hospital for 6 days already…
Thursday 31st March – “Body works”
I had quite a few tightenings during the night and started writing them down – 7 mins apart. Was quite excited as things seemed to be happening at long last. They asked if I wanted anything for the pain but I didn’t as I was quite enjoying the sensation of my body doing stuff! But as soon as I took a shower the next morning they stopped. Gutted.
At about 3pm, after more tightenings, but nothing regular, I was examined again and was devastated to learn that I was still only 1-2cm. It looked like I’d been given another pessary at 6pm and have to wait all over again. I was so upset I told DH I wanted to go home as sitting in hospital waiting for things to happen, that just weren’t happening was too much. In the end I persuaded him to take me off site and go and have a drink somewhere. I stood up to dress and my waters broke! Second time I’ve been at the point of despair and something had happened.
Then I started getting proper contractions, midwife suggested a bath and a long walk, both of which intensified the contractions and I was given some paracetamol. I was leaking waters all over the place on the walk and when I got back and went to loo I discovered my plug had gone too – everything was suddenly happening at once! At midnight I was examined at was at 4-5cm and was told I could go down to the birth centre – woohoo!
Friday 1st April , Midnight- 6am – “The Dark Hours”
The birth centre was lovely, it was nice to finally have my own room as contractions were starting to make me moan and, well, we’re British aren’t we, and get embarrassed by moaning in front of other people
. MW suggested I take a shower and I stayed in there for about an hour. Contractions were really starting to hurt now and I was getting a little overwhelmed and was given some gas and air. It took the edge off but made me feel sick so I wasn’t using it for every one. Then, I was examined at about 3am (so 12 hours since it all started), and I was still at 4cm. What’s more, MW was surprised to find my waters were intact. Turns out the initial leakage was the hind waters – I didn’t even know about this, but there are 2 amniotic sacs one inside the other, and it was just the outer one that had broken. So she broke my waters, and at the same time she asked if she could try and insert a catheter as she was concerned I wasn’t urinating properly and thought it may be getting trapped by baby’s head. This was one of the most painful things I’ve gone through!
After water’s had been broken things went very dark. Every contraction consumed me and I literally started ‘mooing’ in pain! Also, they were coming on top of each other, and the pain from the last hadn’t quite faded away before the next one came. I was pretty much on no pain relief at this point since the paracetamol had long since worn off and gas and air was making me throw up. DH was absolutely fantastic, rubbing my back and reminding me to breathe. It’s amazing how much breathing helps, but how easily you forget to do it when in so much pain.
By about 5.15am I was broken though; utterly exhausted, and crying that I wanted to sleep, and please could they just knock me out! I really couldn’t bear it. MW said she’d examine me at 6am, and that I’d been having such strong contractions that it looked likely I’d be able to get in the pool and get things going. I begged her not to wait to examine me, I really couldn’t even bear to wait another 45 minutes with these relentless contractions. So she did, and I was utterly devastated to discover that not only was I still 4-5cm, but worse still, because I’d been labouring stood up, baby’s head had been pushing down on my cervix and had caused it to swell rather than dilate.
MW suggested I go on the drip, which could only been done in the hospital by a doctor, and would mean leaving the birth centre. But I didn’t care at this point, and I knew that if I had to go the hospital part, then I could have an epidural, which the birth centre can’t offer.
I was very lucky in that the hospital delivery suite is only a short walk through a connecting door. Literally a minute’s walk. Although it took us about 5 minutes as I kept having to stop and lean on DH and moo my way through another contraction!
Friday 1st April – 6am “Where’re my legs?”
I have never been so pleased to see another human being as I was that anaesthetist in the delivery suite. I could have hugged him. I was in so much agony, doubly so with the cervix swelling, and yet still after so many hours I hadn’t progressed. I was exhausted and upset. I was prepped for epidural but told he could only administer it as long as I was still. I was still getting contractions on top of each other so it took a while, and the very last one before the needle went in was the worst as I was sat on the edge of the bed, knees propped up on a stool, and leaning forward hugging a pillow - basically totally compressing my belly which is not fun when contracting! But it finally went in, and although I could feel the contractions still for another 15 minutes or so, the pain lessened with each one.
Finally, the pain disappeared completely, as did the feeling in my legs, and I just slept!
At midday I was examined, and was delighted to discover I was 7cm. I couldn’t feel the contractions at all, but the midwife said I was having about 5 really strong contractions every 10 minutes. I was told I’d be examined at 4pm and I slept some more!
At 4pm I was 9.5cm. They said they’d re-examine at 6pm and then if fully dilated they’d still wait a couple of hours for the baby to descend so that when it came to pushing, it’d be right there.
At 6pm, I was fully dilated, and was told I’d have a baby by 8pm.
At about 7.15, the baby’s heart rate dropped dramatically to abut 80bpm and then it was all go! Doctor came in and legs were hitched into stirrups and I was told to push! MW held her hand on my stomach to say when there was a contraction and I pushed when told to. Baby’s head was still a little offside so Doctor needed a ventouse, and I was a contraction away from getting an episiotomy but then baby suddenly arrived. DH told me we had a little girl and it was all over at 7.28pm. 27 hours of labour, 12 minutes of pushing. I literally didn’t feel a thing in terms of pain, or discomfort even. It was very surreal. Epidurals are ace, and I yet I went through established labour during the ‘dark hours’ so feel like I experienced it also.
We were left to bond and have some skin to skin time. I remained in hospital until Sunday morning and spent most of that time just staring at my little daughter in amazement!
Sorry this birth story is so long – it felt longer to go through it all I tell you! But all worth it; I fall more in love with her each day.
https://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199909_10150472240825125_602525124_17959037_4540442_n.jpg
https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208438_10150472242355125_602525124_17959057_6482669_n.jpg
https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205717_10150472241420125_602525124_17959043_2069380_n.jpg
I was booked in for induction at 12 days overdue and had been told to ring at 10am to see if a bed was available. I woke very alert at 7am and just got up as I was so excited. Got the last of my bag packed, showered and got ready then rang at 10am. No, no beds available. Gutted. They said they would call me as soon as one became available, or at 1pm to tell me the situation.
At 12.20 I broke down in tears of frustration. I’d been on tenterhooks waiting for labour ever since 37 weeks, and now, nearly 5 weeks later, I was still being delayed. DH was trying to comfort me and just then the ‘phone rang. They had a bed! We had a cuppa then headed in.
When I arrived they hooked me up to a monitor and said they needed a good half hour readout of babba’s heartbeat. Unfortunately, baby was at most active and kicking and wriggling all over the place – averaging 180bpm. Induction couldn’t start until they had this reading and it took until 6pm before I was finally given the Propess pessary. I was examined and told cervix was 2cm long and I was about 1-2 cm dilated. I was told to keep the pessary in for 24 hours and see what happened. If nothing, then they’d given another. I then learned the girl in the bed opposite was on her 3rd pessary and had been in hospital for 6 days already…
Thursday 31st March – “Body works”
I had quite a few tightenings during the night and started writing them down – 7 mins apart. Was quite excited as things seemed to be happening at long last. They asked if I wanted anything for the pain but I didn’t as I was quite enjoying the sensation of my body doing stuff! But as soon as I took a shower the next morning they stopped. Gutted.
At about 3pm, after more tightenings, but nothing regular, I was examined again and was devastated to learn that I was still only 1-2cm. It looked like I’d been given another pessary at 6pm and have to wait all over again. I was so upset I told DH I wanted to go home as sitting in hospital waiting for things to happen, that just weren’t happening was too much. In the end I persuaded him to take me off site and go and have a drink somewhere. I stood up to dress and my waters broke! Second time I’ve been at the point of despair and something had happened.
Then I started getting proper contractions, midwife suggested a bath and a long walk, both of which intensified the contractions and I was given some paracetamol. I was leaking waters all over the place on the walk and when I got back and went to loo I discovered my plug had gone too – everything was suddenly happening at once! At midnight I was examined at was at 4-5cm and was told I could go down to the birth centre – woohoo!
Friday 1st April , Midnight- 6am – “The Dark Hours”
The birth centre was lovely, it was nice to finally have my own room as contractions were starting to make me moan and, well, we’re British aren’t we, and get embarrassed by moaning in front of other people
. MW suggested I take a shower and I stayed in there for about an hour. Contractions were really starting to hurt now and I was getting a little overwhelmed and was given some gas and air. It took the edge off but made me feel sick so I wasn’t using it for every one. Then, I was examined at about 3am (so 12 hours since it all started), and I was still at 4cm. What’s more, MW was surprised to find my waters were intact. Turns out the initial leakage was the hind waters – I didn’t even know about this, but there are 2 amniotic sacs one inside the other, and it was just the outer one that had broken. So she broke my waters, and at the same time she asked if she could try and insert a catheter as she was concerned I wasn’t urinating properly and thought it may be getting trapped by baby’s head. This was one of the most painful things I’ve gone through!After water’s had been broken things went very dark. Every contraction consumed me and I literally started ‘mooing’ in pain! Also, they were coming on top of each other, and the pain from the last hadn’t quite faded away before the next one came. I was pretty much on no pain relief at this point since the paracetamol had long since worn off and gas and air was making me throw up. DH was absolutely fantastic, rubbing my back and reminding me to breathe. It’s amazing how much breathing helps, but how easily you forget to do it when in so much pain.
By about 5.15am I was broken though; utterly exhausted, and crying that I wanted to sleep, and please could they just knock me out! I really couldn’t bear it. MW said she’d examine me at 6am, and that I’d been having such strong contractions that it looked likely I’d be able to get in the pool and get things going. I begged her not to wait to examine me, I really couldn’t even bear to wait another 45 minutes with these relentless contractions. So she did, and I was utterly devastated to discover that not only was I still 4-5cm, but worse still, because I’d been labouring stood up, baby’s head had been pushing down on my cervix and had caused it to swell rather than dilate.
MW suggested I go on the drip, which could only been done in the hospital by a doctor, and would mean leaving the birth centre. But I didn’t care at this point, and I knew that if I had to go the hospital part, then I could have an epidural, which the birth centre can’t offer.
I was very lucky in that the hospital delivery suite is only a short walk through a connecting door. Literally a minute’s walk. Although it took us about 5 minutes as I kept having to stop and lean on DH and moo my way through another contraction!
Friday 1st April – 6am “Where’re my legs?”
I have never been so pleased to see another human being as I was that anaesthetist in the delivery suite. I could have hugged him. I was in so much agony, doubly so with the cervix swelling, and yet still after so many hours I hadn’t progressed. I was exhausted and upset. I was prepped for epidural but told he could only administer it as long as I was still. I was still getting contractions on top of each other so it took a while, and the very last one before the needle went in was the worst as I was sat on the edge of the bed, knees propped up on a stool, and leaning forward hugging a pillow - basically totally compressing my belly which is not fun when contracting! But it finally went in, and although I could feel the contractions still for another 15 minutes or so, the pain lessened with each one.
Finally, the pain disappeared completely, as did the feeling in my legs, and I just slept!
At midday I was examined, and was delighted to discover I was 7cm. I couldn’t feel the contractions at all, but the midwife said I was having about 5 really strong contractions every 10 minutes. I was told I’d be examined at 4pm and I slept some more!
At 4pm I was 9.5cm. They said they’d re-examine at 6pm and then if fully dilated they’d still wait a couple of hours for the baby to descend so that when it came to pushing, it’d be right there.
At 6pm, I was fully dilated, and was told I’d have a baby by 8pm.
At about 7.15, the baby’s heart rate dropped dramatically to abut 80bpm and then it was all go! Doctor came in and legs were hitched into stirrups and I was told to push! MW held her hand on my stomach to say when there was a contraction and I pushed when told to. Baby’s head was still a little offside so Doctor needed a ventouse, and I was a contraction away from getting an episiotomy but then baby suddenly arrived. DH told me we had a little girl and it was all over at 7.28pm. 27 hours of labour, 12 minutes of pushing. I literally didn’t feel a thing in terms of pain, or discomfort even. It was very surreal. Epidurals are ace, and I yet I went through established labour during the ‘dark hours’ so feel like I experienced it also.
We were left to bond and have some skin to skin time. I remained in hospital until Sunday morning and spent most of that time just staring at my little daughter in amazement!
Sorry this birth story is so long – it felt longer to go through it all I tell you! But all worth it; I fall more in love with her each day.
https://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199909_10150472240825125_602525124_17959037_4540442_n.jpg
https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208438_10150472242355125_602525124_17959057_6482669_n.jpg
https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205717_10150472241420125_602525124_17959043_2069380_n.jpg
