Aaisrie
Cautiously pregnant #3
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2009
- Messages
- 4,661
- Reaction score
- 0
I wrote this a few days after she was born!
First off I had decided years ago I wanted a water birth and always said I would if I was able. I wanted minimal pain relief as I wanted to be able to experience and remember the event, rather than being really out of it with some of the medications that are available.
I was due 2nd/5th March 2009, they always give you so many due dates it's ridiculous. I was told to come down to the hospital on the 5th as I had lost my mucus plug (this stops infection getting inside the cervix) and had been staining since the 2nd and been quite wet and they wanted to check my membranes hadn't ruptured. The midwife checked and they were still in tact but I was having some staining and very watery discharge. She offered me a stretch and sweep (they run their finger round the inside of the cervix to detach the membranes from the wall) as I was full term. The sweep can only be done if the cervix is "favourable" meaning you have to have dilated at least a little for them to be able to put their finger in to be able to sweep. I had the sweep and she told me I was 1cm dilated but 2cm long. The length of the cervix neck was too long, it needs to be paper thin before you can go into labour. The following day, Friday 6th March 2009, I was due to see my consultant for my term appointment so as they can give you an induction date and do their usual antenatal checks. All the checks were fine and I was given 23rd March 2009 as my induction date. It was quite far away as the maternity unit there is very new and therefore extremely popular so they were really booked up with inductions. Again I was offered a sweep, which I gladly took, and was 2cm dilated and 1cm long. After both my sweeps I had cramps and some bleeding which is normal. After my consultant appointment I started getting contractions which lasted for about 3 or 4 hrs before easing.
I started getting contractions at about 3pm Saturday 7th March 2009, and they felt extremely similar to the ones I had the day previously. I ignored them for a number of hours before starting to time them but I was just waiting for them to ease as they had done the day before. At about 5pm I started thinking perhaps they wouldn't ease because they were becoming more intense but I was afraid to move to time them in case they stopped!! Patricia and I started timing them, she rubbed my back while I contracted and then we walked up and down the hallway in between. When Chris got home they were getting more painful where I was unable to speak during them, we phoned the hospital who said I could come in anytime I needed but I wanted to stay at home as long as possible - I don't like hospitals or fuss. Lorraine, the midwife I had spoken to said I could have a bath to ease the pain. As I intended on having a water birth anyway I decided to do this, even though I knew that getting into water before being 5cm dilated can really slow the first stage of labour down. I got into the bath and stayed there until about 8:30 when I decided to go to the hospital as we didn't know how dilated I was or whether my membranes had ruptured because I was in the bath.
We arrived at the hospital at 9pm and when I was checked I was only 3cm dilated... I was extremely upset at this as I had been contracting for 6 hrs at this point. I was taken to Home from Home which is a section of the maternity where the birth pools are, it's made to feel like home in that the hospital equipment is in cupboards and hidden behind walls to make it less sterile. They even have cameras in the room if you wish for the midwife to monitor you that way rather than in the room. I tried the entonox (gas and air) but as I had been labouring for 6 hrs I was already tired and it made me extremely drowsy, that wasn't a problem in itself only that it made me want to lie on my back or side to fall asleep but that made my contractions extremely painful. I only used it for about 3 contractions. I had only planned to use the pool and entonox as my relief so this left me with just the pool. The midwife suggested the pool instead so I used it. I stayed in the pool until midnight when she wanted to examine me to see how dilated I was as I was starting to feel the urge to push. I got out and she found my membranes were still in tact and that I was only 3 1/2cm dilated. She suggested I have some other pain relief as I was so exhausted (labouring 9 hrs at this point) and although I was coping with the pain being that tired means you can sometimes be unable to push when the time comes which can result in a section or forceps for the baby. She recommended an omnipom injection which can only be given to first time mums (it is meant to last 4 hrs and as a subsequent labour goes much fast it can cause problems). It's an opiate, it's meant to ease the pain but for me personally it didn't take any pain away it just took the edge off it and made me drowsy and as sleep was all I really needed it seemed like the perfect option for me. It definitely didn't stop the pain of the contractions it only took the slightest edge off (which isn't much I can tell you!!) but it did make me drowsy enough that I was sleeping between contractions. It is given with an anti-sickness in it as it can cause nausea. It takes about 20 mins to kick in and I was sick once about 10 mins after the injection but didn't feel ill after that. Although it was supposed to last for 4 hrs I only got 2 hrs out of it - it affects everyone differently so they can't say for sure how long it will last or if it will even work. After the 2 hrs I was getting incredibly sore again so the midwife (Betty) came back to check how dilated I was, fortunately I had gone to 9cm!!! My membranes were still in tact so she manually ruptured them using what looks like a long crochet hook! Having your waters break is actually a really nice feeling, warm gushing!! As I was now at 9cm and the omnipom had worn off I was allowed to get back into the pool.
I was really feeling the urge to push and had started pushing while still on the bed. When I got into the pool I went at it hammer and tong! You have absolutely NO control at this point, your body just takes over. The pushing part is definitely less painful than the contractions. It is uncomfortable when you aren't pushing but your body does the pushing all itself, you couldn't stop yourself if you tried. Although I was in the pool 3hrs pushing, I only remember it as about 10 minutes! I could feel the head as it came closer to crowning, like I was about to be split in two. I was pushing through my bum which I know is the correct way to know if you are baring down but I don't think anyone needs to be told how to stand, breathe or work through the pushing because it comes so naturally without having to even think. The head crowning is the worst bit but it happens so quickly it's not long and drawn out like the pain of the contractions, it's more like getting cut very quickly it's over before you can realise it was sore. Just after the head crowned Betty (who couldn't see as I was on my knees with my bum down) told me I would feel the worst pain in a minute as the head crowned but it would be over fast and then it was downhill!! At this point I thought I had gone crazy as I was sure I had just felt the head come out!! I thought if I'm about to feel the worst pain, what the hell was that?! I reached down between my legs and felt her head and told Betty "But her head is here already!". Betty was shocked and she rushed round behind me to have a look! Sure enough her head was out so Betty put on her long gloves and held her head so I could deliver the rest of her. A couple more pushes and she was out and Betty got me to turn over and sit so she could place her on my chest. Chris was able to cut the cord and I stayed in the pool for the 3rd stage of labour which is delivering the placenta. Betty checked the placenta which was really healthy and then took our beautiful daughter Saraya Blaise Alexa Boyce to weigh and measure her. Betty also checked me to see if I had torn, the pool is supposed to reduce the amount of tearing as it allows the skin to stretch more easily - this was the case for me as I only have a few labia grazes but no tearing at all.
Laboured 14 hrs in total, Saraya was born at 4:52am Sunday morning weighing 7lb 10oz.
The first picture is the ever picture of Saraya, she had literally just been placed on my chest and you can see Betty's hand
https://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo134/Aaisrie/Saraya/08032009265.jpg
First off I had decided years ago I wanted a water birth and always said I would if I was able. I wanted minimal pain relief as I wanted to be able to experience and remember the event, rather than being really out of it with some of the medications that are available.
I was due 2nd/5th March 2009, they always give you so many due dates it's ridiculous. I was told to come down to the hospital on the 5th as I had lost my mucus plug (this stops infection getting inside the cervix) and had been staining since the 2nd and been quite wet and they wanted to check my membranes hadn't ruptured. The midwife checked and they were still in tact but I was having some staining and very watery discharge. She offered me a stretch and sweep (they run their finger round the inside of the cervix to detach the membranes from the wall) as I was full term. The sweep can only be done if the cervix is "favourable" meaning you have to have dilated at least a little for them to be able to put their finger in to be able to sweep. I had the sweep and she told me I was 1cm dilated but 2cm long. The length of the cervix neck was too long, it needs to be paper thin before you can go into labour. The following day, Friday 6th March 2009, I was due to see my consultant for my term appointment so as they can give you an induction date and do their usual antenatal checks. All the checks were fine and I was given 23rd March 2009 as my induction date. It was quite far away as the maternity unit there is very new and therefore extremely popular so they were really booked up with inductions. Again I was offered a sweep, which I gladly took, and was 2cm dilated and 1cm long. After both my sweeps I had cramps and some bleeding which is normal. After my consultant appointment I started getting contractions which lasted for about 3 or 4 hrs before easing.
I started getting contractions at about 3pm Saturday 7th March 2009, and they felt extremely similar to the ones I had the day previously. I ignored them for a number of hours before starting to time them but I was just waiting for them to ease as they had done the day before. At about 5pm I started thinking perhaps they wouldn't ease because they were becoming more intense but I was afraid to move to time them in case they stopped!! Patricia and I started timing them, she rubbed my back while I contracted and then we walked up and down the hallway in between. When Chris got home they were getting more painful where I was unable to speak during them, we phoned the hospital who said I could come in anytime I needed but I wanted to stay at home as long as possible - I don't like hospitals or fuss. Lorraine, the midwife I had spoken to said I could have a bath to ease the pain. As I intended on having a water birth anyway I decided to do this, even though I knew that getting into water before being 5cm dilated can really slow the first stage of labour down. I got into the bath and stayed there until about 8:30 when I decided to go to the hospital as we didn't know how dilated I was or whether my membranes had ruptured because I was in the bath.
We arrived at the hospital at 9pm and when I was checked I was only 3cm dilated... I was extremely upset at this as I had been contracting for 6 hrs at this point. I was taken to Home from Home which is a section of the maternity where the birth pools are, it's made to feel like home in that the hospital equipment is in cupboards and hidden behind walls to make it less sterile. They even have cameras in the room if you wish for the midwife to monitor you that way rather than in the room. I tried the entonox (gas and air) but as I had been labouring for 6 hrs I was already tired and it made me extremely drowsy, that wasn't a problem in itself only that it made me want to lie on my back or side to fall asleep but that made my contractions extremely painful. I only used it for about 3 contractions. I had only planned to use the pool and entonox as my relief so this left me with just the pool. The midwife suggested the pool instead so I used it. I stayed in the pool until midnight when she wanted to examine me to see how dilated I was as I was starting to feel the urge to push. I got out and she found my membranes were still in tact and that I was only 3 1/2cm dilated. She suggested I have some other pain relief as I was so exhausted (labouring 9 hrs at this point) and although I was coping with the pain being that tired means you can sometimes be unable to push when the time comes which can result in a section or forceps for the baby. She recommended an omnipom injection which can only be given to first time mums (it is meant to last 4 hrs and as a subsequent labour goes much fast it can cause problems). It's an opiate, it's meant to ease the pain but for me personally it didn't take any pain away it just took the edge off it and made me drowsy and as sleep was all I really needed it seemed like the perfect option for me. It definitely didn't stop the pain of the contractions it only took the slightest edge off (which isn't much I can tell you!!) but it did make me drowsy enough that I was sleeping between contractions. It is given with an anti-sickness in it as it can cause nausea. It takes about 20 mins to kick in and I was sick once about 10 mins after the injection but didn't feel ill after that. Although it was supposed to last for 4 hrs I only got 2 hrs out of it - it affects everyone differently so they can't say for sure how long it will last or if it will even work. After the 2 hrs I was getting incredibly sore again so the midwife (Betty) came back to check how dilated I was, fortunately I had gone to 9cm!!! My membranes were still in tact so she manually ruptured them using what looks like a long crochet hook! Having your waters break is actually a really nice feeling, warm gushing!! As I was now at 9cm and the omnipom had worn off I was allowed to get back into the pool.
I was really feeling the urge to push and had started pushing while still on the bed. When I got into the pool I went at it hammer and tong! You have absolutely NO control at this point, your body just takes over. The pushing part is definitely less painful than the contractions. It is uncomfortable when you aren't pushing but your body does the pushing all itself, you couldn't stop yourself if you tried. Although I was in the pool 3hrs pushing, I only remember it as about 10 minutes! I could feel the head as it came closer to crowning, like I was about to be split in two. I was pushing through my bum which I know is the correct way to know if you are baring down but I don't think anyone needs to be told how to stand, breathe or work through the pushing because it comes so naturally without having to even think. The head crowning is the worst bit but it happens so quickly it's not long and drawn out like the pain of the contractions, it's more like getting cut very quickly it's over before you can realise it was sore. Just after the head crowned Betty (who couldn't see as I was on my knees with my bum down) told me I would feel the worst pain in a minute as the head crowned but it would be over fast and then it was downhill!! At this point I thought I had gone crazy as I was sure I had just felt the head come out!! I thought if I'm about to feel the worst pain, what the hell was that?! I reached down between my legs and felt her head and told Betty "But her head is here already!". Betty was shocked and she rushed round behind me to have a look! Sure enough her head was out so Betty put on her long gloves and held her head so I could deliver the rest of her. A couple more pushes and she was out and Betty got me to turn over and sit so she could place her on my chest. Chris was able to cut the cord and I stayed in the pool for the 3rd stage of labour which is delivering the placenta. Betty checked the placenta which was really healthy and then took our beautiful daughter Saraya Blaise Alexa Boyce to weigh and measure her. Betty also checked me to see if I had torn, the pool is supposed to reduce the amount of tearing as it allows the skin to stretch more easily - this was the case for me as I only have a few labia grazes but no tearing at all.
Laboured 14 hrs in total, Saraya was born at 4:52am Sunday morning weighing 7lb 10oz.
The first picture is the ever picture of Saraya, she had literally just been placed on my chest and you can see Betty's hand
https://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo134/Aaisrie/Saraya/08032009265.jpg
x
