MrsTatty
Mommy of 1 baby boy
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2008
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Well, finally have a few moments to post my birth story on here. Just a bit of background, I am an expat living in Thailand. My "English" due date was 5 May based on my 12 week scan but my Thai doctor didn't trust that and was working to to my original due date of 8 May. So Patrick had 2 due dates and ended up being born on the original one.
Patrick was born on a Friday evening but it all started out around Wednesday morning when I started to have period type cramps on and off. They were not too bad and a couple of paracetamol got rid of most of the discomfort. I had a routine appointment with my doc that morning and had 30 mins fetal monitoring (which I had at each appointment for the last month) to check on bubs. Monitoring showed that I was having contractions (which I couldn't really feel beyond a painless tightening in my bump) but exam showed no that my cervix still well closed.
So went home and carried on as normal. Next morning (Thursday) my plug started to come away and about 6am friday morning I had some pink mucus with streaks of blood in it. By about 7am Friday I was noticing that the period cramps that I had been having since Wednesday were getting stronger for 30-60 seconds before easing off again, roughly every 10 mins or so. Still, they were very mild and nothing like the "believe me you will know when its a real contraction" so I wasn't convinced that they weren't anything more than braxton hicks. Still, given the plug and show I thought it was possible that something could be happening. So hubbie went of to work with strict instructions to keep phone handy as I knew there was a good chance that something could happen.
So the day plodded on and the cramping was coming every 5-6 minutes but still pretty mild on the whole. After a couple of hours of timing, they weren't getting any stronger but stayed 5-6 mins apart and were showing no signs of easing off. So I called delivery suite and they suggested I come in to get checked. I'm still unconvinced I am in labour at all as it just didn't hurt very much.
So at about 2pm off I go to the hospital with my mom and dad - through the joys of Bangkok traffic, got there at 2.40. While I'm in the car and sitting down, the contractions did start to get more painful but I still wasn't sure I was really in labour. Called hubbie who headed to the hospital to meet me. There I was chatting away with him and explaining to the nurse that I thought I might be in labour. So I waddle off to delivery suite for monitoring and get strapped up to the machine. At this point, lying in bed, the contractions start to get quite uncomfortable as I am flat out and can't move around. Doctor comes in after 40 mins to check me and I'm shocked to discover that I am 4cm dilated and well and truly in proper labour. Doc wanted to break my waters so had that done (which was painless if a bit messy) and they moved me to the active birth suite at about 4pm. Contractions start coming think and fast now and so I ask them to crack out the gas and air and if I can get in the birthing pool (not planning a water birth but I wanted to labour in water). Midwives tell me I can't have any gas and air until I am more dilated but I can get in the pool at 5cm so I get in the shower and put the hot water on my back which helps a lot. after 20 mins, I get checked again and am 5-6 cm so I hop in the pool. I have 2 strong contractions and start getting the urge to push. Midwives check me again and I am 10 cm! Took all of 2 contractions to go from 5 to 10 cm! So then they tell me I am too far along for any gas and air and that it will slow down my pushing. So I get out the pool and get set up with a load of cushions and start pushing. As it was an active birth centre, the midwives had me change position every 3 or so contractions, so from all 4s to squatting to the birthing stool and wedged up on a triangle cushion which certainly helped keep things moving.
Patrick was born at 6.03pm weighing at 4.1kg/9lb 1oz. He had some fluid in his lungs and his head was pretty bashed up as he was slightly out of alignment and as he had the cord around his neck, the doctor had to get him out pretty quickly so he had to go off and get sorted out. But soon enough I got my cuddle.
All in all a pretty fast labour and we are so in love with our little boy!
Patrick was born on a Friday evening but it all started out around Wednesday morning when I started to have period type cramps on and off. They were not too bad and a couple of paracetamol got rid of most of the discomfort. I had a routine appointment with my doc that morning and had 30 mins fetal monitoring (which I had at each appointment for the last month) to check on bubs. Monitoring showed that I was having contractions (which I couldn't really feel beyond a painless tightening in my bump) but exam showed no that my cervix still well closed.
So went home and carried on as normal. Next morning (Thursday) my plug started to come away and about 6am friday morning I had some pink mucus with streaks of blood in it. By about 7am Friday I was noticing that the period cramps that I had been having since Wednesday were getting stronger for 30-60 seconds before easing off again, roughly every 10 mins or so. Still, they were very mild and nothing like the "believe me you will know when its a real contraction" so I wasn't convinced that they weren't anything more than braxton hicks. Still, given the plug and show I thought it was possible that something could be happening. So hubbie went of to work with strict instructions to keep phone handy as I knew there was a good chance that something could happen.
So the day plodded on and the cramping was coming every 5-6 minutes but still pretty mild on the whole. After a couple of hours of timing, they weren't getting any stronger but stayed 5-6 mins apart and were showing no signs of easing off. So I called delivery suite and they suggested I come in to get checked. I'm still unconvinced I am in labour at all as it just didn't hurt very much.
So at about 2pm off I go to the hospital with my mom and dad - through the joys of Bangkok traffic, got there at 2.40. While I'm in the car and sitting down, the contractions did start to get more painful but I still wasn't sure I was really in labour. Called hubbie who headed to the hospital to meet me. There I was chatting away with him and explaining to the nurse that I thought I might be in labour. So I waddle off to delivery suite for monitoring and get strapped up to the machine. At this point, lying in bed, the contractions start to get quite uncomfortable as I am flat out and can't move around. Doctor comes in after 40 mins to check me and I'm shocked to discover that I am 4cm dilated and well and truly in proper labour. Doc wanted to break my waters so had that done (which was painless if a bit messy) and they moved me to the active birth suite at about 4pm. Contractions start coming think and fast now and so I ask them to crack out the gas and air and if I can get in the birthing pool (not planning a water birth but I wanted to labour in water). Midwives tell me I can't have any gas and air until I am more dilated but I can get in the pool at 5cm so I get in the shower and put the hot water on my back which helps a lot. after 20 mins, I get checked again and am 5-6 cm so I hop in the pool. I have 2 strong contractions and start getting the urge to push. Midwives check me again and I am 10 cm! Took all of 2 contractions to go from 5 to 10 cm! So then they tell me I am too far along for any gas and air and that it will slow down my pushing. So I get out the pool and get set up with a load of cushions and start pushing. As it was an active birth centre, the midwives had me change position every 3 or so contractions, so from all 4s to squatting to the birthing stool and wedged up on a triangle cushion which certainly helped keep things moving.
Patrick was born at 6.03pm weighing at 4.1kg/9lb 1oz. He had some fluid in his lungs and his head was pretty bashed up as he was slightly out of alignment and as he had the cord around his neck, the doctor had to get him out pretty quickly so he had to go off and get sorted out. But soon enough I got my cuddle.
All in all a pretty fast labour and we are so in love with our little boy!
