dooeyona
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I can't believe Max is almost 2 weeks old and I've not written my birth story yet. Where does the time go!? I'm sure this will end up being lengthy as I want to remember every detail.
So, here goes...I was booked in for a sweep at 40+5 on Wednesday 21/05/14 at PRI (the local midwifery unit). Hubby was at work so I drove myself to the appointment at 9am. The midwife did the sweep and said my cervix was soft but still closed. She booked me in for induction on Monday 26/05/14 in case I hadn't gone naturally by then. She then decided to check my blood pressure and it turns out it was high. She got the doctor in to review me and it was decided that my induction should be brought forward because they felt that baby and / or placenta may have had enough. The doctor went away to speak to Ninewells hospital antenatal ward to rearrange my induction. She came back and said 'don't panic...but we've decided to send you through to ninewells today to be induced.' Cue panic!!! I phoned hubby from work to come to the hospital. They gave me medication to try and bring my blood pressure down before they let me go through to ninewells buts it didn't work. They gave me a second tablet which brought it down and I was allowed to go. Hubby and I went home, put the last bits and bobs in our hospital bags and left for ninewells, still in a bit of shock!
We got to ninewells at the back of 3 and were shown to a bed in the antenatal ward. The induction process was explained and the pessary was inserted at about 6.40pm. They said it would stay in for 24 hours when it would be removed and I would be examined. Hubby had to leave the ward at 10pm so I kissed him goodbye and went for a shower where I cried my eyes out. I still think it's really bad that they don't have facilities for partners to stay in the ante/post natal wards. I've never needed my husband there more and him having to go home was horrible! I didn't sleep a wink that night with being alone, in unfamiliar surroundings and in a room with 3 strangers (who snored) and midwives working all night. I also had to get my observations and ctg done 4 hourly. I also had a horrible migraine headache which had developed during the afternoon which I was sure had been caused by the blood pressure medications dilating my blood vessels. I refused to take the evening dose because of this but also because my blood pressure had been fine when it was last checked. The midwife sent the doctor to speak to me about this and I told them that I would reconsider taking it if my BP went high again but I wasn't going to take medicine that gave me a migraine when my BP was stable. The doctor encouraged me to take the morning dose and said the migraine was likely caused by the other medication they gave me at PRI (they only continued one of the 2 medications they gave me as stat doses). During the night, I was having tightenings in my back and low tummy, like period pains. By the morning they were coming every 4-5 minutes but weren't worth writing home about.
Hubby went to work (thurs 22/05/14) because he was only due to work 7am-1pm and baby wasn't imminent so there was no point in him starting paternity leave early.i agreed to take my BP meds in the morning to see whether it was the other tablet that caused the migraine...it wasn't...cue another hellish headache! I refused it from then on because it was making me ill and my BP was still stable. Hubby came through after work and spent the rest of the day with me. I lost a bit of blood stained mucous on Thursday afternoon and thought it was maybe my plug. At 6.40pm, the midwife told me to remove and bin the pessary and the doctor would come and examine me. The doctor came along about half an hour later and did an internal exam which showed that I was 2cm dilated - result! She said the pessary had done its job and they would definitely be able to break my waters. It was now just a case of waiting for a bed on labour suite. After the pessary came out I was having regular tightenings which were a little painful but the subsided overnight. Hubby had to leave at 10pm again which was as horrible as it was the first night! The midwife tried again to get me to take my BP meds by scaremongering me despite the fact my BP was still stable. She got the doctor to come and speak to me again and I explained myself for the 4 millionth time!! I was getting quite frustrated that they weren't listening to me and might have got a bit nippy with the midwife
her bedside manner was appalling! I was so shattered from not sleeping the night before that I managed about 7 hours of broken sleep and woke feeling a little more human!
The midwife on the morning shift on Friday 23/05/14 told me at 8am that I was first on the list to go down to labour suite but it turned into another day of waiting around...no beds! Hubby went to work again and came through straight afterwards. My tightenings had pretty much gone by then, I was just getting braxton hicks when I was walking about. I DEFINITELY lost my plug on the Friday. OH MY GOD! What I expected and what i got were polar opposites. I think I described it to my mum / hubby as the entire contents of the nose of someone with a heavy cold being blown onto a single tissue for a week haha!!! I passed half in the morning and half later ok Friday afternoon...both equally as shocking lol! Mum came in to see me in the morning while hubby was at work and we went for a walk around the hospital. By evening time I was getting really annoyed because nobody was updating us. The doctor said we'd be updated at lunch time then tea time but nobody had said a word. Eventually I asked what would happen if I went home because I could sit and wait for a phone call there. They encouraged me to stay and said that labour suite were clearing their feet and hoped to get me a bed soon. 10pm came and I asked if hubby could stay while we waited to hear because it was a 45 minute drive home. The midwife said this was fine so we went along to the day room and watched tv. Hubby had a nap on the sofa because he'd been up since 5am and was shattered! We'd not long gone back to the bed space and tried to get some shut eye when a midwife came in to say there was a bed on labour suite and she was there to bring us down (at 3am on Saturday 24/04/14!!) YAAAAAAYYYY!!!
We went down to labour suite and got comfy. By this time I'd been awake for about 20 hours and was shattered but delighted that things were happening! The lovely midwife Fiona broke my waters at 4.10am and I asked that they gave me some time to labour naturally before they put the drip up (heard horror stories about the pain from the drip!) which they agreed to do. I was about 3-4cm so the tightenings I'd been having on the antenatal ward were obviously doing something! Almost straight after my waters were broken, I started getting cramps in my lower back which were quite nippy! I couldn't believe the amount of fluid that kept coming away nor the fact that amniotic fluid smells like semen haha!! Anyway, 2 hours went by and I was having regular pains but they weren't strong enough to be effective so the midwife and the doctor recommended that the drip was started. I started having regular proper contractions at about 7.30am. I was having to stand up each time one came on and hang off hubby's shoulders. At 8am the day shift came on, Fiona said goodbye and the lovely Sarah took over. After a while, Sarah suggested that I tried gas and air and everything is a bit blurry from then on!!! Gas and air was amazing!!! It really helped with the early contractions combined with standing/ rocking/ writhing on the birthing ball. When I was on the ball, Sarah said the ctg was losing connection with my movements and asked about putting a monitor on baby's head which we agreed to. I got up on the bed so she could do this and didn't end up getting off again! The clip was attached at about 9.30am by which time I was about 6cm although Sarah said it could easily be stretched to 8. I kept using gas and air but by half 10 it want having the desired effect any more. Sarah suggested diamorphine which I had at about 10.45am. This took the edge off for a while but an hour later I was really struggling again. I wasn't allowed any diamorphine at that point and Sarah suggested I had a think about an epidural. I hadn't wanted an epidural but she made me feel better by saying that very few women get through an induction without needing an epidural at some point. I accepted the fact that I was going to start losing control without more pain relief and agreed to the epidural which was out in at about 11.45/midday. WOW what a difference!!!! Almost immediately I went from being in complete agony to being quite comfortable! I had another internal exam at 1.30pm and was fully dilated! Sarah advised that we would wait for another hour and start pushing at 2.30pm. At 2.30pm, I started pushing and carried on for an hour. Baby was rocking forward with every push but rocking back when I stopped. After an hour, the doctor was brought in to review. He said I could either try pushing for longer or they could try ventouse. I asked to keep trying for a while longer and he gave me another hour. After another half hour though, baby's heart rate had become a bit high so the doctor was called back in and it was agreed that we'd try ventouse. I needed an episiotomy so the cup could be attached. I remember hearing the baby's heart rate slow right down towards the end and pushing with everything I had. Max Cohen Guthrie was born at 4.23pm on 24/05/14 weighing 8lb 7oz. Sarah said there was a second when she thought the doctor wasn't going to catch him!! Apparently he'd turned to his tray just when Max was being born and turned back just in time!! He had his cord wrapped around his neck twice but it was easily removed and he started crying within the minute. My perfect little boy!!!! Xxxx
So, here goes...I was booked in for a sweep at 40+5 on Wednesday 21/05/14 at PRI (the local midwifery unit). Hubby was at work so I drove myself to the appointment at 9am. The midwife did the sweep and said my cervix was soft but still closed. She booked me in for induction on Monday 26/05/14 in case I hadn't gone naturally by then. She then decided to check my blood pressure and it turns out it was high. She got the doctor in to review me and it was decided that my induction should be brought forward because they felt that baby and / or placenta may have had enough. The doctor went away to speak to Ninewells hospital antenatal ward to rearrange my induction. She came back and said 'don't panic...but we've decided to send you through to ninewells today to be induced.' Cue panic!!! I phoned hubby from work to come to the hospital. They gave me medication to try and bring my blood pressure down before they let me go through to ninewells buts it didn't work. They gave me a second tablet which brought it down and I was allowed to go. Hubby and I went home, put the last bits and bobs in our hospital bags and left for ninewells, still in a bit of shock!
We got to ninewells at the back of 3 and were shown to a bed in the antenatal ward. The induction process was explained and the pessary was inserted at about 6.40pm. They said it would stay in for 24 hours when it would be removed and I would be examined. Hubby had to leave the ward at 10pm so I kissed him goodbye and went for a shower where I cried my eyes out. I still think it's really bad that they don't have facilities for partners to stay in the ante/post natal wards. I've never needed my husband there more and him having to go home was horrible! I didn't sleep a wink that night with being alone, in unfamiliar surroundings and in a room with 3 strangers (who snored) and midwives working all night. I also had to get my observations and ctg done 4 hourly. I also had a horrible migraine headache which had developed during the afternoon which I was sure had been caused by the blood pressure medications dilating my blood vessels. I refused to take the evening dose because of this but also because my blood pressure had been fine when it was last checked. The midwife sent the doctor to speak to me about this and I told them that I would reconsider taking it if my BP went high again but I wasn't going to take medicine that gave me a migraine when my BP was stable. The doctor encouraged me to take the morning dose and said the migraine was likely caused by the other medication they gave me at PRI (they only continued one of the 2 medications they gave me as stat doses). During the night, I was having tightenings in my back and low tummy, like period pains. By the morning they were coming every 4-5 minutes but weren't worth writing home about.
Hubby went to work (thurs 22/05/14) because he was only due to work 7am-1pm and baby wasn't imminent so there was no point in him starting paternity leave early.i agreed to take my BP meds in the morning to see whether it was the other tablet that caused the migraine...it wasn't...cue another hellish headache! I refused it from then on because it was making me ill and my BP was still stable. Hubby came through after work and spent the rest of the day with me. I lost a bit of blood stained mucous on Thursday afternoon and thought it was maybe my plug. At 6.40pm, the midwife told me to remove and bin the pessary and the doctor would come and examine me. The doctor came along about half an hour later and did an internal exam which showed that I was 2cm dilated - result! She said the pessary had done its job and they would definitely be able to break my waters. It was now just a case of waiting for a bed on labour suite. After the pessary came out I was having regular tightenings which were a little painful but the subsided overnight. Hubby had to leave at 10pm again which was as horrible as it was the first night! The midwife tried again to get me to take my BP meds by scaremongering me despite the fact my BP was still stable. She got the doctor to come and speak to me again and I explained myself for the 4 millionth time!! I was getting quite frustrated that they weren't listening to me and might have got a bit nippy with the midwife
her bedside manner was appalling! I was so shattered from not sleeping the night before that I managed about 7 hours of broken sleep and woke feeling a little more human! The midwife on the morning shift on Friday 23/05/14 told me at 8am that I was first on the list to go down to labour suite but it turned into another day of waiting around...no beds! Hubby went to work again and came through straight afterwards. My tightenings had pretty much gone by then, I was just getting braxton hicks when I was walking about. I DEFINITELY lost my plug on the Friday. OH MY GOD! What I expected and what i got were polar opposites. I think I described it to my mum / hubby as the entire contents of the nose of someone with a heavy cold being blown onto a single tissue for a week haha!!! I passed half in the morning and half later ok Friday afternoon...both equally as shocking lol! Mum came in to see me in the morning while hubby was at work and we went for a walk around the hospital. By evening time I was getting really annoyed because nobody was updating us. The doctor said we'd be updated at lunch time then tea time but nobody had said a word. Eventually I asked what would happen if I went home because I could sit and wait for a phone call there. They encouraged me to stay and said that labour suite were clearing their feet and hoped to get me a bed soon. 10pm came and I asked if hubby could stay while we waited to hear because it was a 45 minute drive home. The midwife said this was fine so we went along to the day room and watched tv. Hubby had a nap on the sofa because he'd been up since 5am and was shattered! We'd not long gone back to the bed space and tried to get some shut eye when a midwife came in to say there was a bed on labour suite and she was there to bring us down (at 3am on Saturday 24/04/14!!) YAAAAAAYYYY!!!
We went down to labour suite and got comfy. By this time I'd been awake for about 20 hours and was shattered but delighted that things were happening! The lovely midwife Fiona broke my waters at 4.10am and I asked that they gave me some time to labour naturally before they put the drip up (heard horror stories about the pain from the drip!) which they agreed to do. I was about 3-4cm so the tightenings I'd been having on the antenatal ward were obviously doing something! Almost straight after my waters were broken, I started getting cramps in my lower back which were quite nippy! I couldn't believe the amount of fluid that kept coming away nor the fact that amniotic fluid smells like semen haha!! Anyway, 2 hours went by and I was having regular pains but they weren't strong enough to be effective so the midwife and the doctor recommended that the drip was started. I started having regular proper contractions at about 7.30am. I was having to stand up each time one came on and hang off hubby's shoulders. At 8am the day shift came on, Fiona said goodbye and the lovely Sarah took over. After a while, Sarah suggested that I tried gas and air and everything is a bit blurry from then on!!! Gas and air was amazing!!! It really helped with the early contractions combined with standing/ rocking/ writhing on the birthing ball. When I was on the ball, Sarah said the ctg was losing connection with my movements and asked about putting a monitor on baby's head which we agreed to. I got up on the bed so she could do this and didn't end up getting off again! The clip was attached at about 9.30am by which time I was about 6cm although Sarah said it could easily be stretched to 8. I kept using gas and air but by half 10 it want having the desired effect any more. Sarah suggested diamorphine which I had at about 10.45am. This took the edge off for a while but an hour later I was really struggling again. I wasn't allowed any diamorphine at that point and Sarah suggested I had a think about an epidural. I hadn't wanted an epidural but she made me feel better by saying that very few women get through an induction without needing an epidural at some point. I accepted the fact that I was going to start losing control without more pain relief and agreed to the epidural which was out in at about 11.45/midday. WOW what a difference!!!! Almost immediately I went from being in complete agony to being quite comfortable! I had another internal exam at 1.30pm and was fully dilated! Sarah advised that we would wait for another hour and start pushing at 2.30pm. At 2.30pm, I started pushing and carried on for an hour. Baby was rocking forward with every push but rocking back when I stopped. After an hour, the doctor was brought in to review. He said I could either try pushing for longer or they could try ventouse. I asked to keep trying for a while longer and he gave me another hour. After another half hour though, baby's heart rate had become a bit high so the doctor was called back in and it was agreed that we'd try ventouse. I needed an episiotomy so the cup could be attached. I remember hearing the baby's heart rate slow right down towards the end and pushing with everything I had. Max Cohen Guthrie was born at 4.23pm on 24/05/14 weighing 8lb 7oz. Sarah said there was a second when she thought the doctor wasn't going to catch him!! Apparently he'd turned to his tray just when Max was being born and turned back just in time!! He had his cord wrapped around his neck twice but it was easily removed and he started crying within the minute. My perfect little boy!!!! Xxxx
Congrats xx
