manda&dave
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Only just got round to typing this up...apologies now for waffling 
At 39+3 at my midwife appt I was referred to my local hospital as the midwife wasn't able to feel baby's position. At the hospital they scanned my bump and found his head was under my ribs! I was so shocked that he was breach as he had been consistently engaged since 35 weeks!! However, in week 38 my bump had gone a really odd shape, almost box like with a ledge at the top, which was a sign he had shifted although I never felt him turn.
A consultant then discussed our options - attempt to move him which has a 40-50% success rate at 39 weeks, or a c-section. I spoke with my partner on the phone and we decided on the section as we weren't comfortable with trying to shift him. We were booked in for a section on 6th May - 2 days away.
We still had loads of odd jobs that needed doing before baby arrived so that night we planned our last day of freedom. But at 9pm I began to have cramps that were consistent enough to time - every 4-7 mins. We timed them until 11:30pm and then phoned the hospital. I explained that baby was breach, I was booked in for a section and that I was having regular cramps - the midwife said to have a bath to see if they died down. I couldn't have a bath as it would have been too loud to run with people in bed. I got into bed but couldn't sleep so we phoned them back at 1pm. I explained my situation again to which the midwife responded that she didn't think I was in labour as I sounded too happy!! but I could come in to be checked if I wanted to. My partner was shocked - her response was laughable.
When we arrived I was monitored and it confirmed I was contracting but they didn't acknowledge whether it was the beginnings of labour - we kept asking but never got an answer. A consultant came to examine me and he was laughable as well! Anyhow, I wasn't dilated etc but they told me they'd keep me in now until my section. I was put on a ward but couldn't sleep through the cramps. For pain medication I had paracetamol and codeine but stopped taking the codeine as it made me throw up. At 2pm on Thursday 5th I had my pre op for the section. During this my plug went which I was very excited about I kept asking the midwives if they would deliver me early as the cramps were quite painful and I didn't want to be left overnight as I was. We were never given a definitive answer so we had to wait and see how I progressed, which was so frustrating!
At 4:30pm, whilst I was breathing through a major contraction, my waters broke which was an odd sensation. Finally the midwives seemed to take me seriously and a consultant came to get my consent for an 'emergency' section. He examined me, I was 4cms (woohoo) and I was finally told that I was actually in labour. At 6:30pm they moved me down to the delivery suite to prep me for the op and examined me again. I was 8cms!! I was still only having paracetamol which helps for period pains but not so much for contractions..haha..
A consultant then thrust the option of having a vaginal breach delivery onto us which we hadn't considered. Trying to think clearly whilst having severe contractions and having had no sleep is nearly impossible. I couldn't believe that they were giving us this option now and that they were pressuring me for a decision. They briefly gave me pros and cons for breach delivery and c section so we could compare, but I was so overwhelmed I just began to cry. I was angry at them for giving me the option as it just confused me, I was worried about a breach delivery as I didn't want my baby to die as a consequence of the decision we made, I was relieved that I might not have a section as i wanted to deliver my baby and hold him straight away.
I decided that I wanted an epidural which made the decision for us (breach delivery) as I would have to have a spinal for a section. Once we'd decided and I'd had the epidural I was much more relaxed and back to my happy self. At 8:30pm they checked me again and I was 10cms They decided to hold off pushing for as long as possible and let my contractions move baby down, reducing the possibility of him experiencing any distress. 2 hours on I began to push. My partner watched the whole delivery and kept me updated on how things were looking...haha. Baby came out boy bits first and I had an episiotomy to ease things.
At 22:44 our gorgeous baby boy, Theo Blake Mashiter, was born weighing 6lbs 15ozs . It was the most amazing experience of my life. Seeing my partner as a dad is amazing - he is in awe of his little man and has looked after us both so well since the delivery.
Looking back, I am thankful for having had the choice as it was such a positive experience and the midwife who supported me in delivering made such a difference - Thank you Sally G at Burnley!
I would do it all again in a heartbeat
xxx
At 39+3 at my midwife appt I was referred to my local hospital as the midwife wasn't able to feel baby's position. At the hospital they scanned my bump and found his head was under my ribs! I was so shocked that he was breach as he had been consistently engaged since 35 weeks!! However, in week 38 my bump had gone a really odd shape, almost box like with a ledge at the top, which was a sign he had shifted although I never felt him turn.
A consultant then discussed our options - attempt to move him which has a 40-50% success rate at 39 weeks, or a c-section. I spoke with my partner on the phone and we decided on the section as we weren't comfortable with trying to shift him. We were booked in for a section on 6th May - 2 days away.
We still had loads of odd jobs that needed doing before baby arrived so that night we planned our last day of freedom. But at 9pm I began to have cramps that were consistent enough to time - every 4-7 mins. We timed them until 11:30pm and then phoned the hospital. I explained that baby was breach, I was booked in for a section and that I was having regular cramps - the midwife said to have a bath to see if they died down. I couldn't have a bath as it would have been too loud to run with people in bed. I got into bed but couldn't sleep so we phoned them back at 1pm. I explained my situation again to which the midwife responded that she didn't think I was in labour as I sounded too happy!! but I could come in to be checked if I wanted to. My partner was shocked - her response was laughable.
When we arrived I was monitored and it confirmed I was contracting but they didn't acknowledge whether it was the beginnings of labour - we kept asking but never got an answer. A consultant came to examine me and he was laughable as well! Anyhow, I wasn't dilated etc but they told me they'd keep me in now until my section. I was put on a ward but couldn't sleep through the cramps. For pain medication I had paracetamol and codeine but stopped taking the codeine as it made me throw up. At 2pm on Thursday 5th I had my pre op for the section. During this my plug went which I was very excited about
I kept asking the midwives if they would deliver me early as the cramps were quite painful and I didn't want to be left overnight as I was. We were never given a definitive answer so we had to wait and see how I progressed, which was so frustrating!At 4:30pm, whilst I was breathing through a major contraction, my waters broke which was an odd sensation. Finally the midwives seemed to take me seriously
and a consultant came to get my consent for an 'emergency' section. He examined me, I was 4cms (woohoo) and I was finally told that I was actually in labour. At 6:30pm they moved me down to the delivery suite to prep me for the op and examined me again. I was 8cms!! I was still only having paracetamol which helps for period pains but not so much for contractions..haha..A consultant then thrust the option of having a vaginal breach delivery onto us which we hadn't considered. Trying to think clearly whilst having severe contractions and having had no sleep is nearly impossible. I couldn't believe that they were giving us this option now and that they were pressuring me for a decision. They briefly gave me pros and cons for breach delivery and c section so we could compare, but I was so overwhelmed I just began to cry. I was angry at them for giving me the option as it just confused me, I was worried about a breach delivery as I didn't want my baby to die as a consequence of the decision we made, I was relieved that I might not have a section as i wanted to deliver my baby and hold him straight away.
I decided that I wanted an epidural which made the decision for us (breach delivery) as I would have to have a spinal for a section. Once we'd decided and I'd had the epidural I was much more relaxed and back to my happy self. At 8:30pm they checked me again and I was 10cms
They decided to hold off pushing for as long as possible and let my contractions move baby down, reducing the possibility of him experiencing any distress. 2 hours on I began to push. My partner watched the whole delivery and kept me updated on how things were looking...haha. Baby came out boy bits first and I had an episiotomy to ease things.At 22:44 our gorgeous baby boy, Theo Blake Mashiter, was born weighing 6lbs 15ozs . It was the most amazing experience of my life. Seeing my partner as a dad is amazing - he is in awe of his little man and has looked after us both so well since the delivery.
Looking back, I am thankful for having had the choice as it was such a positive experience and the midwife who supported me in delivering made such a difference - Thank you Sally G at Burnley!
I would do it all again in a heartbeat
xxx
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