I am finally getting round to writing about this.... it was a bit of a lengthy process which I haven't quite got over yet. All I can say at the moment is that I will definitely not be having any more babies!
My due date was December 27th but this passed by with no sign of anything.
I was booked in for the first step of induction on Saturday 10th. I went to our local hospital where I received my first dose of Prostin (sp?) gel and was sent home and told to go back in the morning at 8am.
So, on Sunday 11th at 7.30am we rang the hospital to be told the labour ward was full so to wait until 10.30.
We then received a phone call to say there was not going to be any space at 10.30
so we were to go to a different hospital (30 minutes drive away).
So we drove to the hospital where I was hooked up to the monitors and received subsequent doses of the gel. The absolute max dose you can have is 5 mg and between the Saturday night and the end of Sunday I had had this.
I stayed in hospital on the Sunday night and I was having painful tightenings quite regularly. I didn't sleep at all but at least was hopeful something was happening.
I should mention here that each time I was examined the midwives had some trouble finding my cervix - apparently it is quite far to one side and it was so high up those with short fingers couldn't reach it at all!
Anyway, on the Monday morning I was examined by a doctor (slightly lacking in bedside manner) who informed me that there was no change to my cervix so I would have to have a c-section that day. DH had not got there yet, and by the time he arrived I was quite upset.
A very nice doctor who was going to be in the section then came round to introduce herself, and asked why I was so upset. I explained I really didn't want a section yet and felt I had no choice. She said I did in fact have a choice, and if we wanted she would do a scan to check the placenta and cord were ok, then we could wait 24 hours and see what happened, then I would also be able to get one last dose of the gel.
We decided to go ahead with this plan, had the scan and headed home.
When we got home I decided to have a lie down as I was quite knackered by this point.
I had just got comfy (about 5.30pm) when I actually heard a pop and felt my waters break.
We rang the hospital and they said to wait until 9pm to go back - the same further away hospital!
We headed back, they examined me - then sent me home again and told me to go back in the morning as already arranged.
So on the Tuesday morning back we went - I was hooked back up to the monitors and got some more gel. I stayed there all day, then they said because my waters had gone they would be able to put me on the syntocin (sp?) drip. So at 6pm I was taken to the labour suite and started on the drip.
The tightenings quickly became far more painful. I waited as long as I could then started on the gas and air. As they increased the drip it got really painful and I was offered diamorphine which I took but it made no difference at all. I carried on for a while but it was getting too much so I had an epidural around 4am.
I then tried to rest a bit but couldn't really.
On the Wednesday morning the MW examined me and said she thought I was 7-8cm dilated. She got a doctor to come and double-check, but she thought I was only 6cm.
By this point because of the length of time I had been on the drip and the fact my waters had gone some time ago I was told there were no more options and I had to have the section.
More or less immediately I was wheeled through to theatre. I was absolutely terrified and couldn't stop shaking. My DH was right beside me though. Everyone was really nice and tried to reassure me. When they started I told them I could feel a scratching sensation so they stopped and there was some discussion about giving me a general anaesthetic - which panicked me even more! By the time this had been discussed, the epidural top up had more time to kick in and I couldn't feel anything so they continued.
Very quickly Kian Thomas was born, screaming, and my DH went with him to cut the cord and for him to be checked and weighed. He was 9 pounds and 6 ounces.
I absolutely hated being in hospital and managed to get out on the Friday as I was sure I would get on better at home.
We have had some issues with BFing and Kian's weight but hopefully we are past that now... he seems to be doing very well now.
I am still a bit sore and puffy but I think I am recovering quite well.
So that's my story, sorry it's so long, well done if you got to the end!
And here are some pics!
My due date was December 27th but this passed by with no sign of anything.
I was booked in for the first step of induction on Saturday 10th. I went to our local hospital where I received my first dose of Prostin (sp?) gel and was sent home and told to go back in the morning at 8am.
So, on Sunday 11th at 7.30am we rang the hospital to be told the labour ward was full so to wait until 10.30.
We then received a phone call to say there was not going to be any space at 10.30
so we were to go to a different hospital (30 minutes drive away).So we drove to the hospital where I was hooked up to the monitors and received subsequent doses of the gel. The absolute max dose you can have is 5 mg and between the Saturday night and the end of Sunday I had had this.
I stayed in hospital on the Sunday night and I was having painful tightenings quite regularly. I didn't sleep at all but at least was hopeful something was happening.
I should mention here that each time I was examined the midwives had some trouble finding my cervix - apparently it is quite far to one side and it was so high up those with short fingers couldn't reach it at all!
Anyway, on the Monday morning I was examined by a doctor (slightly lacking in bedside manner) who informed me that there was no change to my cervix so I would have to have a c-section that day. DH had not got there yet, and by the time he arrived I was quite upset.
A very nice doctor who was going to be in the section then came round to introduce herself, and asked why I was so upset. I explained I really didn't want a section yet and felt I had no choice. She said I did in fact have a choice, and if we wanted she would do a scan to check the placenta and cord were ok, then we could wait 24 hours and see what happened, then I would also be able to get one last dose of the gel.
We decided to go ahead with this plan, had the scan and headed home.
When we got home I decided to have a lie down as I was quite knackered by this point.
I had just got comfy (about 5.30pm) when I actually heard a pop and felt my waters break.
We rang the hospital and they said to wait until 9pm to go back - the same further away hospital!
We headed back, they examined me - then sent me home again
and told me to go back in the morning as already arranged.So on the Tuesday morning back we went - I was hooked back up to the monitors and got some more gel. I stayed there all day, then they said because my waters had gone they would be able to put me on the syntocin (sp?) drip. So at 6pm I was taken to the labour suite and started on the drip.
The tightenings quickly became far more painful. I waited as long as I could then started on the gas and air. As they increased the drip it got really painful and I was offered diamorphine which I took but it made no difference at all. I carried on for a while but it was getting too much so I had an epidural around 4am.
I then tried to rest a bit but couldn't really.
On the Wednesday morning the MW examined me and said she thought I was 7-8cm dilated. She got a doctor to come and double-check, but she thought I was only 6cm.
By this point because of the length of time I had been on the drip and the fact my waters had gone some time ago I was told there were no more options and I had to have the section.
More or less immediately I was wheeled through to theatre. I was absolutely terrified and couldn't stop shaking. My DH was right beside me though. Everyone was really nice and tried to reassure me. When they started I told them I could feel a scratching sensation so they stopped and there was some discussion about giving me a general anaesthetic - which panicked me even more! By the time this had been discussed, the epidural top up had more time to kick in and I couldn't feel anything so they continued.
Very quickly Kian Thomas was born, screaming, and my DH went with him to cut the cord and for him to be checked and weighed. He was 9 pounds and 6 ounces.
I absolutely hated being in hospital and managed to get out on the Friday as I was sure I would get on better at home.
We have had some issues with BFing and Kian's weight but hopefully we are past that now... he seems to be doing very well now.
I am still a bit sore and puffy but I think I am recovering quite well.
So that's my story, sorry it's so long, well done if you got to the end!
And here are some pics!
And glad you are on the mend. 
