jodied
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Well ladies before I forget it all I wanted to record the arrival of my amazing beautiful baby girl...
Ella Sophia Dodson
Saturday 2nd April 2011
11.35pm
35+5
Weighing 5lbs 9
Well to set the scene my lovely friends had arranged an afternoon tea baby shower for 2pm so I'd been into town first thing and had my hair done all nice gone back home and put on my floaty maxi dress and got ready with my mummy. My friends arrived to set up just after 1pm and all the guests arrived from 2pm. My fab friends had made lovely homemade sandwiches, scones and cakes. I had a sneaky glass of bucks fizz to go with the lovely food.
In the meantime my husband Jamie had gone to Bath on Friday for his best friends stag do weekend. My dad and brother were practicing racing near to Leicester.
At about 3pm I started to feel uncomfortable. I couldn't sit down and was fidgeting between the sofa, a chair, a beanbag and the birthing ball that one of my friends had brought to lend me and blew up during the afternoon. I just felt pressure all under my bump and thought it must be baby moving down to engage. I didn't for one moment think I was starting labour. I'd had no show and my waters were completely intact.
The afternoon tea was due to finish at 5pm and I managed to open all my lovely pressies bit everyone could tell I wasnt able to get comfy so most people headed off at about 4.30pm, leaving me, my mum and two friends. I took a couple of paracetamol and decided to run a bath. Got in the bath and texted hubbie to say how lovely the party had been but that I was uncomfotable and thought baby might be moving down. He'd been watching a rugby match in Gloucester.
Got in the bath at 5pm and my last couple of friends left so my mum was hoovering downstairs and tidying up for me. Whilst I was in the bath there seemed to be on/off periods with pressure sometimes and then nothing in-between. Got a bit hot so got out at about 5.30pm and went downstairs to update mum. Was still having pressure under my bump and a bit round my back but couldn't talk as easily when it was there and was better if I leaned forward onto something and rocked my hips. Felt fine in-between so thought maybe I was having some braxton hicks. Decided to try and time them and they were lasting about 20-25 secs every 1min30secs ish and seemed surprisingly regular. We thought we'd better ring the MW for advice. Still didnt think I was contracting.
Couldn't get hold of MW so rang labour ward at hospital and spoke to MW. Described what was happening. She asked if I'd felt baby move today and I wasnt sure I had so she said it was best if I came in to be monitored. That was about 6pm.
Popped the last few bits in my hospital bags and mum drove me to hospital. The same pain was happening on and off on route and it was quite hard sitting down but was convinced we would get monitored and sent back home again. I didn't think I was in labour. Kept hubbie informed.
Got to hospital at 6.40pm and hooked up to monitor babys heartrate and was still the same pain wise so just breathing a bit more when the pressure was there. The first MW said straight away that she thought I was in labour!! Didn't want to drag hubbie away from his stag do for a false alarm but she was so quick to say that was her opinion and confirmed that she thought hubbie should be on his way! Mum went to phone and tell him. He hadn't had much to drink thankfully as he was best man organising it all so keeping his wits about him. However he had to get a coach with a lot of drunk rugby fans from Gloucester back to Bath where the car was at the hotel then drive down to Winchester.
My urine was a bit concentrated and I had to confess to my glass of bucks fizz!
I was first examined at 7.15pm and was shocked to be 5cm dilated. My waters still hadn't gone but MW said they were bulging and she expected them to go any time. I was offered gas and air which I was using a little. Best position to breathe through what I now knew were contractions was kneeling up on bed facing and leaning on the raised back. At some point I had a steroid injection as baby was coming a bit prem to help with their lungs, usually you have two a number of hours apart but they said we wouldn't have time for the second one.
I kept breathing through the contractions with occasional gas and air and baby being monitored throughout - difficult to keep the monitor on due to my position but baby was said to be coping absolutely fine and not being at all phased by the contractions.
Time went quite quickly. Felt sleepy between the contractions and was resting but all the while kneeled up as that was comfiest - I couldn't lie on my side and I certainly couldn't sit. The worst was that my knees were getting sore so was trying to manoeuvre myself onto a pillow to ease that. MW was surprised my waters hadn't gone but still no sign of them and she said there would be a lot when they did go.
My friends from the baby shower were all texting to ask if I'd managed to get a bit more comfortable and after ignoring them all for a while I managed to text them in-between contractions and say I was in labour and that they expected baby would arrive tonight. All bar one were v shocked!
My mum was fab as was my MW. They kept me cool with a cold flannel on my forehead, a fan was on in the room and by passing me water to sip in-between contractions. Mum was getting concerned about when Jamie was going to arrive. I wasn't overly worried but I'm not sure I appreciated how fast things were moving.
Jamie arrived at 10.30pm
He was a bit shell shocked! By the time he arrived my contractions were getting more painful and harder to breathe through but I could cope with the gas and air to help. Jamie took over with flannel and water duties. My waters still hadnt gone and MW said she would examine me four hours after the first examination so at 11.15pm. She encouraged me to go for a wee before that which I did and it was surprisingly ok standing up and since that gave my knees a well needed break I was standing and leaning on the bed through contractions. Felt sick all of a sudden though and was sick everywhere!
Mum was great! Jamie didn't know what to do! Was still being monitored and baby got distressed so doctor wanted to examine me and break my waters to put a monitor on babys head. Found it v difficult to lie down but used gas and air.
I was 8cm. Jamie was holding my hand and i waz squeezing hard to make sure he was sharing my pain! Fab doctor broke my waters which was such a relief! They went everywhere! I remember doctor stepping back with the gush of it all as they went all over her arms! But my waters had meconium in so that combined with babys distress after me being sick meant the doctor said she wanted baby to come out now! She said she would try ventouse and if not I would have to go straight into theatre (presumably for a c section). It was v uncomfortable having the ventouse put on but by the time it was I felt pushy! My legs were up in rests and with the doctor and MWs guidance I did some good pushes (helped no doubt by the doctor on the ventouse) with each contraction. About three pushes each time. On the third I think it felt more painful but I just kept going as told and was surprised when they said babys head was out!
Doctor became quite direct and I managed to listen to her when she told me to pant and when she told me to do little pushes and v soon a very slippery baby arrived at 11.35pm. Hubbie told me she was a girl and he cried! Baby cried too and it wax obvious she would be fine! Then she was wrapped up and we both had cuddles. Then my mum did. Not entirely sure on order bit I had skin to skin for a bit too.
In the meantime I'd had the injection to deliver my placenta and the doctor got that out without any fuss. I was then examined and the doctor wasn't sure if I had a small graze or not but decided I didn't need any stitches
Ella was weighed at 5lbs 9 and due to her being a bit early, her distress at the end and the meconium they took her down to scbu to be assessed and see if she should stay there or could go on the ward with me. Jamie went with Ella and I had a shower with my mums help.
We went down to see Ella and they decided to keep her in scbu as her blood sugar was a little low and they wanted to give her some formula and check it went up which it did Was a bit concerned about giving her formula albeit through a tube as I really wanted to try and breastfeed but she needs something to make her grow and she's too sleepy to be interested in the breast so for the time being she is being fed every three hours through the tube and I have been hand expressing my colostrum to mix in. Hope to breastfeed as soon as she is alert enough to.
Sorry for super long post!!
within 10 mins I said I would do it all again and I meant it as she is absolutely worth every second of the pain because she's perfect
EDIT:
Pictures added:
On p2 post 30 - midnight kindly added some pictures of Ella when she was in the special care baby unit
On p3 post 45 - I have just added some photos of Ella when she was coming home and at home
Ella Sophia Dodson
Saturday 2nd April 2011
11.35pm
35+5
Weighing 5lbs 9
Well to set the scene my lovely friends had arranged an afternoon tea baby shower for 2pm so I'd been into town first thing and had my hair done all nice gone back home and put on my floaty maxi dress and got ready with my mummy. My friends arrived to set up just after 1pm and all the guests arrived from 2pm. My fab friends had made lovely homemade sandwiches, scones and cakes. I had a sneaky glass of bucks fizz to go with the lovely food.
In the meantime my husband Jamie had gone to Bath on Friday for his best friends stag do weekend. My dad and brother were practicing racing near to Leicester.
At about 3pm I started to feel uncomfortable. I couldn't sit down and was fidgeting between the sofa, a chair, a beanbag and the birthing ball that one of my friends had brought to lend me and blew up during the afternoon. I just felt pressure all under my bump and thought it must be baby moving down to engage. I didn't for one moment think I was starting labour. I'd had no show and my waters were completely intact.
The afternoon tea was due to finish at 5pm and I managed to open all my lovely pressies bit everyone could tell I wasnt able to get comfy so most people headed off at about 4.30pm, leaving me, my mum and two friends. I took a couple of paracetamol and decided to run a bath. Got in the bath and texted hubbie to say how lovely the party had been but that I was uncomfotable and thought baby might be moving down. He'd been watching a rugby match in Gloucester.
Got in the bath at 5pm and my last couple of friends left so my mum was hoovering downstairs and tidying up for me. Whilst I was in the bath there seemed to be on/off periods with pressure sometimes and then nothing in-between. Got a bit hot so got out at about 5.30pm and went downstairs to update mum. Was still having pressure under my bump and a bit round my back but couldn't talk as easily when it was there and was better if I leaned forward onto something and rocked my hips. Felt fine in-between so thought maybe I was having some braxton hicks. Decided to try and time them and they were lasting about 20-25 secs every 1min30secs ish and seemed surprisingly regular. We thought we'd better ring the MW for advice. Still didnt think I was contracting.
Couldn't get hold of MW so rang labour ward at hospital and spoke to MW. Described what was happening. She asked if I'd felt baby move today and I wasnt sure I had so she said it was best if I came in to be monitored. That was about 6pm.
Popped the last few bits in my hospital bags and mum drove me to hospital. The same pain was happening on and off on route and it was quite hard sitting down but was convinced we would get monitored and sent back home again. I didn't think I was in labour. Kept hubbie informed.
Got to hospital at 6.40pm and hooked up to monitor babys heartrate and was still the same pain wise so just breathing a bit more when the pressure was there. The first MW said straight away that she thought I was in labour!! Didn't want to drag hubbie away from his stag do for a false alarm but she was so quick to say that was her opinion and confirmed that she thought hubbie should be on his way! Mum went to phone and tell him. He hadn't had much to drink thankfully as he was best man organising it all so keeping his wits about him. However he had to get a coach with a lot of drunk rugby fans from Gloucester back to Bath where the car was at the hotel then drive down to Winchester.
My urine was a bit concentrated and I had to confess to my glass of bucks fizz!
I was first examined at 7.15pm and was shocked to be 5cm dilated. My waters still hadn't gone but MW said they were bulging and she expected them to go any time. I was offered gas and air which I was using a little. Best position to breathe through what I now knew were contractions was kneeling up on bed facing and leaning on the raised back. At some point I had a steroid injection as baby was coming a bit prem to help with their lungs, usually you have two a number of hours apart but they said we wouldn't have time for the second one.
I kept breathing through the contractions with occasional gas and air and baby being monitored throughout - difficult to keep the monitor on due to my position but baby was said to be coping absolutely fine and not being at all phased by the contractions.
Time went quite quickly. Felt sleepy between the contractions and was resting but all the while kneeled up as that was comfiest - I couldn't lie on my side and I certainly couldn't sit. The worst was that my knees were getting sore so was trying to manoeuvre myself onto a pillow to ease that. MW was surprised my waters hadn't gone but still no sign of them and she said there would be a lot when they did go.
My friends from the baby shower were all texting to ask if I'd managed to get a bit more comfortable and after ignoring them all for a while I managed to text them in-between contractions and say I was in labour and that they expected baby would arrive tonight. All bar one were v shocked!
My mum was fab as was my MW. They kept me cool with a cold flannel on my forehead, a fan was on in the room and by passing me water to sip in-between contractions. Mum was getting concerned about when Jamie was going to arrive. I wasn't overly worried but I'm not sure I appreciated how fast things were moving.
Jamie arrived at 10.30pm
He was a bit shell shocked! By the time he arrived my contractions were getting more painful and harder to breathe through but I could cope with the gas and air to help. Jamie took over with flannel and water duties. My waters still hadnt gone and MW said she would examine me four hours after the first examination so at 11.15pm. She encouraged me to go for a wee before that which I did and it was surprisingly ok standing up and since that gave my knees a well needed break I was standing and leaning on the bed through contractions. Felt sick all of a sudden though and was sick everywhere!
Mum was great! Jamie didn't know what to do! Was still being monitored and baby got distressed so doctor wanted to examine me and break my waters to put a monitor on babys head. Found it v difficult to lie down but used gas and air. I was 8cm. Jamie was holding my hand and i waz squeezing hard to make sure he was sharing my pain! Fab doctor broke my waters which was such a relief! They went everywhere! I remember doctor stepping back with the gush of it all as they went all over her arms! But my waters had meconium in so that combined with babys distress after me being sick meant the doctor said she wanted baby to come out now! She said she would try ventouse and if not I would have to go straight into theatre (presumably for a c section). It was v uncomfortable having the ventouse put on but by the time it was I felt pushy! My legs were up in rests and with the doctor and MWs guidance I did some good pushes (helped no doubt by the doctor on the ventouse) with each contraction. About three pushes each time. On the third I think it felt more painful but I just kept going as told and was surprised when they said babys head was out!
Doctor became quite direct and I managed to listen to her when she told me to pant and when she told me to do little pushes and v soon a very slippery baby arrived at 11.35pm. Hubbie told me she was a girl and he cried! Baby cried too and it wax obvious she would be fine! Then she was wrapped up and we both had cuddles. Then my mum did. Not entirely sure on order bit I had skin to skin for a bit too.
In the meantime I'd had the injection to deliver my placenta and the doctor got that out without any fuss. I was then examined and the doctor wasn't sure if I had a small graze or not but decided I didn't need any stitches
Ella was weighed at 5lbs 9 and due to her being a bit early, her distress at the end and the meconium they took her down to scbu to be assessed and see if she should stay there or could go on the ward with me. Jamie went with Ella and I had a shower with my mums help.
We went down to see Ella and they decided to keep her in scbu as her blood sugar was a little low and they wanted to give her some formula and check it went up which it did
Was a bit concerned about giving her formula albeit through a tube as I really wanted to try and breastfeed but she needs something to make her grow and she's too sleepy to be interested in the breast so for the time being she is being fed every three hours through the tube and I have been hand expressing my colostrum to mix in. Hope to breastfeed as soon as she is alert enough to. Sorry for super long post!!
within 10 mins I said I would do it all again and I meant it as she is absolutely worth every second of the pain because she's perfect EDIT:
Pictures added:
On p2 post 30 - midnight kindly added some pictures of Ella when she was in the special care baby unit
On p3 post 45 - I have just added some photos of Ella when she was coming home and at home
Last edited:
