mum2b410
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Firstly apologies for the length of this one girls but things didn't go exactly to plan!!.......It is a bit traumatic and I don't want to scare anyone but have tried to give my honest account of things to help me process it all and remember it in time to come 
I was due on 23/10/11 but after trying everything we could to get labour started without success and 2 failed sweeps we agreed to go for induction of labour at the hospital.
On 6/11/11 I was seen in day unit and assessed- cervix posterior and barely 1cm dilated so after being monitored I was given the first pessary.
After that I was meant to go home for 6 hours but LOs heart rate wasnt settled enough so they kept me on the monitor for 2 hours and then suggested I hang about until it was time for the next pessary. So we had some lunch and wandered a bit round the hospital before returning to day unit.
Following another internal there was still no change! Feeling v disappointed I had the second pessary and fortunately this time LOs heart rate settled well and we were allowed to go home.
In the car on the way back I started getting contractions J This continued into the evening coming between 2-7 mins apart and lasting 60-90seconds. I was having to breathe through them and thoroughly expected to wake be going into the hospital in the night and finally giving birth but no, I went to sleep after some paracetomol around midnight but woke at around 5am and the contractions had all but stopped L I was so disheartened and scared of what was to come with the rest of the induction. I was up around 7am and had to ring the delivery suite at 8am- the plan was to reassess me and see if they could break my waters. We headed in with my bags because I knew I wouldnt be coming home until I had LO this time.
I was shown to my room and assessed. Despite all that I had felt the night before I wasnt any further dilated!! They therefore couldnt break my waters but the doctor said they would like to try a 3rd pessary and see what happened. So I was monitored and had another pessary, monitored again and then allowed to wander round the hospital. I felt nothing but a bit crampy and knew that nothing would have changed when I was reassessed ..and I was right L When the doctor did my internal this time I was given gas and air as they said it was going to be very uncomfortable and they were right .I had tears in my eyes ..they were trying to reach my cervix and see if they could break my waters but it just wasnt dilating and it was soooo uncomfortable!! It was thoroughly depressing and frustrating ..my body just didnt want to go into labour! I was now 15 days overdue and scared because I knew I was heading for a c-section!......The doctors gave us 2 options- we could go to theatre that night and have a c-section or wait until the morning and be reassessed again. If things had changed they would break my waters and if not they would take me to theatre. OH and I decided we would wait until the morning and although we thought nothing would change we wanted some time to get our heads around me needing a c-section.
I was given a bed on the maternity ward and LO was monitored again. I was made nil by mouth from midnight in preparation for c-section in the morning. Didnt get much sleep from worrying about what was to come and felt a few contractions but since the contractions Id felt the previous night had done nothing I fully expected that what I was feeling would have no affect either .wrong again!! Lol I went to the loo around 6am to discover my mucus plug was coming away!.....I started freaking out coz now potentially I wouldnt need the c-section and now I was trying to get my head around having my waters broken again!......OH came in at 7.30 and I had already been consented for c-section. A nurse came and did the rest of the prep for the c-section. No one seemed too fussed that I might not be having it, they just said it was best to get it all done anyway as I might end up in theatre whatever ..The doctors came round about 8.30 and the consultant decided this time she was going to do my internal. When she did I ended up screaming coz she pushed sooo hard, she made me cry!! She said I was 2cm dilated now and that she could definitely break my waters but that I would need an epidural beforehand, and that they should then start the drip straight away and get things going. We agreed to the plan and I was moved to delivery suite again.
Around 9.30 I had the epidural put in and the midwife then managed to break my waters. The drip was started around 11am and I was then stuck in bed and hooked up to the CTG for the remainder of my labour. The plan was to assess me every 4 hours and check progress. LO was continuously monitored but at times they werent too happy with his heart rate and therefore the drip was increased more slowly. The contractions just felt like pressure and tightening at first but werent painful. I could still move my legs and adjust my postion on the bed without much help, which was good. At the first assessment I was 3cm .I knew I was going to be in for a looonngg day!......I had intermittent catherterisation and at next assessment I was 6-7cm. Midwives changed shift and I then started needing boluses of pain relief through the epidural- Id started feeling the contractions in my bottom and pelvis and they discovered LO had moved back to back!!.......As time went on the pain got worse, despite the epidural, so I had further boluses as I was having to breathe through the contractions quite heavily and still was nowhere near 10cm!! I was trying to manage as things were but the midwife kept giving me boluses- I think she knew just how much longer things were going to take and that I wasnt going to cope without the extra Next time I was assessed I was 8-9cm ..this was about 9.30pm. I was getting soooo tired and hungry ..I was only allowed sips of water and had fluids through a drip and I still had some way to go! I was getting more and more numb from the epidural and struggling to move about without help. I tried to sleep on and off but I couldnt with the contractions By 11pm I was finally 10cm dilated ..I had a lot of pressure in my lower back and pelvis and was struggling with the contractions .the midwives had changed shifts again and the midwife I had wanted to anaesthetist to review me. They had been checking the block on the epidural at regular intervals all day and it was working well, so I was given some stronger pain relief through it via injection. After this I was pretty much completely numb from the waist down. I was told wed wait another hour before being allowed to push to give the babys head a chance to get as low as possible. So just after midnight (now 9/11/11 and 17 days overdue) I was allowed to start pushing. After 10 minutes the midwife wanted to get the doctor as LOs heartrate wasnt picking up very quickly after each contraction. The doctor reviewed me and advised that although I was pushing well and that I could birth LO unaided they wanted to get him out quickly and decided they needed to use forceps. She explained that they may need to cut me as well. The room filled with people and my feet were put in stirrups. I started crying as I was soooo scared LO wasnt going to make it. I remember the midwife telling me that he wasnt going to die and I tried to gather myself ready to birth my little boy. After 2 contractions and with forceps and an episiotomy his head was born! It felt like forever for another contraction to come (and I was relying on midwife to tell me when as I couldnt feel them anymore!) but when it did I gave one more huge push and he was born at just before 1am!!! They placed him on me and rubbed him down. He looked up at me and I had tears in my eyes ..he had red marks on his face from the forceps and his hands were very pale but when they took him to check him over he started crying and his apgar score was 10- he didnt even need any oxygen!......He was weigh 9lb and had blue eyes and dark blonde hair ..OH got to cut the cord (only after they had done the initial separation) and I had him back on my chest for skin to skin and to breastfeed. The doctor stitched me up- I had a small tear as well as the episiotomy but it didnt need any sutures. Despite the epidural I could feel some on the stitching toward the end so they gave me a local anaesthetic as well! Once they were finished I was unhooked from the epidural, drips and all the equipment and we were finally alone with our little boy. I was so relieved it was all over and could finally have something to eat but after a cup of tea and toast I threw up!! It must have been all the pain relief Id had as later on on the ward I threw up again!! I felt sooo rough but could not stop looking at my little man and could not believe he was finally here!
Managed to get my legs to work again a few hours later and staggered to the loo (they said I could go home that day if Id managed to pass urine by 6am so I was absolutely determined I would as I didnt want to be without my OH any longer than necessary!) ..Managed to keep down some toast and a cup of tea later on and after spending the day on the ward getting to grips with feeding and trying to keep more food and fluids down we were allowed home. Felt much better by this point and OHs mum met us at home with a Chinese take away- best Ive ever had after everything wed been through! Lol!
Ethan is now almost 2 and a half weeks old and is now 9lb 13oz so I must be doing something right with the breastfeeding!! J
It is really challenging and no 2 days are the same but he is wonderful and I feel totally blessed to have him- we love him sooooo much its incredible!
The trauma of the labour is still with me but gets better each day and Im healing well so cant complain! My labour was the hardest thing I think I have ever been through but to have my little boy safe and sound made it totally worth it J
I was due on 23/10/11 but after trying everything we could to get labour started without success and 2 failed sweeps we agreed to go for induction of labour at the hospital.
On 6/11/11 I was seen in day unit and assessed- cervix posterior and barely 1cm dilated so after being monitored I was given the first pessary.
After that I was meant to go home for 6 hours but LOs heart rate wasnt settled enough so they kept me on the monitor for 2 hours and then suggested I hang about until it was time for the next pessary. So we had some lunch and wandered a bit round the hospital before returning to day unit.
Following another internal there was still no change! Feeling v disappointed I had the second pessary and fortunately this time LOs heart rate settled well and we were allowed to go home.
In the car on the way back I started getting contractions J This continued into the evening coming between 2-7 mins apart and lasting 60-90seconds. I was having to breathe through them and thoroughly expected to wake be going into the hospital in the night and finally giving birth but no, I went to sleep after some paracetomol around midnight but woke at around 5am and the contractions had all but stopped L I was so disheartened and scared of what was to come with the rest of the induction. I was up around 7am and had to ring the delivery suite at 8am- the plan was to reassess me and see if they could break my waters. We headed in with my bags because I knew I wouldnt be coming home until I had LO this time.
I was shown to my room and assessed. Despite all that I had felt the night before I wasnt any further dilated!! They therefore couldnt break my waters but the doctor said they would like to try a 3rd pessary and see what happened. So I was monitored and had another pessary, monitored again and then allowed to wander round the hospital. I felt nothing but a bit crampy and knew that nothing would have changed when I was reassessed ..and I was right L When the doctor did my internal this time I was given gas and air as they said it was going to be very uncomfortable and they were right .I had tears in my eyes ..they were trying to reach my cervix and see if they could break my waters but it just wasnt dilating and it was soooo uncomfortable!! It was thoroughly depressing and frustrating ..my body just didnt want to go into labour! I was now 15 days overdue and scared because I knew I was heading for a c-section!......The doctors gave us 2 options- we could go to theatre that night and have a c-section or wait until the morning and be reassessed again. If things had changed they would break my waters and if not they would take me to theatre. OH and I decided we would wait until the morning and although we thought nothing would change we wanted some time to get our heads around me needing a c-section.
I was given a bed on the maternity ward and LO was monitored again. I was made nil by mouth from midnight in preparation for c-section in the morning. Didnt get much sleep from worrying about what was to come and felt a few contractions but since the contractions Id felt the previous night had done nothing I fully expected that what I was feeling would have no affect either .wrong again!! Lol I went to the loo around 6am to discover my mucus plug was coming away!.....I started freaking out coz now potentially I wouldnt need the c-section and now I was trying to get my head around having my waters broken again!......OH came in at 7.30 and I had already been consented for c-section. A nurse came and did the rest of the prep for the c-section. No one seemed too fussed that I might not be having it, they just said it was best to get it all done anyway as I might end up in theatre whatever ..The doctors came round about 8.30 and the consultant decided this time she was going to do my internal. When she did I ended up screaming coz she pushed sooo hard, she made me cry!! She said I was 2cm dilated now and that she could definitely break my waters but that I would need an epidural beforehand, and that they should then start the drip straight away and get things going. We agreed to the plan and I was moved to delivery suite again.
Around 9.30 I had the epidural put in and the midwife then managed to break my waters. The drip was started around 11am and I was then stuck in bed and hooked up to the CTG for the remainder of my labour. The plan was to assess me every 4 hours and check progress. LO was continuously monitored but at times they werent too happy with his heart rate and therefore the drip was increased more slowly. The contractions just felt like pressure and tightening at first but werent painful. I could still move my legs and adjust my postion on the bed without much help, which was good. At the first assessment I was 3cm .I knew I was going to be in for a looonngg day!......I had intermittent catherterisation and at next assessment I was 6-7cm. Midwives changed shift and I then started needing boluses of pain relief through the epidural- Id started feeling the contractions in my bottom and pelvis and they discovered LO had moved back to back!!.......As time went on the pain got worse, despite the epidural, so I had further boluses as I was having to breathe through the contractions quite heavily and still was nowhere near 10cm!! I was trying to manage as things were but the midwife kept giving me boluses- I think she knew just how much longer things were going to take and that I wasnt going to cope without the extra Next time I was assessed I was 8-9cm ..this was about 9.30pm. I was getting soooo tired and hungry ..I was only allowed sips of water and had fluids through a drip and I still had some way to go! I was getting more and more numb from the epidural and struggling to move about without help. I tried to sleep on and off but I couldnt with the contractions By 11pm I was finally 10cm dilated ..I had a lot of pressure in my lower back and pelvis and was struggling with the contractions .the midwives had changed shifts again and the midwife I had wanted to anaesthetist to review me. They had been checking the block on the epidural at regular intervals all day and it was working well, so I was given some stronger pain relief through it via injection. After this I was pretty much completely numb from the waist down. I was told wed wait another hour before being allowed to push to give the babys head a chance to get as low as possible. So just after midnight (now 9/11/11 and 17 days overdue) I was allowed to start pushing. After 10 minutes the midwife wanted to get the doctor as LOs heartrate wasnt picking up very quickly after each contraction. The doctor reviewed me and advised that although I was pushing well and that I could birth LO unaided they wanted to get him out quickly and decided they needed to use forceps. She explained that they may need to cut me as well. The room filled with people and my feet were put in stirrups. I started crying as I was soooo scared LO wasnt going to make it. I remember the midwife telling me that he wasnt going to die and I tried to gather myself ready to birth my little boy. After 2 contractions and with forceps and an episiotomy his head was born! It felt like forever for another contraction to come (and I was relying on midwife to tell me when as I couldnt feel them anymore!) but when it did I gave one more huge push and he was born at just before 1am!!! They placed him on me and rubbed him down. He looked up at me and I had tears in my eyes ..he had red marks on his face from the forceps and his hands were very pale but when they took him to check him over he started crying and his apgar score was 10- he didnt even need any oxygen!......He was weigh 9lb and had blue eyes and dark blonde hair ..OH got to cut the cord (only after they had done the initial separation) and I had him back on my chest for skin to skin and to breastfeed. The doctor stitched me up- I had a small tear as well as the episiotomy but it didnt need any sutures. Despite the epidural I could feel some on the stitching toward the end so they gave me a local anaesthetic as well! Once they were finished I was unhooked from the epidural, drips and all the equipment and we were finally alone with our little boy. I was so relieved it was all over and could finally have something to eat but after a cup of tea and toast I threw up!! It must have been all the pain relief Id had as later on on the ward I threw up again!! I felt sooo rough but could not stop looking at my little man and could not believe he was finally here!
Managed to get my legs to work again a few hours later and staggered to the loo (they said I could go home that day if Id managed to pass urine by 6am so I was absolutely determined I would as I didnt want to be without my OH any longer than necessary!) ..Managed to keep down some toast and a cup of tea later on and after spending the day on the ward getting to grips with feeding and trying to keep more food and fluids down we were allowed home. Felt much better by this point and OHs mum met us at home with a Chinese take away- best Ive ever had after everything wed been through! Lol!
Ethan is now almost 2 and a half weeks old and is now 9lb 13oz so I must be doing something right with the breastfeeding!! J
It is really challenging and no 2 days are the same but he is wonderful and I feel totally blessed to have him- we love him sooooo much its incredible!
The trauma of the labour is still with me but gets better each day and Im healing well so cant complain! My labour was the hardest thing I think I have ever been through but to have my little boy safe and sound made it totally worth it J
