K
KaeRit21
Guest
so i know that i'm a little late in getting round to writing my birth story, but it's better late than never i suppose 
.
well, bare with me, its a bit long and kind of emotional and although i enjoyed my labour and delivery, its was a bit traumatic.
...i suppose it all started on the friday, 27th nov, i was woke up about half 3 in the morning, with really bad cramps and tightenings. thinking it was just my BH's kicking up a notch, i got up and wandered around the house, had a bounce around on my ball ate some toast and watched GMTV lol. Thinking that i would time them, just in case, i soon realised they were more than BH's. The pain was kicking up a notch with every contraction and my bump felt like someone was pulling elastic really tight. They went from 20 mins, to 12, down to 7 and then to 6....At half 6 i woke my mum and they continued to come every 6 minutes, and although painful, they bareable...Walking seemed to ease them and i sent my mum off to work and spent the day in the house with my other birth partner. All in all it was an enjoyable day, and i was more excited than anything that things were finally picking up.
By about half 1 that afternoon the contractions had gone right down to 5 minutes and i finally gave in and called hosp. They advised me to have a bath, some paracetamol and call back if i got 3 to 4 contractions in a 10 minute period or my waters went.
I hadn't had a show, and i knew my waters hadnt gone so off i toddled for a bath....only to come out to NOTHING. Everything just seemed to stop. Boy, was i gutted!. I was shattered, couldnt sleep and was completely fed up. I had pains on and off totally randomly for the rest of the day and after putting up our christmas tree, i went off to bed in a huff with myself at about midnight....
.....only to be wakened at 4 on saturday morning in complete agony. Those contractions were back, with a vengence, and this time i was really having to breathe through them. I got up and paced til about half 6, and again the contractions went from 20 mins, to 12 mins, then 7 and finally back to 6. But i was in AGONY. I did the bath thing, the paracetamol, and ended up rocking on all fours, as this seemed to be the only form of slight relief, but i really couldnt cope so got mum up and called triage.
"come on up and get checked over" was the reply, so i got reaady as fast as my body would allow and arrived in triage at half 9 on sat morning. it took me half an hour to walk down the corridor and i was in tears. They took me into a room, hooked me up to a monitor and helped me breathe through my contractions. Monitor showed baby was happy and i was definetly contracting, every 5 mins. But was i really distraught to learn that all those pains were doing NOTHING. Following my internal, i was told i wasnt effaced and i wasnt dilated, cervix high, but babys head was well down.
"Early labour hun, go home and rest". i was told.
I was so disappointed and in so much pain from the contractions, i just cried. But off home i went with some strong co-codamol and instructions on what to do if it picked up.
I got home about half 10am, had another bath, took the two co-codamol and got two hours sleep....half past 12 i was up and when i say i was in agony, it was an understatement. Still no show and no waters, but the pain felt like someone was ripping me in half. I was exhausted, i was sore, and i just wanted collapse. I tried everything, all fours, rocking, swaying....by this point i couldnt walk and i couldnt talk through them. It was unbearable.
I ran another bath, and kept topping it up with hot water and was STILL in it at HALF PAST THREE, when my mum came home. I'd had another 3 co-codamol in that time, dispite being told i couldnt take any more than 8 in a 24 hour period. I just wanted the pain to stop, and i couldnt function. I had a peice of paper beside the bath, with a pen and my phone, and i had a list of the times my contractions were coming...it took my mum looking at it for me to realise they were 3-4 minutes apart. I got out the bath, and attempted to get myself dressed, and gave in and called my hosp back, and was told to go straight up.
I was finally admitted at half past 4 that afternoon.... after hitting the floor with a contraction apon reaching the reception desk at triage. I was taken into the same room from that morning, which felt like a lifetime ago, and examined....only to be told i was only 1-2cm dilated although well effaced. I was completely devastated, thinking i was going to be once again sent home as hosp policy is 3-4cm, or waters going. I couldnt have coped with going home, i was just completely and utterly exhausted and in so much pain, I could have hugged the midwife when she said the words
"well get you admitted and get you some gas and air". The relief i felt was like nothing else. She came back in with the hose and mouth peice and i have never gripped onto anything so tightly. I was, by this point, Moo-ing like a cow. LOUDLY.
She took my notes and upon the next contraction my plans for a water birth went completely out the window, and the midwife gave me diamorphine. The relief was amazing, and although i felt like i was on a different planet, i managed to doze and got some rest.
I was taken round to my labour room at about half 5 quarter to 6. I was in the middle of having a wee sleep when i felt something "fall" from me. I looked down to see this huge bloody jelly looking blob on the pad beneath me. I was quickly informed this was my "show" and that things were definetly progressing well.
The diamorphine started to wear off, and my contractions were every 2 minutes apart,I was back to moo-ing like a cow through my gas and air tube and i begged to be given an epidural. I was told they couldnt give me one til i was 4cm and i had to wait till 9 clock to be checked. Half an hour wait. That half an hour was the longest of my life, and my lovely lovely midwife finally took pity on me and checked me with just under 10 minutes to go. I was told i was only 3-4cm but that she was calling it 4cm and called the anethesitist. 20 minutes later, i was sat up on the bed being told that the first attempt had gone "wrong" and they'd have to start again. I could have cried as the epidural procedure was soo uncomfortable, and to be told i had to have it again was soul destroying, i was trying to sit still through my contractions and i really just wanted the whole thing to be over. God bless that gas and air. I gripped that tightly, i kept breaking the mouth peice off the tube.
However...after the epidural was in and it kicked in, i was 7th heaven. i Proposed to the nice man with the good drugs, Informing him that the only thing was "i came with baby". As if he didnt know
and "quietly" told my mum i loved him.
i was numb from the pain but could still feel my bump tightening..I thanked him for making me sound less cow like and told him he was an angel lol!!....I was sitting up in bed talking to my mum and cousin (thank you to both of them for helping me through and keeping me going) and texting Claire (Purpledahlia) and Lyndsey (Dizzymoo). I do remember asking for something to eat but was told no, as i was being sick and in case of c-section they couldnt let me have anything. I dozed in and out of sleep and sick bowls....and pretty much missed most of the drama happening around me but despite that, my labour room was fantastic, we had such a laugh and my mum and Andrena kept me in good spirits, and everyone who came into the room kept asking if they could stay!
my epidural had caused my heart-rate to shoot up, and me and ellis ended up on the same base rate, i kept having to move positions on the bed as everytime i had a contraction, Ellis's heart rate dropped and was taking ages to come back up.At around half 10 , after about 10 minutes of this, my consultant and registrars were called for. I missed this as i was again half sleeping, but i came round in time to see them watching the trace and to be told that if baby misbehaved again, i was down the hall for an emergency section. I was again shifted postion and this went on til his heartbeat stabalised.
I was checked internally and told my waters HADNT went. The entire time up till this point, they kept saying "they must have went, i cant feel the membranes, only babys head". I was utterly convinced id missed this, and part of me felt slightly cheated that i seemed to have missed this happening.
My registrar told me i was around 8cm dilated and broke my waters for me. That rush of hot water was amazing to me, and i felt so much better knowing i hadnt missed out on what seemed to be an important part of having my baby.
i was told i would quite possibly have my baby before midnight, and i was on cloud 9...
....and promptly dozed off again. i woke around quarter past 11 with this insane urge to push and this feeling of pressure in my hoo-hah. ...i informed my midwife that i needed to pee, and everyone laughed. but i really did have to pee lol. Stephanie humoured me, although told me i wouldnt actually pee and I was given a bedpan. I swear to god, ive never laughed so much in my life. true to what Stephanie had told me, i really couldnt go...so...my nice registrar was called for again and i was catherterised. Lovely. . At this point i was told my little pumpkin 
was round the wrong way and i would have to wait an hour for him to turn before i could start pushing.
Up came the nice anethestist again with some drugs for my epidural line to relieve some of the pressure as by this point it was really intense, and off i toddled back to sleep, after bubs had an electrode attached to his head as he had slipped down too far down to be found on the monitors.
just about an hour later i was told i could start pushing and i gave it everything i had. I had the urge and the pressure and i could still feel my tightenings, so knew exactly when to push. My midwife told me that in her six years of qualifying she had NEVER seen anyone push the way i had. I felt kind of proud lol
I had been pushing for 10 minuutes when Amanda, the head sister suggested getting onto all fours. I didnt understand at first, and i thought she wanted me to get out the bed and onto the floor!. This caused an uproar of laughter and i was told that no, all i had to do was lean up and over the back of the bed....And at 1.07am, after just 27 minutes, My beautiful baby boy arrived weighing 8lb 1.5oz, and measuring 22 and a half inches long. He had the cord around his neck twice, going on a 3rd time. He looked so tiny and i was so emotional. he was really quiet, and the wailing cry id been expecting was just a wimper and a sigh, he was alert and eyes open though and was perfect in every way. I named him Ellis Andrew Ritchie, and i have to say that i love every minute of looking after him, and being his mummy. He's the most amazing little person i've ever met, and i never imagined i could love anyone so much.
i was in the hosp for four days, as following my wrong epidural, id been left with a banging headache ,a "dural tap", caused by the tear in spinal fluid wall, that causes the fluid to leak and the pressure to drop....no amount of different drugs shifted it, although the hosp treated with allsorts for THREE DAYS. it was hell, and i cried for hours... and i was eventually taken back to theatre and given a blood patch...blood was taken from my arm, and injected into the epidural space to block off the spinal fluid leakage. in effect, a 3rd epidural. Hell, but worth it.
we're both home, happy and safe, and healthy. I thank my angels for him everyday.
so here he is, my tiny little bundle...Ellis xxx
.well, bare with me, its a bit long and kind of emotional and although i enjoyed my labour and delivery, its was a bit traumatic.
...i suppose it all started on the friday, 27th nov, i was woke up about half 3 in the morning, with really bad cramps and tightenings. thinking it was just my BH's kicking up a notch, i got up and wandered around the house, had a bounce around on my ball ate some toast and watched GMTV lol. Thinking that i would time them, just in case, i soon realised they were more than BH's. The pain was kicking up a notch with every contraction and my bump felt like someone was pulling elastic really tight. They went from 20 mins, to 12, down to 7 and then to 6....At half 6 i woke my mum and they continued to come every 6 minutes, and although painful, they bareable...Walking seemed to ease them and i sent my mum off to work and spent the day in the house with my other birth partner. All in all it was an enjoyable day, and i was more excited than anything that things were finally picking up.
By about half 1 that afternoon the contractions had gone right down to 5 minutes and i finally gave in and called hosp. They advised me to have a bath, some paracetamol and call back if i got 3 to 4 contractions in a 10 minute period or my waters went.
I hadn't had a show, and i knew my waters hadnt gone so off i toddled for a bath....only to come out to NOTHING. Everything just seemed to stop. Boy, was i gutted!. I was shattered, couldnt sleep and was completely fed up. I had pains on and off totally randomly for the rest of the day and after putting up our christmas tree, i went off to bed in a huff with myself at about midnight....
.....only to be wakened at 4 on saturday morning in complete agony. Those contractions were back, with a vengence, and this time i was really having to breathe through them. I got up and paced til about half 6, and again the contractions went from 20 mins, to 12 mins, then 7 and finally back to 6. But i was in AGONY. I did the bath thing, the paracetamol, and ended up rocking on all fours, as this seemed to be the only form of slight relief, but i really couldnt cope so got mum up and called triage.
"come on up and get checked over" was the reply, so i got reaady as fast as my body would allow and arrived in triage at half 9 on sat morning. it took me half an hour to walk down the corridor and i was in tears. They took me into a room, hooked me up to a monitor and helped me breathe through my contractions. Monitor showed baby was happy and i was definetly contracting, every 5 mins. But was i really distraught to learn that all those pains were doing NOTHING. Following my internal, i was told i wasnt effaced and i wasnt dilated, cervix high, but babys head was well down.
"Early labour hun, go home and rest". i was told.
I was so disappointed and in so much pain from the contractions, i just cried. But off home i went with some strong co-codamol and instructions on what to do if it picked up.
I got home about half 10am, had another bath, took the two co-codamol and got two hours sleep....half past 12 i was up and when i say i was in agony, it was an understatement. Still no show and no waters, but the pain felt like someone was ripping me in half. I was exhausted, i was sore, and i just wanted collapse. I tried everything, all fours, rocking, swaying....by this point i couldnt walk and i couldnt talk through them. It was unbearable.
I ran another bath, and kept topping it up with hot water and was STILL in it at HALF PAST THREE, when my mum came home. I'd had another 3 co-codamol in that time, dispite being told i couldnt take any more than 8 in a 24 hour period. I just wanted the pain to stop, and i couldnt function. I had a peice of paper beside the bath, with a pen and my phone, and i had a list of the times my contractions were coming...it took my mum looking at it for me to realise they were 3-4 minutes apart. I got out the bath, and attempted to get myself dressed, and gave in and called my hosp back, and was told to go straight up.
I was finally admitted at half past 4 that afternoon.... after hitting the floor with a contraction apon reaching the reception desk at triage. I was taken into the same room from that morning, which felt like a lifetime ago, and examined....only to be told i was only 1-2cm dilated although well effaced. I was completely devastated, thinking i was going to be once again sent home as hosp policy is 3-4cm, or waters going. I couldnt have coped with going home, i was just completely and utterly exhausted and in so much pain, I could have hugged the midwife when she said the words
"well get you admitted and get you some gas and air". The relief i felt was like nothing else. She came back in with the hose and mouth peice and i have never gripped onto anything so tightly. I was, by this point, Moo-ing like a cow. LOUDLY.
She took my notes and upon the next contraction my plans for a water birth went completely out the window, and the midwife gave me diamorphine. The relief was amazing, and although i felt like i was on a different planet, i managed to doze and got some rest.
I was taken round to my labour room at about half 5 quarter to 6. I was in the middle of having a wee sleep when i felt something "fall" from me. I looked down to see this huge bloody jelly looking blob on the pad beneath me. I was quickly informed this was my "show" and that things were definetly progressing well.
The diamorphine started to wear off, and my contractions were every 2 minutes apart,I was back to moo-ing like a cow through my gas and air tube and i begged to be given an epidural. I was told they couldnt give me one til i was 4cm and i had to wait till 9 clock to be checked. Half an hour wait. That half an hour was the longest of my life, and my lovely lovely midwife finally took pity on me and checked me with just under 10 minutes to go. I was told i was only 3-4cm but that she was calling it 4cm and called the anethesitist. 20 minutes later, i was sat up on the bed being told that the first attempt had gone "wrong" and they'd have to start again. I could have cried as the epidural procedure was soo uncomfortable, and to be told i had to have it again was soul destroying, i was trying to sit still through my contractions and i really just wanted the whole thing to be over. God bless that gas and air. I gripped that tightly, i kept breaking the mouth peice off the tube.
However...after the epidural was in and it kicked in, i was 7th heaven. i Proposed to the nice man with the good drugs, Informing him that the only thing was "i came with baby". As if he didnt know
and "quietly" told my mum i loved him. i was numb from the pain but could still feel my bump tightening..I thanked him for making me sound less cow like and told him he was an angel lol!!....I was sitting up in bed talking to my mum and cousin (thank you to both of them for helping me through and keeping me going) and texting Claire (Purpledahlia) and Lyndsey (Dizzymoo). I do remember asking for something to eat but was told no, as i was being sick and in case of c-section they couldnt let me have anything. I dozed in and out of sleep and sick bowls....and pretty much missed most of the drama happening around me but despite that, my labour room was fantastic, we had such a laugh and my mum and Andrena kept me in good spirits, and everyone who came into the room kept asking if they could stay! my epidural had caused my heart-rate to shoot up, and me and ellis ended up on the same base rate, i kept having to move positions on the bed as everytime i had a contraction, Ellis's heart rate dropped and was taking ages to come back up.At around half 10 , after about 10 minutes of this, my consultant and registrars were called for. I missed this as i was again half sleeping, but i came round in time to see them watching the trace and to be told that if baby misbehaved again, i was down the hall for an emergency section. I was again shifted postion and this went on til his heartbeat stabalised.
I was checked internally and told my waters HADNT went. The entire time up till this point, they kept saying "they must have went, i cant feel the membranes, only babys head". I was utterly convinced id missed this, and part of me felt slightly cheated that i seemed to have missed this happening.
My registrar told me i was around 8cm dilated and broke my waters for me. That rush of hot water was amazing to me, and i felt so much better knowing i hadnt missed out on what seemed to be an important part of having my baby.
i was told i would quite possibly have my baby before midnight, and i was on cloud 9...
....and promptly dozed off again. i woke around quarter past 11 with this insane urge to push and this feeling of pressure in my hoo-hah. ...i informed my midwife that i needed to pee, and everyone laughed. but i really did have to pee lol. Stephanie humoured me, although told me i wouldnt actually pee and I was given a bedpan. I swear to god, ive never laughed so much in my life. true to what Stephanie had told me, i really couldnt go...so...my nice registrar was called for again and i was catherterised. Lovely. . At this point i was told my little pumpkin was round the wrong way and i would have to wait an hour for him to turn before i could start pushing. Up came the nice anethestist again with some drugs for my epidural line to relieve some of the pressure as by this point it was really intense, and off i toddled back to sleep, after bubs had an electrode attached to his head as he had slipped down too far down to be found on the monitors.
just about an hour later i was told i could start pushing and i gave it everything i had. I had the urge and the pressure and i could still feel my tightenings, so knew exactly when to push. My midwife told me that in her six years of qualifying she had NEVER seen anyone push the way i had. I felt kind of proud lol
I had been pushing for 10 minuutes when Amanda, the head sister suggested getting onto all fours. I didnt understand at first, and i thought she wanted me to get out the bed and onto the floor!
. This caused an uproar of laughter and i was told that no, all i had to do was lean up and over the back of the bed....And at 1.07am, after just 27 minutes, My beautiful baby boy arrived weighing 8lb 1.5oz, and measuring 22 and a half inches long. He had the cord around his neck twice, going on a 3rd time. He looked so tiny and i was so emotional. he was really quiet, and the wailing cry id been expecting was just a wimper and a sigh, he was alert and eyes open though and was perfect in every way. I named him Ellis Andrew Ritchie, and i have to say that i love every minute of looking after him, and being his mummy. He's the most amazing little person i've ever met, and i never imagined i could love anyone so much.i was in the hosp for four days, as following my wrong epidural, id been left with a banging headache ,a "dural tap", caused by the tear in spinal fluid wall, that causes the fluid to leak and the pressure to drop....no amount of different drugs shifted it, although the hosp treated with allsorts for THREE DAYS. it was hell, and i cried for hours... and i was eventually taken back to theatre and given a blood patch...blood was taken from my arm, and injected into the epidural space to block off the spinal fluid leakage. in effect, a 3rd epidural. Hell, but worth it.
we're both home, happy and safe, and healthy. I thank my angels for him everyday.
so here he is, my tiny little bundle...Ellis xxx
x
pmsl
