DoodleDoo
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My story is a little late. Since baby's been born I've been so busy and to be honest, it's taken a while for me to be ready to relive the experience 
Sorry if it's long...
She was due on the 25th June but my due date came and went. On Monday the 29th I hadn't felt baby move very much; I was starting to worry as all I was feeling was baby's hiccups. This had happened twice before and had been okay then so I didn't want to rush into hospital all panicky. However, at about ten pm that evening I decided enough was enough and phoned the centre in which I was booked to birth. It was a midwife led unit, so they directed me to the local infirmary where I'd had my scans etc as they were better equipped to monitor me. Baby's heartbeat was okay but it was a little too steady for their liking. About two hours after arriving they told me that they wanted to induce me as I was overdue and baby had reduced movement. OH's face was a picture. I didn't have my hospital bags with me, they weren't even fully packed
I had really wanted to avoid an induction as I heard they could be much more painful.
They moved me to a bed on the delivery ward where I was examined and told I was 0cm dilated and not at all effaced. They decided to put a pessary in to begin dilation and leave it for 24 hours. This was at 5am on Tuesday 30th. OH went home to pack my bags and was told he could come back at 10am, where I would be on a different ward. He came back with flowers (aww)
and we had a really nice day just playing card games and wandering around the grounds of the hospital. I experienced very mild cramping on and off but it was easy to talk and think around. My midwife had to monitor me and baby every few hours to check heartrate. She told me I was contracting regularly which was nice to hear as I hadnt even noticed. (Did I want any paracetamol? No thanks.) I'd had no sleep the night before due to the monitoring and by the time OH went home I slept like a baby and woke up feeling refreshed.
The next morning (Wednesday) I woke up at 5am due to being on a ward with lots of babies and new mothers. A midwife came in and hooked me up to the monitor so they could check babys heartrate and my contractions etc. The pessary was supposed to come out at this point but she said that delivery were too full to take me and to leave it in a few more hours. I was fine with this. The pains were getting a little noticeable at this point but Id been assured theyd have me upstairs within six hours. OH came in and stayed with me all day again. The six hours came and went and I had to take my pessary out myself. They refused to examine me at all, even though I was in quite a lot of pain. They hoped to move me upstairs to delivery that evening but were currently too full. At about 4pm the contractions really started to take off. I was coping with just breathing but holy shit they were beginning to really hurt. OH had to leave at 9pm as the visiting hours were over on the ward I was on, he was really reluctant to go as he thought Id be moved soon to delivery. A tactful midwife, at 8.55pm came to tell me I wasnt being moved tonight and that OH had to leave. I cried and cried. My OH is a placid soul, scared of any confrontation but he almost lost it. The midwife accused me of making up my tightenings (tightenings that had me doubled over and unable to talk) to try and force her into letting him stay (which she didnt anyway). She offered me paracetamol, which I refused on principal, and told me to get some sleep. Good joke.
That night I was up, alone, every four minutes with one minute long contractions, trying to make no noise as there were about five new mothers and their newborns around me. OH was at home having kittens. The midwives changed shift and the new one was much better. Luckily my contractions became a bit more irregular at about 5am til about 7am so I could take ten minute cat naps in between some of them. At 10am OH came back and we were told delivery still couldnt take me as other women had priority, which I tried my best to understand. That day was the longest day of my life. I wasnt moved to delivery until about 6pm that evening and by then I was exhausted.
On the delivery ward there were 3 other priority women, all of whom were engaged in hilarious conversation with each other and wanted me to join in, as if I could talk and use actual English words. One of these had been in my position (her induction had been begun but not carried on). Her induction however, had been started that morning. As it transpired, in my notes, it had been recorded that my pessary had been taken out a few hours before, rather than 60 hours before. They took me much more seriously when the midwife whod fitted it told them Id been there since Monday. I was still coping with no pain relief, just using a ball and OHs support. They finally examined me and I was 4cm. I could have cried that that was all the progress Id made. I was really proud Id made it to this point without pain relief though. I said that to OH. Jinxed myself.
Almost as soon as Id been examined, I felt baby decide to turn itself from its nice, comfy position head down with its back to my front into idek what position. Its bum was under my rib, and that hurt a fair bit in itself, but something of babys was pressed hard on my back and my god it felt like someone was performing spinal surgery with an axe on me with every contraction. I was begging for pethidine, gas and air, an epidural, pretty sure I requested euthanasia at one point. Why dont you try paracetamol? ...
I was hurriedly given pethidine when I started to make (and honestly I couldnt help it) weird animal noises. It was like heaven. I slept for about 3 hours (which was more than Id had in about 48 hours). I remember telling my mum and OH how I loved drugs and to hook me up to the local dealer. But sadly, the drugs wore off and they then broke my waters. Then they told me to go for a walk. Then I realised about halfway down the corridor I couldnt walk, there was a bomb exploding in my pelvis. Then they gave me gas and air and promised me an epidural as soon as they could. I cant really remember too much of this part, can you tell? I got my own room though
apparently I was talking to OH all the time though when on gas and air. I remember feeling totally wasted on it. Apparently I told him Id just washed my hair and that he could now wash his. And that I was obsessed with talking about postboxes. Idk.
I got an epidural and it was great. Holding still during a contraction is tricky but my god it is worth it. I really loved that I could sober up from the gas and air to meet my baby, because I really doubt Id remember meeting my baby had I kept on with it, I couldnt remember my name. When I was told I was 10cm and ready to push it was the best thing ever. I could actually do something productive. I pushed for over an hour, but due to baby being in an awkward, half back to back position I made not much progress. They offered forceps but I refused, I really wanted to push baby out myself. A midwife tried for a third time to turn baby and suddenly baby moved. Two minutes later baby came out. OH looked at me and told me through his tears that shes a girl. It was the first time Ive ever seen him cry. The cord was wrapped around her neck but they pulled it off and she began to cry. Mum was sobbing, I was sobbing, OH was sobbing and so was our baby girl it must have been so traumatic, poor thing. She was so perfect. (If anyone is doubtful about being/staying team yellow, I recommend totally that you should do it, its the best feeling ever finding out exactly who your baby is after such a massive ordeal. It kept me going.)
I tore in several places and lost two pints of blood but never found my stitches. I think they were on the inside. I remember falling over on my way to shower because I was so weak. Also, the epidural catheter made my hand swell up and they wouldnt let me take it out until I peed a few times so I found it really hard to dress baby. It upset me I couldnt do stuff for her straight away but once it was taken out I was fine.
We decided to call her Daisy Fay Patricia T----
She was born on 3rd July at 11.10am, weighing 7lbs7oz.
She is so perfect.
Sorry if it's long...
She was due on the 25th June but my due date came and went. On Monday the 29th I hadn't felt baby move very much; I was starting to worry as all I was feeling was baby's hiccups. This had happened twice before and had been okay then so I didn't want to rush into hospital all panicky. However, at about ten pm that evening I decided enough was enough and phoned the centre in which I was booked to birth. It was a midwife led unit, so they directed me to the local infirmary where I'd had my scans etc as they were better equipped to monitor me. Baby's heartbeat was okay but it was a little too steady for their liking. About two hours after arriving they told me that they wanted to induce me as I was overdue and baby had reduced movement. OH's face was a picture. I didn't have my hospital bags with me, they weren't even fully packed
I had really wanted to avoid an induction as I heard they could be much more painful.They moved me to a bed on the delivery ward where I was examined and told I was 0cm dilated and not at all effaced. They decided to put a pessary in to begin dilation and leave it for 24 hours. This was at 5am on Tuesday 30th. OH went home to pack my bags and was told he could come back at 10am, where I would be on a different ward. He came back with flowers (aww)
and we had a really nice day just playing card games and wandering around the grounds of the hospital. I experienced very mild cramping on and off but it was easy to talk and think around. My midwife had to monitor me and baby every few hours to check heartrate. She told me I was contracting regularly which was nice to hear as I hadnt even noticed. (Did I want any paracetamol? No thanks.) I'd had no sleep the night before due to the monitoring and by the time OH went home I slept like a baby and woke up feeling refreshed.The next morning (Wednesday) I woke up at 5am due to being on a ward with lots of babies and new mothers. A midwife came in and hooked me up to the monitor so they could check babys heartrate and my contractions etc. The pessary was supposed to come out at this point but she said that delivery were too full to take me and to leave it in a few more hours. I was fine with this. The pains were getting a little noticeable at this point but Id been assured theyd have me upstairs within six hours. OH came in and stayed with me all day again. The six hours came and went and I had to take my pessary out myself. They refused to examine me at all, even though I was in quite a lot of pain. They hoped to move me upstairs to delivery that evening but were currently too full. At about 4pm the contractions really started to take off. I was coping with just breathing but holy shit they were beginning to really hurt. OH had to leave at 9pm as the visiting hours were over on the ward I was on, he was really reluctant to go as he thought Id be moved soon to delivery. A tactful midwife, at 8.55pm came to tell me I wasnt being moved tonight and that OH had to leave. I cried and cried. My OH is a placid soul, scared of any confrontation but he almost lost it. The midwife accused me of making up my tightenings (tightenings that had me doubled over and unable to talk) to try and force her into letting him stay (which she didnt anyway). She offered me paracetamol, which I refused on principal, and told me to get some sleep. Good joke.
That night I was up, alone, every four minutes with one minute long contractions, trying to make no noise as there were about five new mothers and their newborns around me. OH was at home having kittens. The midwives changed shift and the new one was much better. Luckily my contractions became a bit more irregular at about 5am til about 7am so I could take ten minute cat naps in between some of them. At 10am OH came back and we were told delivery still couldnt take me as other women had priority, which I tried my best to understand. That day was the longest day of my life. I wasnt moved to delivery until about 6pm that evening and by then I was exhausted.
On the delivery ward there were 3 other priority women, all of whom were engaged in hilarious conversation with each other and wanted me to join in, as if I could talk and use actual English words. One of these had been in my position (her induction had been begun but not carried on). Her induction however, had been started that morning. As it transpired, in my notes, it had been recorded that my pessary had been taken out a few hours before, rather than 60 hours before. They took me much more seriously when the midwife whod fitted it told them Id been there since Monday. I was still coping with no pain relief, just using a ball and OHs support. They finally examined me and I was 4cm. I could have cried that that was all the progress Id made. I was really proud Id made it to this point without pain relief though. I said that to OH. Jinxed myself.
Almost as soon as Id been examined, I felt baby decide to turn itself from its nice, comfy position head down with its back to my front into idek what position. Its bum was under my rib, and that hurt a fair bit in itself, but something of babys was pressed hard on my back and my god it felt like someone was performing spinal surgery with an axe on me with every contraction. I was begging for pethidine, gas and air, an epidural, pretty sure I requested euthanasia at one point. Why dont you try paracetamol? ...
I was hurriedly given pethidine when I started to make (and honestly I couldnt help it) weird animal noises. It was like heaven. I slept for about 3 hours (which was more than Id had in about 48 hours). I remember telling my mum and OH how I loved drugs and to hook me up to the local dealer. But sadly, the drugs wore off and they then broke my waters. Then they told me to go for a walk. Then I realised about halfway down the corridor I couldnt walk, there was a bomb exploding in my pelvis. Then they gave me gas and air and promised me an epidural as soon as they could. I cant really remember too much of this part, can you tell? I got my own room though
apparently I was talking to OH all the time though when on gas and air. I remember feeling totally wasted on it. Apparently I told him Id just washed my hair and that he could now wash his. And that I was obsessed with talking about postboxes. Idk.I got an epidural and it was great. Holding still during a contraction is tricky but my god it is worth it. I really loved that I could sober up from the gas and air to meet my baby, because I really doubt Id remember meeting my baby had I kept on with it, I couldnt remember my name. When I was told I was 10cm and ready to push it was the best thing ever. I could actually do something productive. I pushed for over an hour, but due to baby being in an awkward, half back to back position I made not much progress. They offered forceps but I refused, I really wanted to push baby out myself. A midwife tried for a third time to turn baby and suddenly baby moved. Two minutes later baby came out. OH looked at me and told me through his tears that shes a girl. It was the first time Ive ever seen him cry. The cord was wrapped around her neck but they pulled it off and she began to cry. Mum was sobbing, I was sobbing, OH was sobbing and so was our baby girl it must have been so traumatic, poor thing. She was so perfect. (If anyone is doubtful about being/staying team yellow, I recommend totally that you should do it, its the best feeling ever finding out exactly who your baby is after such a massive ordeal. It kept me going.)
I tore in several places and lost two pints of blood but never found my stitches. I think they were on the inside. I remember falling over on my way to shower because I was so weak. Also, the epidural catheter made my hand swell up and they wouldnt let me take it out until I peed a few times so I found it really hard to dress baby. It upset me I couldnt do stuff for her straight away but once it was taken out I was fine.
We decided to call her Daisy Fay Patricia T----
She was born on 3rd July at 11.10am, weighing 7lbs7oz.
She is so perfect.
