Hi Ladies,
Well, I have finally found a spare moment to sit down with a cuppa and write my birth story. It seems an age ago now but I will do my best...
I had a sweep on Monday 2 August (9 days overdue and feeling it) and was 2 cm dilated but cervix was still long (whatever that means). MW was optimistic however that things would kick off in the next 24 hours or so. By Tuesday lunchtime I was having contractions but they were very irregular. Come Tuesday night the contractions were coming every 15 minutes or so so I jumped on my birthing ball and officially put myself on labour watch. The contractions seemed to increase in intensity quite quickly so I hooked myself up to the TENS machine. This provided some relief for a few hours but the pads kept coming off and the contraction timer didn't work so I'm not sure it was really worth the hireage cost.
Come 2.30am on Weds. morning (the 4th) the contractions were coming 3 in every 10 minutes for 40-50 secs so oh and I jumped in the car and headed for the hospital. Was examined and was only 3 cms. I was gutted as by this stage the pain was pretty intense. They were going to send me home but my bp was elevated and there were traces of protein in my urine so they kept me in. Unfortunately no midwifes were available so I was left to contract away in a side room in the day assessment unit for a good 8 hours or so. Thankfully a lovely health care assistant took us under her wing and ensured I had access to gas and air pretty much immediately.
About 7 hours after arriving at the hospital I caved and decided I needed an epidural. Unfortunately no anaesthetists were available so I was given diamorphine which was brilliant and really dulled the pain. However, about 10 minutes after this, an anaesthetist became available and I was rushed down to the labour ward. I contemplated not having the epidural as the diamorphine had really kicked in well but they said I was 8 cm so it was a case of "now or never".
Anticipating that the pain would only get worse i took the epidural. I am in two minds as to whether that was a good idea or not. On the one hand I felt no pain at all for the remainder of my labour on the other as soon as I had the epidural things started to go pear shaped. My contractions became virtually non-existent (8 hours to go the remaining 2 cms) and I had to go on a syntocinon drip to get them started again. When I finally reached 10 cms and was allowed to push, baby got really distressed and after an hour pushing we lost the heartbeat. Within seconds, the room filled with people and baby was delivered by forceps and a pretty gory episiotomy 5 minutes later, weighing a respectable 7 pounds 6 onces. The cord had been wrapped round her neck and each contraction was causing it to tighten. I lost 3 pints of blood afterwards and required a bevvy of drugs to get my worn out uterus to contract, but I was oblivious to all this as I had my beautiful little girl in my arms looking up at me. She latched straight away and has feed like a demon ever since (shame she hasn't got the hang of sleeping in the same way!).
I have nothing but good things to say about the care I received from the hospital and the support I received from my husband (he was my rock though it all). Whilst the midwifes seemed to think I had a traumatic birth, I feel very positive about it and, despite the complications, it was nowhere near as painful as I imagined in my head it would be. It's true what they say about forgetting the pain and whilst, maybe not tomorrow, I would definitely do it all again.
Well, I have finally found a spare moment to sit down with a cuppa and write my birth story. It seems an age ago now but I will do my best...
I had a sweep on Monday 2 August (9 days overdue and feeling it) and was 2 cm dilated but cervix was still long (whatever that means). MW was optimistic however that things would kick off in the next 24 hours or so. By Tuesday lunchtime I was having contractions but they were very irregular. Come Tuesday night the contractions were coming every 15 minutes or so so I jumped on my birthing ball and officially put myself on labour watch. The contractions seemed to increase in intensity quite quickly so I hooked myself up to the TENS machine. This provided some relief for a few hours but the pads kept coming off and the contraction timer didn't work so I'm not sure it was really worth the hireage cost.
Come 2.30am on Weds. morning (the 4th) the contractions were coming 3 in every 10 minutes for 40-50 secs so oh and I jumped in the car and headed for the hospital. Was examined and was only 3 cms. I was gutted as by this stage the pain was pretty intense. They were going to send me home but my bp was elevated and there were traces of protein in my urine so they kept me in. Unfortunately no midwifes were available so I was left to contract away in a side room in the day assessment unit for a good 8 hours or so. Thankfully a lovely health care assistant took us under her wing and ensured I had access to gas and air pretty much immediately.
About 7 hours after arriving at the hospital I caved and decided I needed an epidural. Unfortunately no anaesthetists were available so I was given diamorphine which was brilliant and really dulled the pain. However, about 10 minutes after this, an anaesthetist became available and I was rushed down to the labour ward. I contemplated not having the epidural as the diamorphine had really kicked in well but they said I was 8 cm so it was a case of "now or never".
Anticipating that the pain would only get worse i took the epidural. I am in two minds as to whether that was a good idea or not. On the one hand I felt no pain at all for the remainder of my labour on the other as soon as I had the epidural things started to go pear shaped. My contractions became virtually non-existent (8 hours to go the remaining 2 cms) and I had to go on a syntocinon drip to get them started again. When I finally reached 10 cms and was allowed to push, baby got really distressed and after an hour pushing we lost the heartbeat. Within seconds, the room filled with people and baby was delivered by forceps and a pretty gory episiotomy 5 minutes later, weighing a respectable 7 pounds 6 onces. The cord had been wrapped round her neck and each contraction was causing it to tighten. I lost 3 pints of blood afterwards and required a bevvy of drugs to get my worn out uterus to contract, but I was oblivious to all this as I had my beautiful little girl in my arms looking up at me. She latched straight away and has feed like a demon ever since (shame she hasn't got the hang of sleeping in the same way!).
I have nothing but good things to say about the care I received from the hospital and the support I received from my husband (he was my rock though it all). Whilst the midwifes seemed to think I had a traumatic birth, I feel very positive about it and, despite the complications, it was nowhere near as painful as I imagined in my head it would be. It's true what they say about forgetting the pain and whilst, maybe not tomorrow, I would definitely do it all again.
Xx
Congratulations xxxxx
shes LUSH! what a gorgeous little girl!! 
