Birth story of Layla Blanche Lipton born 17/02/08 at 9.46am weighing 6 lbs 3
Went into hospital on friday evening to be induced at 6pm, I'd been having contractions for a couple of days before anyway so I was hopeful for a quick start. Obstetrician came into see me and said the labour ward was full so they would induce me at 10pm. 10pm came and went
then MW informed me that an emergency cesarean had come in so I probably wouldn't be induced until midnight 
We waited around until 1am and then were told to bed down for the night as I had to wait until the morning...we were really disappointed and frustrated but oddly enough I didn't get a lot of sleep as a started having more regular conractions which MW also noticed on the baby monitor they hooked me up to that evening.
Dr. finally came in at 5.30am and I was hooked up to monitors and it was decided to give me the oral prostaglandin pill as I was already having some contractions. Dr. warned me that I would probably need another one in 6 hrs before anything really kicked in. Well at 7 am I had the pill, and by 8am MW came in and was amazed that I was already having regular and strong contractions
They kept on building in intensity and at around 1pm they moved me up to the labour ward. I was only 1cm dialated but baby's head was low cervix low and the intensity of the contractions was high and I was offered pain relief which I rejected at this stage. My hubby and I went for walks around the hospital, I bounced constantly on my birthball (which really helped with the pain) and I paced the room constantly through the contractions. My mum and Dad popped in to see me at about 5pm and sat with me and Tim and by this point the contractions were getting more intense and I was having trouble talking through them and bouncing on my birthball. Dr. came in at 5.30 and I was 3cm and baby was descending low. He decided, due to the intensity of the contractions etc, to break my waters and to apply a small amount of prostaglandin gell just to dialate me quicker. A quick poke with a plastic hook type thingy and my water's went with a pop and a gush which was a real release of pressure. Unfortunately this was the point where things started to go a bit pear shaped
The contractions started coming on really really strong and the pain was quite amazing. I wanted to avoid pain relief as long as possible so I breathed and panted through the next 4 hours of contractions and dialating. Eventually the obstetrician came in and advised me to have the mobile epi as I was getting really really tired and baby was showing some signs of distress through contractions. I happily obliged by this point Epi put in (really not painful to have put in, just more pressure than discomfort) at 10pm ish. Over the next hour the contractions became enormous and I was still in agony. The epi was making my legs tingle but not taking away the pain of contractions. The MW kept topping me up on the anaethatist's advice and I was convinced that it wasn't helping and I was still feeling the pain. The next few hrs were a blur of pain and delirium! My poor hubby (who was amazing throughout the whole thing) was looking terrified and trying to help me through wave after wave of unbearable contractions. I was exhausted, sick and total delirious with pain Eventually at 2am I begged the MW to stop topping up my epi as it wasn't working and my hubby demanded the anaethetist came back. Eventually he turned up and decided that the epi needed to be moved so I had a second epi put in further up my back. 20 mins later the pain was gone...amazing! The epi totally took away the contraction pain and I got back into bed to 
The Dr. came in and examined me at 3am and I was 8cm He told me to sleep for as long as I could to build up my energy for the final push.
My hubby and I both dozed for the next few hrs and at 6am the MW examined me and I was 10cm and baby's head was in the right position. Epi was topped up and at 6.45 I started pushing. Contractions were strong and I pushed my heart out with each one and I could really feel the baby descending and the pressure. This was really effective until an hr later the MW called the Dr...my heart sunk that something was wrong as the baby's heart rate was fluctuating on the monitor. Dr. came in to take over from the MW at 8am and I was again becoming delirious was exhaustion and I kept sinking in and out of conciousness and I was being violently sick with every contraction. Dr. was amazing and he knew I so didn't want a cesarean and we kept pushing until 9 ish with the help of lots of epi top ups, anti-sickness meds and a very supportive hubby trying to keep me concious. Eventually he explained that baby had turned onto her side and her head couldn't descend through the pelvis and she was becoming distressed and her head swollen and he was worried about my deteriorating condition.
This was when the dreaded csection was mentioned He said he would try one last thing, the ventouse, to try and turn her but he didn't look hopeful. I was totally out of it at this point but remeber the anaethatist coming back in and a top up being put in the epi line (which I was later told was the non-mobile epi as the Dr. was prepping me for surgery). My parents were outside and I was told after that the Dr. was having the theatre prepared for an emergency csection. In the meanwhile the Dr. applied the ventouse and he said that we needed three more contractions to get her out but I needed to push very hard. At this point I was crying and literally felt like I wanted to give up, I felt I couldn't cope and I was desperate. A contraction came and I suddenly felt this massive inner strength and pushed like a maniac with all my body...Dr. was cheering and said he was amazed, her head was out...he told me to pant and wait for next contraction...but then changed his mind and just said...just push...1,2,3 and Layla came bursting into the world at 9.46 am with her cord wrapped round her hand. She was put on my tummy and my hubby was amazingly emotional. Unfortunately I was so out of it and confused that I couldn't really make much sense of it. I just heard her crying and the Dr. was telling me how clever I was for finding that last energy. The placenta was delivered and I had a small tear so the Dr stitched me up. They handed her to me but I was confused and upset and handed her back. Then my parents came in, and my sis and I just remember crying to my mum that I couldn't feel my legs and I didn't understand what was going on They left and the MW was amazing and cleaned me and changed my nightie and made me drink some sugary tea. After about half an hour I started coming too (although I still hated not being able to feel my legs) and the Dr. came in to reassure me and tell me how close I had been to a c-section. At that point my maternal instinct just kicked in and I was demanding to hold Layla, they gave her to me and I cried with my hubby by my side as they wheeled me back down to the maternity ward. I felt so much love it was overwhelming.
About an hour or two later when my feeling finally returned I felt a lot more normal. It was a difficult and at some points traumatic labour but now I realise how much it was worth it. My little angel is perfect
The stitches are a little sore but totally bearable, although I was surprised at how much you leak blood and gunk after (tmi )! I am definately realising the purpose of maternity pads and disposable knickers 
I was in for a couple of days due to the difficulty of the labour etc.
Labour is painful and sometime difficult and traumatic but it was by far the most empowering experience I think I will ever experience, and the reward at the end is just amazing
Went into hospital on friday evening to be induced at 6pm, I'd been having contractions for a couple of days before anyway so I was hopeful for a quick start. Obstetrician came into see me and said the labour ward was full so they would induce me at 10pm. 10pm came and went
then MW informed me that an emergency cesarean had come in so I probably wouldn't be induced until midnight We waited around until 1am and then were told to bed down for the night as I had to wait until the morning...we were really disappointed and frustrated but oddly enough I didn't get a lot of sleep as a started having more regular conractions which MW also noticed on the baby monitor they hooked me up to that evening. Dr. finally came in at 5.30am and I was hooked up to monitors and it was decided to give me the oral prostaglandin pill as I was already having some contractions. Dr. warned me that I would probably need another one in 6 hrs before anything really kicked in. Well at 7 am I had the pill, and by 8am MW came in and was amazed that I was already having regular and strong contractions
They kept on building in intensity and at around 1pm they moved me up to the labour ward. I was only 1cm dialated but baby's head was low cervix low and the intensity of the contractions was high and I was offered pain relief which I rejected at this stage. My hubby and I went for walks around the hospital, I bounced constantly on my birthball (which really helped with the pain) and I paced the room constantly through the contractions. My mum and Dad popped in to see me at about 5pm and sat with me and Tim and by this point the contractions were getting more intense and I was having trouble talking through them and bouncing on my birthball. Dr. came in at 5.30 and I was 3cm and baby was descending low. He decided, due to the intensity of the contractions etc, to break my waters and to apply a small amount of prostaglandin gell just to dialate me quicker. A quick poke with a plastic hook type thingy and my water's went with a pop and a gush which was a real release of pressure. Unfortunately this was the point where things started to go a bit pear shaped The contractions started coming on really really strong and the pain was quite amazing. I wanted to avoid pain relief as long as possible so I breathed and panted through the next 4 hours of contractions and dialating. Eventually the obstetrician came in and advised me to have the mobile epi as I was getting really really tired and baby was showing some signs of distress through contractions. I happily obliged by this point
Epi put in (really not painful to have put in, just more pressure than discomfort) at 10pm ish. Over the next hour the contractions became enormous and I was still in agony. The epi was making my legs tingle but not taking away the pain of contractions. The MW kept topping me up on the anaethatist's advice and I was convinced that it wasn't helping and I was still feeling the pain. The next few hrs were a blur of pain and delirium! My poor hubby (who was amazing throughout the whole thing) was looking terrified and trying to help me through wave after wave of unbearable contractions. I was exhausted, sick and total delirious with pain Eventually at 2am I begged the MW to stop topping up my epi as it wasn't working and my hubby demanded the anaethetist came back. Eventually he turned up and decided that the epi needed to be moved so I had a second epi put in further up my back. 20 mins later the pain was gone...amazing! The epi totally took away the contraction pain and I got back into bed to The Dr. came in and examined me at 3am and I was 8cm He told me to sleep for as long as I could to build up my energy for the final push.My hubby and I both dozed for the next few hrs and at 6am the MW examined me and I was 10cm and baby's head was in the right position. Epi was topped up and at 6.45 I started pushing. Contractions were strong and I pushed my heart out with each one and I could really feel the baby descending and the pressure. This was really effective until an hr later the MW called the Dr...my heart sunk that something was wrong as the baby's heart rate was fluctuating on the monitor. Dr. came in to take over from the MW at 8am and I was again becoming delirious was exhaustion and I kept sinking in and out of conciousness and I was being violently sick with every contraction. Dr. was amazing and he knew I so didn't want a cesarean and we kept pushing until 9 ish with the help of lots of epi top ups, anti-sickness meds and a very supportive hubby trying to keep me concious. Eventually he explained that baby had turned onto her side and her head couldn't descend through the pelvis and she was becoming distressed and her head swollen and he was worried about my deteriorating condition.
This was when the dreaded csection was mentioned
He said he would try one last thing, the ventouse, to try and turn her but he didn't look hopeful. I was totally out of it at this point but remeber the anaethatist coming back in and a top up being put in the epi line (which I was later told was the non-mobile epi as the Dr. was prepping me for surgery). My parents were outside and I was told after that the Dr. was having the theatre prepared for an emergency csection. In the meanwhile the Dr. applied the ventouse and he said that we needed three more contractions to get her out but I needed to push very hard. At this point I was crying and literally felt like I wanted to give up, I felt I couldn't cope and I was desperate. A contraction came and I suddenly felt this massive inner strength and pushed like a maniac with all my body...Dr. was cheering and said he was amazed, her head was out...he told me to pant and wait for next contraction...but then changed his mind and just said...just push...1,2,3 and Layla came bursting into the world at 9.46 am with her cord wrapped round her hand. She was put on my tummy and my hubby was amazingly emotional. Unfortunately I was so out of it and confused that I couldn't really make much sense of it. I just heard her crying and the Dr. was telling me how clever I was for finding that last energy. The placenta was delivered and I had a small tear so the Dr stitched me up. They handed her to me but I was confused and upset and handed her back. Then my parents came in, and my sis and I just remember crying to my mum that I couldn't feel my legs and I didn't understand what was going on They left and the MW was amazing and cleaned me and changed my nightie and made me drink some sugary tea. After about half an hour I started coming too (although I still hated not being able to feel my legs) and the Dr. came in to reassure me and tell me how close I had been to a c-section. At that point my maternal instinct just kicked in and I was demanding to hold Layla, they gave her to me and I cried with my hubby by my side as they wheeled me back down to the maternity ward. I felt so much love it was overwhelming. About an hour or two later when my feeling finally returned I felt a lot more normal. It was a difficult and at some points traumatic labour but now I realise how much it was worth it. My little angel is perfect
The stitches are a little sore but totally bearable, although I was surprised at how much you leak blood and gunk after (tmi )! I am definately realising the purpose of maternity pads and disposable knickers I was in for a couple of days due to the difficulty of the labour etc. Labour is painful and sometime difficult and traumatic but it was by far the most empowering experience I think I will ever experience, and the reward at the end is just amazing
