Eleanor Louise was born at 10:22pm on Monday 04.08.08 weighing a rather large 8lb 14oz. 
Here's the story of Eleanor Louise's birth....If you make it to the end, you may wish you brought a cushion and some chocolate to see you through.
I went to see the midwife for my 39 week check up on Fri 1st Aug and she sent my bloods to be screened for obstetric Cholestasis as I'd complained of itching and had borderline levels a couple of weeks before. She said that my liver enzyme levels were raised and sent me to the antinatal day care unit...I had done this last time and got monitored and everything was fine so they sent me home so I was expecting the same again. I was surprised when the obstetrician wanted me to stay to be induced this time. I had not brought my delivery/overnight bag so had to pop home and collect the stuff (and DH) and get back to the hospital. Well as it happened the delivery suite became really busy and I didn't get my first induction until Sunday 3rd Aug at 7pm.
I had a prostin gel induction. It was uncomfortable but not too bad. My cervix was not ripe and so I was warned that it could take a few days of treatment before things started. That evening, I had crampy period like pains but these were managed with Co-codamol and I got a reasonable amount of sleep. At 8am on monday morning, I was taken across to the delivery suite for a second dose of prostin. When the MW examined me this time, my cervix was 1-2cm dilated and she did a sweep as well as giving more of the gel. By the time I was taken back to my room, I was having contractions every 4-5 min. The MW was not convinced that it was real and gave me more co-codamol which didn't help at all. I was sure that it wasn't just more cramping. I tried having a bath but hat didn't help so got out my Tens machine. It seemed to help but with each contraction had to increase the level until it was on max and I had no-where to go. At that stage, DH got the midwife and I was begging for more pain relief. Eventually I was taken back the the delivery suite and a midwife examined me. At this stage I was 3 cm dilated and so she manually broke my waters to get things moving. Well it all kicked off then and the contractions were so intense that gas and air didn't touch the pain at all. I had to be monitored throughout because of the OC so had to stay in a reclined position. I asked for pethadine but before the midwife got any, the pain was stronger and I decided to have an epidural instead. While the MW was out of the room I was violently sick all over the place as DH couldn't find anything for me to throw up into. Fortunately the anaesthetist arrived immediately and administered the epidural. I had to take the Tens machine off to get the epidural and I was so worried that I'd not cope but as it turned out I think that at that stage, the Tens machine was making the pain worse! I had to hold still through a contraction while he put the needle in my back - that took a lot of will power. It was sooo worth it - by 2 contractions, the pain was almost completely gone and I could just feel back pressure of the baby's head bearing down.
After I got the epidural, the midwife examined me again and I was 9cm dilated which really surprised me and I was left for a couple of hours before being asked to start pushing. I was relieved that I was that far along as I thought that I was still in early stages and felt a bit of a wimp for needing the epidural. The epidural left me unable to feel the urge to push so it was hard work. The midwife was great and really coached me through it. However, after 2 hrs, things had not progressed very much so an obstetrician was brought in and about to start a forceps delivery. Well this made me concentrate even more on pushing. I was then violently sick again ....so much so that the force on my stomach started pushing the babies head out. As this happened, I started feeling the head and so knew where to concentrate my pushing. Finally, I needed an episiotomy to get the head delivered and once that was done, it was just one more contraction for the head to arrive and another to finish pushing the body out. Eleanor was born into my hands and put straight on my chest at 10:22pm. It was the best moment of my life. I never thought it could be sooo special. She is perfect in every way and to see her little eyes gazing up was so delightful. The midwife helped me to start feeding her and gave us time to bond (about 2hrs) before doing all the cleaning up and stitching. As well as the episiotomy, I had a tear so stitching took about 1hr but she did a really neat job. Labour was said to have taken 6hr which I guess was from the time my waters were broken.
After the stitching, we were given more time with Eleanor and eventually left the delivery suite at 3:15 am. That night I just watched her and checked she was OK every so often as I was so worried that something would happen to her. The next morning, I was given the all-clear and we just had to wait for the paediatrician to come and sign off Eleanor. They weren't available until 7pm but after being checked over, we were discharged and went home.
All of the staff were magnificent and I felt like I was properly looked after from start to finish. The MW that delivered my baby even worked late to see Eleanor delivered.
Well that's the story so far....we are learning to cope with the demands of a little one but it's such a pleasure to look after her as to us she is so precious.
Here's the story of Eleanor Louise's birth....If you make it to the end, you may wish you brought a cushion and some chocolate to see you through.
I went to see the midwife for my 39 week check up on Fri 1st Aug and she sent my bloods to be screened for obstetric Cholestasis as I'd complained of itching and had borderline levels a couple of weeks before. She said that my liver enzyme levels were raised and sent me to the antinatal day care unit...I had done this last time and got monitored and everything was fine so they sent me home so I was expecting the same again. I was surprised when the obstetrician wanted me to stay to be induced this time. I had not brought my delivery/overnight bag so had to pop home and collect the stuff (and DH) and get back to the hospital. Well as it happened the delivery suite became really busy and I didn't get my first induction until Sunday 3rd Aug at 7pm.
I had a prostin gel induction. It was uncomfortable but not too bad. My cervix was not ripe and so I was warned that it could take a few days of treatment before things started. That evening, I had crampy period like pains but these were managed with Co-codamol and I got a reasonable amount of sleep. At 8am on monday morning, I was taken across to the delivery suite for a second dose of prostin. When the MW examined me this time, my cervix was 1-2cm dilated and she did a sweep as well as giving more of the gel. By the time I was taken back to my room, I was having contractions every 4-5 min. The MW was not convinced that it was real and gave me more co-codamol which didn't help at all. I was sure that it wasn't just more cramping. I tried having a bath but hat didn't help so got out my Tens machine. It seemed to help but with each contraction had to increase the level until it was on max and I had no-where to go. At that stage, DH got the midwife and I was begging for more pain relief. Eventually I was taken back the the delivery suite and a midwife examined me. At this stage I was 3 cm dilated and so she manually broke my waters to get things moving. Well it all kicked off then and the contractions were so intense that gas and air didn't touch the pain at all. I had to be monitored throughout because of the OC so had to stay in a reclined position. I asked for pethadine but before the midwife got any, the pain was stronger and I decided to have an epidural instead. While the MW was out of the room I was violently sick all over the place as DH couldn't find anything for me to throw up into. Fortunately the anaesthetist arrived immediately and administered the epidural. I had to take the Tens machine off to get the epidural and I was so worried that I'd not cope but as it turned out I think that at that stage, the Tens machine was making the pain worse! I had to hold still through a contraction while he put the needle in my back - that took a lot of will power. It was sooo worth it - by 2 contractions, the pain was almost completely gone and I could just feel back pressure of the baby's head bearing down.
After I got the epidural, the midwife examined me again and I was 9cm dilated which really surprised me and I was left for a couple of hours before being asked to start pushing. I was relieved that I was that far along as I thought that I was still in early stages and felt a bit of a wimp for needing the epidural. The epidural left me unable to feel the urge to push so it was hard work. The midwife was great and really coached me through it. However, after 2 hrs, things had not progressed very much so an obstetrician was brought in and about to start a forceps delivery. Well this made me concentrate even more on pushing. I was then violently sick again ....so much so that the force on my stomach started pushing the babies head out. As this happened, I started feeling the head and so knew where to concentrate my pushing. Finally, I needed an episiotomy to get the head delivered and once that was done, it was just one more contraction for the head to arrive and another to finish pushing the body out. Eleanor was born into my hands and put straight on my chest at 10:22pm. It was the best moment of my life. I never thought it could be sooo special. She is perfect in every way and to see her little eyes gazing up was so delightful. The midwife helped me to start feeding her and gave us time to bond (about 2hrs) before doing all the cleaning up and stitching. As well as the episiotomy, I had a tear so stitching took about 1hr but she did a really neat job. Labour was said to have taken 6hr which I guess was from the time my waters were broken.
After the stitching, we were given more time with Eleanor and eventually left the delivery suite at 3:15 am. That night I just watched her and checked she was OK every so often as I was so worried that something would happen to her. The next morning, I was given the all-clear and we just had to wait for the paediatrician to come and sign off Eleanor. They weren't available until 7pm but after being checked over, we were discharged and went home.
All of the staff were magnificent and I felt like I was properly looked after from start to finish. The MW that delivered my baby even worked late to see Eleanor delivered.
Well that's the story so far....we are learning to cope with the demands of a little one but it's such a pleasure to look after her as to us she is so precious.
