Ok, ok, this is it!! Sorry if you can't make it all the way to the end....!
Niamhs Birth story
Thursday 19th / Friday 20th May
During the night I felt some water trickling out of me, and when I went to the loo more trickled out and it was tinged with pink. I felt this 2 or 3 times during the night and woke up in a wet patch on Friday morning.
I rang the hospital and was told to go in so they could examine me. At the hospital the babys heart rate was checked, position felt and my temperature taken. They did an internal but no fluid was detected to be honest I wasnt that surprised as I hadnt felt any more trickling during the morning.
I had a bit of a crampy feeling and backache during the day.
At 8:45pm (Friday) the first contraction came it was quite painful and seemed to last a while! There was another about half an hour later but nowhere near as painful, more of just a mild cramp so I wasnt sure whether it was a contraction or not, then had another one like that at about 10pm.
I went to bed about 10:30pm, and had a couple more contractions. I woke up about midnight and felt my waters trickling again. Went to the loo for a wee, just got back to the bedroom when I felt the water trickling again. I went back down to the bathroom and found Id had a show! I had more contractions through the night but they were very irregular some an hour apart and some only 20 mins apart, I was able to sleep in between them.
Next morning the contractions continued but were still irregular. I saw a post that emgem had made where shed been told when she rang the hospital to try getting in the bath and if it wasnt real labour the contractions would stop. She said when she did that they started coming 5-6 mins apart and thats what happened to me! Contractions were coming thick and fast while I was trying to get myself ready and dry my hair!
I rang the hospital and they told me to go in to be examined. We went straight down there (half an hours drive) and after an internal was told to go home because I wasnt far enough on and to wait until the contractions were more like 3-4 minutes apart my notes say that my cervix would admit one finger. They told me to stay as mobile and upright as possible. I was well miffed off at being sent home, the contractions were painful and already 5 mins apart and being half an hour from the hospital I was worried that I wouldnt get back there in time.
So, went home, put the TENS machine on and a couple of hours later (including travelling there and back!) we were back at the hospital and I was 4 cm dilated. They took us straight through to the delivery suite. We were put in just an ordinary room with a bed and a ball. I originally intended to use the pool if it was free but by that time I was thinking that it wouldnt be enough for me to relieve the pain. They moved us again to another nicer room, not much different but a bit more nicely decorated! I started to feel sick then, and managed to fill two containers with the contents of my stomach!
They set up the gas and air for me and then it was a change of shift for the midwives. I asked for pethidine and was given a shot which made me feel woozy and took the edge off the pain but didnt take it away. The midwife that came on shift then moved us to yet another room, this one was far better more geared towards the active birth thing with a big mattress type thing in the corner with bean bags and cushions piled on it.
So the contractions were then coming thick and fast of course, and I was using the gas and air and of course the effects of the pethidine.
To be honest the rest of the contractions and when I got to the pushing stage is pretty much a blur. I just remember being in so much pain and sucking on the gas and air like it was going out of fashion! The midwife had me on all fours and leaning up against the big bean bag, and eventually I got this feeling as though it was all in my bum, which I think was when I reached the stage to push. I still had all my clothes on then so changed into my old nightshirt.
After that I just seemed to be pushing for ages and ages, I dont know what time that started but I know we were trying to get the waters to break, I put my hand down there and could feel the bag of waters sticking out of me! Eventually they went with a gush.
Then it all goes even more blurry in my memory, I just remember being in a lot of pain and feeling so tired, I cant remember how many times I said, I cant do this anymore!. The midwife had me in every conceivable position: on all fours, standing up, lying on my back, on my left side, on my right side. Now comes the slightly embarrassing part
. She asked me if I was constipated and I said I didnt know (didnt really think I was but I do suffer a bit with that sometimes!) so she asked me if I wanted an ENEMA!!! I said yes if she thought it would help. I turned round to Rob at this point and asked him if hed like to leave the room for that
. So she did it and that seemed to help as things progressed more quickly after that. At some point she had me sitting up against the bean bag and was pushing against my feet to help me push. She got Rob involved in that which I think he wasnt too sure about at first (always said he wouldnt go down the business end!) and eventually the head apparently started to show, but it kept slipping back up so it took ages and ages. Finally she told me that within the next 2 or 3 contractions she wanted me to stop pushing and start panting to let the head out slowly. Probably 4 or 5 contractions later she told me to pant and I panted for what my life was worth! I was so dying to stop panting but just carried on going and Im really proud of myself for that! So eventually the head was out. Rob was in raptures about it and afterwards told me that her hands were up to her face at that point. The midwife asked me if I wanted to feel the head that freaked me out a bit and I said no, but then changed my mind and put my hand down to feel the head and a little ear! With the next contraction her body just slipped out, that was at 2:58am on Sunday 22nd May. She had a little cry but not much. She was wiped down a bit before being put on my tummy but Rob said she was pretty clean anyway. I had the injection to help deliver the placenta and that slipped out easily about 10/15 mins later, no problems there. I had no tears, cuts or stitches.
I know that at the time I thought it was a horrendous experience but its true what they say looking back I already struggle to remember exactly why I thought it was so awful, and reading what Ive just written it sounds pretty boring and uneventful!
The best thing about it was that Rob was the most supportive partner I could ever hoped for he was absolutely brilliant. He kept trying to massage my back though and I didnt want it so kept sending him away! Bless.
MY TOP TIP: WHATEVER YOU DO PANT LIKE HELL WHEN THE HEADS COMING OUT!!!!