Hi ladies
Well, I can’t believe Zac is 2 weeks old today already! It’s gone so quickly. I’ve finally managed to sit down with enough time to write his birth story! So here you are!
We had been at the hospital for over 2 and a half hours that day, speaking to the doctor, the surgeon and the aneathetist about the cs. They had agreed to try to break my waters but if it didn’t work I was booked in for the cs. I had to be at the hospital at 8am. I’d had another sweep whilst at the hospital (probably about 4pm) and had felt a bit achy since then.
Then we were sat having dinner and at about 5.45-6pm I commented to dh that I was getting period pains! I didn’t want to believe it was actually happening in case it wasn’t! We weren’t sure what to do about ds, as it was nearly his bedtime, but after giving it another 45mins we called the inlaws to come and get him. When he had gone I was able to finally relax and by this stage accepted that I was actually in labour!!!! I couldn’t believe this baby had left it to the last minute!!
I decided to go to bed to try to get some rest at this point, and managed to doze for a little while. My contractions got more frequent and dh hooked me up to the tens machine which helped. We rang the hospital at about midnight I think and they said that because I was able to talk during contractions that I wasn’t far enough along. They suggested I go and have a bath. I didn’t feel like having a bath so we decided to stay in bed and watch an episode of Gavin and Stacy!!! Poor dh had to pause it every few minutes for me to have a contraction!
I then went to have a bath. When I got out my contractions really sped up and became much stronger so we called the hospital again and they agreed we could go in. It took us quite a while to get out and get there because I was stopping every few minutes to have a contraction! The journey was awful, every bump hurt like mad! And we only live 5 mins away from the hospital!
I think we got there at 2ish. They checked me and said that I was 5cm so I definitely wouldn’t be going home! I was so lucky that I managed to get the room with the birth pool (there’s only 1 in the hospital!). It took them a while to get it filled up so I asked for a mat so that I could be on the floor leaning over a chair. It hurt so much less for me in that position than on my back.
Because I had had a cs with ds, I had to have continuous foetal monitoring this time. They had a wireless heart rate monitor strapped to my tummy, but every time I had a contraction it kept losing his heart rate. The MWs were amazing – I had 2, a student mw and then her supervisor. They took it in turns to lean into the pool to hold the monitor in place! Definitely above and beyond their job description I’d say! But they were so keen for me to get the birth I wanted!
I was in the pool for about an hour/hour and a half I think. After what seemed like hardly any time from when they told me I was 5cm, I really felt the urge to push. I couldn’t quite believe that I needed to push so soon, so I decided to have a feel and could feel his head!!! That was so exciting to realise that it was all getting quite near!
Unfortunately they were unable to check me properly in the pool and lost his heart rate a few times so they said I had to get out of the pool. They got me up on the bed with my legs in supports! Very dignified!!!!
By this stage I was really tired. I’d had gas and air when I was in the pool but when they got me out they said that I needed to fully feel it to get him out so they took it away!! I think my second stage lasted well over an hour (I’m not too sure how long it was). His head was crowning for ages!!! I was able to feel his head with my fingers which was great, although frustrating that he wasn’t actually coming out! At some point they called a dr in to assist and I remember her saying to me that they were going to have to do an episiotomy. That was obviously enough of an incentive for me as I managed to push out his head on my next contraction!!!! I have to say it was the most amazing and relieving feeling I have ever experienced! I was so happy! It still took more pushes than I was expecting to get the rest of him out and then they put him straight onto me!
I hadn’t even thought to look to see if he was a boy or a girl but they asked us if we wanted to see, and dh had a look and said he was a boy. He started suckling straight away and they left us for a little bit as I had asked for the cord not to be cut until it had stopped pulsing.
Unfortunately after they had cut the cord they were a bit worried about my blood loss and the placenta not coming out quickly enough, so the alarm button got pressed and I had 7 people in with me! I was giving the injection and put on a drip. It was all ok in the end. I needed some stitches too which the dr did.
I had questioned my decision for a natural birth a few times during the labour! But when he was finally born I was so so happy that I had done it.
Sorry that was so long!!
How are all you ladies doing? How are you getting on with your little man OP? Are you breastfeeding? Zac is feeding anything from 2-4 hourly at the moment. I’d forgotten how painful the first couple of weeks could be! But it’s started to improve now which is a relief. He’s currently fast asleep on my lap! He already seems bigger, and is definitely more alert and awake than he was.
Not long for you now J! So exciting! How are you feeling about it all? Are you all packed and ready to go?! Make sure you give us one more bump pic before you have him!
How are you Sweetie? I can’t remember, what’s your actual due date? Hope you’re feeling ok too!
Oh, I just remembered, I weighed myself today and weigh 1kg less than I did at my booking in appt at 10 weeks!!!! Hurrah! Having said that, I have eaten soooooooooooo much chocolate over the last two weeks that I really need to cut down or I’ll start piling the pounds back on! I was saying to dh last night that I need an extra 500 calories a day to breastfeed, and he very kindly pointed out that I had eaten nearly 800-900 in chocolate that day!! Whoops!
Anyway, well done if you’ve actually managed to read to the end of this! I’m clearly making up for lost bnb time!
Hope you’re all well. Looking forward to hearing what you’re all up to! Happy New Year to you all! x
. I'll definitely cut down and see if it helps. 
