babyelmo
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Hello Ladies. Sorry it's taken me so long to write this, i've had a bit of a tough time since Fred was born. I'm recovering well though and getting loads of support from my health visitor and PEWS.
As I posted a while ago now, I was diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis at 37 weeks and was booked in to be induced at 38 weeks. To be honest I was quite pleased that the end was in sight, I'd had quite enough of spd, heartburn, insomnia, etc and I was excited to meet my little fella!
I was induced with my dd when I was 11 days overdue and I had a really easy birth so I had no worries about this induction at all. I got in to hospital at 8.30, fully expecting to deliver some time later that night. Little did I know what was in store...!!
I have to say, the midwives at Southend hospital are just wonderful and made me feel completely at ease. I saw a consultant who explained that they now use a slow-release kind of prostin that sits against the cervix like a tampon. He told me that they would administer it for two days in a row, then if nothing happens I have a rest day before they have another go. When I was induced last time it was one large dose of the gel and out she came! Alarm bells started to ring a bit here but I was still convinced he would be here sooner rather than later!
So I had the prostin, and fairly soon I started to have pains. They weren't contractions but they felt like something was pushing down heavily on my pelvic floor and pressing against my lower back. It was surprisingly painful but I stayed active, wandering round the hospital with my oh, trying to get things going as well as ignoring comments from annoying strangers, such as "Try running" or "Oooh that looks like a long walk for you", Grrrrr!
A few hours later I was in a lot of pain but it just didn't feel like labour so I had some pethedine. Well, I was quite soon on another planet! That along side the gas and air made the whole experience a lot more fun!!! I fell asleep a couple of hours later and when I woke up all the pains had stopped. I was gutted, especially when I was examined and my cervix was high and shut tight. All that pain for nothing it seemed!
The next morning they inserted another pessary. I was tired and fed up but determined I was getting this baby out! So off we went, wandering round the hospital. The pains were coming every minute, I felt like something was trying to tear my pelvic floor open, break my back and climb out of my bottom all at once! They told me that he was back to back, that's what was causing all the back pain, so I tried bouncing on a birthing ball. Baby's heartbeat was monitored regularly throughout and he was doing just fine. That night though his heartbeat was a bit erratic. I'd been examined and the pessary fell out! So the midwife gave me a sweep which seemed to do something as i lost my plug in a big murky gush! Then a consultant came in to see me which I thought was odd as she didn't see anyone else. She asked the midwife to keep me nil by mouth, get in a canula and out flight socks on me. I was worried by now by the midwife was just lovely and reassured me, and luckily baby's heartbeat settled. I was still in pain but even though I was having mild contraction they weren't regular so they gave me some codine to take the edge off.
Day 3 I woke up with the right hump! The people on either side of me had had their phones going off all night, I was uncomfortable, exhausted and fed up that today was the day I would be sent home. I spoke to a midwife and said that I did not want to go home without a baby and what were the chances of getting a higher dose of the prostin. My consultant came round to see me just after my oh arrived, I explained my frustrations to him so he said he'd examine me to see what was going on. I'm a complete wuss when it comes to internals, I hate them, so I started puffing away on the gas & air and within seconds I was out of it! I couldn't hear what was being said at all, all I felt was pain inside the most almighty gush between my legs - the sweep had worked, i'd dilated almost to 2cm and he'd been able to break my waters! I was so relieved I cried!
From here on it all got a bit traumatic. I wanted to have a shower before I went to a labour room. I had waters pouring out of me, there were other ladies' husbands wandering round the ward and I had to walk across with just a towel wrapped round my bottom half and a pad wedged between my legs, it was awful. After that we went into the labour room and a drip was set up to get things going. It took an hour or so but finally I felt contractions, but oh my goodness they were painful. Because I was strapped to a monitor I couldn't walk around which I felt I wanted to do. The pains were horrific, they were coming on top of each other so I had more pethidine and gas and air. I remember seeing my oh in front of me, then I opened my eyes and saw the midwife and I couldn't understand what the hell was going on, I was later told I had been hallucinating and even said I could see my cat on the bed! As soon as i'd had the pethidine the contractions were constant so I had an epidural. I was in so much pain I just couldn't make sense of what was going on, the anaesthetist was asking me to move this was and that way, but she was behind me so I didn't know what she meant and I couldn't stop crying. A consultant examined me just after the epi and I remember hearing her say "Would you believe she's fully dilated" - i'd gone from 2 - 10 in 2 hours!!
The problem now was that baby was back to back and not in a good position so I had to wait 2 hours to see if his head came down. I could feel pressure and I really needed to push but wasn't allowed so I kept sucking on the gas and air to take the edge off of the urge. I was examined again after 2 hours and started pushing but nothing was happening. The next thing I remember the room was full of people, and with my legs in stirrups a consultant tried to turn his head manually as he was trying to come out face first. I don't know how that was possible, and it was a terrifying experience but I was so out of it on drugs I couldn't do anything.
Then I remember seeing my oh in scrubs and they were talking about doing a foreceps delivery. Out of it as I was, I was determined not to have foreceps so they topped me up with a spinal, told me they'd try a ventouse, if that didn't work it would be a c-section. It was so frightening, I couldn't understand what was going on. I had people taking off my rings and earring, someone taking off my nail varnish, people seemed to be running round everywhere. They wheeled me into theatre and the room was full of people talking to me, I didn't have a clue who they were or what was going on. I swear I could feel my legs laying flat on the bed, but I could see my knee in the air, I was so confused I was crying.
After a few minutes my midwife asked me to push. I was completely numb so I didn't even know if I was doing it. They told me his head had been born but there was an issue with getting his shoulders out, but they managed it and my boy was delivered weighing 7lb 7oz. They just laid him on me, i was terrified i'd drop him!!
It's taken my stitches a long while to heal and to be honest i've been quite traumatised by the whole experience. I'm even crying remembering all this. I desperately wanted to breast feed but the pain in my tummy from it was just too much, I completely freaked out as I felt like I was having those awful contractions again. Fred is perfectly happy having formula but i'm feeling like a total failure. But i'm getting a lot of support from the perinatal emotional wellbeing service, they've been very supportive. Ant the important thing is my beautiful boy is thriving - he gained 11oz this week!
Sorry this is such a long post! I'm a bit anxious about posting pics of him on an open forum, but there are loads on my facebook, if you're not already on my list just ask and i'll add you so you can see my handsome boy!
As I posted a while ago now, I was diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis at 37 weeks and was booked in to be induced at 38 weeks. To be honest I was quite pleased that the end was in sight, I'd had quite enough of spd, heartburn, insomnia, etc and I was excited to meet my little fella!
I was induced with my dd when I was 11 days overdue and I had a really easy birth so I had no worries about this induction at all. I got in to hospital at 8.30, fully expecting to deliver some time later that night. Little did I know what was in store...!!
I have to say, the midwives at Southend hospital are just wonderful and made me feel completely at ease. I saw a consultant who explained that they now use a slow-release kind of prostin that sits against the cervix like a tampon. He told me that they would administer it for two days in a row, then if nothing happens I have a rest day before they have another go. When I was induced last time it was one large dose of the gel and out she came! Alarm bells started to ring a bit here but I was still convinced he would be here sooner rather than later!
So I had the prostin, and fairly soon I started to have pains. They weren't contractions but they felt like something was pushing down heavily on my pelvic floor and pressing against my lower back. It was surprisingly painful but I stayed active, wandering round the hospital with my oh, trying to get things going as well as ignoring comments from annoying strangers, such as "Try running" or "Oooh that looks like a long walk for you", Grrrrr!
A few hours later I was in a lot of pain but it just didn't feel like labour so I had some pethedine. Well, I was quite soon on another planet! That along side the gas and air made the whole experience a lot more fun!!! I fell asleep a couple of hours later and when I woke up all the pains had stopped. I was gutted, especially when I was examined and my cervix was high and shut tight. All that pain for nothing it seemed!
The next morning they inserted another pessary. I was tired and fed up but determined I was getting this baby out! So off we went, wandering round the hospital. The pains were coming every minute, I felt like something was trying to tear my pelvic floor open, break my back and climb out of my bottom all at once! They told me that he was back to back, that's what was causing all the back pain, so I tried bouncing on a birthing ball. Baby's heartbeat was monitored regularly throughout and he was doing just fine. That night though his heartbeat was a bit erratic. I'd been examined and the pessary fell out! So the midwife gave me a sweep which seemed to do something as i lost my plug in a big murky gush! Then a consultant came in to see me which I thought was odd as she didn't see anyone else. She asked the midwife to keep me nil by mouth, get in a canula and out flight socks on me. I was worried by now by the midwife was just lovely and reassured me, and luckily baby's heartbeat settled. I was still in pain but even though I was having mild contraction they weren't regular so they gave me some codine to take the edge off.
Day 3 I woke up with the right hump! The people on either side of me had had their phones going off all night, I was uncomfortable, exhausted and fed up that today was the day I would be sent home. I spoke to a midwife and said that I did not want to go home without a baby and what were the chances of getting a higher dose of the prostin. My consultant came round to see me just after my oh arrived, I explained my frustrations to him so he said he'd examine me to see what was going on. I'm a complete wuss when it comes to internals, I hate them, so I started puffing away on the gas & air and within seconds I was out of it! I couldn't hear what was being said at all, all I felt was pain inside the most almighty gush between my legs - the sweep had worked, i'd dilated almost to 2cm and he'd been able to break my waters! I was so relieved I cried!
From here on it all got a bit traumatic. I wanted to have a shower before I went to a labour room. I had waters pouring out of me, there were other ladies' husbands wandering round the ward and I had to walk across with just a towel wrapped round my bottom half and a pad wedged between my legs, it was awful. After that we went into the labour room and a drip was set up to get things going. It took an hour or so but finally I felt contractions, but oh my goodness they were painful. Because I was strapped to a monitor I couldn't walk around which I felt I wanted to do. The pains were horrific, they were coming on top of each other so I had more pethidine and gas and air. I remember seeing my oh in front of me, then I opened my eyes and saw the midwife and I couldn't understand what the hell was going on, I was later told I had been hallucinating and even said I could see my cat on the bed! As soon as i'd had the pethidine the contractions were constant so I had an epidural. I was in so much pain I just couldn't make sense of what was going on, the anaesthetist was asking me to move this was and that way, but she was behind me so I didn't know what she meant and I couldn't stop crying. A consultant examined me just after the epi and I remember hearing her say "Would you believe she's fully dilated" - i'd gone from 2 - 10 in 2 hours!!
The problem now was that baby was back to back and not in a good position so I had to wait 2 hours to see if his head came down. I could feel pressure and I really needed to push but wasn't allowed so I kept sucking on the gas and air to take the edge off of the urge. I was examined again after 2 hours and started pushing but nothing was happening. The next thing I remember the room was full of people, and with my legs in stirrups a consultant tried to turn his head manually as he was trying to come out face first. I don't know how that was possible, and it was a terrifying experience but I was so out of it on drugs I couldn't do anything.
Then I remember seeing my oh in scrubs and they were talking about doing a foreceps delivery. Out of it as I was, I was determined not to have foreceps so they topped me up with a spinal, told me they'd try a ventouse, if that didn't work it would be a c-section. It was so frightening, I couldn't understand what was going on. I had people taking off my rings and earring, someone taking off my nail varnish, people seemed to be running round everywhere. They wheeled me into theatre and the room was full of people talking to me, I didn't have a clue who they were or what was going on. I swear I could feel my legs laying flat on the bed, but I could see my knee in the air, I was so confused I was crying.
After a few minutes my midwife asked me to push. I was completely numb so I didn't even know if I was doing it. They told me his head had been born but there was an issue with getting his shoulders out, but they managed it and my boy was delivered weighing 7lb 7oz. They just laid him on me, i was terrified i'd drop him!!
It's taken my stitches a long while to heal and to be honest i've been quite traumatised by the whole experience. I'm even crying remembering all this. I desperately wanted to breast feed but the pain in my tummy from it was just too much, I completely freaked out as I felt like I was having those awful contractions again. Fred is perfectly happy having formula but i'm feeling like a total failure. But i'm getting a lot of support from the perinatal emotional wellbeing service, they've been very supportive. Ant the important thing is my beautiful boy is thriving - he gained 11oz this week!
Sorry this is such a long post! I'm a bit anxious about posting pics of him on an open forum, but there are loads on my facebook, if you're not already on my list just ask and i'll add you so you can see my handsome boy!
xx
