Morning ladies - well over 2 weeks after the event here is my story 
Sorry it's so long 
My BP had been raised for a couple of weeks but only at the borderline levels - some protein in my wee too but nothing too worry about according to hospital visits. Met with the CMW team as per normal until I was 38 weeks pregnant.
During the 38th week the MW visited at home for home birth risk assessment - everything OK and arranged to drop off kit as soon as she could. I had a meeting with her that afternoon (Wednesday) for the rest of the checkups as normal. I also had an abscess so needed to get some antibiotics from the Dr so rang and they could see me in the late morning surgery. Went along fine and whilst I was in the pharmacists getting my prescription, one of the receptionists came in with a bloke asking if anyone owned the Green Micra. Which was me. Some git had driven into my car and driven off. Some sleuthing later by the receptionist they tracked down who it was and got their details off them for me - YAY! Car is still written off though - great bloody timing
That afternoon I had my normal routine MW appt but she found my BP was still raised - although still not massively - and arranged to come to my house the next morning to re-assess in case it was white coat syndrome. The next morning she came to my house again to check it and it was still raised (slightly higher). I did explain that the car accident and that the associated bugger we have no transport and Im nearly 39weeks pregnant stuff was probably impacting on my BP she sent me over to the hospital to be checked out there.
So off I toddle again to Ward 4, arrive, someone takes my BP again after first trying with the small cuff despite me, and my notes, saying it wont give a proper reading. It was still raised so they took some bloods and urine for testing and asked me to wait. Wait in the hottest room in the whole bloody place. For nearly 3hours. With no information at all. I was hot and bothered and fed up when they finally decided to speak to me. I saw an SHO who wasnt very clear, told me they thought I needed to be kept in and have a sweep. She left and I was shell shocked. One of the MW on the ward found me having a little cry to myself (the one time my OH wasnt with me and I needed him to ask the questions my brain didnt think about because I was so shocked!). The MW spoke to the SHO who saw me again and then went on to talk about induction. She wasnt at all a good communicator and I am still cross about the way she discussed this with me.
I was admitted to ward 4 and my OH came over as soon as he could get everything together. We sat and talked about what was going to happen and I refused the sweep as I wasnt even showing the slightest signs of being ready for labour. We sat and talked about what we wanted to happen and what we were prepared to happen (and change our plans if needs be) but we needed to do this just between us. I hate the way the whole pregnancy thing is so medicalised when there really isnt the need for it. I also hate being told what is happening to me (in terms of intervention) as if I dont have a brain between my ears. I am not a Dr/Consultant etc, but Im not stupid either. They monitored pickle and me for a bit and left me to it for the night.
I slept really badly that night, me and hospitals just dont mix together at all. The next morning my OH got back at 8.30am and we met with the consultant. She explained that I now had falling platelet count as well as +++proteinurea and the raised BP, and that she was confident it was pre-eclampsia and that I would be induced. We said no we wouldnt be induced until wed discussed our options together etc that we werent against it, but it needed to be the right thing to do. I know a few people who had inductions that just didnt work and I needed to be confident the medical need was there. The thing that changed our minds was I wasnt going to get better before I gave birth, that whilst it was stable PET (Pre-Eclampsia), it could get worse fast and then Id be needing more help.
All things considered we decided to go for it, so they put the wheels in motion. At 11.30am I had the first pessary, the MW finds that Im already 1cm dilated and my cervix had started to move - pickle was already on their way out. So the next 6 hours was quite dull, some period cramps, some weird sensations in the nether regions, but nothing to write home about tbh. The next pessary should have been 6hours later but they were running late and I got it at 7.30pm.
OH had to leave at 8 as it was the end of visiting - things had already started to heat up though and the period pains were getting stronger. OH left and I was left to it on my own. The next hour was a bit weird, the pains got slowly worse but were manageable. I had so many trips to the loo that I thought the 2 others sharing my room thought I had serious problems
then from about 9 it all went so fast - the pain got harder and harder. I spoke to the 2 different midwives and asked for some help and the gave me some paracetamol, then, when it really got painful I got some codeine - woo.
The pain kept coming, each time feeling like my pelvis was about to shatter. The MWs kept telling me this was just the pecesary that I had a long way to go yet and to try to rest. REST! Shes having a bloody laugh! This is when I started to panic - if this was just the pessary and not early labour then there was no way I was going to be able to deal with labour pains. No way at all. I always thought my pain threshold was quite high but the thought of still being just the pessary frightened me.
Over the next 30mins the pain just increased with every second. I walked up and down the ward corridor, lent against walls grunting/trying to breathe through the pain. Then, when sat on my ball, I felt a pop and liquid trickle down my leg. I didnt think it was my waters as the MWs were still insistent it was just pessary pains. I spoke to one of them and she came to examine me - nope was still 1cm dilated and cervix still posterior - I was flattened. Maybe I was just a wuss after all.
Through all of this I was emailing OH and my brother as a distraction and also to have other people to bounce off as I had no one with me on the ward. It worked and helped for a few seconds. By this point with each pain I was pretty much just wailing - nothing I was doing was helping and with no focus/someone to bounce off I felt really out of control. Apparently at some point before 10 I emailed him Help Me. I had tried to speak to him but couldnt speak through the pain. He wasnt allowed on the ward but I needed someone with me, I was losing focus on everything going on. He asked if I wanted him back on the ward and I said yes. The next thing I know is Im being moved to a side room and hes there. I have never been so pleased to see him and his cantankerous ways. At last I had someone I could focus on, someone who could talk to me through the pain. It helped so much. I lose track of time at this bit - although I know it has to be just under two hours of being in this room but it didnt feel like that at all. I know they made me lie down to monitor me as they couldnt get a 15min monitor and lying down was just horrific, I knew I needed to be upright. At this point they brought some gas and air which, whilst didnt help with the pain as such, gave me something to do and concentrate on (and enjoy). I dont know how long I was on that bed for but my OH came back with a midwife after muttering about contractions (he was timing me). She examined me and found I was 8cm. 8cm, with no pain relief until that point. That made me want to shout see you fucking ****s I told you I was in fucking pain but I think it came out as Yyeeeeeeaaahaahhhhhh. Within 2 more contractions I could feel the head being in place to push. I tried to explain this to my OH but struggled what the the G&A and pain. He went to tell one of the MW and they rushed me downstairs to labour ward. I remember one contraction as they started to put my trousers back on for moving me on the wheelchair but I clamped it to the bottom of the bed, I think they thought I was being awkward until the contraction passed and I explained I needed it to cope with the contraction (pushed hard against the bottom of the bed!). Being upright on the chair made all the difference though - I felt in control again, the pain more productive.
This bit is totally hazy now - I dont remember arriving on the delivery ward, I remember being knelt up against the back of the bed in the delivery room and refusing to move - it felt exactly right and I wasnt about the lie down for another monitor for anyone. How long I was there before baby was in position to push I dont know but as I was in the room for 55mins before she was born it cant have been long. The MW was amazing - I asked her so many questions (what should I be doing?, can I do this? will she get stuck?) and she answered perfectly. When the time came to push the feeling was incredible - my body left me no option other than to go with it - I couldnt do anything else. The pain was positive, the feeling weird, and the intensity was amazing. When she crowned the MW asked if my OH wanted to look - I had said I didnt want him to but after seeing me already in such a state I couldnt think of a rational reason why he shouldnt. I remember hearing him in disbelief and excitement.
Then the point of no return - the next push would be her head - no stopping it, no just give me a second, the contraction came, the pushing came and I could feel the head slowly coming, then from somewhere my body just went for it, the biggest push down I could muster (I think this was the last contraction I would have been able to manage tbh) and she was born all in one - out came the head, the body and all the fluid. OH MY GOD the relief was incredible. But the cord was very sore rubbing on me so when she said Id got a 2nd degree tear it made sense.
I knelt back, she passed me pickle and it was just amazing, one of the most wonderful moments of my life. She was gorgeous. Utterly gorgeous.
Sorry it's so long My BP had been raised for a couple of weeks but only at the borderline levels - some protein in my wee too but nothing too worry about according to hospital visits. Met with the CMW team as per normal until I was 38 weeks pregnant.
During the 38th week the MW visited at home for home birth risk assessment - everything OK and arranged to drop off kit as soon as she could. I had a meeting with her that afternoon (Wednesday) for the rest of the checkups as normal. I also had an abscess so needed to get some antibiotics from the Dr so rang and they could see me in the late morning surgery. Went along fine and whilst I was in the pharmacists getting my prescription, one of the receptionists came in with a bloke asking if anyone owned the Green Micra. Which was me. Some git had driven into my car and driven off. Some sleuthing later by the receptionist they tracked down who it was and got their details off them for me - YAY! Car is still written off though - great bloody timing
That afternoon I had my normal routine MW appt but she found my BP was still raised - although still not massively - and arranged to come to my house the next morning to re-assess in case it was white coat syndrome. The next morning she came to my house again to check it and it was still raised (slightly higher). I did explain that the car accident and that the associated bugger we have no transport and Im nearly 39weeks pregnant stuff was probably impacting on my BP she sent me over to the hospital to be checked out there.
So off I toddle again to Ward 4, arrive, someone takes my BP again after first trying with the small cuff despite me, and my notes, saying it wont give a proper reading. It was still raised so they took some bloods and urine for testing and asked me to wait. Wait in the hottest room in the whole bloody place. For nearly 3hours. With no information at all. I was hot and bothered and fed up when they finally decided to speak to me. I saw an SHO who wasnt very clear, told me they thought I needed to be kept in and have a sweep. She left and I was shell shocked. One of the MW on the ward found me having a little cry to myself (the one time my OH wasnt with me and I needed him to ask the questions my brain didnt think about because I was so shocked!). The MW spoke to the SHO who saw me again and then went on to talk about induction. She wasnt at all a good communicator and I am still cross about the way she discussed this with me.
I was admitted to ward 4 and my OH came over as soon as he could get everything together. We sat and talked about what was going to happen and I refused the sweep as I wasnt even showing the slightest signs of being ready for labour. We sat and talked about what we wanted to happen and what we were prepared to happen (and change our plans if needs be) but we needed to do this just between us. I hate the way the whole pregnancy thing is so medicalised when there really isnt the need for it. I also hate being told what is happening to me (in terms of intervention) as if I dont have a brain between my ears. I am not a Dr/Consultant etc, but Im not stupid either. They monitored pickle and me for a bit and left me to it for the night.
I slept really badly that night, me and hospitals just dont mix together at all. The next morning my OH got back at 8.30am and we met with the consultant. She explained that I now had falling platelet count as well as +++proteinurea and the raised BP, and that she was confident it was pre-eclampsia and that I would be induced. We said no we wouldnt be induced until wed discussed our options together etc that we werent against it, but it needed to be the right thing to do. I know a few people who had inductions that just didnt work and I needed to be confident the medical need was there. The thing that changed our minds was I wasnt going to get better before I gave birth, that whilst it was stable PET (Pre-Eclampsia), it could get worse fast and then Id be needing more help.
All things considered we decided to go for it, so they put the wheels in motion. At 11.30am I had the first pessary, the MW finds that Im already 1cm dilated and my cervix had started to move - pickle was already on their way out. So the next 6 hours was quite dull, some period cramps, some weird sensations in the nether regions, but nothing to write home about tbh. The next pessary should have been 6hours later but they were running late and I got it at 7.30pm.
OH had to leave at 8 as it was the end of visiting - things had already started to heat up though and the period pains were getting stronger. OH left and I was left to it on my own. The next hour was a bit weird, the pains got slowly worse but were manageable. I had so many trips to the loo that I thought the 2 others sharing my room thought I had serious problems
then from about 9 it all went so fast - the pain got harder and harder. I spoke to the 2 different midwives and asked for some help and the gave me some paracetamol, then, when it really got painful I got some codeine - woo. The pain kept coming, each time feeling like my pelvis was about to shatter. The MWs kept telling me this was just the pecesary that I had a long way to go yet and to try to rest. REST! Shes having a bloody laugh! This is when I started to panic - if this was just the pessary and not early labour then there was no way I was going to be able to deal with labour pains. No way at all. I always thought my pain threshold was quite high but the thought of still being just the pessary frightened me.
Over the next 30mins the pain just increased with every second. I walked up and down the ward corridor, lent against walls grunting/trying to breathe through the pain. Then, when sat on my ball, I felt a pop and liquid trickle down my leg. I didnt think it was my waters as the MWs were still insistent it was just pessary pains. I spoke to one of them and she came to examine me - nope was still 1cm dilated and cervix still posterior - I was flattened. Maybe I was just a wuss after all.
Through all of this I was emailing OH and my brother as a distraction and also to have other people to bounce off as I had no one with me on the ward. It worked and helped for a few seconds. By this point with each pain I was pretty much just wailing - nothing I was doing was helping and with no focus/someone to bounce off I felt really out of control. Apparently at some point before 10 I emailed him Help Me. I had tried to speak to him but couldnt speak through the pain. He wasnt allowed on the ward but I needed someone with me, I was losing focus on everything going on. He asked if I wanted him back on the ward and I said yes. The next thing I know is Im being moved to a side room and hes there. I have never been so pleased to see him and his cantankerous ways. At last I had someone I could focus on, someone who could talk to me through the pain. It helped so much. I lose track of time at this bit - although I know it has to be just under two hours of being in this room but it didnt feel like that at all. I know they made me lie down to monitor me as they couldnt get a 15min monitor and lying down was just horrific, I knew I needed to be upright. At this point they brought some gas and air which, whilst didnt help with the pain as such, gave me something to do and concentrate on (and enjoy). I dont know how long I was on that bed for but my OH came back with a midwife after muttering about contractions (he was timing me). She examined me and found I was 8cm. 8cm, with no pain relief until that point. That made me want to shout see you fucking ****s I told you I was in fucking pain but I think it came out as Yyeeeeeeaaahaahhhhhh. Within 2 more contractions I could feel the head being in place to push. I tried to explain this to my OH but struggled what the the G&A and pain. He went to tell one of the MW and they rushed me downstairs to labour ward. I remember one contraction as they started to put my trousers back on for moving me on the wheelchair but I clamped it to the bottom of the bed, I think they thought I was being awkward until the contraction passed and I explained I needed it to cope with the contraction (pushed hard against the bottom of the bed!). Being upright on the chair made all the difference though - I felt in control again, the pain more productive.
This bit is totally hazy now - I dont remember arriving on the delivery ward, I remember being knelt up against the back of the bed in the delivery room and refusing to move - it felt exactly right and I wasnt about the lie down for another monitor for anyone. How long I was there before baby was in position to push I dont know but as I was in the room for 55mins before she was born it cant have been long. The MW was amazing - I asked her so many questions (what should I be doing?, can I do this? will she get stuck?) and she answered perfectly. When the time came to push the feeling was incredible - my body left me no option other than to go with it - I couldnt do anything else. The pain was positive, the feeling weird, and the intensity was amazing. When she crowned the MW asked if my OH wanted to look - I had said I didnt want him to but after seeing me already in such a state I couldnt think of a rational reason why he shouldnt. I remember hearing him in disbelief and excitement.
Then the point of no return - the next push would be her head - no stopping it, no just give me a second, the contraction came, the pushing came and I could feel the head slowly coming, then from somewhere my body just went for it, the biggest push down I could muster (I think this was the last contraction I would have been able to manage tbh) and she was born all in one - out came the head, the body and all the fluid. OH MY GOD the relief was incredible. But the cord was very sore rubbing on me so when she said Id got a 2nd degree tear it made sense.
I knelt back, she passed me pickle and it was just amazing, one of the most wonderful moments of my life. She was gorgeous. Utterly gorgeous.
