Eeek! It feels like only yesterday that I peed on that stick and saw those two little lines. It's totally surreal that I'm now writing this with my handsome little man on my lap. Zachary was born on 10 November 2011 so it's a bit late.
I had two sweeps, one at 9 days over due and one at 11 days over, both showing my cervix thick & slightly posterior. I was booked in for induction at 13 days overdue.
I woke up to pains at 13 days overdue at 1am on 9/11/11 (10 hours before my induction!). They were regular at 6-7 mins apart lasting 30 seconds and I had a heavy red bloody show. I rang delivery suite about 4am to check it was normal to lose this much blood and they said yes. At this point the pains were every 2-3 mins lasting 40 secs but I was coping well at home on 2 paracetamol & hot water bottle on my back. The midwife on the phone said that should things not progress to contractions every 5 minutes lasting a minute, to go to the ward for my induction as scheduled.
By around 7am, the intensity died off and I was just having regular tightenings with the odd painful one.
I was devistated but turned up at the ward for my induction at 11am. The midwife was lovely, despite me telling her that I didn't want to be there. I was booked in and given an internal and I was fully effaced and 1.5 cm - I was glad as i knew the pains in the morning had done something as a sweep I'd had 2 days ago showed my cervix was still thick and posterior. Anyway, I was given a prostin pessary, monitored for a while and went for a walk. I had the odd tightening but nothing major. Went back to the ward around 5pm to be monitored and the CTG was showing contractions every 5 minutes. When I laid down my back was agony during the contractions & I started crying at one point as one contraction wouldn't end and my back was excruciating. The lovely midwife's shift finished so the new midwife (kind of old school, you could tell she'd been doing it a while!) said that as I was getting regular contractions she wouldn't give me another pessary as it would hyper stimulate my uterus. She gave me an internal to see what was going on and said my cervix was paper thin and I was "a good 3cm". I think she gave me a thorough sweep as well because she was there a while and it hurt a bit. I was told I would be transferred to delivery suite as soon as a bed became available so my waters could be broken but that may not be until the morning so in the mean time to go for a walk with my mum before visiting hours ended at 9.30pm. As soon as I got outside of the ward a strong contraction hit. Then another 3 minutes later. When it got my 5th one I had to stop walking, lean on a wall and breathe heavily. I made it to a cafe on the hospital grounds and managed to gobble a sandwich and hot chocolate between contractions. At this point I was being quietly vocal with them so I didn't put people off their dinner! *It was about 9.30pm when mum suggested we go back. She was timing them and they were coming every two minutes lasting a minute. When we got to the ward (i was on a bay with 5 other women) mum explained what was happening as I was concentrating on breathing, they knew not to send her home. The midwife got some gas and air for me and I started using it. I threw up but it became by best friend in those early stages. I wailed through the contractions and time seemed to slip past. Eventually the midwife came to say a room was free in the delivery suite but, alas, I couldn't take my beloved gas and air on the walk there! I was told there was some waiting for me when I got to the other side. I waddled down long corridors stopping along the way to wail through the contractions. Apparently a lady doctor stopped when she saw me mid contraction, rubbed my back & praised me on my breathing technique. Eventually I got to my room, and got the gas and air on the go again. The midwife I had on delivery had a student, both I didn't really take much notice of because of the pain. I needed a wee so was asked to pee in a pot in between contractions.*
I needed to be continuously monitored as I was being induced and the student tried to persuade me to lie down but I couldn't. The student told the midwife and she agreed to put a clip on baby's head so I could stay mobile. I managed to lie on my back, legs akimbo and she broke my waters which had some meconium in them, I groaned but the midwife reassured me that he was 2 weeks overdue so it was to be expected. She put the clip on baby's head and broke the news that there was no change to my cervix, still 3cm. Immediately the contractions got a lot more intense so I went back to hanging off the head of the bed breathing on my gas and air until I vomited a lot. I chose then to just wail through each contraction despite being encouraged to puff on the gas. It was around this point that I became aware that the midwife had checked my wee and I had +4 of ketones so a doctor came in to put in a cannula to push some fluids through. I remember the doctor saying 'hello again!' and I just wailed 'agaaaain?!' - turns out this doctor was the one who stopped in the corridor when I was being moved to labour ward. *I also remember wailing that they weren't allowed to give me syntocinon - the midwife laughed and said she didn't think I needed it as my contractions were coming thick and fast.*
The midwife and student started to get concerned with the baby's trace as it was taking a while to recover after a few contractions. My midwife got doctors to come in and review the trace. I don't remember much of what was said. An hour or so later and baby's heartrate still not great the midwife was told to examine me earlier than the standard 6 hours - I think it was 4 hours after the last one. Unfortunately I was still the same and the contractions were speeding up and becoming increasingly intense so baby's heartrate kept dropping. I kept feeling the urge to push, my midwife explained it was because baby was back to back. I still didn't want to use the gas and air and I involuntarily pushed a few times despite trying not to. After the disappointment of no progress I decided as I had been in labour for over 24 hours, baby was in distress and there was talk of a caesarean, I should get an epidural. The anaesthetist had come to see me when I'd first arrived on labour ward to introduce herself so she came back and gave me one. She was lovely, everyone was. Once the epidural had been in an hour or so, the midwife wanted to empty my bladder with a catheter. She did & tested this which still showed +4 of ketones so the doctors were called again and they pushed through a litre of fluids and hung more up. Baby's heart rate kept dipping but improving a little while later and doctors were umming and ahhing about checking oxygen levels by taking some blood from his head. This was eventually done and there was cause for concern so i was prepped for an emergency caesarean.
The nice anaesthetist came back and gave me a spinal in the epidural catheter. I got upset as I had this massive fear when I was pregnant that I was going to die during child birth. I was shaking and being a bit of a wuss but the midwife and student were brilliant and so so reassuring. Their shift ended but they both wanted to stay to see my baby. My mum got changed into her scrubs and I was wheeled to theatre where it was so so busy. My midwife popped her head level with mine and told me she was going to put in a catheter, I sobbed that I couldn't move my legs but she reassured me and told me she would for me. I had stickers put on my chest, blood pressure monitor on, oxygen finger thing on, drips in and saline pushed through, it was really really busy and everyone was talking. Someone found a radio so I could listen to heartFM, I dont usually listen to that station and i'm quite disappointed i cant remember what song he was born to. Just before they started the op, my midwife also took the scalp electrode off baby's head, she was so so sweet.*
They started the op, the doctor was really funny and had my kind of humour. When he took the blood sample from baby's head I asked if baby had any hair, he said that he did. I asked what colour and he said 'dark, but everything is dark in there'. I found it really funny and tried my hardest not to laugh in case the speculum shot out. The op felt weird but in mere moments I heard a gasp and someone exclaim, "Whoa, big boy!!". I then heard his beautiful cry and I knew he was going to be okay. He was weighed at 10lb 2oz. I was stitched up, I started getting feeling back as they were finishing which was horrible but I didn't want the anaesthetist to knock me out so I did my labour breathing. The doctor shoved a tablet up my bum (very odd!) and cleaned out my lady parts and I was put back on my bed and wheeled through to recovery. I'd lost a lot of blood so they kept an eye on my iron levels and pushed through a load more fluid. After a while in recovery I was sent back to the delivery suite for the rest of the day until around 6pm when I was moved to the postnatal ward. I was up and out of bed by 8pm. I could've been up sooner I think but there weren't many staff about.
Despite not having the natural birth I wanted, I can't say it was a bad experience. I loved the whole thing from the painful contractions to the actual operation. Everyone being so kind helped a lot. I'm actually quite upset that my whole pregnancy and labour is now over. I'm pleased my baby boy is here safe though.*
Since Zachary was born, we haven't had the best of starts but I can bore you with all that in my journal!
Thanks for reading.
I had two sweeps, one at 9 days over due and one at 11 days over, both showing my cervix thick & slightly posterior. I was booked in for induction at 13 days overdue.
I woke up to pains at 13 days overdue at 1am on 9/11/11 (10 hours before my induction!). They were regular at 6-7 mins apart lasting 30 seconds and I had a heavy red bloody show. I rang delivery suite about 4am to check it was normal to lose this much blood and they said yes. At this point the pains were every 2-3 mins lasting 40 secs but I was coping well at home on 2 paracetamol & hot water bottle on my back. The midwife on the phone said that should things not progress to contractions every 5 minutes lasting a minute, to go to the ward for my induction as scheduled.
By around 7am, the intensity died off and I was just having regular tightenings with the odd painful one.
I was devistated but turned up at the ward for my induction at 11am. The midwife was lovely, despite me telling her that I didn't want to be there. I was booked in and given an internal and I was fully effaced and 1.5 cm - I was glad as i knew the pains in the morning had done something as a sweep I'd had 2 days ago showed my cervix was still thick and posterior. Anyway, I was given a prostin pessary, monitored for a while and went for a walk. I had the odd tightening but nothing major. Went back to the ward around 5pm to be monitored and the CTG was showing contractions every 5 minutes. When I laid down my back was agony during the contractions & I started crying at one point as one contraction wouldn't end and my back was excruciating. The lovely midwife's shift finished so the new midwife (kind of old school, you could tell she'd been doing it a while!) said that as I was getting regular contractions she wouldn't give me another pessary as it would hyper stimulate my uterus. She gave me an internal to see what was going on and said my cervix was paper thin and I was "a good 3cm". I think she gave me a thorough sweep as well because she was there a while and it hurt a bit. I was told I would be transferred to delivery suite as soon as a bed became available so my waters could be broken but that may not be until the morning so in the mean time to go for a walk with my mum before visiting hours ended at 9.30pm. As soon as I got outside of the ward a strong contraction hit. Then another 3 minutes later. When it got my 5th one I had to stop walking, lean on a wall and breathe heavily. I made it to a cafe on the hospital grounds and managed to gobble a sandwich and hot chocolate between contractions. At this point I was being quietly vocal with them so I didn't put people off their dinner! *It was about 9.30pm when mum suggested we go back. She was timing them and they were coming every two minutes lasting a minute. When we got to the ward (i was on a bay with 5 other women) mum explained what was happening as I was concentrating on breathing, they knew not to send her home. The midwife got some gas and air for me and I started using it. I threw up but it became by best friend in those early stages. I wailed through the contractions and time seemed to slip past. Eventually the midwife came to say a room was free in the delivery suite but, alas, I couldn't take my beloved gas and air on the walk there! I was told there was some waiting for me when I got to the other side. I waddled down long corridors stopping along the way to wail through the contractions. Apparently a lady doctor stopped when she saw me mid contraction, rubbed my back & praised me on my breathing technique. Eventually I got to my room, and got the gas and air on the go again. The midwife I had on delivery had a student, both I didn't really take much notice of because of the pain. I needed a wee so was asked to pee in a pot in between contractions.*
I needed to be continuously monitored as I was being induced and the student tried to persuade me to lie down but I couldn't. The student told the midwife and she agreed to put a clip on baby's head so I could stay mobile. I managed to lie on my back, legs akimbo and she broke my waters which had some meconium in them, I groaned but the midwife reassured me that he was 2 weeks overdue so it was to be expected. She put the clip on baby's head and broke the news that there was no change to my cervix, still 3cm. Immediately the contractions got a lot more intense so I went back to hanging off the head of the bed breathing on my gas and air until I vomited a lot. I chose then to just wail through each contraction despite being encouraged to puff on the gas. It was around this point that I became aware that the midwife had checked my wee and I had +4 of ketones so a doctor came in to put in a cannula to push some fluids through. I remember the doctor saying 'hello again!' and I just wailed 'agaaaain?!' - turns out this doctor was the one who stopped in the corridor when I was being moved to labour ward. *I also remember wailing that they weren't allowed to give me syntocinon - the midwife laughed and said she didn't think I needed it as my contractions were coming thick and fast.*
The midwife and student started to get concerned with the baby's trace as it was taking a while to recover after a few contractions. My midwife got doctors to come in and review the trace. I don't remember much of what was said. An hour or so later and baby's heartrate still not great the midwife was told to examine me earlier than the standard 6 hours - I think it was 4 hours after the last one. Unfortunately I was still the same and the contractions were speeding up and becoming increasingly intense so baby's heartrate kept dropping. I kept feeling the urge to push, my midwife explained it was because baby was back to back. I still didn't want to use the gas and air and I involuntarily pushed a few times despite trying not to. After the disappointment of no progress I decided as I had been in labour for over 24 hours, baby was in distress and there was talk of a caesarean, I should get an epidural. The anaesthetist had come to see me when I'd first arrived on labour ward to introduce herself so she came back and gave me one. She was lovely, everyone was. Once the epidural had been in an hour or so, the midwife wanted to empty my bladder with a catheter. She did & tested this which still showed +4 of ketones so the doctors were called again and they pushed through a litre of fluids and hung more up. Baby's heart rate kept dipping but improving a little while later and doctors were umming and ahhing about checking oxygen levels by taking some blood from his head. This was eventually done and there was cause for concern so i was prepped for an emergency caesarean.
The nice anaesthetist came back and gave me a spinal in the epidural catheter. I got upset as I had this massive fear when I was pregnant that I was going to die during child birth. I was shaking and being a bit of a wuss but the midwife and student were brilliant and so so reassuring. Their shift ended but they both wanted to stay to see my baby. My mum got changed into her scrubs and I was wheeled to theatre where it was so so busy. My midwife popped her head level with mine and told me she was going to put in a catheter, I sobbed that I couldn't move my legs but she reassured me and told me she would for me. I had stickers put on my chest, blood pressure monitor on, oxygen finger thing on, drips in and saline pushed through, it was really really busy and everyone was talking. Someone found a radio so I could listen to heartFM, I dont usually listen to that station and i'm quite disappointed i cant remember what song he was born to. Just before they started the op, my midwife also took the scalp electrode off baby's head, she was so so sweet.*
They started the op, the doctor was really funny and had my kind of humour. When he took the blood sample from baby's head I asked if baby had any hair, he said that he did. I asked what colour and he said 'dark, but everything is dark in there'. I found it really funny and tried my hardest not to laugh in case the speculum shot out. The op felt weird but in mere moments I heard a gasp and someone exclaim, "Whoa, big boy!!". I then heard his beautiful cry and I knew he was going to be okay. He was weighed at 10lb 2oz. I was stitched up, I started getting feeling back as they were finishing which was horrible but I didn't want the anaesthetist to knock me out so I did my labour breathing. The doctor shoved a tablet up my bum (very odd!) and cleaned out my lady parts and I was put back on my bed and wheeled through to recovery. I'd lost a lot of blood so they kept an eye on my iron levels and pushed through a load more fluid. After a while in recovery I was sent back to the delivery suite for the rest of the day until around 6pm when I was moved to the postnatal ward. I was up and out of bed by 8pm. I could've been up sooner I think but there weren't many staff about.
Despite not having the natural birth I wanted, I can't say it was a bad experience. I loved the whole thing from the painful contractions to the actual operation. Everyone being so kind helped a lot. I'm actually quite upset that my whole pregnancy and labour is now over. I'm pleased my baby boy is here safe though.*
Since Zachary was born, we haven't had the best of starts but I can bore you with all that in my journal!
Thanks for reading.
