patch2006uk
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I am thrilled to announce that baby Alexander James was born by VBAC on 11th March at 40+1. Here's our story:
Arrived at hospital at 8am on Monday 10th (my due date) and was monitored and had general obs done. Had foley catheter put in at midday on Monday (cervix 1-2cm dilated, long and thick). We were told to go walking, so we did endless laps of the hospital grounds, and the catheter stayed in until it fell out on the toilet at 4am on Tuesday morning. Some very slight niggles were triggered by the catheter. In the morning, continuous monitoring started and they broke my waters at about 8am, still 1-2cm and they really struggled to pop them. 2 hours later, still nothing happening so in went the drip. They ramped the drip up every half hour until I was on the highest dose of synto allowed (had to get permission from the consultant to go above midwife levels). Contractions eventually started niggling, but the midwives and doctors weren't really happy with them-they were only 30 seconds long, 4 in 10 and I wasn't really in any pain (which bowled over the staff-highest synto drip and not a flinch from me. They couldn't believe I wasn't using pain relief) I could feel things ramping up (but admittedly not by much) as the afternoon went on, and they did turn the synto down by 1 dosage amount at some point.
I was examined at 3pm, now 3cm dilated, still 0.5cm long. Was given 2 hours to progress or we'd go for section. At 5pm, I was examined again. Still 3cm, but softer and shorter. Allowed to continue for another 2 hours, but was told to expect a c-section as contractions not established and not dilating. Between 5pm and 7pm, I was in more pain and started on gas and air. Can't quite remember the last couple of hours, but I was told at 9pm that we would be left for a final couple of hours (the doctor explained that as the frequency of exams being carried out was every 2 hours, and this was more than some hospitals would carry out, she wanted to give me a little longer as I was clearly in more pain and she didn't want to throw in the towel just yet, especially as pains were only just ramping up and baby's trace was textbook throughout everything and he was kicking away happily) However, I felt at the point I was basically still not getting anywhere and I made my peace with a c-section. Still only 3-4cm.
Around 9.20pm, I started to really struggle to cope with the tiredness and the contractions, and was told by the midwife that actually I needed to stop thinking surgery, because this baby was coming. I didn't believe her and kept saying I didn't want to do it anymore, although I did tell her in my stupor that I knew I was in transition but refused to believe it(!) Started pushing spontaneously at 9.40pm and Alex was born at 9.52pm!
He was checked for a minute before being passed to me for skin to skin. I asked them to wait for his cord to stop pulsating, which they let me feel to show me it had before they clamped and cut it. Placenta delivered a few mins later with help from the injection. The doctors came in at 11pm basically to take me to theatre and I pointed and just said 'look, a baby!'. Their faces were pictures! They were full of heartfelt congratulations, and I was and am very grateful that the staff had supported me in pushing as far as is both safe and medically possible to deliver naturally. I didn't tear and only have a couple of small grazes. My husband had skin to skin while I rested for a time and Alex had his first feed within the first 2 hours. We were admitted to the ward and I was left on a synto drip until about 5am to make sure everything contracted properly, as being on such a high dose of synto for so long carries a higher risk of heavy bleeding (although thankfully so far everything has been fine and as expected regarding pp bleeding).
Felt very much against the odds, and I clearly don't labour normally! Was amazing, and I'm so relieved and completely shocked it all went ok! It was a long, hard couple of days, but I'm glad I gave it a go, and I'm so pleased that things kicked off just in time to avoid surgery (and I was glad I'd given it a go, even when I truly believe I was headed for surgery-I knew I tried as hard as possible to give birth naturally, and that was as much as I could have given). We were home 13 and a half hours after Alex was born, and other than feeling a bit battered and bruised and achey, I feel amazingly well. I really can't believe it all happened!
Arrived at hospital at 8am on Monday 10th (my due date) and was monitored and had general obs done. Had foley catheter put in at midday on Monday (cervix 1-2cm dilated, long and thick). We were told to go walking, so we did endless laps of the hospital grounds, and the catheter stayed in until it fell out on the toilet at 4am on Tuesday morning. Some very slight niggles were triggered by the catheter. In the morning, continuous monitoring started and they broke my waters at about 8am, still 1-2cm and they really struggled to pop them. 2 hours later, still nothing happening so in went the drip. They ramped the drip up every half hour until I was on the highest dose of synto allowed (had to get permission from the consultant to go above midwife levels). Contractions eventually started niggling, but the midwives and doctors weren't really happy with them-they were only 30 seconds long, 4 in 10 and I wasn't really in any pain (which bowled over the staff-highest synto drip and not a flinch from me. They couldn't believe I wasn't using pain relief) I could feel things ramping up (but admittedly not by much) as the afternoon went on, and they did turn the synto down by 1 dosage amount at some point.
I was examined at 3pm, now 3cm dilated, still 0.5cm long. Was given 2 hours to progress or we'd go for section. At 5pm, I was examined again. Still 3cm, but softer and shorter. Allowed to continue for another 2 hours, but was told to expect a c-section as contractions not established and not dilating. Between 5pm and 7pm, I was in more pain and started on gas and air. Can't quite remember the last couple of hours, but I was told at 9pm that we would be left for a final couple of hours (the doctor explained that as the frequency of exams being carried out was every 2 hours, and this was more than some hospitals would carry out, she wanted to give me a little longer as I was clearly in more pain and she didn't want to throw in the towel just yet, especially as pains were only just ramping up and baby's trace was textbook throughout everything and he was kicking away happily) However, I felt at the point I was basically still not getting anywhere and I made my peace with a c-section. Still only 3-4cm.
Around 9.20pm, I started to really struggle to cope with the tiredness and the contractions, and was told by the midwife that actually I needed to stop thinking surgery, because this baby was coming. I didn't believe her and kept saying I didn't want to do it anymore, although I did tell her in my stupor that I knew I was in transition but refused to believe it(!) Started pushing spontaneously at 9.40pm and Alex was born at 9.52pm!
He was checked for a minute before being passed to me for skin to skin. I asked them to wait for his cord to stop pulsating, which they let me feel to show me it had before they clamped and cut it. Placenta delivered a few mins later with help from the injection. The doctors came in at 11pm basically to take me to theatre and I pointed and just said 'look, a baby!'. Their faces were pictures! They were full of heartfelt congratulations, and I was and am very grateful that the staff had supported me in pushing as far as is both safe and medically possible to deliver naturally. I didn't tear and only have a couple of small grazes. My husband had skin to skin while I rested for a time and Alex had his first feed within the first 2 hours. We were admitted to the ward and I was left on a synto drip until about 5am to make sure everything contracted properly, as being on such a high dose of synto for so long carries a higher risk of heavy bleeding (although thankfully so far everything has been fine and as expected regarding pp bleeding).
Felt very much against the odds, and I clearly don't labour normally! Was amazing, and I'm so relieved and completely shocked it all went ok! It was a long, hard couple of days, but I'm glad I gave it a go, and I'm so pleased that things kicked off just in time to avoid surgery (and I was glad I'd given it a go, even when I truly believe I was headed for surgery-I knew I tried as hard as possible to give birth naturally, and that was as much as I could have given). We were home 13 and a half hours after Alex was born, and other than feeling a bit battered and bruised and achey, I feel amazingly well. I really can't believe it all happened!
Congrats!
, I'm glad things went well and look forward to seeing a pic soon.
to you!
