BadRobot
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Hello! I thought I would post my birth story here and I hope it helps any first time Mothers preparing themselves for labour. It might be a bit long so bear with me!
In an earlier thread, I had been reporting how I had been experiencing some "niggles" on and off for a few weeks-pains which are now know were increasing braxton hick contractions. I had developed some morning sickness again, had some loose bowel movements and my nesting instinct was starting to slow down and I felt so so tired.
About a week before I went into labour I lost my mucus plug, it took over a week to go-like a mild period-a mixture of red, pink and brown blood. I was examining four days into my plug going and was told things were progressing and confirmed I was indeed losing my plug.
Weekend before labour started I was just tired and feeling sick most of the time. On the day I went into labour, I was still working and felt like I had a fire underneath my ass to get things finished off
talk about instinct! thrashed out a load of reports and met a colleague for lunch which involved a good 10 minute uphill walk. During lunch, felt dizzy, hot and a bit faint. Couldnt bring myself to eat a great deal. About 6:30pm that evening, I was lying on the couch and I heard and felt a couple of very distinctive cork popping sounds which startled me up off the couch. Next thing I knew I was leaking, I ran to the bathroom and there was some clear water coming away. It wasnt anything to panic about and I was surprised that although it was a gush, it wasnt anything that couldnt be controlled by a trip to the bathroom and a thick pad.
By that point, I knew it was my waters. I was both excited and nervous and thinking I had all the time in the world, I telephoned triage to let them know my waters had gone and they told me to come in to be checked out although it was likely I wouldnt be staying. I thought I might finish my evening meal and decided to take a shower and wash my hair. Turns out I started my contractions ten minutes later (eep!) so didnt eat much dinner! I did however, rush through a shower and manage to just about get dressed, dry hair and get stuff in car. Contractions picked up considerably on the way to hospital but I could still talk through them. They felt like strong period pains with back pain and made my legs feel a bit wobbly. This simply increased with intensity and length as my labour progressed.
At hospital, I was assessed fairly quick and told I was 2cm! they gave me two co-codamol and showed me to my own room where I spent some time getting a handle on the contractions by trying different positions and taking a bath (actually pretty helpful in early stages as helps body relax). Between contractions, there was no pain at all so I used this time to get breath and prepare myself for another. As the contractions picked up an hour later I was 4cm. By this point, I requested gas and air. For all emetophobes out there, like myself, it was actually the early stages I felt sick but not massively so and I think was because of my body adjusting to the process. I was not sick at any point during labour so it can be done. By 4cm, I was not thinking about anything other than pain relief so was assisted in using the gas and air.
Gas and air just made me feel a bit spaced out and a tad nauseous on first try but not at all following. It took the edge of things but wasnt <MASSIVELY> helpful but each to their own. I went from 4-10cm in 4.5 hours so I was thankful that it was at least quick. I spent 3 hours following this pushing but to no effect. Baby was in an odd position with his head tilted at an angle and was sunny side up (face up). Pushing was not like pain I experienced with contractions but more about pressure and feeling like you are going to go for a poo (embarassing in front of midwife and partner!). When midwife realised I wasnt getting anywhere I was introduced to theatre staff and asked if to sign consent for assisted delivery using ventouse/forceps. At this point, I had an epidural, which just felt cold, no pain and had candula fitted (so liquids can go into the body) and again, this was of no pain. I was wheeled into theatre and they spent about 15 minutes trying to get him out vaginally but it didnt work. They topped up my epidural following this until I was numb from the waist down and performed an emergency c section. There was some tugging and pulling but neither of which I would describe as either uncomfortable or painful. Ten minutes later, they delivered my son Oliver, which was massively emotional for both my partner and I. He was weighed then handed to his Dad as I was stitched up, again no pain.
In the days that followed, I was held in hospital for three days. In those first few days, I was in a bit of pain (entirely manageable!) and was given painkillers (paracetamol) antibiotics (as I had a bit of a temperature) blood thinners and was required to wear very attractive knee high socks to protect against thrombosis. I was allowed to have a shower on the second day which I was assisted with which made me feel a bit faint. The whole process just made me very weak and tired and made me walk with a stoop for a while as I was protecting the scar. This made it difficult at times to access baby but hospital staff were accomodating. I didnt sleep at all for three days as I was adjusting to breastfeeding (hard, but worth pushing through for) which included sore nipples and frequent feeding (the midwives called it the day 2 feeding frenzy whereby baby feeds very frequently to encourage milk to come in) but after such a big operation, it can feel very demanding and overwhelming. Mums to be take heed and get loads of rest and pampering before you give birth!
The first day I got home was pretty overwhelming and I felt very emotional, this is both okay and normal. It was a combination of tiredness, adjusting to the role of being a mother, relinquishing the role of being pregnant and the loss that comes with not having your little one inside you anymore and all the worries that come along with having this little person so dependent on you such as is the room temperature right (fearing cot death), am I feeding them enough? am I doing this right? but it all regulates and becomes proportional as your skills develop ands baby responds to you. Having good support around you-family, partner, friends and community midwives is really useful.
A few things that were helpful to me in my few days following getting out of hospital:
Sleep when baby sleeps (seriously, just do it!)
Take advantage of any help offered particularly in terms of time as you may leave hospital with a medication regime in addition to everything else as time to have a shower, take medication and grab food is essential and restorative.
Things for the hospital I forgot but needed: more open front night shirts and 2/3 maternity bras which open at front. If you are breastfeeding this is so much easier!
Lasinoh (spelling?) is a good prescription to have as if your nipples get sore whilst feeding, they alleviate the discomfort.
DO NOT be afraid to admit that breastfeeding may not be for you OR that you need some formula supplement. I have SMA gold in the house, bottles and an expresser just in case I really can't feed baby myself. I havent done it yet but its worth having around and doesnt make you a failure as a mother.
A babasling is worth its weight in gold and is worth the investment!
Hope this helps and good luck to all the ladies about to give birth to their own little bundle of joy! its both transforming and makes you totally re-assess the meaning of pain and of selflessness.
L x
In an earlier thread, I had been reporting how I had been experiencing some "niggles" on and off for a few weeks-pains which are now know were increasing braxton hick contractions. I had developed some morning sickness again, had some loose bowel movements and my nesting instinct was starting to slow down and I felt so so tired.
About a week before I went into labour I lost my mucus plug, it took over a week to go-like a mild period-a mixture of red, pink and brown blood. I was examining four days into my plug going and was told things were progressing and confirmed I was indeed losing my plug.
Weekend before labour started I was just tired and feeling sick most of the time. On the day I went into labour, I was still working and felt like I had a fire underneath my ass to get things finished off
talk about instinct! thrashed out a load of reports and met a colleague for lunch which involved a good 10 minute uphill walk. During lunch, felt dizzy, hot and a bit faint. Couldnt bring myself to eat a great deal. About 6:30pm that evening, I was lying on the couch and I heard and felt a couple of very distinctive cork popping sounds which startled me up off the couch. Next thing I knew I was leaking, I ran to the bathroom and there was some clear water coming away. It wasnt anything to panic about and I was surprised that although it was a gush, it wasnt anything that couldnt be controlled by a trip to the bathroom and a thick pad.By that point, I knew it was my waters. I was both excited and nervous and thinking I had all the time in the world, I telephoned triage to let them know my waters had gone and they told me to come in to be checked out although it was likely I wouldnt be staying. I thought I might finish my evening meal and decided to take a shower and wash my hair. Turns out I started my contractions ten minutes later (eep!) so didnt eat much dinner! I did however, rush through a shower and manage to just about get dressed, dry hair and get stuff in car. Contractions picked up considerably on the way to hospital but I could still talk through them. They felt like strong period pains with back pain and made my legs feel a bit wobbly. This simply increased with intensity and length as my labour progressed.
At hospital, I was assessed fairly quick and told I was 2cm! they gave me two co-codamol and showed me to my own room where I spent some time getting a handle on the contractions by trying different positions and taking a bath (actually pretty helpful in early stages as helps body relax). Between contractions, there was no pain at all so I used this time to get breath and prepare myself for another. As the contractions picked up an hour later I was 4cm. By this point, I requested gas and air. For all emetophobes out there, like myself, it was actually the early stages I felt sick but not massively so and I think was because of my body adjusting to the process. I was not sick at any point during labour so it can be done. By 4cm, I was not thinking about anything other than pain relief so was assisted in using the gas and air.
Gas and air just made me feel a bit spaced out and a tad nauseous on first try but not at all following. It took the edge of things but wasnt <MASSIVELY> helpful but each to their own. I went from 4-10cm in 4.5 hours so I was thankful that it was at least quick. I spent 3 hours following this pushing but to no effect. Baby was in an odd position with his head tilted at an angle and was sunny side up (face up). Pushing was not like pain I experienced with contractions but more about pressure and feeling like you are going to go for a poo (embarassing in front of midwife and partner!). When midwife realised I wasnt getting anywhere I was introduced to theatre staff and asked if to sign consent for assisted delivery using ventouse/forceps. At this point, I had an epidural, which just felt cold, no pain and had candula fitted (so liquids can go into the body) and again, this was of no pain. I was wheeled into theatre and they spent about 15 minutes trying to get him out vaginally but it didnt work. They topped up my epidural following this until I was numb from the waist down and performed an emergency c section. There was some tugging and pulling but neither of which I would describe as either uncomfortable or painful. Ten minutes later, they delivered my son Oliver, which was massively emotional for both my partner and I. He was weighed then handed to his Dad as I was stitched up, again no pain.
In the days that followed, I was held in hospital for three days. In those first few days, I was in a bit of pain (entirely manageable!) and was given painkillers (paracetamol) antibiotics (as I had a bit of a temperature) blood thinners and was required to wear very attractive knee high socks to protect against thrombosis. I was allowed to have a shower on the second day which I was assisted with which made me feel a bit faint. The whole process just made me very weak and tired and made me walk with a stoop for a while as I was protecting the scar. This made it difficult at times to access baby but hospital staff were accomodating. I didnt sleep at all for three days as I was adjusting to breastfeeding (hard, but worth pushing through for) which included sore nipples and frequent feeding (the midwives called it the day 2 feeding frenzy whereby baby feeds very frequently to encourage milk to come in) but after such a big operation, it can feel very demanding and overwhelming. Mums to be take heed and get loads of rest and pampering before you give birth!
The first day I got home was pretty overwhelming and I felt very emotional, this is both okay and normal. It was a combination of tiredness, adjusting to the role of being a mother, relinquishing the role of being pregnant and the loss that comes with not having your little one inside you anymore and all the worries that come along with having this little person so dependent on you such as is the room temperature right (fearing cot death), am I feeding them enough? am I doing this right? but it all regulates and becomes proportional as your skills develop ands baby responds to you. Having good support around you-family, partner, friends and community midwives is really useful.
A few things that were helpful to me in my few days following getting out of hospital:
Sleep when baby sleeps (seriously, just do it!)
Take advantage of any help offered particularly in terms of time as you may leave hospital with a medication regime in addition to everything else as time to have a shower, take medication and grab food is essential and restorative.
Things for the hospital I forgot but needed: more open front night shirts and 2/3 maternity bras which open at front. If you are breastfeeding this is so much easier!
Lasinoh (spelling?) is a good prescription to have as if your nipples get sore whilst feeding, they alleviate the discomfort.
DO NOT be afraid to admit that breastfeeding may not be for you OR that you need some formula supplement. I have SMA gold in the house, bottles and an expresser just in case I really can't feed baby myself. I havent done it yet but its worth having around and doesnt make you a failure as a mother.
A babasling is worth its weight in gold and is worth the investment!
Hope this helps and good luck to all the ladies about to give birth to their own little bundle of joy! its both transforming and makes you totally re-assess the meaning of pain and of selflessness.
L x
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