My Labour Documents - full birth story as per the midwives notes!

[treeze]

Some of you may know that I have written off and obtained my hospital notes from the births of my daughter Josie and more recently little Emma who is now nearly 3 months old!

It took a few weeks but I now have all the documents back from the nhs (cost about £15) and I have typed them all up. Just thought you might be interested to see the sort of things they write / check whilst you're in labour... so here they are. It probably looks like alot of reading but my labour was a quick one and these notes cover my full labour. From arriving back at the hospital for the 2nd time to discharge was just 4 and a half hours. On paper the full labour was classed as 2 hours 50minutes.


EMMA’S BIRTH - OFFICIAL LABOUR DOCUMENTS

29th May 2011 22:45pm

Came to Delivery Suite with history of irregular tightenings since 1400hrs. Mainly Supry pubic pain. T36 degrees BP 130/80 Unirnalysis NAD palpitation and Vaginal Examination performed with consent. (Long/Ceph/ ROL/ 4/5ths palp / slightly posterior, 1 cm long, med consistency, 1-2cm dilated) findings discussed and explained to Theresa plan for home but aware to call if tightenings increase ORM (waters break) or concerns about fetal movements. Theresa happy with plan and discharged.

30th May

00:10am Theresa admitted to Juno Suite with a history of regular tightenings since 230 Now contracting 3-4:10 Entonox given on admission. Urine NAD.

00:20am Care taken over by myself S. Berale. Introductions made. Theresa using Entonox. Contractions 4:10

00:30 Abdominal palpation with consent. Fundus – term, lie longitudal, presentation ceph, 2/5ths palpable, position ROA / ROL. FHHR sonicaid 150 – 155bpm. Acceleration to 160bpm. Vaginal Examination performed with consent (cervix central, fully effaced, soft, application close, 6cm dilated, waters bulging) Findings explained to Theresa & Raymond. FHHR felt after procedure 155 – 160bpm. Theresa using Entonox to good effect. Contractions 4:10 moderate on palpitation.

00:45am FHHR before during and after contraction 135 -140bpm FH dropped to 120 at height of contraction but quick recovery. Contractions 4:10 palpate strong. Theresa coping well

010am FHHR before during and after contraction 155 -160bpm.No decelerations heard. Accelerations to 165bpm heard. Theresa now standing up.

015am Theresa out to toilet – passed urine

01:10am Theresa now on birthing ball

01:15am Contractions lasting approx 45 seconds, strong on palpitation. Theresa remains on birthing ball – good support from Ray

01:25am Bloody show seen. Theresa back onto bed. FH 170bpm. To observe.

01:30am Student Trotman now present. Theresa happy for myself to assist with care and delivery.

01:45am FH 170 – 175bpm. Theresa coping extremely well, contractions 4:10 strong on palpitation. Feeling some slight pressure with contractions now.

01:50am SRM (waters broke) clear liquor draining ++ Theresa distressed – reassurance given. FH 160bpm. No decelerations.

020am Bloody show seen FH 160 – 165bpm. Theresa feeling pressure with contractions now.

02:10am FH 150 – 155bpm No decelerations heard

02:15am FHHR 145 – 150 bpm Theresa now pushing

02:17am Vertex (head) visible. Theresa pushing well. Encouragement given

02:20am vertex crowning

02:21am progressed to SVD of live female infant. Cried immediately. Cord round shoulder x 1 untangled and delivered straight up onto Theresa’s abdomen. Stimulated with warm towels and hat applied. Syntometrine . On AF Has own milk. To feed baby. Left to bond, has call bell.

03:25am Baby has taken approx 30ml C & G. Has had small vomit after. Pink, alert, good tone. Enjoying cuddles with Theresa. Theresa eating some toast feeling well.

03:45am PN Obs with consent. BP 130/80 p80bpm T37 degrees. Uterus w/c just above umbilicus – to try to pass urine. Lochia moderate but within normal limits. Theresa helped up and out to toilet – has passed urine. To shower. Baby with Ray no problems reported.

040am Baby pink, alert, good one, HR 136bpm Resps 54/minute T36.8degrees. Baby rooting for another feed.

04:10am Theresa out of shower, feeling well. Wishes to be discharged home from Juno Suite. Reassured I will prepare her paperwork.

04:30am Ray out to car to collect baby seat

04:35am refreshments provided. Baby taken approx 10mls further af. Now asleep.

04:45am ray back. Ready for discharge. Paperwork prepared and provided. To call if any problems. For community visit. Discharged home.

 

[Kerrykins]

Ah that's really nice to see.

 

[jomc]

thats really interesting to see... thanks!

 

[NinjaKitty]

Wow, interesting. How does that compare to what you remember happening?

 

[treeze]

it's pretty accurate really... it all happened so quick that it was nice re-reading the times things happened etc. But they didn't write everything down like

"Theresa asking for the third time why she can't have an epidural"...

or "Theresa roaring from the bottom of her lungs like wild beast"

or "Theresa is saying "i don't like it - i don't like it - i don't like it" repeatedly through every contraction"

nor that when my waters went they literally exploded all over the place when i was 10 cms - all over both midwives!!

or when they did my stitches me shouting "F**K, F**K F*****K!!!" every time the needle went in!!

I would point out i don't normally swear like that!!!

i gues they just have to document the actual facts not your feelings and emotions!!! The bit where it says i was "distressed" when my waters broke .. well i remember being distressed for what seemed like hours but less than half hour later she was born.. can't believe that pushing stage was only 6 min too - felt like forever!! lol!

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

That was a really interesting read, thanks hun!!

 

[MrsHakaxjdx]

that is intresting x x

 

[almeria]

funny if they had documented you roaring like a wild beast hahahahaha

this is great, going to order mine after too!

 

[pinkyprincess]

Wow really interesting! My mums notes from when I was born are apparently crap, which isn't very reassuring as she had a placenta problem so I was an emergancy C Section

 

[titch]

wow thats a fantastic birth! it must make you feel great to read that you were coping extremely wel!

 

[treeze]

thanks titch but the funny thing is i don't feel i coped well at all - i begged and begged for an epidural but was told "No, sorry no time for that" and then stoooopidly i didn't think to ask for anything else!

I found the whole thing really intense and couldn't believe the power of the contrations for the pushing part... i went on and on and on about it afterwards saying "omg how do women go through this.. it's torture.. it's barbaric etc etc!" then i got my notes back and it's like "oh yes Theresa coping well"

However I definately think it is alot to do with what you gear yourself up mentally for... with my 1st daughter i did hypnobirthing, wanted no pain relief etc and ended up being induced and basically ditching my whole birth plan / mental attitude etc...

With my second i was SO geared up for having an epidural and as many other pain relief options as you can have... it hadn't even occured to me i might not have time etc. i really though i would have to be induced again and get all the pain relief i wanted... was booked for induction at 12 days over and went naturally on day 11.. .

had i WANTED a nice drug free natural birth i'm sure i would have dealt with it alot better! Oh well have virtually forgotten all about it now and can't wait to have another one!!!!!

 

[Sam's Mum]

Sorry but I'm actually crying at "Theresa roaring from the bottom of her lungs like wild beast"

So interesting to read! How did you request a copy? I want to see mine! x

 

[treeze]

ha ha sams mum! yes, i didn't think i could make noises like i did and i always used to say "why do women make those noises!?" then after Emma was born i heard a woman in the next room making them noises too and i just though "you poor lady - i feel your pain!"..

right to get your notes just ring the hospital where you had baby and ask them for Medical Records Depratment (or if not just ask them who you need to speak to to obtain copies of your notes). I spoke to that department and then just had to put it in writing, they write back and tell you about their admin charges normally a couple of pence per page you want copying.. so mine was £15 as i wanted all the pages to do with Emmas birth including ante-natals. Then you send your money off and they send copies of your notes back.

I got my other daughters notes too and she was induced and it took 2 days to work then a 13 hour labour so that was loads of pages.. this time around the notes for the labour itself was only 3 pages long!

I just think it's so worth getting them if you want to remember everything you can about the birth - it's like a timeline.. although i appreciate that some people have bad experiences and would never want to be reminded of it. Although I thought the pain was horrendous I was still very intrigued about the whole thing and want to remember as much as i can about it... i swear your mind does automatically start forgetting it as soon as you've given birth!!!!

 

[treeze]

oh and meant to say you don't have to tell them why you want them etc - it's just a normal everyday thing to them for people to request the medical records. people must do it alot for insurance claims etc.

 

[titch]

I think its well worth it for a lot of people. I had a horrible birth with my son and going through my notes was one of the most healing things, certainly helped me to drop my obsession with it! I do think though, if youre still upset about it all its better to ring the midwifery dept and ask someone to go through them with you, I bawled like a baby reading mine and needed that person there to ask, "is this normal" "why did they decide that?" etc... plus i didnt have to pay to see mine

 

[lanny]

I've always read mine in the hospital, from my blue file it's always been in the end of my bed so just give it a read, with monty my first it said pressing the epidrul button willy nilly lmao

 

[treeze]

lol lanny!! that's hilarious!! with my first i got an epidural and the booster button didn't work but cos i'de been moaning so much about the pain they just thought i was being a drama queen!

 

[xshauna_bazx]

Oh god Treeze this all made me laugh, so glad i am normal with the screaming lol its good to hear other peoples experiences! Bet its great for you reading back through them. I don't think i would have the guts to read mine i think it would make me worse. xxx

 

[EmmBee123]

Thanks for posting! Interesting to see what they check etc.

 

[Lilmoomin]

Thank you for a very interesting read and congrats on your beautiful little girl Also thank you for the info on how to get copies of your medical records, I am thinking of getting copies of both my previous labors, as all I remember is it being horrendous and very long! I'm hoping I have remembered it all wrong! Thanks again x x