A long birth story!

LouisecH

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Hello Everyone

Thanks for worrying about me :D As you've probably seen I was having my baby Zara. She was born on 8th December at 33 weeks and 5 days but we were in hospital until Xmas Eve and it's been a bit hectic since then.

Anyway, I'm not sure where I should be posting my labour story so I thought I'd put it here.

Well, it all started at work on 1st December when i started getting mild irregular contractions. I got kicked out of work and went to the hospital where I was told that they could see the membranes and that I should stop work and take things easy. I got kept in for two nights just so that they could monitor the baby but nothing seemed to be happening.

On 6th December I was lying in bed and thought I felt something wet. I stood up quickly and leaked two small amounts of water. Getting all excited I went to the hospital where I was informed that it wasn't water but either urine or discharge :shock: but I wasn't convinced.

I leaked all night and called the hospital again in the morning to tell them I thought they'd made a mistake. They said they were pretty sure it was a urine leak but to come in anyway. As soon as I was examined my waters went all over the doctor. They believed me this time :lol:

I was admitted for the night but following a scan was told that as I still had quite a bit of water around the baby it was unlikely that I'd go into labour.

At 18.30 I was sitting in my hospital bed when I had a sharp stabbing pain in my tummy. I thought I'd pulled a muscle but it came again six mins later and continued every 6 minutes for an hour. By 9pm the contractions were coming every 3 minutes but when I was examined I was told that this wasn't labour and was probably just practice contractions. Hmmm.

Well these 'practice' contractions got worse and worse until at 23.00 the nurses suggested I have some pethadine to help me sleep (sleep :shock: ??????) as the baby wouldn't be coming for at least 12 hours. I had a half shot of pethidine and my huband was sent home. The pethidine did nothing except make me throw up and feel dizzy. All through my labour I couldn't bear to be sitting down but had to be walking about so now I was staggering around in circles.

At 00.00 I was making so much noise on the ward that I was examined again and found to be 6cm dilated. So much for practice contracions! I was rushed down to the delivery suite in a wheel chair and by the time I got there I was needing to push and 9 cm.

I had a brilliant midwife who really encouraged me all the way though. Dh arrived at 00.30 and I was well into my pushing by then. I found that if I let out one enormous yelp at the height of the contraction that I could shut up and concentrate on my pushing after that.

I had gas and air for the first few pushes but the midwife told me that if I stopped using it the labour would speed up so I quickly got rid of it and Zara was born at 01.17.

It was the most amazing experience of my life and far better than I could ever have imagined. I was lucky and didn't tear but for me it really wasn't worth any of the worry. I actually quite enjoyed it and was able to have a laugh between contractions.

Zara was only in special care over night and then we moved to transitional care where we stayed for 15 days. I was so pleased to be staying with her I didn't mind being in hospital so long, except that I missed my husband so much!

Zara needed to be tube fed for 10 days to help her put on weight because her suck wasn't strong enough but she's now doing really well - breast feeding brilliantly - and has had no complications other than jaundice and a tendancy to forget to breath when feeding. She's fine given a heart slap!

Anyway, typing this has taken a fair time because she's lying on my lap with the keyboard :D .

Good luck all you third trimester mums. I can't believe I've had my baby already. It seems so strange but fantastic. Zara's lovely - I'll post a picture soon!

SAMI - re: routine feeds. It's a bit of a nightmare having to wake her up through the night and it can take up to 2 hours before I'm sure she's full and clean and asleep!! Through the day shes waking herself up every 3 hours so no problems there. How are you getting on?
 
Congratulations Louise on the birth of your daughter Zara!

What a great birth story, I feel really emotional reading it (probably just my hormones at the moment!).

I'm glad to read everything is settled now and you can enjoy being a mum.

Just a nosy question - what did Zara weigh?

Hope you have a lovely New Year

Lucy
34 + 4
 
Hi Lucy

She weighed 5lbs exactly. Not long for you now!!! :D
 
Hello

Congradulations and im glad things ended up well for the two of you.
Katrina
 
Congrats again Louise, glad things are all well :)

xx
 
That was a brilliant story.

Thanks so much for taking the time to write it all up.

It always helsp to read that birth can be positive, and even enjoyable sometimes.

I hope I can say the same thing!

I bet Zara is very beautiful!

Take care of yourself!
 

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