Beatlesfan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 11, 2007
- Messages
- 522
- Reaction score
- 0
I had my baby at the weekend. I had a girl and her name is Imogen Maya (pronounced My-ah) Stocker (Phil's surmane). She is a healthy happy baby and of course absolutely gorgeous. She weighed 6lb 10 and a half oz.
Unfortunately the labour did not go according to plan. I was induced on Friday night at 8.00 pm, started having strong contractions at 11 pm 3-4 minutes apart and lasting 1-2 mins. The staff were hopeful things would move swiftly. At 4 pm (1 cm dilated) the pain was quite bad so I had some Meptid pain relief, didn't really help.
At 11 am Saturday morning, 3 cm dilated they took me into delivery suite. Contractions had remained consistent since they started. I had gas and air which eased the pain but made me sick, so I relied on breathing. At 4 pm, 6 cm dliated I requested an epidural. Two hours later I got one. Anesthetist was in theatre. In the meantime the baby was thought to be in distress as her heart beat kept dropping so they took a blood sample from her scalp and checked it in a rather "magic machine" that can detect these things. At that point they said she was OK but would continue to monitor her. At 6 pm I got the epidural and they started me on a drip with Oxytocin a hormone to help with dilation. Epidural was fantastic - instant pain relief. At 9.15 pm, fully dliated I was allowed to start pushing. I did for two hours and that was the maximum they allowed me before "intervening." They then discovered that Imogen was not facing the right way - she was facing to the right which meant her head was stuck and wouldn't come down the birth canal without help. They took me into theatre and planned to use the ventouse and/or forceps. They tried to twist her by hand without success but the consultant was concerned Imogen was in distress. They took another 3 blood samples from her scalp (the first two didn't work as they had to get the sample to the machine within seconds and the nearest machine was "calibrating" or something) but on the third the results came back and the consultant immediately said "We are doing a cesarean now." It appeared Imogen was in distress. The next five minutes were like something out of Holby City - wires, tubes, people efficiently getting prepared very quickly, screens, iodine, etc etc. It's all a bit surreal thinkign about it now. 5 minutes later Imogen made her appearance to the world! Saturday 8 December 2007, 11.55 pm. 6 lb 10 and a half oz, 53 cm in length. She cried straight away and was cleaned quickly before being brought to me so I could see her. She was perfect. They gave her to my partner Phil to hold (he was sitting next to me throughout theatre) and she calmed straight away. She was alert and content. An hour later I was in recovery room feeding Imogen. Luckily Phil was able to stay with me that night as the maternity ward was full. This was great as I had been given morphine and was out for 2 hours. Phil stayed up with Imogen all night talking to her and cuddling her. He said she didn't sleep at all, just looked at him.
My recovery is slow. I came home on Tuesday and we now face the challenge of trying to manage our lives around this wonderful little person! I am still in a lot of pain, I am lucky Phil is at home tending to his "girls" every needs. He is smitten as I am. She is so beautiful and special. We are taking each minute as it comes.
Can't quite believe I went through all of that about a week ago! It was all well worth it though as Imogen is an absolute star. She is feeding (I am BF - I will be posting for advice on this in the other section!) well and sleeping well - last night she slept for 2 x 3 hour sessions which was fab -Phil and I got some good quality sleep.
What an amazing experience to have a baby and feel so much love for this little vulnerable and very very cute human being.
I love being a mum - feels so natural.
BF x
How do I post pics - do I need to have photos uploaded onto a photo website and add link? [/img]
Unfortunately the labour did not go according to plan. I was induced on Friday night at 8.00 pm, started having strong contractions at 11 pm 3-4 minutes apart and lasting 1-2 mins. The staff were hopeful things would move swiftly. At 4 pm (1 cm dilated) the pain was quite bad so I had some Meptid pain relief, didn't really help.
At 11 am Saturday morning, 3 cm dilated they took me into delivery suite. Contractions had remained consistent since they started. I had gas and air which eased the pain but made me sick, so I relied on breathing. At 4 pm, 6 cm dliated I requested an epidural. Two hours later I got one. Anesthetist was in theatre. In the meantime the baby was thought to be in distress as her heart beat kept dropping so they took a blood sample from her scalp and checked it in a rather "magic machine" that can detect these things. At that point they said she was OK but would continue to monitor her. At 6 pm I got the epidural and they started me on a drip with Oxytocin a hormone to help with dilation. Epidural was fantastic - instant pain relief. At 9.15 pm, fully dliated I was allowed to start pushing. I did for two hours and that was the maximum they allowed me before "intervening." They then discovered that Imogen was not facing the right way - she was facing to the right which meant her head was stuck and wouldn't come down the birth canal without help. They took me into theatre and planned to use the ventouse and/or forceps. They tried to twist her by hand without success but the consultant was concerned Imogen was in distress. They took another 3 blood samples from her scalp (the first two didn't work as they had to get the sample to the machine within seconds and the nearest machine was "calibrating" or something) but on the third the results came back and the consultant immediately said "We are doing a cesarean now." It appeared Imogen was in distress. The next five minutes were like something out of Holby City - wires, tubes, people efficiently getting prepared very quickly, screens, iodine, etc etc. It's all a bit surreal thinkign about it now. 5 minutes later Imogen made her appearance to the world! Saturday 8 December 2007, 11.55 pm. 6 lb 10 and a half oz, 53 cm in length. She cried straight away and was cleaned quickly before being brought to me so I could see her. She was perfect. They gave her to my partner Phil to hold (he was sitting next to me throughout theatre) and she calmed straight away. She was alert and content. An hour later I was in recovery room feeding Imogen. Luckily Phil was able to stay with me that night as the maternity ward was full. This was great as I had been given morphine and was out for 2 hours. Phil stayed up with Imogen all night talking to her and cuddling her. He said she didn't sleep at all, just looked at him. My recovery is slow. I came home on Tuesday and we now face the challenge of trying to manage our lives around this wonderful little person! I am still in a lot of pain, I am lucky Phil is at home tending to his "girls" every needs. He is smitten as I am. She is so beautiful and special. We are taking each minute as it comes.
Can't quite believe I went through all of that about a week ago! It was all well worth it though as Imogen is an absolute star. She is feeding (I am BF - I will be posting for advice on this in the other section!) well and sleeping well - last night she slept for 2 x 3 hour sessions which was fab -Phil and I got some good quality sleep.
What an amazing experience to have a baby and feel so much love for this little vulnerable and very very cute human being.
I love being a mum - feels so natural.
BF x
How do I post pics - do I need to have photos uploaded onto a photo website and add link? [/img]
