Kaffee
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So I joined the August mummies thread back in Tri1, thinking being due on 30th July bubs was bound to arrive late rather than on time, how wrong I was - he's in the 5% bunch that arrived bang on schedule.
Made OH go for a longer walk than normal the evening before, traipsed over rough ground and clambered (with his help) over some rocks, so I do believe this helped bring baby on!
Started feeling twinges at midnight. Lay in bed timing them and realised they were coming regularly. Waited till 1.30 before waking OH to tell him - his response "get some sleep" - I don't think so buddy. I went downstairs so I could rock and breath through the contractions and leave him to sleep. He came down after an hour - made him go & get my yoga mat from my car, as I was getting carpet burn from being on my knees & also to hook me up to TENS machine (my lifeline). Watched some odd programs at that time of morning - one on a dog cloning competition of all things! Re-rung labour ward at 7 and told to head in, as I couldn't recall feeling movements.
Put on monitor when I got to labour ward. The most stressful moments of my life were to follow, as MW couldn't find heartbeat, senior team had to be buzzed - turned up with different monitor and portable scanner and found him straightaway - our stress levels through the roof thanks to some dodgy old equipment!! Disappointed to find out I was only 2-3cm, but they let me stay in hospital as it was quiet and I was regularly contracting.
Bounced on ball and used TENS and gas & air for what felt like 10 mins - was actually 3 hours. Had a re-check on progress, still only 5-6cms - very disappointed. At this point I asked for an epidural, but this would have meant leaving the MW led unit, so I said I'd give the pool a go. So glad I did as when I got in the pool, the water was really soothing and I was able to nod off with my head on the side between contractions.
Felt need to push so did so for about 30mins in pool, only succeeded to push out my waters. They struggled to get babes HB readings when I was in pool and needed to check I was 10cm, rather than take my need to push as being 10cm, so made me get out on to bed. What a palaver, it was a nightmare trying to get out of steep sided pool when knackered by contractions.
Not sure what happened when on bed, but was encouraged to kneel and lean on back, so assumed I had got to 10cm. I wasn't making much progress, so they wanted me on back with feet in the stirrup things & hanging on to the backs of my knees. Doctor came in after a bit, decided he'd let me push by myself for a bit longer (kept my eyes closed the whole time I talked to him to stay in the zone!). Was given a bit of local around perineum to help with pushing - but the pain seemed to be at top rather than bottom, so it didn't stop a few choice swear words as Ethan came into the world.
I asked for delayed cord clamping, so we waited for that whilst looking at little man. Daddy cut the cord despite being really squeamish about it beforehand. Also tried to do natural 3rd stage, but after waiting 50mins, told them to inject as I just wanted placenta out. Placenta came not long after, then in came a rush of people as I'd lost a lot of blood. Had to have catheter put in to help reduce bleeding, remember asking "is that me weeing?" when I could hear water running nearby! Doctor looked me over and declared I had 1st degree internal tear, but would need to wait for stitches as he needed to go off to emergency - thankfully an experienced MW stepped in and used the opportunity to give a suturing lesson to my MW and student MW, whilst I sucked on gas & air - glad to be of service!!
They didn't let me use gas & air all through my 2 hours of pushing as it interfered with my breathing / focus - so it was all done by the power of grit and determination! My active birthing classes, hyno birthing must have paid off. So in total I laboured from 1.30am to 2pm and then just about 2hrs of pushing.
So he's 5 days old today and is the light of our lives, his birth already feels ages away in my mind, but my body is still telling me otherwise!
Sorry for length - it's helped me recall it all!
Made OH go for a longer walk than normal the evening before, traipsed over rough ground and clambered (with his help) over some rocks, so I do believe this helped bring baby on!
Started feeling twinges at midnight. Lay in bed timing them and realised they were coming regularly. Waited till 1.30 before waking OH to tell him - his response "get some sleep" - I don't think so buddy. I went downstairs so I could rock and breath through the contractions and leave him to sleep. He came down after an hour - made him go & get my yoga mat from my car, as I was getting carpet burn from being on my knees & also to hook me up to TENS machine (my lifeline). Watched some odd programs at that time of morning - one on a dog cloning competition of all things! Re-rung labour ward at 7 and told to head in, as I couldn't recall feeling movements.
Put on monitor when I got to labour ward. The most stressful moments of my life were to follow, as MW couldn't find heartbeat, senior team had to be buzzed - turned up with different monitor and portable scanner and found him straightaway - our stress levels through the roof thanks to some dodgy old equipment!! Disappointed to find out I was only 2-3cm, but they let me stay in hospital as it was quiet and I was regularly contracting.
Bounced on ball and used TENS and gas & air for what felt like 10 mins - was actually 3 hours. Had a re-check on progress, still only 5-6cms - very disappointed. At this point I asked for an epidural, but this would have meant leaving the MW led unit, so I said I'd give the pool a go. So glad I did as when I got in the pool, the water was really soothing and I was able to nod off with my head on the side between contractions.
Felt need to push so did so for about 30mins in pool, only succeeded to push out my waters. They struggled to get babes HB readings when I was in pool and needed to check I was 10cm, rather than take my need to push as being 10cm, so made me get out on to bed. What a palaver, it was a nightmare trying to get out of steep sided pool when knackered by contractions.
Not sure what happened when on bed, but was encouraged to kneel and lean on back, so assumed I had got to 10cm. I wasn't making much progress, so they wanted me on back with feet in the stirrup things & hanging on to the backs of my knees. Doctor came in after a bit, decided he'd let me push by myself for a bit longer (kept my eyes closed the whole time I talked to him to stay in the zone!). Was given a bit of local around perineum to help with pushing - but the pain seemed to be at top rather than bottom, so it didn't stop a few choice swear words as Ethan came into the world.
I asked for delayed cord clamping, so we waited for that whilst looking at little man. Daddy cut the cord despite being really squeamish about it beforehand. Also tried to do natural 3rd stage, but after waiting 50mins, told them to inject as I just wanted placenta out. Placenta came not long after, then in came a rush of people as I'd lost a lot of blood. Had to have catheter put in to help reduce bleeding, remember asking "is that me weeing?" when I could hear water running nearby! Doctor looked me over and declared I had 1st degree internal tear, but would need to wait for stitches as he needed to go off to emergency - thankfully an experienced MW stepped in and used the opportunity to give a suturing lesson to my MW and student MW, whilst I sucked on gas & air - glad to be of service!!
They didn't let me use gas & air all through my 2 hours of pushing as it interfered with my breathing / focus - so it was all done by the power of grit and determination! My active birthing classes, hyno birthing must have paid off. So in total I laboured from 1.30am to 2pm and then just about 2hrs of pushing.
So he's 5 days old today and is the light of our lives, his birth already feels ages away in my mind, but my body is still telling me otherwise!
Sorry for length - it's helped me recall it all!
)
