I had my second sweep in the afternoon on Wednesday, and I was 3cm which I was happy with! Went home and didn’t feel anything until later that evening – had reasonably regular contractions, but then once I got up and walked around they dissipated. I went to bed thinking nothing was going to happen so I may as well get some sleep!
Woke up at 2.30am with more contractions. Lay there and started timing them and they were regular, anything from 3-4 minutes apart and I needed to move with them so got up (also to see if I moved if they would stay or go, like last time!). I managed until almost 4am by myself and they were getting stronger, so I woke DH up and just said “I’m really sore”! He got up and we were on the lounge, he got the heat pack for my back as that’s where the worst pain was. I said I thought I should call the birthing suite as the contractions were about 3 ½ minutes apart and we were told to go in when they were 3-4 minutes apart – even though I was still managing ok. They said that I could stay home longer, so we did. I tried having a shower (didn’t help) and DH packed the last of my things in a bag. I called them at 5am and said they were closer together and I had a contraction while I was on the phone and they could tell I couldn’t talk through it so off we went! Luckily at that time of the morning there was no one around, I’d had nightmares of having to share the elevators with other tenants! We got there pretty quickly and they got me in and checked me – 5cm. Progress! They admitted me and asked if I wanted any pain relief. I said that I’d like to try gas first and see if that would be enough. They offered morphine & gravol and said that would last 4 hours and be out of mine and baby’s system after that. So I got a jab in the bum of that, but it’s hard to know if it did any good. The gas did help though, so then we just worked through it until around 9.30am they suggested I try and pee as I hadn’t peed since I got there. The emptier the bladder, the more room there is for baby to move down. By this time my right leg was numb so I couldn’t walk by myself, so the nurse and DH helped me over to the loo, along with my trusty portable gas machine! I had a few contractions on the loo and by this time they were definitely stronger, then mid-contraction there was a big gush and my eyes popped open in surprise – my water had gone! Perfect place for it to happen!
There was meconium in the water, but baby’s heart rate was still good so everything was fine.Down the hall I could hear a woman pushing, and I remember saying “That bitch gets to push already!” I got back to bed and we continued on until around 11am when the obstetrician came in. She was lovely, and explained about Plan B – a c section. I knew this was a possibility given her size and position from the last couple of scans I’d had, so it wasn’t out of the blue. She said currently things were looking fine, but wanted to talk about it now in case it became necessary further along. She checked me and I was 7cm and hitting transition – and the contractions were strong and close together – lasting about a minute and only about 40 seconds or so rest in between, so I was working hard through them. She offered an epidural and explained that if we did need a c section that it would be a lot easier and faster to have it now. I was so anti-epidural going in to it, but at that point I think you could’ve convinced me on almost anything so I agreed! The anesthetist came and got me to sit up on the bed, but I couldn’t sit still, just rocking back and forth with the pain, so she gave me something to calm me down so she could get the epidural in. It didn’t hurt at all (not compared to the contractions at least!) and I had relief in about 15-20 minutes, so then I just lay back and relaxed and chatted – the difference was night and day! The only way I could feel the contractions were by looking at the monitor!
They checked me again about 3pm and I was 9cm and she could feel more waters so broke those. There was SO much water all the time, it was amazing – I’m so glad it didn’t break at home, I think we’d have to claim flood insurance, it was crazy! It just kept coming.
There was just a lot of hanging around really – chatting, the staff there were lovely. The nurses work 12 hour shifts, so the first one I had, Christina, was only with me for around 2 hours, and then Jill I had for her full shift. I kept saying how I wanted to have this baby before her shift was over cause I wanted her to be there! At 5pm I was a full 10cm. They then dialled back the epidural so I could feel the contractions and an urge to push. They were concerned with baby’s position but the heart rate was still fine and we were doing well. They kept asking if I felt the need to push and I didn’t. I said I feel pressure but no urge to push. There was still more water pouring out – they even found more they had to break as baby wasn’t coming down enough as there was still water in the way! Jill said she’s never seen anyone have as much water as I had! They let me go about 2 ½ hours (by which time Jill’s shift was over and Rebecca came on – also lovely) waiting to push and then got me to give pushing a go. I was in a lot of pain by this stage as the epidural was pretty much non-existent, I still had a numb right leg, and pushing wasn’t working. Baby’s heart rate suddenly plummeted from 150bpm to 26bpm and it was panic stations – she was in trouble. They quickly got me to move positions and that sorted her out, she recovered quickly but it was scary. I was in tears from the worry and the pain. I’d also asked for a top up of the epidural and Rebecca had denied me as I needed to feel the contractions – I wanted to call her every name under the sun, and although I knew why she was denying me I was so mad as I was in so much pain! The pain was mainly in my back/hips. She was so lovely that I didn’t call her anything, I hate to imagine what would come out my mouth if she hadn’t have been so nice!
The obstetrician (Carrie) came back in and explained that it was time to move to Plan B – I didn’t hesitate and just said do it – all I wanted was for Zoe to be safe and healthy, nothing else mattered. Carrie was trying to explain the reasons why I needed a c section and I just kept saying yes, that’s fine, just do it! So then they topped me up with the epidural again and the world was again rosy. They had to prep the OR, so we just chatted some more, Rebecca was still with me and told me she would be in the OR as well. She then had to shave my pubes, and I told her I didn’t realise the hospital was a full service one! At around 10pm they came gave DH his sexy scrubs, and wheeled me off to get prepped. I was in no pain whatsoever at this point, and felt quite lightheaded. Again, the staff were so lovely – we were just chatting as they were getting organised and it made me feel quite relaxed. There were lots of people in the OR, but from the time I got in there until the time she was delivered as only around 20 minutes. DH came in just as they started cutting. And there was still more water coming out! I told Carrie that if she wanted to remove some of the fat at the same time, to go ahead! Unfortunately she said it costs extra. Worth a shot!
There was lots of pressure and Zoe arrived with her arms and long legs flailing at 10.49pm on Thursday 25th July 2013. She was perfect – they showed her to me and I teared up, she was OK! 54cm long and 8lb 6oz. The staff commented she was so alert, more like a 3 month old! DH went with Zoe and had skin to skin time while I was stitched up and taken off to recovery. They told me to close my eyes and rest, and that was all the instruction I need – I fell asleep for a while. It had been such a long and emotional day. Finally after about 2 hours I got to see my dear sweet girl and hold her for the first time. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Everything else disappeared about the day and the end product means that it could be 100 times worse and would still be worth it.
Woke up at 2.30am with more contractions. Lay there and started timing them and they were regular, anything from 3-4 minutes apart and I needed to move with them so got up (also to see if I moved if they would stay or go, like last time!). I managed until almost 4am by myself and they were getting stronger, so I woke DH up and just said “I’m really sore”! He got up and we were on the lounge, he got the heat pack for my back as that’s where the worst pain was. I said I thought I should call the birthing suite as the contractions were about 3 ½ minutes apart and we were told to go in when they were 3-4 minutes apart – even though I was still managing ok. They said that I could stay home longer, so we did. I tried having a shower (didn’t help) and DH packed the last of my things in a bag. I called them at 5am and said they were closer together and I had a contraction while I was on the phone and they could tell I couldn’t talk through it so off we went! Luckily at that time of the morning there was no one around, I’d had nightmares of having to share the elevators with other tenants! We got there pretty quickly and they got me in and checked me – 5cm. Progress! They admitted me and asked if I wanted any pain relief. I said that I’d like to try gas first and see if that would be enough. They offered morphine & gravol and said that would last 4 hours and be out of mine and baby’s system after that. So I got a jab in the bum of that, but it’s hard to know if it did any good. The gas did help though, so then we just worked through it until around 9.30am they suggested I try and pee as I hadn’t peed since I got there. The emptier the bladder, the more room there is for baby to move down. By this time my right leg was numb so I couldn’t walk by myself, so the nurse and DH helped me over to the loo, along with my trusty portable gas machine! I had a few contractions on the loo and by this time they were definitely stronger, then mid-contraction there was a big gush and my eyes popped open in surprise – my water had gone! Perfect place for it to happen!
There was meconium in the water, but baby’s heart rate was still good so everything was fine.Down the hall I could hear a woman pushing, and I remember saying “That bitch gets to push already!” I got back to bed and we continued on until around 11am when the obstetrician came in. She was lovely, and explained about Plan B – a c section. I knew this was a possibility given her size and position from the last couple of scans I’d had, so it wasn’t out of the blue. She said currently things were looking fine, but wanted to talk about it now in case it became necessary further along. She checked me and I was 7cm and hitting transition – and the contractions were strong and close together – lasting about a minute and only about 40 seconds or so rest in between, so I was working hard through them. She offered an epidural and explained that if we did need a c section that it would be a lot easier and faster to have it now. I was so anti-epidural going in to it, but at that point I think you could’ve convinced me on almost anything so I agreed! The anesthetist came and got me to sit up on the bed, but I couldn’t sit still, just rocking back and forth with the pain, so she gave me something to calm me down so she could get the epidural in. It didn’t hurt at all (not compared to the contractions at least!) and I had relief in about 15-20 minutes, so then I just lay back and relaxed and chatted – the difference was night and day! The only way I could feel the contractions were by looking at the monitor!
They checked me again about 3pm and I was 9cm and she could feel more waters so broke those. There was SO much water all the time, it was amazing – I’m so glad it didn’t break at home, I think we’d have to claim flood insurance, it was crazy! It just kept coming.
There was just a lot of hanging around really – chatting, the staff there were lovely. The nurses work 12 hour shifts, so the first one I had, Christina, was only with me for around 2 hours, and then Jill I had for her full shift. I kept saying how I wanted to have this baby before her shift was over cause I wanted her to be there! At 5pm I was a full 10cm. They then dialled back the epidural so I could feel the contractions and an urge to push. They were concerned with baby’s position but the heart rate was still fine and we were doing well. They kept asking if I felt the need to push and I didn’t. I said I feel pressure but no urge to push. There was still more water pouring out – they even found more they had to break as baby wasn’t coming down enough as there was still water in the way! Jill said she’s never seen anyone have as much water as I had! They let me go about 2 ½ hours (by which time Jill’s shift was over and Rebecca came on – also lovely) waiting to push and then got me to give pushing a go. I was in a lot of pain by this stage as the epidural was pretty much non-existent, I still had a numb right leg, and pushing wasn’t working. Baby’s heart rate suddenly plummeted from 150bpm to 26bpm and it was panic stations – she was in trouble. They quickly got me to move positions and that sorted her out, she recovered quickly but it was scary. I was in tears from the worry and the pain. I’d also asked for a top up of the epidural and Rebecca had denied me as I needed to feel the contractions – I wanted to call her every name under the sun, and although I knew why she was denying me I was so mad as I was in so much pain! The pain was mainly in my back/hips. She was so lovely that I didn’t call her anything, I hate to imagine what would come out my mouth if she hadn’t have been so nice!
The obstetrician (Carrie) came back in and explained that it was time to move to Plan B – I didn’t hesitate and just said do it – all I wanted was for Zoe to be safe and healthy, nothing else mattered. Carrie was trying to explain the reasons why I needed a c section and I just kept saying yes, that’s fine, just do it! So then they topped me up with the epidural again and the world was again rosy. They had to prep the OR, so we just chatted some more, Rebecca was still with me and told me she would be in the OR as well. She then had to shave my pubes, and I told her I didn’t realise the hospital was a full service one! At around 10pm they came gave DH his sexy scrubs, and wheeled me off to get prepped. I was in no pain whatsoever at this point, and felt quite lightheaded. Again, the staff were so lovely – we were just chatting as they were getting organised and it made me feel quite relaxed. There were lots of people in the OR, but from the time I got in there until the time she was delivered as only around 20 minutes. DH came in just as they started cutting. And there was still more water coming out! I told Carrie that if she wanted to remove some of the fat at the same time, to go ahead! Unfortunately she said it costs extra. Worth a shot!
There was lots of pressure and Zoe arrived with her arms and long legs flailing at 10.49pm on Thursday 25th July 2013. She was perfect – they showed her to me and I teared up, she was OK! 54cm long and 8lb 6oz. The staff commented she was so alert, more like a 3 month old! DH went with Zoe and had skin to skin time while I was stitched up and taken off to recovery. They told me to close my eyes and rest, and that was all the instruction I need – I fell asleep for a while. It had been such a long and emotional day. Finally after about 2 hours I got to see my dear sweet girl and hold her for the first time. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Everything else disappeared about the day and the end product means that it could be 100 times worse and would still be worth it.
