Well the last week has been the most surreal, exciting, scary and painful week of my life!
Last Tuesday night I woke up to find my waters had broke at 2.30am. As I was only 35+6, I started to panic. My OH phoned the hospital who told us to come straight down, so after hurriedly shaving my ladies bits, I grabbed some stuff (pack your bags ladies!) and we drove the 10 mins to stoke Mandeville. By the time I had got there, although I was wearing a huge maternity towel, I was leaking everywhere and literally sitting in a pool of my own juices!
After being examined the doctor decided I would have to go to the ward, where hopefully my baby would appear by himself or, because of the risk of infection, I would be induced within the next 24-48 hours.
Well apart from 'leaking' not much happened until 2am the following morning when I started to get strong period pain type contractions every 5 minutes or so. At 7am I was taken down to the delivery suite where I was given IV antibiotics and started on an IV inducement drip as I was only 1cm dilated. At this point the pain was bearable and I could breathe through it with the help of gas and air (which was fantastic!)
By midday the gas and air was not doing much so, as I really can't stand the thought of a needle in my spine, I opted for a shot of pethadine. I really wished I hadn't as within 20 mins I was drowsy, drifting in and out of sleep and felt totally of out control. By about 3pm the pain was so unbearable and excruciating that I begged for an epidural (I've been told since that being induced makes the contractions more painful and longer than a natural labour). It took an hour for the anesthetist to arrive and at first he wouldn't do it unless I focused on him. Apparently my OH said it was like I was really drunk and kept slumping forward and losing my focus. I finally convinced him I was conscious and begged for the epidural. Which was heaven! Why I waited until the afternoon to do it I will never know! Straight away the pain was manageable and I could start to feel my baby bearing down.
Unfortunately he was becoming distressed and not laying right so it was decided they would try to turn him and if not I would have to have a caesarean. So I was taken to theatre where, by 8.06pm thankfully he was delivered quickly with the help of forceps and a episiotomy.
He spent the first 20 minutes of his life bonding with his dad, while his mum was being stitched up and puking down the side of her own face. It was not pretty!! I would like to say a huge 'big respect' to all the ladies that delivery naturally, at home or with limited drugs. You truly are superwomen!
But, I would definitely do it all again as I now have the most gorgeous beautiful lil baby boy. He weighed 6lb 1 and a half oz, but unfortunately we still can't decide on a name and refer to him as 'the boy'! Its proving harder than the birth!!!
We had to stay a week in hospital as he had jaundice, but he was given the all clear last night after 3 days on a 'bili bed' and we finally came home.
Last Tuesday night I woke up to find my waters had broke at 2.30am. As I was only 35+6, I started to panic. My OH phoned the hospital who told us to come straight down, so after hurriedly shaving my ladies bits, I grabbed some stuff (pack your bags ladies!) and we drove the 10 mins to stoke Mandeville. By the time I had got there, although I was wearing a huge maternity towel, I was leaking everywhere and literally sitting in a pool of my own juices!
After being examined the doctor decided I would have to go to the ward, where hopefully my baby would appear by himself or, because of the risk of infection, I would be induced within the next 24-48 hours.
Well apart from 'leaking' not much happened until 2am the following morning when I started to get strong period pain type contractions every 5 minutes or so. At 7am I was taken down to the delivery suite where I was given IV antibiotics and started on an IV inducement drip as I was only 1cm dilated. At this point the pain was bearable and I could breathe through it with the help of gas and air (which was fantastic!)
By midday the gas and air was not doing much so, as I really can't stand the thought of a needle in my spine, I opted for a shot of pethadine. I really wished I hadn't as within 20 mins I was drowsy, drifting in and out of sleep and felt totally of out control. By about 3pm the pain was so unbearable and excruciating that I begged for an epidural (I've been told since that being induced makes the contractions more painful and longer than a natural labour). It took an hour for the anesthetist to arrive and at first he wouldn't do it unless I focused on him. Apparently my OH said it was like I was really drunk and kept slumping forward and losing my focus. I finally convinced him I was conscious and begged for the epidural. Which was heaven! Why I waited until the afternoon to do it I will never know! Straight away the pain was manageable and I could start to feel my baby bearing down.
Unfortunately he was becoming distressed and not laying right so it was decided they would try to turn him and if not I would have to have a caesarean. So I was taken to theatre where, by 8.06pm thankfully he was delivered quickly with the help of forceps and a episiotomy.
He spent the first 20 minutes of his life bonding with his dad, while his mum was being stitched up and puking down the side of her own face. It was not pretty!! I would like to say a huge 'big respect' to all the ladies that delivery naturally, at home or with limited drugs. You truly are superwomen!
But, I would definitely do it all again as I now have the most gorgeous beautiful lil baby boy. He weighed 6lb 1 and a half oz, but unfortunately we still can't decide on a name and refer to him as 'the boy'! Its proving harder than the birth!!!
We had to stay a week in hospital as he had jaundice, but he was given the all clear last night after 3 days on a 'bili bed' and we finally came home.
xx
