NIfirsttimer
Proud mum, new wife & WTT
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- Nov 6, 2008
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WOW! i cant believe im writing this!!
after a tough pregnancy with hyperemesis.. i made it to the birth stories section! Little Ruby Emma Craig was born on thursday 9th july, at 7.39 pm. She weighed in at 6lb 1oz and is absolutly perfect!
my due date was 7th july, and on wed 8th, i had a sweep at 11.30am. i had already had a show, and straight away, the sweep started to work, and i had period type pains all of that day. around 4pm i had another show, and the pains started to pick up, and become a little more regular, by 11pm, i was getting really sore, and i knew they were contractions. they were coming every 6 mins, and lasting a minute or so. we tried to go to bed, but i couldnt sleep, and got up around 11.30 to go to the bathroom, and my waters broke.. i was excited to know that the end was in sight, and a bit aprehensive of what was to come! i called the hospital, and they said to to come up to be checked, so we set off around midnight and they said i was 2cm, and confirmed that my waters had gone. they gave me the choice of going home for a bit, or a bed on the labour ward, but OH would have to leave etc, so i chose home as we are only a mile away from hosp. Couldnt sleep all night, and the pains were becomming more and more intense, by 6am i had my Tens on, and by 11.30 i wanted to go back to the hospital! (something i never thought id hear myself say!) we arrived there to chaos, 5 labouring ladies arrived all at once, one of whom proceeded to give birth about 5 mins after arriving, in the little assessment room! There was a full moon that night, so it might be true what they say!
when they examined me there, they decided that my waters hadnt gone, and they wanted to send me home again, i insisted that they had gone, i soaked thru 3 maternity pads, and it was running down my legs at one point! eventually they decided to have a Dr scan me to see if they had or hadnt, as at this point they had been 'gone' for 12 hours. we were sent out to the corridor to wait for the dr, and we ended up waiting there for 2hrs! by that time i was in active labour, pacing the corridors and thinking i was going to end up having her there! eventually they decided to just examine me again, and i was 4cm, so they decided to admit me (Phew!)
our hospital has 2 parts, the midwife led 'home from home' unit, and the main labour & delivery wards. i was determined to have a water birth so was desperate for a home from home room, and finally one became free around 2.30, and i was taken there. The rooms are AMAZING, huge big birth pools, more like hotel suites than hospital rooms! i got straight into the pool and the relief was immediate! It totally takes the pressure away, and the heat was very soothing. I started to use the gas and air around 4pm, and things seemed to be progressing nicely, they checked me again around 6 and i was shattered to find out that i was STILL 4cms. started to feel a bit dispondant and like i was going to be in labout, stuck at 4cm, forever! I think the internal at this point really kicked things off, and i started to feel like i needed to push a bit. they were telling me not to as i was only 4cm and it was too early, so i tried to resist it as long as i could, until it became involuntary, and i had no choice... when they checked an hr later i was fully dilated! so 12 hrs to get to 4cm, then only an hr to get to full! i started to push and although the pain was intense, it was a relief to push against it and feel like i was getting somewhere! After a while, Rubys heartrate dropped dramatically, and they started to become quite concerned, my contractions started to become further apart and shorter, and they were worried about ruby, and decided to make arrangements for me to be transfered up to the regular labour ward for some syntocin (sp?) to bring things on again. i was really gutted, but just wanted what was safest.. they got me out of the pool and all hell broke loose! i HAD to push, and was flailing around the room like a mad woman, it became clear that Ruby didnt want to be transfered either lol! she wasnt waiting and was coming NOW!
the last bit was agony i wont lie, id only had gas, and when i got out of the pool the pain was tenfold.. i was begging to get back in but couldnt as they didnt want it to slow down again, i was yelling for a general anaesthetic and a c section loL!
her heart rate was still way too slow, and the midwifes went from being very relaxed and encouring, to quite serious, telling me Ruby was getting tired and stressed and we HAD to concentrate on getting her out NOW.. i was pushing for all i was worth, and eventually i realised i was about to give birth! i think thats when my pregnancy really sunk in lol!
getting her head out was hard work, she kept slipping back again, and i was really getting tired too.. but suddenly something just took over me and i just give it one final try and did it! once her head was born, she just slithered right out and was put straight onto my chest. OH was crying like a baby, and i couldnt open my eyes to look at her it was all so unreal!
i couldnt beleive that that was my baby girl, that id survived it all, and that she was here safely! its a feeling unlike anything else in the world and words cant describe it at all! the pain vanished the second she was out, and i felt great right away, if a little tired!
i had a second degree tear and a few stitches, but to be honest i couldnt have cared less by then!
ruby struggled to feed at first, i couldnt get her to latch on at all, and by day 2 she was getting very frustrated, and nothing anyone tried would work, so i expressed for her, and have been ever since, it works well for us, and she is now feeding like a horse! She was weighed yesterday, which was day 8, and shes already 6lb 9oz which is amazing!
She developed jaundice so we spent a few extra days in hospital and she spent 24hrs under phototherapy, but we finally got home on sunday night, and its been a breeze since.. she sleeps most of the day and night, only really waking for a feed, and the odd little alert time! We cant believe shes ours, and are totally besotted with her!!
Our hospital (Ulster hosp in belfast) was AMAZING< the rooms in the home from home unit were like hotel suites, OH was able to sleep overnight, there was a patient kitchen, and the midwives were fantastic. i had someone with me almost all of the second night trying to get Roo to latch on, and they were so supportive during my labour!
sorry in advance for the photo overload!!!
some photos of our room, and the birthing pool..
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123630.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123640.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123605.jpg
thanks OH!!!
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142526.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142740.jpg
first pic..
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142446.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/111027.jpg
under the phototherapy...
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123528.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/202233.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/030901.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/111431.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144110.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144428.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144513.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/203756.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005614.jpg
cuddles with mummy
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005800.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005847.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005914.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/182025.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/085445.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/085550.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/093904.jpg
after a tough pregnancy with hyperemesis.. i made it to the birth stories section! Little Ruby Emma Craig was born on thursday 9th july, at 7.39 pm. She weighed in at 6lb 1oz and is absolutly perfect!
my due date was 7th july, and on wed 8th, i had a sweep at 11.30am. i had already had a show, and straight away, the sweep started to work, and i had period type pains all of that day. around 4pm i had another show, and the pains started to pick up, and become a little more regular, by 11pm, i was getting really sore, and i knew they were contractions. they were coming every 6 mins, and lasting a minute or so. we tried to go to bed, but i couldnt sleep, and got up around 11.30 to go to the bathroom, and my waters broke.. i was excited to know that the end was in sight, and a bit aprehensive of what was to come! i called the hospital, and they said to to come up to be checked, so we set off around midnight and they said i was 2cm, and confirmed that my waters had gone. they gave me the choice of going home for a bit, or a bed on the labour ward, but OH would have to leave etc, so i chose home as we are only a mile away from hosp. Couldnt sleep all night, and the pains were becomming more and more intense, by 6am i had my Tens on, and by 11.30 i wanted to go back to the hospital! (something i never thought id hear myself say!) we arrived there to chaos, 5 labouring ladies arrived all at once, one of whom proceeded to give birth about 5 mins after arriving, in the little assessment room! There was a full moon that night, so it might be true what they say!
when they examined me there, they decided that my waters hadnt gone, and they wanted to send me home again, i insisted that they had gone, i soaked thru 3 maternity pads, and it was running down my legs at one point! eventually they decided to have a Dr scan me to see if they had or hadnt, as at this point they had been 'gone' for 12 hours. we were sent out to the corridor to wait for the dr, and we ended up waiting there for 2hrs! by that time i was in active labour, pacing the corridors and thinking i was going to end up having her there! eventually they decided to just examine me again, and i was 4cm, so they decided to admit me (Phew!)
our hospital has 2 parts, the midwife led 'home from home' unit, and the main labour & delivery wards. i was determined to have a water birth so was desperate for a home from home room, and finally one became free around 2.30, and i was taken there. The rooms are AMAZING, huge big birth pools, more like hotel suites than hospital rooms! i got straight into the pool and the relief was immediate! It totally takes the pressure away, and the heat was very soothing. I started to use the gas and air around 4pm, and things seemed to be progressing nicely, they checked me again around 6 and i was shattered to find out that i was STILL 4cms. started to feel a bit dispondant and like i was going to be in labout, stuck at 4cm, forever! I think the internal at this point really kicked things off, and i started to feel like i needed to push a bit. they were telling me not to as i was only 4cm and it was too early, so i tried to resist it as long as i could, until it became involuntary, and i had no choice... when they checked an hr later i was fully dilated! so 12 hrs to get to 4cm, then only an hr to get to full! i started to push and although the pain was intense, it was a relief to push against it and feel like i was getting somewhere! After a while, Rubys heartrate dropped dramatically, and they started to become quite concerned, my contractions started to become further apart and shorter, and they were worried about ruby, and decided to make arrangements for me to be transfered up to the regular labour ward for some syntocin (sp?) to bring things on again. i was really gutted, but just wanted what was safest.. they got me out of the pool and all hell broke loose! i HAD to push, and was flailing around the room like a mad woman, it became clear that Ruby didnt want to be transfered either lol! she wasnt waiting and was coming NOW!
the last bit was agony i wont lie, id only had gas, and when i got out of the pool the pain was tenfold.. i was begging to get back in but couldnt as they didnt want it to slow down again, i was yelling for a general anaesthetic and a c section loL!
her heart rate was still way too slow, and the midwifes went from being very relaxed and encouring, to quite serious, telling me Ruby was getting tired and stressed and we HAD to concentrate on getting her out NOW.. i was pushing for all i was worth, and eventually i realised i was about to give birth! i think thats when my pregnancy really sunk in lol!
getting her head out was hard work, she kept slipping back again, and i was really getting tired too.. but suddenly something just took over me and i just give it one final try and did it! once her head was born, she just slithered right out and was put straight onto my chest. OH was crying like a baby, and i couldnt open my eyes to look at her it was all so unreal!
i couldnt beleive that that was my baby girl, that id survived it all, and that she was here safely! its a feeling unlike anything else in the world and words cant describe it at all! the pain vanished the second she was out, and i felt great right away, if a little tired!
i had a second degree tear and a few stitches, but to be honest i couldnt have cared less by then!
ruby struggled to feed at first, i couldnt get her to latch on at all, and by day 2 she was getting very frustrated, and nothing anyone tried would work, so i expressed for her, and have been ever since, it works well for us, and she is now feeding like a horse! She was weighed yesterday, which was day 8, and shes already 6lb 9oz which is amazing!
She developed jaundice so we spent a few extra days in hospital and she spent 24hrs under phototherapy, but we finally got home on sunday night, and its been a breeze since.. she sleeps most of the day and night, only really waking for a feed, and the odd little alert time! We cant believe shes ours, and are totally besotted with her!!
Our hospital (Ulster hosp in belfast) was AMAZING< the rooms in the home from home unit were like hotel suites, OH was able to sleep overnight, there was a patient kitchen, and the midwives were fantastic. i had someone with me almost all of the second night trying to get Roo to latch on, and they were so supportive during my labour!
sorry in advance for the photo overload!!!
some photos of our room, and the birthing pool..
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123630.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123640.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123605.jpg
thanks OH!!!
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142526.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142740.jpg
first pic..
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/142446.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/111027.jpg
under the phototherapy...
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/123528.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090712/202233.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/030901.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/111431.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144110.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144428.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/144513.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090713/203756.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005614.jpg
cuddles with mummy
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005800.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005847.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/005914.jpg
https://media6.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090717/182025.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/085445.jpg
https://media8.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/085550.jpg
https://media7.dropshots.com/photos/542847/20090718/093904.jpg
