Hey everyone!
Not posted on here for ages but I'm having a relatively stress free day so far (have I just jinxed it?!) so thought I'd update while I can.
Well you all know that I've had my baby boy, and most of you will have seen pics and updates on facebook. I'll try to give a rundown of the birth, but I've probably forgotten a lot of the details! Can't believe he is 2 weeks old today, think I'd better update my ticker!
Tuesday 9th Oct - woke up at 7.30am with a dull ache and tightening feeling in my back and stomach, that lasted around 30 seconds. Didn't think too much of it as had been having period type pains and braxton hicks off and on for a few weeks. Hubby had gone to work for a couple of hours though so I thought I'd stay in bed for a bit and see if I got anymore. around 10-12 minutes later, sure enough another pain came. Started getting a little excited! Carried on all morning until hubby got back, and we were both convinced it was definitely the start of something. Had my midwife appointment at 11 for another attempt at a sweep and to book in my induction. She was able to do the sweep this time as was 2cm dilated, and although she booked in the induction she was pretty sure I wouldn't need it!
Fast forward to 10pm - contractions were approximatly 6 minutes apart, but painful as hell! I knew I was supposed to wait until they were closer together but thought I'd ring the hospital and beg to go in anyway! They said I could, so we arrived at around 10.45. Got sent up to the labour ward where I met a horrid midwife who had a look, said I was still 2cm dilated and sent me packing with some paracetamol and told me to have a bath! Said she'd probably see me on Friday!!
Took the tablets and got in the bath once we got home. Thrashing around in pain, if anyone could hear they'd think someone was trying to drown me! The tablets had no effect whatsoever and by 1.45am, I was begging the hospital to take me back. Got sent to the maternity ward where at 2am I was still 2cm dilated. Was given an injection of diamorphine to take the edge off the pain, and was told they'd check on me again at 4am. The diamorphine helped for a short while, but the pain was soon excruciating again. 4am check up I was 4 cm dilated, and finally acknowledged as being officially in labour. The new lovely midwife (who looked and sounded like Christopher Mintz-Plasse and made us both chuckle everytime she came in the room!) said she'd come back at 8am where she'd expect me to be around 6cm. It got to 6am and I started to feel lots of pressure, midwife came and I'd gone to 8-9 cm in the space of 2 hours! Cue panic as there was no room available on the labour ward! Think we eventually got up there at around 8am, I was having a massive urge to push with each contraction but was told I wasn't ready yet. Was finally given the go ahead at around 8.30, and Seth Alexander Fitzpatrick was born on 10/10/12 at 9.55am weighing 8lbs7oz. Took ages to push him out as my contractions slowed to 1 in 5 minutes, we thought at one point that I'd need intervention.
It turned out that I'd suffered a 3rd degree tear and would need surgery, so at 3pm I was given a spinal block and taken to theatre for stitching. Absolutely hated this, as it meant I couldn't really do anything for my baby until the paralysis had worn off. Spent 2 days in hospital and was finally discharged at 11.30pm on the Thursday.
Spent a lovely weekend together, and then David had to go back to work on the Monday. I must admit I felt really down that day, and shed quite a few tears. We also noticed that day that he had a couple of spots next to his umbilical cord, but we thought it looked like the clamp had been rubbing on his skin. As the midwife was coming the following morning we decided to wait and let her look at it. It worsened overnight and she suggested that we went to hospital straightaway for a doctor to check it over. He was admitted with a probable Staph infection, and stayed in until Friday lunchtime after receiving a course of intravenous antibiotics. When we were discharged we were given some for him to take orally, and thank god it all seems to have cleared up now. He has been a little grumpy since, with what seems to be an unsettled stomach and lots of milky sick. I'm hoping it's just a side effect from the antibiotics but taking him to the docs tomorrow to check it's not reflux, colic, a milk allergy etc.
Wow, sorry for such a mammoth post, you'll have probably given up reading it halfway through!! I'll catch up on all the other posts in a bit.
xxx