Mid-May buddies!

[SonnyH]

Ohh. Well that's good to know! Fingers crossed it is busy dilating back there! Thinking about my history of internals, my cervix has always been positioned far back. I had to go back for a repeat smear last year as the nurse couldn't reach it and when I had my coil removed last year, similar story. Took a lot of effort to get it out, that was a fun 25 minutes while three doctors tried! So maybe it is positioned backwards.. ?

Plan is to just relax this evening, have a bath and see how we go got my favourite ice cream to nibble on and I'm currently working my way through Mad Men!

 

[Dannypop]

Miss doc you poor thing! That was my biggest worry about wasting all my energy during the pre and latent labour phase but your body always has reserves and the adrenaline during labour will see you through no matter how little sleep you've had. Very frustrating but hang in there honey.

Sonny it sounds very exciting! At 6cm my cervix was still very posterior -she had to really dig inside (fun) to reach the one edge so that's entirely normal. With DS1 they simply couldn't find mine at all hence the c-section.

Ok ladies so here is my story:
Water broke 430am as I was getting up to go to the loo. I went in to hospital with my mom at 5am. DH stayed home with the boys so he could do the school run that morning.

Walked in to hospital to the best midwife on the planet. She never asked me my birth plan, simply took one look at me and said something along the lines of "No epidural, natural birth let's do it".

Contractions only kicked in around 730am. Bounced on birthing ball breathing calmly and effectively through each contraction. My mind knew they were intensely sore but I didn't allow myself to fear the intensity. With DS2 that very first contraction that hit me pushed me right into panic mode and I simply couldn't cope with any of the contractions. This was completely different -I made an active choice to go with the process.

Didn't actually think of asking for the gas and air as my breathing was so deep it was making me dizzy all on its own. Had to have an IV for antibiotics and my poor midwife couldn't get the line in so she called on the ward nurse who marched in and insisted with a very nasty attitude that she would absolutely NOT put in a j-loop (which would enable me to be mobile). She said, "She needs a proper drip hung so that when she has her epidural it is all set up". I was like, ummm pardon me but who are you to burst in here assuming I won't be able to cope with my labour?

Drip lasted 20 mins. As she disconnected me I was then in transition and making those guttural moaning sounds. I jumped right up on the bed on all fours. She examined me and I was 7cm. My gynae walked in on my next contraction and walked right out again after patting my shoulder saying he would be right back. Then with my next contraction I moaned I need to push. I didn't really believe myself as I was only just told I was 7cm but the sensation was quite strong and my body was insistent. Doc just managed to get his gloves on. I was pushing while he was turning me on to my back. After the first set of pushing DH walked in! The bossy ward nurse apparently came in and scratched around the room looking officious just to have a peak at me.

After the second round of pushing my doc took out the vacuum machine as her head kept getting caught round the corner, but when I began the 3rd set of pushing he said that she was coming all on her own. I did look up and between my legs at the machine and asked them to just use it as I felt I had nothing left to give. Another 2 sets and she was out!

So DH arrived at 940 and she was born at 951. I must say I did have a peek between her legs to make sure there was the correct bits there!

Wow what an experience. My first birth was a c-section, 2nd was an early epidural at 2cm, artificially ruptured membranes and a vacuum delivery. This last one was completely intervention-free. Exactly what I had always dreamed of.

The after pains were ridiculous though! I went a little moggy and couldn't talk properly. I was shaking and breathing very shallow. I even asked if I could have the epidural then! Ha ha

 

[arturia]

Congrats to everyone who's met their baby!

Well last night we had a diaper switch up to one with the pee indicator so I have a much clearer idea of her pee count. (The midwife gave me a feeding and diaper chart as a guide) She's fine! I was probably missing wets because I couldn't tell. And tomorrow I'm going to start in with cloth.

It's a huge adjustment for sure. I'm kind of starting to get the hang of the sleep schedule. Which really is 'whenever I can'. Kinda annoyed that chores take 3h to do a 10 minute task because she wants milk but it's fine. Just doing what I can. Prioritizing just a couple tasks. Especially sucks because my stitches can ache if it involves standing too long.

Oh and my dh who I was all worried about hating parenthood... He isn't doing much aside from taking care of me so far but he has bonded with her and is being amazing with me, so at least there is that.

 

[amanda1235]

Danny so glad you had the birth you wanted!
Arturia, good to hear about your DH, and glad you're feeling more more comfortable with baby girl and her wetting.

I'm now 2 days overdue, had an appointment yesterday. Dr won't induce me yet, wants to give it one more week to go naturally. I'm concerned about baby's size, but the dr doesn't seem to be, which is good. I trust my dr, and I know I should be thanking my lucky stars that everything is good with me and baby, I just feel so discouraged right now. I want this baby out! I want to meet her, and know she's ok. Also maybe because of the fertility treatments and IVF, nothing has happened naturally for me, so I feel like there's no way that I can go into labour naturally, it doesn't even make sense to me lol. So I'm like if we're going to have to induce me anyway, just do it now! Ugh, anyways, she did check me and I'm 1cm and lower/softer than last week, so I guess that's something. Going for a non stress test tomorrow, and she'll reexamine me then.

 

[Dannypop]

Aw Amanda your feelings are so valid after what you've been through. It feels like the day is never going to come when you get to meet this little person who you love fiercly already. Even a week before due date we all get impatient. It sounds so promising with the progress of your cervix. I would even look at my empty crib and couldn't possibly imagine a real live person lying there. It was almost too good to be true. When she's here you will not be able to imagine a day when she's wasn't on this earth with you.

 

[lanet]

Danny I'm glad you got the birth you wanted!
Amanda I did go into labor naturally with my ivf pregnancy and I hope you do too! And soon! I can't imagine being overdue as most of you were! I already feel overdue.
Arturia that's great that your dh is being so supportive of you!

 

[SonnyH]

I'm now getting induced to established labour .. at 2am (UK time)..! My waters apparently broke after my sweep yesterday (at 3am) and they'll only give me 24 hours for infection risk.., so 2am it is. I did wonder if they'd gone but I was getting so much discharge yesterday, I was confused as to what was what!

I'm really nervous about the pain, I'm finding the current contractions tough going and I suspect they aren't even the half of it :-/ hoping I'll be dilated enough to just ask for an epidural if I need!

 

[lanet]

That exciting sonny! Was it a slow leak? How did you find out for sure?

 

[amanda1235]

How exciting Sonny!

 

[JenzyKY]

Yay Sonny!!! You've got this!

 

[arturia]

Sonny: You can do it! Contractions suck but the pain does end. Pushing is a relief!

 

[beccabonny]

Hi ladies! Congrats to those who have had their littles! Rebecca Leia Rose arrived May 4th at 1:13AM. I've been consumed with taking care of her ever since I hope to catch up on everyone asap!

 

[amanda1235]

40+4, and no sign of anything. Dr put me on the induction list yesterday, I'm 3rd, but they didn't call anyone today (only 1 yesterday) so I'm really starting to feel like I'll be pregnant forever. Waiting by the phone for them to call to go in to be induced is not much fun either. Ugh!!

 

[lanet]

Congrats beccabonny!
Beautiful name!
Oh amanda I'm sorry, waiting for them to call must be awful!!
I've been keeping very busy trying to be distracted because on days I just wait around I get in a horrible mood. Waiting is hard.
I have an appt in the morning and I think it will be my last appointment and will schedule induction. Of course I hope I don't make it to induction and that I'll have some progress when she checks me but not holding my breath.

 

[SonnyH]

Annabel Mae arrived on 17th weighing 8lbs exactly.

Labour was absoloutetly awful for me. She was back to back and had her arm over her face, so she got stuck. And I just wouldn't dilate despite contractions. So I got an epidural so I could have max strength medicine to increase the contractions which then failed. Then I got a spinal, a second epi and ended up going to theatre for her to be turned manually and dragged out with forceps..!!!

I'm very sore and getting over the shock but she's here and beautiful

 

[lanet]

Wow sonny!! I'm sorry you had such a scary experience but I'm so glad she's here safely now! Congratulations!
I've been contracting every 7 minutes for about 8 hours now. I was asleep but then tornado sirens started going off so now I'm up and still contracting. I'll wait for my appt in the morning unless they get worse but not expecting much to happen.

 

[JenzyKY]

Oh my goodness Sonny that is scary! Hope your recovery isn't too awful. My couple of stitches is hard enough. .

Lanet, hope this is it!

 

[lanet]

I'll be induced Thursday night at midnight. My cervix is a 3 and 75% effaced

 

[amanda1235]

That's awesome lanet! Very exciting!
No luck for me today again. As of noon they still hadn't called anyone, so she said maybe tomorrow. I can call after 7:00 tonight to get another update.

 

[lanet]

How many days overdue are you now amanda? I'm so sorry you're still waiting! Have you tried walking, sex etc to see if you can get things going? Not that it's helping me any lol