Well Im sitting here with Ruby on my lap and at the moment she is asleep after a big feed so Im hoping I can write this birth story
.
As some of you will know, Id been having contractions that were starting and stopping for the best part of two weeks, and had already been to the labour ward on a couple of occasions!!!
Friday 11th July
I got up and hadnt felt any movements from baby since the night before. I gave (her) a bit of a prod but still nothing so I called the mw (who was supposed to be coming out to see me that day anyhow) who came out pretty much straight away. She was concerned that the heart rate was slow (only about 105) so she sent me in to hospital to be checked. Sat on the monitor for a while and baby started moving but the doctor came in and wanted to set a date for induction (I agreed to Sunday 13th); also had a sweep.
Saturday 12th July
Nothing .
Sunday 13th July
Got very nervous about the induction so called the hospital to ask if I could delay until Monday they agreed but asked me to go in for another check in the morning (the monitor was picking up contractions every 10 mins).
Monday 14th July
Contractions had settled overnight and had a reasonable sleep got the girls to school etc and felt fine. Mum took me into hospital for 2pm and dropped me off. Had to wait for ages and then was taken to a room (was very surprised, it was the mw who Id seen whilst having Daisy and Rosie in Eastleigh). I was told that they couldnt use the gel and would have to be extremely careful with the drip due to my prev. c/section, so the plan was to break my waters to begin with. However, they needed to speak to my consultant first and couldnt get hold of him. They put me on the monitor whilst I waited (I had started to have some quite strong contractions at this point) but half an hour later the mw returned to say that the consultant wasnt happy to induce me so late in the day due to the lack of staff to cover if things started to go wrong. J arrived really stressed (he hadnt been able to park) and was even more stressed when I was sent home and told to go back the next morning (that must have been at about 6.30pm)!!!!
During the journey home the contractions had started to get more frequent and painful. We arrived home, as the girls were finishing dinner/ going to bed. Mum went down to the shop to get some ready meals and I took over sorting out the girls (who were very confused as Id told them that morning that I was off to have the baby) but the contractions were steadily increasing and they were starting to get significantly painful!! Went upstairs at 8 to help Mum get them to bed and was just in the bathroom cleaning teeth when the waters went!!!! There I was, standing in the bathroom in soaking trousers, shoving towels everywhere, trying to act normal so not to totally freak the girls out!!!! I realised then that I should get myself back to the labour ward asap but wanted to hang on until J at least had had some dinner!!!! From that point though, the contractions hit big time and they went very quickly from being 5 mins apart to 2 mins and I was standing in the kitchen, towel between legs gasping (and with one gush of water I felt something very heavy move downwards that was pretty freaky). There was no way I could sit in the car normally by this point I kind of braced myself in the back (J was concerned that the police would see me, ha ha, I think if theyd stopped us I would have just shouted at them that I was about to drop a baby on the floor!!!). It was well and truly the car journey from hell! It was so embarrassing for when we arrived I had a pair of wet trousers (had changed the previous ones but there was so much water) and a towel inside them; could hardly walk for the contractions had em in the car park, the doorway and the lift. We were taken to one of the delivery rooms (it was 9 oclock so all the shifts were changing). I think the contractions must have been not far off a minute apart and they were getting pretty horrendous I couldnt get my top off so resolved that I would have to give birth in my nice pink t-shirt. I started on the gas and air pretty much straight away which made things much better that enabled the mw to put the monitor on for a while and do the physical exam which revealed that I was only about 5cm (I remember being pretty disappointed about that but then she said I could go very quickly from there and she was right). The rest is pretty much a blur really I can remember some very undignified details. They were definitely more laid back about the c/section scar than they had been at Southampton although they did keep shoving the monitor back on me when I knocked it off. I tried standing up (was a bit messy), sitting up, clinging on to the bed on all fours!!! At about 11.45 they said that I was fully dilated and could push which was music to my ears!!! I managed to negotiate regarding the gas and air had 3 gulps before each push (they took it off me completely at this point when I had Rosie). Finally gave birth on my back (sitting up slightly as I had with Rosie) had the same horrendous back pressure and I acquired a 1st degree tear but I dont think it hurt quite as much as the last time!!! I think there was some difficulty with the shoulders (I remember they were telling me to push and the contractions had stopped at that point) but Ruby was finally born at 12.28. She didnt cry straightaway but her first score was 9. I had her on my tummy and then had the injection for the placenta (no probs there); J cut the cord. She was much bigger than my other two girls had been and I was totally taken by her really dark hair. We had lots of bonding time, she fed successfully an hour or so later. I had to have a couple of stitches (insisted on having a local mainly to take away the pain that I already had at that point, ha ha) and then was transferred to the postnatal ward at about 4am.
I think I did make quite a noise but J said it wasnt as bad as last time!!!!! I think I would do it again, if I could ever get OH to agree!!!
Anyway, Ive included some pictures of me and Ruby, taken the afternoon after her birth. Sorry for the essay!!! I also insisted on J taking a picture of the placenta which I can put up if anyone wants to see what one looks like (its not for the faint hearted!!!)
As some of you will know, Id been having contractions that were starting and stopping for the best part of two weeks, and had already been to the labour ward on a couple of occasions!!!
Friday 11th July
I got up and hadnt felt any movements from baby since the night before. I gave (her) a bit of a prod but still nothing so I called the mw (who was supposed to be coming out to see me that day anyhow) who came out pretty much straight away. She was concerned that the heart rate was slow (only about 105) so she sent me in to hospital to be checked. Sat on the monitor for a while and baby started moving but the doctor came in and wanted to set a date for induction (I agreed to Sunday 13th); also had a sweep.
Saturday 12th July
Nothing .
Sunday 13th July
Got very nervous about the induction so called the hospital to ask if I could delay until Monday they agreed but asked me to go in for another check in the morning (the monitor was picking up contractions every 10 mins).
Monday 14th July
Contractions had settled overnight and had a reasonable sleep got the girls to school etc and felt fine. Mum took me into hospital for 2pm and dropped me off. Had to wait for ages and then was taken to a room (was very surprised, it was the mw who Id seen whilst having Daisy and Rosie in Eastleigh). I was told that they couldnt use the gel and would have to be extremely careful with the drip due to my prev. c/section, so the plan was to break my waters to begin with. However, they needed to speak to my consultant first and couldnt get hold of him. They put me on the monitor whilst I waited (I had started to have some quite strong contractions at this point) but half an hour later the mw returned to say that the consultant wasnt happy to induce me so late in the day due to the lack of staff to cover if things started to go wrong. J arrived really stressed (he hadnt been able to park) and was even more stressed when I was sent home and told to go back the next morning (that must have been at about 6.30pm)!!!!
During the journey home the contractions had started to get more frequent and painful. We arrived home, as the girls were finishing dinner/ going to bed. Mum went down to the shop to get some ready meals and I took over sorting out the girls (who were very confused as Id told them that morning that I was off to have the baby) but the contractions were steadily increasing and they were starting to get significantly painful!! Went upstairs at 8 to help Mum get them to bed and was just in the bathroom cleaning teeth when the waters went!!!! There I was, standing in the bathroom in soaking trousers, shoving towels everywhere, trying to act normal so not to totally freak the girls out!!!! I realised then that I should get myself back to the labour ward asap but wanted to hang on until J at least had had some dinner!!!! From that point though, the contractions hit big time and they went very quickly from being 5 mins apart to 2 mins and I was standing in the kitchen, towel between legs gasping (and with one gush of water I felt something very heavy move downwards that was pretty freaky). There was no way I could sit in the car normally by this point I kind of braced myself in the back (J was concerned that the police would see me, ha ha, I think if theyd stopped us I would have just shouted at them that I was about to drop a baby on the floor!!!). It was well and truly the car journey from hell! It was so embarrassing for when we arrived I had a pair of wet trousers (had changed the previous ones but there was so much water) and a towel inside them; could hardly walk for the contractions had em in the car park, the doorway and the lift. We were taken to one of the delivery rooms (it was 9 oclock so all the shifts were changing). I think the contractions must have been not far off a minute apart and they were getting pretty horrendous I couldnt get my top off so resolved that I would have to give birth in my nice pink t-shirt. I started on the gas and air pretty much straight away which made things much better that enabled the mw to put the monitor on for a while and do the physical exam which revealed that I was only about 5cm (I remember being pretty disappointed about that but then she said I could go very quickly from there and she was right). The rest is pretty much a blur really I can remember some very undignified details. They were definitely more laid back about the c/section scar than they had been at Southampton although they did keep shoving the monitor back on me when I knocked it off. I tried standing up (was a bit messy), sitting up, clinging on to the bed on all fours!!! At about 11.45 they said that I was fully dilated and could push which was music to my ears!!! I managed to negotiate regarding the gas and air had 3 gulps before each push (they took it off me completely at this point when I had Rosie). Finally gave birth on my back (sitting up slightly as I had with Rosie) had the same horrendous back pressure and I acquired a 1st degree tear but I dont think it hurt quite as much as the last time!!! I think there was some difficulty with the shoulders (I remember they were telling me to push and the contractions had stopped at that point) but Ruby was finally born at 12.28. She didnt cry straightaway but her first score was 9. I had her on my tummy and then had the injection for the placenta (no probs there); J cut the cord. She was much bigger than my other two girls had been and I was totally taken by her really dark hair. We had lots of bonding time, she fed successfully an hour or so later. I had to have a couple of stitches (insisted on having a local mainly to take away the pain that I already had at that point, ha ha) and then was transferred to the postnatal ward at about 4am.
I think I did make quite a noise but J said it wasnt as bad as last time!!!!! I think I would do it again, if I could ever get OH to agree!!!
Anyway, Ive included some pictures of me and Ruby, taken the afternoon after her birth. Sorry for the essay!!! I also insisted on J taking a picture of the placenta which I can put up if anyone wants to see what one looks like (its not for the faint hearted!!!)
to the consultant 
