Birth Stories Thread

red fraggle · 09-03-2012 5:40pm

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Brilliant stories,

second this!!, but I only had a tiny tear this time, it was just the feeling of pushing him out that i found soo odd! its amazing how your body makes you push even though you are tearing yourself.

7

its mad isnt it? i tghink i screamed during the pushes too. its a feeling that is hard to describe. it hurts but et u feel like you have to do it and thats it. very mad!!! not sure how ill deal with it next time now i know what im in for!!! next time wont b for a while yet!!

How Strange · 09-03-2012 10:29pm

I might as well put mine up too although I think I posted elsewhere.

Sat-6 days before my due date
I woke up with the most awful heartburn and I couldn't sleep. I'd had very strong Braxton hicks for the few days before and I was fed up bring huge. I met a friend for coffee in Dundrum and took the opportunity to buy my nursing bras in M&S. My husband wanted to go for a meal ?!? (I was wearing the one pair of trousers and top that still fit and had been for a few days). I said we could go to Eddie Rockets and the cinema after. All I could think of was a huge milkshake for my relentless heartburn.

We came home from the cinema at 12 am and I went to bed. I bent over to unplug something and I heard a pop. I didn't move for a second as I didn't know exactly what had popped and then the trickle started. I waddled (in my mind I ran) up to my husband and said it was starting. The water was flowing out so he was coming after me with towels. I couldn't stand because I kept leaking but if I sat the water came out but a little slower. So there we were, two antenatal courses done, panicking and googling to see what we should do.

I rang the hospital and was told to come straight in but I remembered a midwife unofficially telling me that you're better staying at home in your own environment and as you're in the clock as soon as you go through the door it's better to wait a few hours if you want an intervention free labour. So we went to bed and I got a couple of hours sleep. Around 4.30am the period like pains started and I thought about how my man always had quick labours so I said perhaps we should head to the hospital. I had a shower, some toast and a cup of tea and we arrived in hospital at 7am.

I was put on a trace and I had an internal exam (horrendous) and I could see the contractions. They were actually quite strong but irregular. I was admitted to the ward at 8.30am and put down for induction at 7am the next morning. My husband went home as it was outside visiting hours and I tried to get some sleep.

I turned my tens machine on and the contractions started and stopped throughout the day. My husband came during visiting hours and by 5.30pm the contractions had started again and didn't stop. My husband had to leave at 8.30pm and wouldn't be allowed back that night unless I was in labour. By 9pm I knew things were happening. The lovely day midwives were finished and I felt so alone and scared. I tried to keep it together but went into the toilet and cried my eyes out. Then I remembered that being upset could stop the contractions so I concentrated on my breathing. I walked the corridors and had to lean against the wall every time I had a contraction. I begged for my husband to come in but they said no way. They examined me at 10pm and said I wasn't in labour and to give it another hour. God the examine was horrendous. I held out for two hours where I mooed like a cow, wailed, moaned, walked when I could and at 12am a midwife checked and said I was in labour. I text my husband and I was brought to the delivery suite.

The midwives were great and they hooked me up to the gas and air and I was much calmer when my husband came in. The worst part was the pains in my thighs. It felt like they were being torn open when I got contractions. I couldn't use a birthing ball because of the pressure and eventually I got 'comfortable' on all fours and holding onto the headboard. Some of the contractions were so intense that I thought I'd break in two and even the midwives winced but the gas and air and my yoga breathing got me through.

At 3am the midwife checked and said I was fully dilated and ready to push. I was coping well on gas and air until then although i was totalllt and utterly exhausted. I asked the midwife, apparently in a very calm voice, how long pushing would take and when she said an hour I nearly lost the plot. I tried to get off the bed and said I'd had enough and I was going home!

The pushing which was the worst part of the whole labour took an hour and my little man was born at 4.02am weighing 7lb 2. I didn't tear very much so had a few stitches, my son was taken away for a blood test, I had a shower, we were given tea and toast and the midwife then latched my son on for feeding. The worst part of me was my face as I burst loads of blood vessels.

I know in hindsight that I was so lucky to have a relatively quick labour and delivery with the fantastic midwives in the Coombe.

caprilicious · 28-04-2012 12:19am

I went overdue with my son. At my scheduled hospital appointment at 40w+4d a scan showed fluid was a little low around baby, so an induction was booked for the following morning.

I arrived in the hospital next morning & a consultant gave me a sweep. Baby was still a bit high up so they couldn't offer any induction gel/pessary.
The sweep was uncomfortable at the time, but I was grand within a little while of having it.
At 3pm contractions started to kick in, but were fairly mild & baby was still high, I walked laps of the hospital grounds to kill time/try encourage baby down.
We calculated after that I'd covered 4km with all the walking!

It wasn't until about 1am that the contractions started to kick in properly.
At this point the midwife gave me a sleeping tablet so I could try sleep through them til they got stronger.

2 hours later the contractions woke me again as they were much stronger, so they gave me an injection of Pethidine pain killer.
This knocked me out for the count & let me sleep through a few more hours.

When the consultant did the rounds the following morning at about 10:30am, they brought me down and broke my waters.

When pregnant with my daughter, she was born within an hour of my waters being broken. The labour came on so fast that there just wasn't time for me to get the epidural.
I was sure I wanted it this time so started requesting it from the minute they broke my waters.

I could have gladly kissed the anaesthetist who administered it, it kicked in within a few minutes & it was game on from there!
My son arrived within an hour of my waters being broken.

The main difference I found this labour compared to my last was that because of the epidural & absence of pain, I was a lot more in control of the pushing when the time came.
As a result he was out in 6 pushes! No tears/stitches and very few piles.

I gave birth in Kilkenny hospital & the staff were just amazing each & every one of them.
They just could not help enough & were always on hand with advice.

Great experience overall, though not sure I'd want to repeat it again any time soon

staticdoor71 · 28-04-2012 3:35am

Friday 13th April i was booked in for induction. 13 days overdue. first baby.

arrived at the hospital at 6am. brought into a little room for tracing and bp. was totally sh1tting my pants scared.

brought into a diff room where i was given the gel and told not to sit up for at least a half hour.

after this we were shown to what would become ny bed on the ward for the duration of my stay.

around 12midday i started getting some pains.. around 3 i was checked by doc and was at 2cm. the pains were getting worse and all in my lower back. i walked the halls of the hospital until about six when a bed became available on the delivery ward.

when we got into a delivery room it was so much bigger cool airy and comfy than the normal wards. first off i was checked and at 3cm. then the pains started getting worse so i used the birthing ball and gas and air.
it was then that i was told baby was presenting back to back and that was why all the pain was in my back. it was also when the midwife terrified me and said it would b a tight fit

anyway.. next up i had pethadine. and at one stage i was kneeling up on the bed with my arse out swinging my hips trying to get baby to turn!! lost all my inhibitions!!!

around 11pm. pains worsened. i asked for epidural. no one around to give it.. two emergencies. then out of nowhere at around midnight an angel called Diana arrived with my epidural and i nearly married her! i was 5cm when this was given. after this they broke my waters and things flew!!!!

i started pushing around 1. and baby was born at 2am on April 14th weighing 8lbs 12.5oz.
no stitches but i did loose about 600mls of blood delivering the placenta. and developed an infection which left me on iv antibiotics.

however. i cannot sign praises highly enough to the midwife that delivered and helped us through in castlebar hospital... they are an amazing bunch of women.

would i do it again??? at the time i said no way, but now? of course. its ALL worth every second!!!

angelll · 28-04-2012 6:39pm

angelll wrote: »

So i'll add my tuppence worth,love reading birth stories

Baby no1,was due the 1st feb 2002. Had a normal pregnancy,no problems. On the 29th jan i noticed something brown and a bit streaky on my underwear,realised the mucus plug was coming out so it wouldn't be long til labour started. On the 30th i was getting mild back pains all day but brushed them off as being braxton hicks and thought no more of it. Got into bed at 1.15 am and literally 1 min later my waters went. I actually heard a 'pop' in my stomach,it was so strange. I didn't realise there would be so much of them,changed into 5 different pj bottoms before leaving the house. Got to the hospital at 2am and was checked and was 2 cm dialated. They put on the trace,checked the pad i was wearing and thought there may be a slight green tinge to the waters so i went straight to the labour ward. Things progressed at around a cm every 30 mins,at one stage they couldn't find the heartbeat so the midwife had to put a trace on the babies head (not nice at all) so i was stuck lying on the bed. I took gas and air and pethidine and was completely stoned. I barely take an aspirin for pain relief usually so it totally hit me. When i got to 10cms and started to push i found it quite hard. I was wrecked tired. The babies head kept coming into view and then slipping back and his heartbeat was decreasing. The mw decided to give me an episiotomy and gave me an injection to numb the site and got out a pair of scissors (really not what i expected to see!!!) After one small cut the babies head came out v easily and his body straight after and popped him onto my chest,he was born at 7.57 am. The mw gave me an injection of something (still don't know what) and pressed on my stomach slightly to bring out the placenta. My little boy was checked and weighed,apgar score of 9 & 9 when born and 10 2 minutes after,he was 7lbs 12 oz. I used the gas while i got 4 stitches and then vomited everywhere..also didn't expect that,nor that it would be dark brown :eek: Everything went smoothly though after that and i have a beautiful 10 yr old nutcase asleep atm
Labour from waters to birth-7 hrs.

My second pregnancy i was due the 10th april 2007. Had a horrific pregnancy with vomiting and bad heartburn throughout. Lost loads of weight on my body,as like a stick with a huge bump sticking out. On the 4th i started getting mild back pain and pressure,again v mild so didn't think anything of it. At around 1.15 am again my waters went just after i got into bed! (They don't like me to get sleep,lol). There wasn't as many as first time round but still a fair amount. Headed into hospital and got there at 2am. The midwife checked me and i was 2cm so after the trace in admissions they brought me up to a ward where another women was also in labour. We were left alone to deal with the contractions ourselves. At this stage i was getting really bad pains,the pressure was unreal. I was checked after an hr and i had gone to 4cm and they asked me to walk to labour ward,every single step was agony. Got to the labour ward and after an hr was 6cm and once again the heartbeat went awol so they had to put the trace on the babies head again. The midwife also had to break my hind waters (i hadn't realised there was a 2nd set ) as they hadn't gone with the others. Crept slowly up to 9cm and then the real pain started. I had decided to go without pain relief this time as i found it didn't agree with me the first time round. I was in agony,the mw asked did i need to push and i really didn't know,i just said ok,anything to get it over with. Once again the babies head kept slipping back,i couldn't push him out and they were once again urging me to push quickly as the heartbeat started to drop. I actually asked for the episiotomy but they refused...10 mins later i had 3 tears :mad: Finally got him out and he was all red and angry looking from being squashed in the birth canal,his apgar scores were 10 & 10 though and he weighed a huge 9lbs 5oz! (So that was the pressure!) Even the mw was shocked at how big he was. I'm only 5ft 5 and weighed 10 1/2 stone at full term. Placenta came out itself .This time round i was so clear headed as i had no drugs so i held him for ages skin to skin while the doctor came in and stitched me up. He used a continuous stitch but it was estimated i had about 40 stitches. He was born at 6.56 am and is a nutty 4 year old now
Labour from waters to birth-6 hrs.

I'm due no.3 in April and doctors are estimating it's another big one (and it's another boy ) so after my second labour i'm a bit nervous. I had no problems going again after my first...I'd like to try drug free labour again i think,there's really no need for epidural as i dialate so quickly. If at all possible i'd like to avoid having the trace put on the babies head as not only is it very uncomfortable,you are stuck lying down. I've read that going on all fours can help prevent tears so that would be my ideal,fingers crossed

So here's no.3's story...wow what a different birth. I started getting strong braxton hicks/contractions on the 20th march. Wasn't due til the 16th april. These continued on and off for almost a month,twice i was nearly kept in the hospital as was contracting but both times i wasn't dialating. On the 12th April i got v v strong pains,i was doubled over on the couch at hoime and i thought 'finally something is def happening'. Went into hospital and was at 2cm which i had been 2 weeks beforehand when i was checked so not dialating again and babies head was still quite high. They say on your third you're automatically at 2cm anyway near the end. So while i was on the trace the baby's hb dropped suddenly from 140 to 60 for about 5 seconds,the midwife said that's it,you're staying in now. I was still getting strong contractions in my back but they weren't showing up on trace,they finally stopped around 2am that morning. Consultant came in at 10am and looked at my chart and decided to induce me,i was 39+5. He administered the gel at 10.15 am and even though i started getting a few pains on and off nothing much happened. As i was 2cm he had said they would break my waters next if gel didn't work so at 7pm i was taken down to labour ward. Waters broken approx 7.30 pm and contractions started v hot & heavy within 5 mins. I was sitting on a birthing ball beside the bed rotating my hips to try and move baby down. By 9.55pm the contractions were continuous with barely 20 secs between them,i had started on the gas around 9.30pm. I asked midwife to do exam and i was ....2 cm still! I thought feck that and asked for epidural. As you can see from my other 2 births i never had one but there was no way on earth i was continuing on at 2cm for the next 12 hrs. Midwife did say there was a chance that i may not get epidural if i suddenly dialated but i didn't believe i was ever going to,lol. So the doc came in and started me on the fluid drip which i would have to get for 20 mins before epidural. About 5 mins into it my body started to push a little,asked midwife to check me and i was 5cm :O I knelt up against the back of the bed and started to push down. Around 11pm midwife could see the head and said 'lie down on your back and this baby will be born' So at 11.06 pm on the 13th my little man popped out with only a few pushes,weighing 7lbs 10 oz and giving his mum no stitches whatsoever,yay,once again born with just gas and air but i can really see now why people ask for the epi,especially with long labours!! Great birth and prob my last so delighted to have had such a good experience. He had also been back to back before my waters went but came out the right way round so i'm convinced i only started dialating after he turned.

CeNedra · 28-04-2012 9:21pm

Baby number 1
8 days overdue. Sitting on couch watching tv with husband. He had an important meeting next morning and I joked I might ruin his plans as I was getting Braxton hicks constantly. Went to bed but could not sleep and started to realize it might not be Braxton hicks!! Not regular though. Husband got up around 1 and I was still not sure if real or not. We decided to go in about 3.30. I still was not sure and was embarrassed to be wrong so told my husband to leave the bag in the car.
Went in and lovely mid wife put me on monitor. She could see I was having contractions and checked me. I was 6cm with basically very little pain! I was delighted!! Into delivery room and held off getting epidural for some stupid reason. Got it at 9cm and it was a waste of time. Will never forget the pushing. Agony. Ended up with kiwi vacuum. Hell. Delivery at 6.30am 3 hours after I arrived in hospital. A beautiful result.

Baby 2

3 weeks before I was due, husband was at a 30 th party and I was home with my 20 month old. She threw up so I was feeling sorry for myself as I was on my knees cleaning up. Sat down to watch outbreak and started feeling sick myself. Tummy bug .... Great!!!! Threw up a few times while my toddler slept and next thing I am getting pains. Worse than I remembered on my first. Paced the floor and was not a happy camper!! Called my husband who was 1.5 hours away and told him to come home and called my mother to stay over with my little one. By the time the husband arrived home at 4 in morning I just grabbed the bag and got into the car. Straight to hospital. Car was hell. Pain intense. I was certain I was really well along. However when I got in and was checked I had hardly started. Could not believe it. Gutted.

Pain continued and within a couple of hours I was 3cm and active. Got epidural straight away. Best thing ever. Very calm room. While my husband slept I chatted to midwives who were fab. Pushing stage arrived and it was so calm and so easy towards my first. My baby was born and straight into my arms and it went fine. Soon after the room cleared out and we were there having tea and toast and calling parents etc. Just us 3. What a cute baby.

While I started breast feeding I was talking to my sister and looked down at my baby and realized she had turned completely blue. I dropped phone called my husband to get the doctor and flipped my baby over and rubbed her back. I felt a flicker in her chest. A midwife arrived and sucked out the baby airways and color returned. Hell for a few minutes. A mucus plug got stuck in her airways and stopped her breathing. It actually took months for me to recover from the fright. My baby is now a toddler full of energy and full of life but I feel like we had a close one.

2 very different labours and two beautiful children. Just found out number 3 is on the way and I am fully expecting a completely different experience this time!!

Shuwaaah · 29-04-2012 3:31pm

Summarised version:
12 hour labour
contractions 3 mins apart whole way through
back to back baby
got epidural 6 hours in so didn't feel the 2nd half of the labour
15 mins pushing
episiotomy and tearing
beautiful baby boy, no regrets, would do it all again in the blink of an eye

I tend to ramble on so I'll try to keep this as coherent as possible

Baby was due monday 23rd April, first pregnancy. On Saturday evening (21st) I started getting lots of niggly little aches and pains in my back and in the pubic area, and weird shooting pains in my thighs, but thought nothing of them as they weren't that sore and I didn't have any pain in my bump. Went to bed at midnight and at 1am started getting cramps, just like mild period cramps, I put them down to Braxton Hicks. (I thought I'd download a contraction timer app on my phone at this point, just in case, and BOY did I use it hehe)

By 2am the cramps were quite strong, like cramps on the worst day of your period, and were coming 3-5 minutes apart. I had taken panadol an hour earlier and it hadn't helped, so was breathing through the pains and woke up my boyfriend with my puffing and panting. My back pain started getting worse so I started bouncing on the gym ball and kept breathing through the pains. It didn't really help so I got in the bath for a wee while, which gave me some relief, and I went back to the gym ball. At this point, the back pain was constant and getting very intense along with each contraction, which made me think babs was back to back, and the pains weren't getting any closer together or further apart, but were varying in intensity.
Because they weren't following the 'normal pattern' of progression of contractions, I was convinced I was just having awful braxton hicks, but I rang the hospital to be on the safe side, and was told that I was welcome to come in anytime but to try and cope in the comfort of my own home for as long as I could.

Tried getting into bed and it made my back far worse, tried different positions to no avail, so kept at the gym ball and the breathing until just after 4am when I couldn't take any more. The back pain was nothing short of excruciating, I needed proper pain relief, contractions were still 3 mins apart. Still managed to find time to hop into the shower and de-fuzz my armpits before we left for the hospital because I didn't want people to think I lived like a caveman

By the time we arrived at the hospital, the back pain had eased somewhat but pains were still coming thick and fast. Got examined and I was 2cms dilated, I couldn't believe it, I was in complete awe of the fact that the time had come. Baby was back to back as expected though. Went straight on the gas and air and the TENS machine and the gym ball all at once (the boyfriend had to aid me in my multitasking, I nearly fell off the ball a couple of times), and I coped like this till 6.30 or so. Got the pethidine and it didnt' really do much apart from make me a bit merry. I could have probably coped for another hour in that fashion but we all knew it would take a lot longer so I got the epidural, I was 4cm dilated at this point. (8am)

The back pain made getting the epidural quite difficult, I had to bend very far forward which exacerbated the pain and trying to keep that position and stay perfectly still and breathe as little as possible through the contractions while it was being administered was a nightmare. But SO worth it.
Epidural was starting to kick in at about 8.30am, and my contractions started to slow down. They broke my waters at that point but the contractions didn't progress so they put me on a drip and the pains were back to 3 minutes apart. I couldn't feel any pain but I could still feel the sensation of the contractions and could still move my legs to a certain degree which was nice.

By 10am I was fully dilated.The midwife said there was no point in trying to push until the baby was well down, that because of the position the labour would be longer so it was better to hold off on pushing and risking injuring myself for as long as possible. At one pm she said we'd try pushing at half one, and that the baby would be born at a quarter to two. Adam was born at 1.46 pm

The pushing itself was easier than I expected, I was worried about pushing from the wrong place etc but I was able to push him out fairly quick. I had a small internal tear, they gave me an episiotomy, but ended up with a 2nd degree bilateral tear as well (which I could feel happening through the epidural. Not the pain, but I was aware I had damaged myself)

With the last bit of pushing I started shaking like a leaf, I looked like I was having a fit, and when my baby popped out I just started bawling my eyes out, I just couldn't stop. I couldn't believe he was here. They spent 40 minutes stitching me up, during which I got sick from the shock and the shaking started to calm down, and the reality of it all hit me. I was amazed, I was responsible for this little person, he was mine and my boyfriend's, and he was perfect.

I think my labour sounds a lot worse than it was, but the epidural made the world of difference. I have serious, serious respect for women who manage to do it without painkillers, I just wasn't able for it and if I had actually felt all those tears happening, I would never want to have children again. I had a great experience though, the best day of my life, and I can't wait to do it all again in a year or two.

Ms2011 · 29-04-2012 7:00pm

I went in to hospital at 40+6 for a checkup, the doctor wasn't happy with the fluid around the baby so I was given a sweep & booked in for an induction 3 days later if nothing happened.

Well nothing did happen so I arrived at the hospital the day before my induction to get the gel which it turned out I didn't need in the end. The following day was induced at 11am, contractions started 10mins later & I had my waters broke. I handled the contractions for 4 hours drug free, by then the doctors upped the drip as I wasn't dilating but instead of making the contrations more effective it just gave me one long continious contraction with little or no break. At this stage I started using the gas & air. After an hour of this the doctors became concerned as the baby wasn't tolerating the contractions & I wasn't dilating.

At 4:10pm the doctor called it a day & recommended an emergancy c-section. I was rushed up to theatre & my beautiful son was born at 4:18pm.

The birth was overwhelming & so far away from the drug free birth I wanted. But after my son had a health scare soon after birth how he was born seemed unimportant & I'm just glad he's here & thriving :-)

pwurple · 30-04-2012 11:32pm

Pregnancy was good except for the last 8 weeks. Got morning(all day) sickness for that part of it. Could only keep down water crackers and water. Lost weight over those weeks, which made me v tired.

Had a scan at 40 + 2. Scanned again at 40 + 10. Come back next week. Did not sleep more for more than 30 minutes from that scan on.

On the sunday night I threw up, as usual, and started having period pains every hour or so. thought it was braxton hicks... Bounced on ball. Continued alternating bouncing on ball and lying down until tuesday evening, when i was totally exhausted. Had a bath. I had called the hospital, who said come in when they get to 10 mins apart. They were 11 mins apart after the bath, but i needed some kind of rest.

Went in and was 2 cm. i was sent upstairs to a ward and offered gas and air, which i refused as i had reacted badly to gas years previously. I took the pethidine, asked for an epidural and tried to get some sleep. No chance. Pethidine was more like LSD or something. I got really confused, hub said I was asking for my childhood dog and trying to get out the window. and i could still feel all the pain. Such a disorienting feeling, hope to never experience it again. After 4 hours i was told a labour room was free. Asked for epi again. Moved down to labour room, asked for epi. Messed about with the bed for a bit, crying from exhaustion, trying to get comfy in between pains. Measured at 4cm. Asked for epi again. Finally it arrived! In it went and holy majoly it is the best thing ever invented.

I slept for 3 whole hours. Longer than anytime in the previous 8 weeks. Woke up fresh as a daisy and ready for action! midwife told me I had not progressed at all and they were going for the oxytocin. Might be another 6 hours or so she thought. I said great, but lets top up that epidural first. Pain relief Topped up, magazine in hand, told hub to go home for rest and I would call when to come back in. 1 hour later i started throwing up and feeling pressure (like I needed to poop!) Midwife checked and I was at 10 cm. Quickly phoned him, and started pushing away. 40 mins later he got there about 30 seconds before baby was out. No pain at all for it, just pressure.

I think I would have been a section story if i hadn't got that rest on the epidural.

Funnyonion79 · 15-06-2012 9:24am

Hi - I'm due my second baby on 13th November this year but thought I'd share the birth story of my first baby with you all...

I was due my first baby on 27th November 2009 and had planned a homebirth.

I was exactly 37 weeks on Friday, 6th November 2009 and went to bed early to read. Earlier that evening I had been practising for the first time with my epi-no (this is a device that helps prevent tearing by getting your vagina used to being expanded, the way it will when you give birth, but you're not allowed to use it until 37 weeks - google it - well worth buying).

Anyway, my husband came down to bed (we have a duplex apt) but decided to sleep in the spare room as I was very uncomfortable and was propped up with a million pillows and he was getting up early to go to Newry to do some early Christmas shopping with his mam. I found it really hard to sleep that night and kept picturing scenarios of: what if I went into labour, would my husband make it back in time from Newry - all mad things! Anyway, about 3am I gave up tossing and turning (my brain was going 90) and started reading. I read til about 4.30am and fell asleep then. I woke up at 8am the next morning and went to go for a pee. When I finished, I stood up and heard a slight pop - and started peeing again. I sat back down again and thought that maybe whatever way I'd been sitting, the baby had squashed part of my bladder and I had more to pee but then I thought about the pop and wondered if this was actually my waters that had broken. I stood up again whilst I was peeing and tried to stop peeing - it lessened a little bit but still kept going so I really thought, OMG - this is it. Then it stopped again. So up I got and I ran into the spare room to tell my husband. He was conked out in the bed and I burst in shouting "my waters have broken" and while I was saying this, I could feel myself leaking again so I ran into the ensuite whilst my husband leapt out of bed in shock!!!

About 20 mins after my waters broke I started to get contractions - just very mild tightening pains - like mild period cramps - barely noticeable. I rang my Mam and told her and she told me that labour was a long way off cos once I could talk through a contraction, I was grand. I decided then I'd have a shower and just try to calm down a bit cos I was both excited and terrified at the same time.

After my shower we rang Kate, my midwife who said she'd be over about 10.30am and told me to get into bed and try to relax. My contractions were every 20 mins at this stage but barely noticable. I didn't feel like I wanted to get into bed as I had too much adrenaline and couldn't sit still but when Kate came over, she made me get into bed and made me comfortable with lots of pillows and told me to try and rest cos I'd need my strength for later.

My Mam and Dad called over about 12.30pm to take our cats over to their house and at this stage the contractions had gotten stronger. I was blowing out through the contractions so I wouldn't feel the pain and sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning forward onto my husbands thighs whilst he sat on a stool in front of me. My Mam went and got a hot water bottle and started rubbing the bottom of my back with it and it felt like heaven. It was only then I realised that my lower back was aching and the hot water bottle worked wonders. Because that felt so good, my Dad ended up taking the cats away and my Mam ended up staying with me and my husband (not something she'd originally planned to do - she had flatly refused when I asked her before if she would like to be there for the birth as she said she'd hate to watch me in pain).

I moved from the bed to my birthing ball and bounced on that during the contractions which by 4pm, were about 7 minutes apart. Kate, my Mam and my husband were all talking around me while I had my eyes closed, listening to my Gentlebirth cds and tried to concentrate on not being afraid of the pain and blowing it away with each contraction.

By about 5.30pm I asked Kate to examine me to see how much I had dilated and I knew by her that she was reluctant to do this. I insisted and she examined me and to my dismay, we discovered that I was only 1cm and my cervix was still effacing/thinning out. Until it thinned fully, only then would I start to dilate. I was gutted. All this time concentrating and getting to grips with my contractions and I was only 1cm!

Still, it didn't deter me. In my head, I had a rough timeline of at least 12 hours for a first labour and I knew that it could start slowly and then all of a sudden you could go from 6-10cm in an hour! So I kept the faith. The contractions were getting more and more intense and were lasting much longer and were much more difficult to deal with but I kept my cool and my concentration and although it was tough going, I was handling them well.

I remember Jedward were on the X-Factor performing GhostBusters and that was on in the background. I asked Kate to examine me again about 9.30pm and I was only 3cm. She also gave me a sweep as well to see if that would help move things along. It was 13.5 hours since my waters had broken that morning and I was starting to lose hope. Kate gave me some gas and air and I remember thinking " I don't need this yet" because even though my contractions were very painful, I felt that I was managing them well so looking back, I wish I'd held off on the gas and air for a bit longer until I felt I really needed it.

I begged Kate to let me upstairs into my birthing pool but she wouldn't because she said that less than 5cm and the pool can slow you down, so we kept on going downstairs. Kate figured that my baby's head was down, but she was back to back with me (so if she was born, she'd come out face up inside of face down) and this was why everything was so slow and why most of my pain was in my lower back. So she gave me some positions to try on the ball to try and get my baby to turn.

At about 12.30am I had gotten to 4cm so Kate finally agreed to allow me upstairs to the birthing pool - more for a change of scenery I think, than anything else, as the atmosphere down in the bedroom had become stale and negative cos my labour was progressing so slowly. She said that my baby had started to turn but now was turning back again so she reckoned it might've had a short cord and when it tried to turn, it was choking so it was turning back again. Babies that are back to back with the mother have much much longer labours and it's quite common in a first timer as well.

My Dad had been to a gig and called in on his way home to see how I was doing and he was upstairs in the kitchen making tea when I got the all clear to go up to my pool. I had planned on wearing a bikini but I was just so happy and excited to be allowed into the pool, I tore off my clothes and bounded like a gazelle, up the stairs completely starkers!! Not caring at all if he walked out of the kitchen and seen me! Luckily he didn't – imagine his face!!

Into the pool I got and it was heaven. It was so warm and welcoming and immediately I felt my whole body start to relax. By this stage my contractions were coming every 3 minutes and lasting 1.5 minutes so it was very intense. At about 2.30am, Kate started to suggest that I think about transferring to hospital. I didn't want to but Kate pointed out that I was very tired and there was still a long way to go plus, I had already gone through 2 cannisters of gas and air and was almost finished the 3rd one (my husband had been sent to Colette Donnelly's house to fetch the third one) and she was afraid that we'd run out. Then I started to develop a slight temperature so Kate said that she thought I should go to hospital and have an epidural so I could relax a bit and get some rest and a break from the contractions.

Looking back, the only thing that made me go to hospital was the thoughts of running out of gas and air -that had become like a crutch for me and I didn't think I'd be able to do without it. So I gave in and agreed to go to hospital. My husband started to look for change for carparking and I flatly told him we weren't going by car cos I was in too much pain to be fluting around with change and looking for spaces - ring the ambulance. So he did. At this stage, knowing that I was going to hospital and knowing that my pain was almost at an end, I started to lose control. It was like mentally, I'd kept it together for so long and was so in control for so many hours - now that I was so near to having the pain stop –it weakened my resolve and made me snap. When the ambulance arrived to take me, they wanted to put me on the stretcher and while we were all standing discussing this and whether I’d walk or be carried down the stairs of the apartment building, all of a sudden a contraction gripped me so bad, it was like somebody had cut the knees from under me and I was screaming for the gas and air. Up to this, I'd been so calm and in control but now I’d lost my focus and the contraction had taken me by surprise, so to speak. I hadn’t been prepared for it so it hurt more.

Once the contraction passed, I returned to being a normal person again and went in the ambulance with my husband and my Mam and Dad and Kate followed us in. It was 3.20am. I was taken to the examination room where I impatiently told the midwife that I didn't need to be examined, I was 5cm and could I please have an epidural. Of course she wouldn't take my word for it and examined me, only to discover I was indeed 5cm and sent me up to the delivery suite as I had started to bang on the wall of the examination room whilst in the middle of a contraction, wailing "epidural, epidural". I was like a crazy person! Mam waited in reception for a while and Kate and my Dad went back to my house to clear up a bit. Then Kate went home and my Dad collected my Mam who was really upset cos she'd seen me like a crazed person being taken into the hospital and they wouldn't tell her anything.

Meanwhile up in the delivery suite a midwife tried to convince me that I'd come so far on my own, I didn't need the epidural but then after a big breath of gas and air mixed with bad heartburn, I started vomiting so she went and got the anaesthetist.

When he arrived, I remember him telling me to stay still and to expect to feel a pinch and I remember being in so much agonising pain, that I told him to “stick that needle so hard into my back so that I feel every inch of it”, because I just wanted to feel something else for a second, instead of the agony I was in. Imagine saying that? Makes me sound crazy!!

About 20 mins later, it kicked in and OMG - the relief. I could literally feel every muscle in my body stretching out and uncurling itself from all the tension it had endured over the past 20 hours. My husband lay down on the floor and went to sleep and even I managed about an hour's sleep as well - it was bliss. The midwife was telling me I was still contracting but I couldn't feel a thing, although I could move my legs around.

My baby's heartbeat was good and strong but the trace on my tummy kept missing beats so they put an internal trace on instead which meant I had to stay lying on my back in the bed. I also had a catheter in because of the epidural and an IV in my hand.

The midwife came in and told me that I'd reached 10cm and that we'd start pushing about 8.30am. She said the epidural had slowed my contractions back down again so she wanted to give me oxytocin to speed them up a bit. I told her no, because I was afraid she'd give me too much and the baby would go into distress and I'd end up with a section. She promised to only give me a very tiny amount and monitor it closely to see if it made a little difference so I agreed. Sure enough the contractions got a little more regular and I could feel them again a bit at this stage cos the epidural was wearing off and they wanted me to be able to feel them to help me to push. She told me that I had 20 mins to push but again I said that if I'm happy to keep going, I want to keep going, so she said she'd have to check with the doc. Anyway we started pushing with each contraction but nothing was happening. My baby was too high up and was refusing to budge. I managed 1.5 hours of "purple pushing" and when she told me that still, nothing was happening I asked her to get the doc and to pull the baby out.

I'd had enough at that stage - I would've kept pushing if something had been happening but it appeared that I was banging my head against a brick wall. The doc came in and told me he'd have to cut me (episiotomy) in order to use the forceps and I started crying because the epidural had worn off and I was terrified that it would hurt. I remember clearly, that was the first time in the whole labour that I was actually terrified because a cut would be a different kind of pain and I wasn’t ready for that. I begged him “please don't hurt me, please” and then poof – it was done! I didn't even know he had done it until he told me!!! 3 pushes/pulls later - out popped my beautiful baby girl Daisy. She weighed in at 5lbs 10oz at 10.33am on Sunday 8th November 2009 and she was perfect!

Sorry for being so long-winded and I hope I haven't put you off with my story. Looking back, I wish I had walked/moved around more during labour - gravity might've helped move things along. I wish I had been more mentally prepared for a long labour because I felt that I handled it well mentally but once it went on for so long, I started to doubt my own ability and once that happened, my mind broke. I wish I had maintained my control and not lost it when I was being transferred to hospital. But overall I'm happy with my birth and how it went and I'm very proud of myself.

Tips and advice for you - make sure you have gaviscon cos I had awful awful heartburn all through my labour - never suffered in pregnancy. It was really uncomfortable, especially when taking the gas and air.

The contractions will become very painful but you can manage the pain well - the key is to stay in your zone and stay focused and calm. Don't watch the clock and get too ahead of yourself. Just take every minute as it comes. Don't think about how long you have to go etc. It just breaks your mental strength down.

Very important: Labour isn't about your physical strength - it's your mental strength - I didn't realise this. You can do it and it will come to an end.

Have vaseline or lip balm - I could barely smile when Daisy was born cos my lips had become so dry, they were cracking!

Pack a hospital bag - just in case. We hadn't one packed and my husband ended up grabbing bits and bobs and had to go back home to get more stuff!

It's the most amazing feeling after you give birth - you feel like the proudest woman in the world and you feel like you're superwoman. You look around at other mothers and think to yourself, aha now I'm in the secret club. It's the most earth-shattering, life-changing experience of your life and if only you could bottle the high you feel afterwards. Enjoy it!

Mink · 11-07-2012 12:31pm

Don't know if I'm allowed do this on Boards... bump!

*hoping to entice more ladies into sticking their birth stories down in between feeds & nappy changes*

January · 11-07-2012 10:17pm

Mink wrote: »

Don't know if I'm allowed do this on Boards... bump!

*hoping to entice more ladies into sticking their birth stories down in between feeds & nappy changes*

We'll let you away with this time.

Xdancer · 12-07-2012 9:43am

I'll take the bait Mink!

My little girl was born here in Spain 4 days early on the 6th of December 2011. Our local hospital is quite advanced for Spain as regards giving birth, as they like to do things more naturally than most hospitals and it is predominantly midwife run (once you are in labour, until then you deal with obstetricians only)

Anyway on the morning of the 6th, I woke up at 6am because I felt a bit wet. Went to the bathroom, and I must have been still half asleep or in denial because I went back to bed again after putting a towel down! I woke again about 30 minutes later because I felt a big gush!! I woke my partner, and we both noticed that the colour wasn't quite clear like it should be.
I went off to have a shower and do my make up (you'd know no contractions had started!!) while my partner finished packing my bag (when going public here they give you everything in the hospital - nightdresses, towels, pads, nappies etc) and off we went to the hospital.

The midwife examined me, broke what was left of my waters (which was a HUGE amount) and said she was admitting me due to meconium in the amniotic fluid. I was 2cm dilated but the contractions still hadn't started so I was put on an oxytocin drip to start the contractions....and about 15 minutes later they did. I was amazed at how calm I was. I wasn't in the slightest bit scared, which I think helped me deal with the contractions (I barely had time to breath between each one) until I was given the epidural (which I have been told isn't as strong as the Irish dose, but I don't know) at 3pm. I was examined again after the epidural I was 8cm, and an hour later I was fully dilated and really felt the need to push.

Nothing was happening after 15 minutes, my little girl wasn't desending as she should and she was showing signs of distress. The midwife apologised and told me that they would have to move me to the more clinical delivery room, as opposed to the lovely relaxed room I was in. I didn't care, I just wanted whatever was best for baby.

I was moved to the very clinical delivery room, but in the awful chair with stirrups (very awkward when one leg is numb from the epidural), the obstetrician and the pediatrician were called.
Meanwhile, my contractions had slowed down and I was still very relaxed. At one point I turned around to my partner and asked if he was ok. Everyone in the room burst out laughing, saying he should be asking me that!

Baby still wasn't descending as well as they liked, and I was afraid that they would use forceps or suction to get her out (didn't like the thought of those damaging my baby's head), but no, to my surprise the obstetrician stood next to me, leaned across me and while I was pushing he was phyiscally pushing down on my stomach with all his weight!!!! Very strange, but it worked! Little Amélie arrived at 5.10 in the afternoon weighing 3.56kg. They left the umbilical cord intact until it stopped pulsating and then the pediatrician took over, cleaned her all out and gave her a clean bill of health.

We were then moved to a room so the 3 of us could bond etc and after an hour or so we were moved to the ward (a whole 2 beds in a public room!!!)

I think on the whole I had an easy time of it 11 hours 10 minutes from start to finish, and in my case the contractions were so much more manageable than I feared.

Neyite · 12-07-2012 1:41pm

Mine was an emergency C-section. Timeline below is approximate

7.30 am
I woke up on the Sunday morning in my half asleep state thinking I needed the toilet. As soon as I stood up I felt the dripping and realised my waters had broken, and that must have been what woke me. I grabbed a maternity towel and went off to the loo. The only thing I could remember was that if your waters break you have to go into the hospital as soon as possible because of the risk of infection. I had no contractions either, other than a couple of faint period-like aches.

8.00am
I checked the pad again and my waters were tinged with colour -

the shade of weak tea.

I called the maternity dept and described my status and the colour. The midwife who answered told me that indicated meconium in my amniotic fluid and to come into them right away.

9.00 am
We arrived an hour later and straight into the labour ward - I was hooked up to the trace and given a drip to begin my contractions. I was offered the epidural but I held off to see what the pains were like first.

10.30am
I knew that due to the meconium, they would monitor baby closely, and that my hopes of having a natural labour were in doubt if it was taking a long time, I hadnt really considered that I'd need a C-section before, but that morning I knew it was a possibility, as after the examination, it transpired I was only 1cm dialated. The pains were coming closer and quite sore, so I was disappointed that I was only 1cm.

The midwife started hinting at an epidural and I knew that if I got one, and ended up having a C-section, then they would top it up and I'd be awake for the birth, but if I declined it, there was a good chance they would put me under entirely for the C-section in order to quickly get baby out. So I opted for the Epidural. So they called the Anestheisist.

11.30 am
Anestheisist came and positioned me for the Epidural. I had been curled up on my side for the contractions, holding onto my partners hand, but when I sat the way I was instructed for the Epidural it made the pains easier: My bum was on the far edge of the bed so my legs were across the full width of the bed, leaning forward with my bump between my legs, and holding onto my partners elbows, he was sitting on a stool with my lower legs either side of him. So, if you are going for natural labour, I'd suggest you try this position, as it gave me great relief for the contractions.

12.00noon
The gyanecologist came in to examine me, and went through the spiel of a possible C-section if the baby's heart rate was erratic, examined me and I was still at 1cm.:( But at least I had no more pain - I felt the contractions, but not the pain of them.

1.00pm
The babys heart rate was starting to cause concern, and I was examined again. Still 1cm. So they told me I would need a C-section, and started prepping me for surgery.

1.30pm It was all very fast, and before I knew it, I was wheeld in and the epidural topped up until I couldnt feel anything below my shoulders (but could still move my arms) My partner came in then once the screen was up and sat at my shoulder. He was great at distracting me by getting me to guess the gender, telling me we would meet our baby in a few mins, and trying to start a row over possible names (as we hadnt picked any at that stage)

2.00pm
While this was happening, I felt my bump being pushed downwards, and heard a wail. I bawled. My partner cried, and for that endless moment we were wondering what sex it was, then the nurse popped around the screen to us with our baby boy weighing in at a respectable 7lb 4oz

They had to clean him down and dress him for us probably due to the meconium and the risk of infection. He was handed to my partner while I stared at them for a while then both of them whisked out the door, while I was stitched up.

Finally, they were let back in and I got to hold my son. They helped latch him onto my breast, but I couldnt feel him suck, I was numb! It was also really hard to see the baby as I was lying down and couldnt lift my shoulders. I was really drowsy from the drugs, and parched, having threw up water I'd been given earlier, but fought to stay awake.

I was wheeled to a ward, which happened to be empty, and baby was left to nestle with me all day, nursing on and off, with the nurse changing us from side to side periodically, and my partner getting cuddles from time to time. I think I dozed a lot. They finally (apologetically) asked my partner to leave the ward at 1am. I had started to get feeling back in my upper body after a few hours, and my legs by nighttime.

The next morning I finally got tea and toast. Before I could eat it, the nurse came around to change my pad and clean me up. Then the baby started crying so I latched him on, and finally I got to eat stone cold toast and tepid tea and it was the nicest thing I ever tasted.

Recovery from C-section
I was lucky that the Diefene suppository

gave me diahorrea

for the first 2 days as the idea of straining /coughing etc with the scar was daunting - it was quite sore for the first couple of days. I was on paracetemol and Diefene for the first 5 days (morphine on the day of C-section) then from day 6 -14 paracetemol only. The stitches were a bead stitch, and were taken out on day 5, the dressing coming off hurt more. It healed perfectly and even the skimpiest of knickers would cover the scar.

While I would have preferred a natural delivery, I am satisfied that it was necessary for baby's safety, and that was all I wanted too.

javagal · 30-07-2012 3:26pm

My Birth Story July 2012

20/07/12-Friday
11 days overdue.

Was brought in for my bed on Thursday night as I was due to be induced friday.
I was put into a ward with 7 beds, every other woman in there had their babies except me, so needless to say I did not sleep a wink.
Friday morning came and went and me and OH spent the time playing plants vs zombies level by level!
It got to 1pm when I got fed up and went looking for info, there happened be a bed on the labour ward so I was told to get my bag and head down.
The midwife had explained they would give me gel to soften my cervix, I then told her that I had already had a sweep the week before and that the doctor told me my waters could just be broken as I was 1.5cm dilated.
She wouldn't listen.
While she went to get the gel ready, my doctor who gave me the sweep appeared and informed me I was 2cm and within 2seconds in there,she broke my waters! What a strange,warm sensation lol!
She told me to get walking and come back in two hours.
So off we went back to the ward I was on originally to get lunch.

All of a sudden I couldn't sit down,couldn't continue to stand,couldn't talk... Literally all I could do was breathe.
This continued for 30mins till I couldn't cope anymore. I thought to myself "Urgh I'm gonna be one of those women who scream the place down at 2cm and can't cope"
I started to cry at this point and my angel midwife gave me gas and air and checked to see I was 5cm and ordered my epidural!! 2-5cm in 30 mins!!

I got the hang of the gas pretty fast and soon was telling the midwife she looked like my old home ec teacher and about the time I got stung in the face by a wasp(painful by the way)

Epidural guy showed up at 3pm and by 4pm I was pain free listening to electric six's gay bar,chatting to OH about what colour hair our daughterwould have... It was very calm and comfy.

By 5pm I had fully dilated (4 hours on my first-screw you myths of long first time labour) and the midwives changed shifts and I was told I could push in an hour.

At 6pm I started to push, it was literally the hardest work of my life, as I couldn't feel contractions I was relying on new midwife to tell me when. This went fine for half an hour and baby's head was visible. Then midwife told me she needed to go for supplies and to kep pushing...I COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING SO DIDN'T KNOW WHEN!!

After an hour of pushing(half of that I was guess pushing because she left me) midwife told me I would need assistance.

Enter the punisher.

Consultant told midwife to add top up to my epidural while she put suction cup on baby's head. My legs were put in stirupps and I pushed for dear life. Started to feel lots of pain?
After 45 mins, the punisher said baby was huge and back to back and that's why she wasn't here yet. She said if baby did not show in 20 mins that I was to be sectioned.

After a quick snip down there and the biggest push I could muster, baby Z was born!!! Peds took her aside to see was she ok, she let them know she was mighty pissed off my the suction!!
She was declared healthy and put under my nightdress.
I had envisioned I would look at Oh and we'd both cry and hug this 9lb 10 beauty but all of a sudden I felt light headed, an alarm sounded, daddy took baby Z and there was no longer 4 doctors in the room, there was about 15.
I remember two things, the fear on my Oh's face with his top of holding this little swollen cherub and also the face on a student doctor at the door.

My placenta had gotten stuck coming out and the midwife started to pull at it, causing it to rupture and the cord snapping it, trapping it inside me.
I was told I would go for a c-section to remove the placenta and was wheeled to theatre. Here it was found the contraction ditching,cord snapping midwife had forgotten to top up my epi, so it was general anasthetic for me. Turned out I didn't need the c section as a doctor got it out by hand!

When I woke up I was in ICU getting transfusions and daddy and baby Z came to visit. Baby Z was HUGE!! She latched on straight away and we had skin to skin.

The next day I was well enough to go back to ward, Private room this time. Think they felt sorry for me!!

3 days later we got to go home and there my Oh and I had the moment I wanted where we thanked each other for this gift and cried and hugged.

7 days on, I'm pretty much healed, I'm anaemic as I lost 80% of my blood and haven't a single inch of arm that isn't bruised from IV's!

Yes it was traumatic, Yes it was scary.

But, It was worth every second to have my beautiful daughter asleep,possibly pooping on me and I can't wait to do it again.

It truly does make your life worth living and I honestly see myself as blessed!x

notsobusy · 30-07-2012 4:39pm

Holy S**T Java! That was some experience......Eeek!

You have inspired me to write mine too. On the morning of the 26th June I started getting contractions. They were about 30 mins apart so went out to other half and told him that I was getting contractions but they were all over the place and baby would probably be here in a couple of days. They then stopped after a bit and that was grand. Went about my day, went and did some food shopping, not a bother on me.

About 5.30 that evening, contractions started again.....they were alot more regular and about 20 mins apart. Other half was out milking so went out to let him know. I rang the hospital and they said I would be hours yet so just keep an eye on things and ring again when contractions were closer together.

So other half comes into the house and I'm cooking dinner, chappy arrives with info on farm jeep that other half is thinking of buying. I say to other half to hurry up and get your man out of the house as the contractions were getting really bad and about 15 miins apart. Well your man wouldn't leave. He just kept talking. I gave up trying to cook dinner and rang the hosp that seemed to move your man....just.....I was like do you want to feckin deliever the baby or something! GO HOME!!!!

Rang the hosp and they said not to come in till the contractions were between 5 and 7 mins apart for about an hour. Go and have a bath and relax you won't be in for hours. This was at 7pm.

At 8pm, the bags were in the car and we were driving in, I was in bits. The contractions were horrid!! Arrived in the hosp and the midwife was quite suprised to see me, a bit dismissive actually. Oh I meant to say I had a show about 6pm.

So I was hooked up to a machine and they did an internal about 9pm and I was only 1cm dialated. She was going to send me home but then my waters broke and it was like niagra falls!! And my blood pressure went quite high so they decided I could stay and they admitted me. Went through all the questions and stuff for the epidural and they said they couldn't give it to me till I was 3cms and all they could give me was paracetemal. I kept telling them the contractions were awful so they sent me for another bath when I got up to the ward and to stay in the bath for an hour as this would help with pain. Which it did....for about 5 mins before I realised that all was going a bit quick....So with help from my other half I got out of the bath and back to the labour ward. Met the mid wife and told her that my contractions were really awful about they were 2 mins apart. She didn't believe me and said she would go find a dr.....she went off for about 20mins. By the time she came back they were about a 1m apart and I couldn't move. They put me in a bed and examined me and I was 7cm dilated. The look on her face was priceless.

So 2 hours to go from 1cm to 7cm. They took me down to the delivery suite, in the bed thank god as I literally just couldn't move with the pain from the contractions. By the time I was in the delivery suite and up on the bed I was 9cms. The poor midwife who told me that it was too late for the epidural got such an earful from me. I think I must have called them every under the sun.

I got a massive urge to push and told them so, they told me to wait, I said feck off I'm pushing so away I went! The gas and air seemed to be totally useless to me and I panicked big style everytime I had a contraction and pushed. Eventually after an hour they did an episotomy and used the suction cup to get the baby out. I was totally exhausted and just couldn't managed that 3rd push on every contraction!!

I was so relieved when he was delivered, most amazing feeling. I completely forgot about the pain when he was placed on my chest. They started stitching me up and I yelped, they forgot to give me the local before they started stitching......gotta to love them.....:rolleyes:

He was born at 1.18am so a very quick labour which apparently runs in my dads side of the family, so delighted with that!!! Just wished I had done more insisting before as I felt I was being dismissed alot from the midwives in the labour ward!

My poor other half was absolutely traumatised at the pain I seemed to go through, he was brilliant the whole way through, held my hand and mopped my brow! I had my eyes closed the whole way through....He was also ready to deck them at one stage. He was a bit peed off.

cyning · 30-07-2012 8:41pm

Right... I'll chance mine too!! My pregnancy was difficult enough: I had hyperemesis and problems with my thyroid which was swinging between under and over active and in turn was affecting every part of me: so basically by the end of my pregnancy I was extremely exhausted (and had 7 inpatient stays in hospital!): I'd had a show 3 weeks previous and was having strong and regular braxton hicks for those 3 weeks too. Because of all of this going over my due date was never an option for me so was brought in for an induction.

They started inducing me on Wednesday the 4th July (I was due the 8th): they gave me the first lot of gel at about 10pm: started getting strong period like pains and was completely exhausted so was given a sleeping tablet and went to sleep. Thursday morning they gave me the second lot of gel. Cramps started getting stronger and stronger (now I'm convinced the tiredness was what caused me to think the pain was worse than it was!) and went out walking the hospital. Was examined by midwife and then doc: they still couldn't break my waters so was giving more gel (which really hurt this time): the trace was showing contractions just not regularly. Was told at this stage I couldn't get any more gel by this doctor and if it didn't work I would probably be looking at a section: but that I would be examined again tomorrow.

That night the pain from the gel was awful: I was convinced I was going into labour, and the trace was showing regular contractions, but varying in intensity. Midwife examined me and I still wasn't dilating but my cervix had shortened. Gave me pethidine and off I went to sleep.

The following morning (Friday) at about 5am they put me on the trace. Baby wasn't moving: they gave me apple juice, orange juice and iced water to drink and got me to eat smarties (normally got baby moving) but nothing. Except then I started to vomit :rolleyes: Midwife started moving baby in my belly trying to wake her up: after about 5 minutes she started moving and they gave me my 4th lot of gel: and still wasn't any more dilated. Hubby came in at 9am and I put on my clothes and walked the grounds of the hospital: at this stage I was tired and emotional still hadn't seen my consultant (despite the fact I attended his high risk clinic). Was reexamined about 1 o clock: still wasn't any more dilated. They gave me my 5th lot of gel, and the doc examining me told me this is what happened when people interfered with nature, and that if I didn't start dilating by that afternoon he was sending me home for the weekend. At that stage I had had enough: I was exhausted, emotional tired and extremely worried about my baby who I hadn't felt move except when the midwifes moved her for the trace. I started to cry hysterically and someone decided to get my actual consultant to talk to me.

He repeated what the registrar had said: told me to go home for the weekend if nothing had happened by about 6 o clock and they would bring me back in Monday morning and start me on the gel again :eek: After 5 rounds of prostin and no baby movements they wanted to send me home. Particularly when the main reason I was been induced was my risk of losing my little girl was higher: and I couldn't feel her move. I genuinely was close to being hysterical at this stage: even posted here hoping to god someone could give me some solace about my failed induction!! Hubby argued with them at this stage because I was so upset: I refused to go home and they finally relented and let me stay: to restart the gel Mon morning. At this stage all I wanted was a section and my baby out of me!

Kept walking and praying was in genuine real unable to talk during contraction pain by about 8: midwife put me on trace and told me nothing was happening, and wasn't going to. At 9 I felt a pop: told my husband that it was the weirdest feeling! At 910 walked to the bin came back and my waters broke as I climbed onto bed... I actually cried with relief! They put me on trace and baby was fine and sent my husband home at 10: said they'd put me on drip in morning, and gave me pethidine: and told me not to get out of bed on my own!

By 1045 despite two heat packs I could not cope anymore with the pain. They brought me to delivery room where I was 2cm: 2cm! I begged for an epidural: doc said no. Was using gas and air and passed out (pethidine & gas&air!) during a contraction. They examined me again: still only 2cm. Midwives decided to get drip up and running ready for epidural: doc was still saying no. Finally (finally) said I could have epidural at 2cm this was at 12. By 1230 epidural was in they reexamined me and I was fully dilated. And my husband over half an hour away and noone had rang him yet!

He was in for 1.10 we talked away: still needed the gas and air for contractions: the edge was taken off with the epidural but I still needed it! Started pushing about 2am: soon after they changed something to do with the epidural machine it was faulty (hubby told me after). He left at about 25 past 2 (I think he was about to keel over and really I was glad birth is not dignified at all!!) and at 236 my 7lb 15oz girl was born!! There was supposed to be a paedeatrician there when she was born as there was a small risk of her going into shock: there wasn't something I'm still furious about. Someone examined her over an hour and a half later.

She was worth every second of it

Ginny · 30-07-2012 9:39pm

Warning LONG!!!!!!!

Went for my 39 week appointment as usual. Thankfully somehow I got my consultant again (I was going public). My consultant had admitted me the week before for 2 days to observe a reduced amount of movement and low fluid levels. This time he did another mini scan and again couldn't get junior to move, so he said he would induce me in a few day, but would try a sweep while I was there, I still don't know what he felt but he ran off telling me I was being induced asap and I was possibly not favourable and I might expect a failed induction with a section at the end so prepare myself for the worst.
There were no beds free so I spent some time on a trace in A&E for a while, then I go the phonecall that there was a bed free in the pre labour ward and I could go on up.
I felt like such an impostor there, everyone else was in pain or early labour an spent an average of 4 hours on the ward before being moved to the delivery rooms, I spent 2 days there. My Consultant pulled some strings and managed to get me a slot for an induction that night, so I got my first gel on Tuesday evening. Had a second on Wednesday morning and the final one on Wednesday evening. They don't give more then 3 gels in total. I was still barely 1cms gone, everytime I got a gel I had about 2 hours of pain and then nadda.
All the time I was on a trace and juniors heart rate and movements were still quite low. I was told that they would try and break my waters on Thursday morning, but they didn't have much hope for it to work and so I was fasting from Wed. 11pm just in case I had to have a section.Getting my waters broken was bad, made more so by the fact I had seen the SHO who turned up to do it, basically butcher the woman in the bed next to me the day before. After 10 tries they finally broke my waters, but I was still less then 1cm gone, I still sorta wish they were unsuccessful at breaking my waters. SO off walking for 2 hours, had a shower and a wander, and when I got back to the labour ward I was being moved to a delivery room. For some unknown reason they didn't give me an internal again but just stuck me on the drip, had that at 9am, did the full ramp up to 2:30pm, at this point my OH was going to kill someone as I wasn't allowed off the bed and was delirious with the pain.
Midwife was useless wouldn't tell us anything, kept saying we'll see. All we wanted to know was a registrar reviewing my non progression. Eventually another midwife cam in and saw the pain I was in and told me I should have the epi, even though my midwife had told me I'd have to wait. So got the epi at 2:30, used gas an air while getting it n that made me drunk and puke. Then the stupid Epi didn't take and we could hear the midwife outside saying "she's saying she still can feel pain" it sounded like she though I was lying so I had to lift myself up and move about to show I still had feeling, do she then ran off and to a top up into my line. The epi for some reason didn't take in one place so ended up using it all up and the top up and finally she ended up replacing the whole epi. From 2:30pm to 3:30pm I had the max amount of the oxy drip. Finally at 3:30 they examined me again, now they hadn't checked since 7:30am and our issue was nothing else had worked so should they not be reexamining me while I was on the drip and in the bed so they could make sure I was progressing, because the drip did bring on my womb contractions but no one was checking it was making me dilate, and since everything else hadn't worked we'd hope someone was thinking that too. Plus Juniors heart rate was dropping everytime I contracted and it was setting alarms off left right and centre, and she kept saying it was fine, but I'd been hooked up to a trace all week as he had such a low heart rate and movement in the first place that I knew the alarms and dipping that much was not good. So they examined me at 3:30pm and after those 9 hours I was only 2 cms gone. The epi had taken at this stage so I managed to doze off, I'd also been fasting since 11pm the night enforce just in case of a section and I still wasn't even allowed water at all. At 5 a reg came in and told me this was it he'd be back in 30 mins and examine me and if there wasn't significant progression I was heading to theatre and he was off to prep it in the mean time. At this stage we were relieved as I was so shattered and sore at this point. At 5:30pm he came in and somehow I'd fully dilated, so gone from 2-10 in 2 hours, so thank god I got the epi when I did! So we waited an hour and got ready to push, finally I was allowed some water so had about 3 litres of it! At 6:55 they told me to push, so on the first contraction his head came out and back in again. Then I had no contractions for 10 mins! Got 2 really quickly and got his head out on the first contraction, OH was actually down there so I could push against his hip. She told me to pant and I did and stopped pushing but he flew out! He had a very short cord so only for that he'd have fallen off he bed! So cord was cut and he was put under my vest. I also think the midwife pushed me way too hard to get the baby out that quick, think if she'd let me push slower I wouldn't have ended up with so many stitches. She then had me try to deliver the placenta, like java mine got stuck and the cord snapped due to its length, finally after about 105 min of trying the placenta popped out. I actually had to wait for 2 hours after the birth to get stitched! Anyway he was 7lbs 4 in the end and he's so tiny, but I think he's going to be an only child after that

I think the short cord caused all the problems as he didn't descend at all till I was 10 cms gone.
Junior is an absolute dote and I really had a fast labour pushing wise, but the actual induction was awful, we just felt so abandoned and ignored by the midwife, we just wanted to know what the next step would be in the process, but it was like pulling teeth with her. Although the other midwives that popped in and out were lovely I just think I got a bad one!
I'm in a good bit of pain still, on Solpodine and Ponston for the next 2 weeks.
I really am besotted with junior, we were blessed with him, but I do think I'll be asking about the possibility of a section f I was to have a 2nd.

Mink · 30-07-2012 9:44pm

Wow great stories girls (well definitely traumatic but you did so well!)

Really goes to show how stretched the system is, I just can't believe the midwife left you to push on your own for 1/2 an hour Java, especially with an epi in & you can't feel what you're doing.

And cyning I can't believe your consultant wasn't monitoring you every step & then no pediatrician for hr & half, after your pregnancy history. That's the entire point of the consultants - for high risk pregnancies/births!

Just feckin mad, the cutbacks are really affecting things.

January · 30-07-2012 10:02pm

Ginny, I was the same on my first birth too, felt ignored, was on the drip, babies heart rate dropping, alarms going off. No one telling me or my partner anything. He actually ended up shouting at them (all in a group hushed whispering to each other) "CAN SOMEONE LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, SHE IS THE ONE GIVING BIRTH YOU KNOW!"

notsobusy · 30-07-2012 11:35pm

I meant to add that one Dr attempted to give me pethidine and I asked what on earth was she doing had she not seen my notes.....yes she said. I said I can't have pethidine, why not she asked?

Eh because I'm epileptic and pethidine lowers the threshold for seizures, therefor could bring one on. Oh she says I didn't know that......

tinkerbell79 · 31-07-2012 10:19am

Omg notsobusy that's terrible it is definitely a case of you need to know what you want and don't take no for an answer!!! If you hadn't of noticed her giving you the pethidine, I wouldn't like to think what could have happened!!!

I partly think this is why on your second or other births they go a bit better as you now know what works etc... And the midwives take you more seriously because you've done it before! Not all midwives don't listen most are brilliant but I definitely think they take more notice after your first birth!

That said I hope that's true and my babs(3rd) is a doodle lol...

Moonbeam · 31-07-2012 10:26am

I have 2 daughters and here are the stories...

It was new years eve 2008 and my 1st baby was due in 10 days. We were supposed to be going to a New Years party in a friends house which was about 45 minutes away but more or less the same distance from Holles St.
By the time the evening came I did not want to go and by 23:00 I suggested amybe we go to the hospital so we did:)
The contraction were painful,when we got to the hospital I was only in early labour so walked the corridors and rang in the New Year with the nurses,heard the 1st baby of the year being born,I can not remember times exactly but I officially went in to labour at about 4 and my little girl was born at about 6.
A friends mother was a midwife on duty that night and she was like having my own personal angel,she really made the experience so much easier for me.
The pain was terrible but I got through it and only needed a few stitches after. I spent 3 days in the Merrion wing in Holles St after,it was bliss!

My 2nd was due on the 25th of January 2011 and at about 5am on the 22nd I felt twinges but had a nice bath and decided to have a walk around,woke the other half and told him I might be in labour,woke him again a while later and told him to call his sister to mind my big girl.
I think we got to the hospital about 7:30 or so and my 2nd was born at 8,no stitches this time.After such a quick labour I was in shock but ok.
I can not describe how bad the pain was terrible but even if I wanted pain relief it was not an option due to the speed of the labour.
I had gas and air both times but I am not sure that it helped and I had a tens machine the 2nd time which at least distracted me!!
I was on a semi private ward with shared showers off the corridor and there were 6 in the room,it was awful!! but I was home the next day.

I am due #3 at the end of Dec:)

Kash · 31-07-2012 5:26pm

I'm adding mine too - more July drama

After a pretty straightforward pregnancy, I was admitted to hospital 2 weeks before my due date with suspected preeclampsia. I was in the pre labour ward, and have to say - it really made me question my decision to have a pretty natural birth - far too many agonised screams and cries of "I can't do it!"

After a week of endless traces and observation, they decided to induce me the day before my due date, because of my blood pressure, babys size, and a calcified placenta. So cue a week of frantic reading up on inductions!

We arrived at the hospital only to find out that there was a bed crisis and that I would have to wait for a bed. After about 6 hours of hanging around, they sent me home explaining that they might have a bed the following day. Dejected and upset, I went home.

The following day, Friday the 13th, they called me at 10:30 to come in. So hubby and I did the trip again, and went through the whole barrage of tests and traces again, only to be told again that we would need to wait for a free bed. I nearly burst into tears there and then. So, we waited and waited and waited some more. After another 4 hours I went back the desk and asked if I was going to get a bed or be sent home, because if I was to be sent home, I'd rather go now. But lo and behold,there was a bed free! (I'm still wondering if I had stayed politely in the waiting room, would they have given it to someone else?)

They gave me the gel at about 6pm, after discovering that I was 2 cm dilated. Almost immediately I started getting lots of back pain and cramping, but had no idea if that was the start of contractions, or just cramps. All i knew is that they hurt. They put me on a trace, and trying to lie on my back, and keep relatively still was agony. Of course, any time I fidgeted, the trace would lose the baby, so I was on it for almost 2 hours. Eventually,they gave me some Pethadine at 12 pm to take the edge off and I fell asleep. I woke the next morning to find that the cramps had stopped. But the docs examined me and decided that I was ready to have my waters broken, and that we just needed to wait for a free bed on the labour ward. Delighted that things were progressing, I spent hours on the birthing ball trying to help my cervix to ripen. In the afternoon, I was checked again - still 2 cms, still ok to have my waters broken. Still waiting for a bed.

Soon after, a bed became free - and as soon as they told me, I vomited - nerves, excitement, labour - who knows! So up I went, with hubby in tow, practically shaking. After another long trace and comments on my BP, the registrar finally examined me. She shook her head at the midwife. I looked at my hubby in a panic. "You're not ready yet darling, I won't be able to break your waters". I told her that the last two doctors had said I was ready, but she didn't even try. Instead, I was sent back to the ward for anothe round of gel. I was devastated, not to mention confused. The midwives on the ward were genuinely shocked to see me back so soon.

Given the cramps of the day before, I was not looking forward to another round of gel, but either it was milder, or I was better prepared, but they weren't quite as bad. The forced inactivity of the trace was still like torture though! Late that night, I was examined again - still 2 cm and still ready to have the water broken. I questioned this, and the doc said that she would have had no issues breaking my waters at all, all they needed was a free bed. So hubby was sent home, and I was given another dose of Pethadine. At 8 am, they told me a bed was free. I told them if they brought me back up there I was not leaving without my baby. They laughed at that, but i was not joking! I was terrified that they would just send me back down again. No vomiting this time though.

Hubby was not there that early, but arrived during yet another trace on the labour ward. The nurse examined me and tried to break the waters, but it didn't work. She paged for a doctor to come and have a go but while we were waiting for him, I felt a gush of liquid - I genuinely thought I had wet myself - and that was that, my waters had broken! I was never so relieved in my life! Apparently I had a lot of liquid, waters kept gushing the whole way through my long labour!

The trace showed that the baby was happy out, but the nurses were very worried about my skyrocketing blood pressure. Each check had it higher than the last, so eventually the consultant was called and they recomended the epidural ASAP, as that would bring it down. So unlike all the pregnant ladies who are kept waiting, I was given an epidural having never actually decided to have one! The anaesathist had to add another IV line, which he made a total balls of - i ended up with a big bubble on my wrist instead of a line in! I told him that I hoped he was better at the epidural than the IV, and it turned out he was, because it worked like a charm, and preceded the calmest part of my labour yet.

I was in zero pain, so just lay back and waited for my cervix to dilate, reading my book, chatting with hubby and the midwives, and even posting on Boards! My BP was back where it was supposed to be, and the baby stayed happy throughout. It took 10 hours, and the drip was up to the max, but eventually I was 10cm dilated, and the midwives told me I had to wait an hour before pushing. At this stage, I was feeling pressure on my tailbone during every contraction (which were coming string and fast according to the trace)

Then came the pushing! The midwives gave me 10 minutes 'practice pushing', and we tried a few positions. I could feel the pressure building with each contraction, so I knew when to push, and I was pushing with all of my might. After about 20 minutes, the midwife confirmed they could see the babies head and told me to give it all I had. I really, really did, but as time went on, I got more and more exhausted, and there was no progress. I swear that if the midwives had told me to 'get cross' one more time, I would have punched them. They eventually decided that i was going to need assistance and called the doctor to check me out. Of course, it took him ages to get here, so in the meantime, i had to keep pushing. I was so knackered at i was puking in between contractions. Hubby was great, incredibly supportive, but after almost 2hours of pushing, I was thoroughly sick of having my brow mopped, and being told I was doing well - I knew this baby was stuck!

Eventually the doctor came and examined me and confirmed that I would need help: they would try for forceps and if unsuccessful, go straight to a section. And that's when it got freaky. I was prepped, and my epi was topped up to the nth degree,then rushed into the theatre with approximately 10-15 people surrounding me. It didn't help that the shift had just changed so there was no familiar faces at all. Poor hubby was left out in the hall, which terrified him. With the epi at section levels I could barely move, and I definitely couldn't feel anything. They gave me something sweet to drink, which of course, made me vomit uncontrollably. So, there I was, trying to puke into a little cardboard bucket that was too high and too farback, whilst hearing the doctors mention things like episiotomy and shoulder dystocia and distress etc.. They called in the head honcho of the department, Professor Cotter, as there was shoulder dystocia and that is quite rare, and the doctors in call wanted her advice. I was frantic at this stage, because I hadn't a clue what was going on. After what seemed like an hour (and what was infact less than 5 minutes), Professor Cotter had seen all she needed to and supervised the procedures. My legs were put up into giant stirrups and pushed back close to my head. I was given a lateral episiotomy, and they told me to push as hard as I could. I opened my eyes while pushing and saw one doctor using what can only be described as barbecue tongs to tug on the baby's head, whilst another doctor was pushing with all of her weight on my abdomen. On the second tug/push/squash, her head was out, and they let hubby come in for the rest. The shoulder was delivered next with assistance, and after that it was over in an instant. She didn't make a sound for what seemed like an age, and was rushed off to an incubator - all I could see was a giant spike of hair and a bruised and bloody head. Then I heard my baby murmur for the first time and I burst into tears, and turned to my hubby who was doing the same.

Eventually, they finished stitching me up - I found out later I had a slight internal tear from the forceps and of course, the episiotomy - and they put my baby on my chest for some long awaited skin to skin. It was the most amazing moment of my life.

She's thrived ever since. I've had some setbacks, my stitches disappeared after 3 days and the wound subsequently got infected, so I ended up back in hospital when she was 4 days old.

But we're moving on, and getting used to the monumental change she has made to our lives. Anyone who doesn't believe in love at first sight has not had a child

caprilicious · 31-07-2012 8:02pm

Moonbeam wrote: »

I am due #3 at the end of Dec:)

Congratulations Moonbeam!!!!

I find the birth stories here amazing. I'm reading about how much pain/discomfort ye endured & all it is doing is making me broody! Must be the sado-masochist tendencies in me

Moonbeam · 31-07-2012 9:22pm

Girls reading your stories would putting me off having kids over!
What some of you went through was horrific

Mink · 31-07-2012 10:25pm

The July thread really has produced nearly every pregnancy and birth scenario! We've got 4 to go so we'll see what comes of that :-)

Cadyboo · 04-08-2012 10:00pm

So on Monday 40+1 I had a hospital appointment and asked consultant for a sweep. He told me he normally doesn’t for first timers as they don’t work, but if I still wanted one he would give me one. So he did and I didn’t feel anything as such so left feeling it didn’t work and a date for induction the following Monday.

Feeling disheartened when there was no changes all that day I prepared myself for induction by reading up on it. At about two in the morning I awoke with pains. Was unsure what they were as they were in my lower belly and lower back. After about an hour I realised they were like contractions so starting timing them. They were changing from 8 to 10 mins and lasting from 30 secs to a minute and a half. Got up about 6am and had some tea and toast and a shower. Still felt bad so got out tens machine and went into bed and timed them again. Still coming the same distance only pain was getting stronger. I then went for another shower about 10am and the pains subsided… Crap I thought. False alarm.

So I then noticed what looked like a show. Pains got kind of worse and decided Id head to hospital for a check as the pain was really low and I was afraid something was wrong. I arrived to the hospital about 1pm and was seen by triage who examined me and told me I was NOT in labour that I wasn’t effaced and the pains and pressure were baby moving down. The show I had was just a result of the sweep I got the day before. I was then hooked up to monitor to check babies movements and while on this I got 3 fairly bad contractions. The midwife came back said baby is fine and “ sure you got no contractions there at all”. I said “ are you serious, I got 3 bad ones”. “Well they only came up as a little niggle on the machine”. And off home I was sent and told see you next Monday!

I was in a lot of pain on the way home and for most of the evening. I was so tired and kept falling asleep in between the pains. I was so frustrated thinking all this pain was only for babys head moving down and that I could be like this until induction.
Around 8pm I rang hospital as the pain was getting worse and coming every 5 to 7 mins and lasting nearly a minute. Was told I was not in labour, that it was only the sweep take paracetemol and try to rest, have a bath and go to sleep. Back in shower, back on tens, paracetemol, walking.. Nothing eased it up. Settled onto the couch for the night knew I wouldn’t be sleeping in my bed so was getting prepared to stay downstairs. Pains progressively getting worse. Rang hospital again at about half ten. Begged them to give me something stronger. Told the same as earlier… paracetemol, tens, baths, showers, rest up etc.. And then “ sure you couldn’t be in labour, if you were in labour you wouldn’t be able to speak to me here like this”. I said “ I am getting contractions every 5 mins and I am only talking to you two minutes”. She said “if you want to come up then do, but there is nothing much we can do for you until you go into labour”.

Back downstairs. Was sooo tired by now was bouncing on ball to see if Id get relief and was falling asleep on the ball in between pains.
About half 12 that night I went to the toilet and there was bright red blood there. I remembered reading that bright red is never a good sign so called himself and said come on!
Off we went me screaming at him to avoid the potholes. Rang and told them I was on the way as I was not going to wait in the er to be seen this time. Met midwife, told her the story of the day. She hooked me up to monitor baby and said she would examine me afterwards and would give me pain relief regardless of me being in labour or not. Told her Id take anything, give me an epidural.. There is no way I can deal with the pain any longer. I didn’t care what was going on then as I knew Id get something off her. Told her I want an epidural even if I wasn’t in labour. She examined me and told me I was 5 or 6 cms!! Was in shock. So much for me not being in labour.

Off to labour ward about 1.30am, met midwife. She was setting up a drip… “Whats that for” I asked. “Your epidural” she said. “No thanks” I said “Ill wait and see how I go“. So I spent a fair bit of my labour on the toilet and leaning over the bed with gas and air. Didn’t really like the g and a but used it a bit. Got to about 7cms and was falling asleep between contractions and my midwife went on break another one came in and I didn’t like her at all. She examined me and told me my bag of waters were there and I was close to 9cm. She said things would go quicker if waters broke so she broke them.
My other midwife then came in and was not happy with that at all. She had quite a few words with her about it. Felt I needed to push and told them so, so they told me to go with it. It was 03.40am. I was pushing and pushing, falling asleep between contractions, stopped using the g and a very early on. At about 4.45 midwife told me my cons was on the way as I was pushing for a long time and he could help me. So baby had to be vacuumed out and I got an episiotomy, which I could feel every bit but baby was then in my arms and I didn’t care. It was 5.13am! He was trying to come out with his hand on his head.
A boy and he was perfect.

I then proceeded to lose quite a lot of blood and clots and was put on a drip with picotin to stop the clots for a few hours and thankfully worked.
Was moved to the ward about 8.30am with my little man and I would do the same thing all over again tomorrow.:D:D

kildareash · 05-08-2012 11:34pm

Thought it was about time I posted my story here!

Baby Kildareash was born on June 22 at 3.58am, three weeks and two days early. It went like this:

Thursday, June 21
Felt very uncomfortable getting ready for work that morn, lots of pressure down below and period type pains. Thought nothing of it, tempted to ring in sick, but I give OH's aunt a lift to work and didn't want to see her stuck.

1pm: had a lunchtime meeting in the hotel across the road. Walked across, bent down to tie my lace, felt a pop and a little bit of warm water. I wasn't sure if it was urine because of the way I'd bent over or my waters so stayed for the meeting. The hospital was only down the road, so I was in no panic to get there!
It wasn't until after the meeting that I felt more definite that my waters had broken. Rang hospital and was told to come on in.

Waited a while to be seen in the hospital, but when I eventually was taken in, the doc went to examine me but as she went to put the speculum in there was a gush of water and she said your waters have definitely broken, and she didn't need to examine me! They monitored me for about 20 minutes and said I wasn't in labour.

I was admitted and spent the rest of the day walking the hospital. By evening I was getting pains every 2 minutes, but they weren't lasting very long and again I was told I wasn't in labour.

10.30pm: They send my OH home! He didn't want to leave, but the midwife assured us nothing was going to happen that night and he would be better to go home (40minutes away) and get some rest. Luckily we have some good friends in the same town and he went back to their house just to be close at hand.
The nurse suggested I try a bath to relax me in the hope that I would get some shut eye that night.

11pm: I got into the bath. It was lovely at first and I started to doze off. But at 11.30pm, the pains suddenly started getting stronger, but weren't much closer together or lasting that long.

Midnight: I got out of the bath and started asking for pain relief. I was still tolerating the pain with breathing and just keeping calm, but I didnt think i'd be able to cope for much longer. The midwife told me to get pain relief I would have to go on the monitors and there were no labour rooms available! She offered me the tens machine, but it felt like it was hours before she came back to me with it.
I kept ringing the bell every few minutes, as I was now doubled over on my knees on the floor and I wanted pain relief, but she kept on telling me I wasn't in labour, there were no rooms available. I wanted to ring my partner to come back to keep me company, help time the contractions, but she said I wasn't going to have the baby that night and he was better getting some rest.

I eventually was brought down to the labour room around 1am! That hour was the longest of my life.
I will never forget the look on the midwifes face when she examined me...I was 8-9cms! I kinda panicked a bit now - obviously it was too late for any type of pain relief and my partner wasn't with me! She rang him at about 10 past 1 and he was into me by half 1. It was raining really heavy that night and he had got soaked walking in from the car park, but I accused him of waiting to have a shower before he came in! I don't think I'd even had gas and air at this stage.

Before I knew it I was ready to push. After pushing for about an hour and a half, I was exhausted, it had been a long day and I'd been awake for almost 24 hours at this stage. Baby was well down, but my contractions were very short (I was only getting two pushes in) and I don't think they were strong enough. I had imagined much worse pain, but I was tolerating this.

The doc was called and at 3.58am my beautiful baby girl was born by suction, weighing 7lbs 8 1/2 ozs. I had an epistomy and she tore me! He was an hour stitching me up, while I gave out to him for not being able to tell me how long it was going to take. By this stage, I was off my face on the gas and air though!

The other midwife was still on shift when I was brought back down to the ward. She said no one was more shocked than her to hear I was almost fully dialated when I went down to the labour ward. She was extra nice to me that night when she came on duty and even took the baby down to the nurses station for a couple of hours so I could get some sleep.

I was ready to go home on the sunday, but unfortunately the baby was jaundiced and they decided as she was technically premature to put her on the billiebed to clear it. It only came down a little bit and rebounded back up over the treatment line after 24 hours, so we had to stay another day for her to go on the billiebed again.
The paeds consultant still wasn't happy that her levels were far enough under the treatment line for us to go home and decided that she should go to the scbu under the UV lights. This was a really strange experience, as I ended up justifying his decision to the night staff and some other doctor, who felt she wasn't bad enough to require that treatment. A very tired and emotional mammy got snappy with the staff! But finally after six days in hospital we were allowed home.

So, that's my long winded story! I love my beautiful girl to bits, but I don't think I'll be rushing to give her a sibling, I'm still a bit traumatised from how quickly everything happened.

Mink · 17-08-2012 6:52pm

My little guy was born in the early hours of a Tuesday morning at home (planned).
My pregnancy was very straightforward, no real morning sickness and only had the usual aches and pains towards the end, as well as heartburn etc. I had no complications and baby stayed in correct position and head started engaging from approx 36 weeks.
I was nearly 10 days overdue and I started to get period cramps during the early hours of Monday morning, they woke me up a little. The few days prior to this I'd noticed my mucous plug coming away but I had a bloody show on the Monday morning & was so excited. The cramps continued throughout Monday but there didn't seem to be any pattern. I had been getting strong Braxton Hicks from before 30 weeks but they were never sore. These started happening more along with the period pains. At no point could I definitely say yes I'm having contractions, they were so mild.
We started timing them maybe about 4 or 5pm that day and they were 5 mins apart on average, over 2hours. I was texting my midwife throughout the day to keep her updated.
At about 8pm I felt a little gush and my trousers were wet at the back, I figured it was just a bit of waters so I put on a maternity pad to see how fast it got wet. We started getting the birthing pool ready (we really should have got onto this sooner). I also started having diahrrea. Somewhere between 9 and 9.30, I felt a massive gush, luckily I was also sitting on one of those maternity mats which had been dutifully sitting on the couch for weeks. I legged it up to the shower and stripped off & as I was standing in the tub the waters were still gushing out of me!
After about 1/2 hour the pains started getting a bit closer together and more intense. I spoke to my midwife and she figured she'd come over as waters breaking can really set things off, and they did! By the time she arrived at about 10.30pm, I was having to lie on my side for the contractions and breath through them.
It was at this point that I realised how sore this was all going to be, I think I got a bit frightened at this stage. My midwife got all her equipment set up and my OH was finishing getting the pool ready. She examined me and I was already 6-7cm, I was amazed.
From this point on I had to get my OH to rub my back (vigourosly) throughout every contraction but I was chilled out in between them. The midwife was happy for me to get into the pool. To be totally honest, I didn't find it that much of a relief, I think my hopes were a little high for it. I did spend about 1 1/2-2hrs in it so I reckon it helped things stretch further and possibly did help me relax. I got sick a few times from the pain (or the contractions pushing my stomach, one or the other) and also had to leg it upstairs for more diahrrea. I was mortified to get my OH to rub my back while I was sitting on the loo but I couldn't cope without it. He wasn't fazed in the slightest, I was being silly.
Then I got back downstairs to the sitting room and just sat on the couch and asked for gas & air as I was really finding it difficult to cope with the contractions. Again, I didn't find any actual pain relief from the gas and air, it just made me drowsy. But for some reason I felt the need to suck on it for all my contractions after that, it was more of a distraction. I found the mouth piece great for biting down on (my jaw was very sore the next day).
I hadn't been examined again and the midwife said she would check me around 3.30am or if I felt that something had changed, I was fine with that. She regularly checked baby's heartbeat and my temperature and blood pressure. Somewhere around 2.30/3am (now Tuesday) I think I started to feel the pushing urge and told her. It's all a bit of a blur after that but apparently I was in the pushing stage maybe 1/2hr to an hour. Started off on all fours for a good while. I was panicing a bit at this stage and OH and midwife were trying to keep my calm. The pushing urge was a bit scary, I had no control over it. I did think to myself oh my god I can't do this, but I knew I just had to get on with it as there was no option for an epidural now even if I transferred. I just went with it. At some point the midwife had to push the last bit of cervix back, that hurt a huge amount but it helped move things along. She got me to go on my side and then for the final few pushes onto my back, just to get him around the corner. It was so hard trying to hold pushes and also dealing with the pain of the contractions. I had to really get the hang of holding them so that the head didn't keep going back. But then when I was on my back the head was out in maybe 3 pushes and the rest of him came out straight away He was born at 3.57am. Apparently the cord was tangled around him a bit. He cried straight away and was a lovely colour, no marks and I managed to get away with no tears or cuts, just bruised & grazed. He was 8lbs 6oz and just absolutely perfect (I know everyone says that about their baby, but he really was!)
I was so relieved thinking it was all over but literally within 5 mins I started getting the same contractions for the placenta (she gave me the injection to deliver it, at my request). It probably took the guts of 1/2hour to deliver the placenta but it felt like forever, I had to give the baby to my OH as I just couldn't hold him and cope at the same time. It was absolutely massive when it came out, like another baby!
I was shaking and really really uncomfortable, the midwife and OH got to cleaning me up, clearing up the equipment, getting baby wrapped up and over to me to breastfeed. He had a strong suck from the get go. I think we got into bed around 7am maybe, I was so out of breath getting up the stairs to bed.
It was a very good birth experience and went like clockwork. I had a hard time after the birth, I felt awful and overwhelmed and a bit in shock at the whole thing. I was disappointed that I wasn't high as a kite in love with my baby like most others say they are or say you will be. I was disappointed that I didn't cry with emotion when he was born, I was more thinking of the pain and discomfort I was in trying to get the placenta out.
I felt increasingly bad over the next few days though all my obs (blood pressure etc) were fine and I didn't really recover until near the end of the first week. This was because (we figured out later) I was very sensitive to the hormones dropping. They drop significantly after the birth and then again around day 3/4. I was unable to sleep at all, completely anxious, got the shakes, getting hot flushes (very like menopause), very nauseous, couldn't eat anything, couldn't enjoy my baby. I did go into the Rotunda 24hrs after the birth but they wouldn't admit me as couldn't find anything physically wrong with me. They just said the same thing as everyone else "get rest, relax etc". Well if I could do that I would have! We also got an on call doctor out on day 4/5 as I hadn't slept at all and was completely and utterly desperate and out of my mind. My poor OH was probably terrified but he was very strong for me and trying to help me in anyway he could. His parents came to stay the night to take the baby so my OH could try calm me to sleep. I really felt I would never feel normal again, that I was a horrible mother and it was like being awake in a nightmare. The midwife also did everything she could for me and visited regularly and had organised for me to go to Rotunda etc.
Around day 5 after the GP had been out, I just decided to force feed myself and I made myself eat. It was awful as I wasn't producing any saliva so I had to drink water with each mouthful to be able to swallow. The force feeding actually helped the nausea, my stomach had been in knots eating itself. I started to turn a corner and managed to drop off for 20min stints here and there. Then my mother-in-law got me a herbal tincture from the pharmacy called Valarian Hops, for sleep disorders. I took that and it settled my stomach further and I was able to sleep for a couple of hours.
Each day I felt better and better and I'm completely back to myself for days now and I can sleep at the drop of a hat (which you need to be with a newborn). I'm loving my little baby and finally able to bond with him and enjoy him.
As an aside, when I went into the Rotunda with baby 24hrs after the birth (in an ambulance, how dramatic!) poor baby ended up getting admitted as they heard a grunt in his breathing and were concerned there was an infection. So he was in there 2/3 days in the neonatal unit and we visited everyday. But again ridiculously I couldn't sleep while I had this opportunity to recover! The bloods came back showing no sign of infection but his oxygen levels and respitory rate improved while in there and he got loads of sleep and recovered himself! I felt so bad that he was in there and I was a mess. I still don't think it was necessary that he was admitted as the grunt would have cleared up itself, nearly all newborns are grunty at the start because the mucous has to clear. But they were just being cautious. All the nurses caring for him were lovely.
Sorry for the long post-birth story but I thought it important to say as there must be other women out there who are sensitive to the hormone fluctuations and experienced something similar and I want to let them know that there is an end in sight and you will get back to yourself. It's very important to talk to someone if you are feeling bad. If you are having feelings that you feel bad about, find someone that you feel safe talking to, even a counsellor. I was not suffering from depression, I don't believe it was post natal depression at all, it was a severe reaction to shock & hormones and went away within that first week. I say this as this would not be treated by anti-depressants, so don't just take any prescription going!
The birth was great but I definitely had some shock from it and found the first week hard, which I was unprepared for!
Loving my little man and adjusting to my new life now. No amount of books, internet content or maternity shows really prepare you for birth and the aftermath in my opinion.
I would definitely have a homebirth again, I know I can do it and because I know what to expect now I feel much more confident in myself to do it again.

Funnyonion79 · 18-08-2012 12:46am

Mink wrote: »

My little guy was born in the early hours of a Tuesday morning at home (planned).
My pregnancy was very straightforward, no real morning sickness and only had the usual aches and pains towards the end, as well as heartburn etc. I had no complications and baby stayed in correct position and head started engaging from approx 36 weeks.
I was nearly 10 days overdue and I started to get period cramps during the early hours of Monday morning, they woke me up a little. The few days prior to this I'd noticed my mucous plug coming away but I had a bloody show on the Monday morning & was so excited. The cramps continued throughout Monday but there didn't seem to be any pattern. I had been getting strong Braxton Hicks from before 30 weeks but they were never sore. These started happening more along with the period pains. At no point could I definitely say yes I'm having contractions, they were so mild.
We started timing them maybe about 4 or 5pm that day and they were 5 mins apart on average, over 2hours. I was texting my midwife throughout the day to keep her updated.
At about 8pm I felt a little gush and my trousers were wet at the back, I figured it was just a bit of waters so I put on a maternity pad to see how fast it got wet. We started getting the birthing pool ready (we really should have got onto this sooner). I also started having diahrrea. Somewhere between 9 and 9.30, I felt a massive gush, luckily I was also sitting on one of those maternity mats which had been dutifully sitting on the couch for weeks. I legged it up to the shower and stripped off & as I was standing in the tub the waters were still gushing out of me!
After about 1/2 hour the pains started getting a bit closer together and more intense. I spoke to my midwife and she figured she'd come over as waters breaking can really set things off, and they did! By the time she arrived at about 10.30pm, I was having to lie on my side for the contractions and breath through them.
It was at this point that I realised how sore this was all going to be, I think I got a bit frightened at this stage. My midwife got all her equipment set up and my OH was finishing getting the pool ready. She examined me and I was already 6-7cm, I was amazed.
From this point on I had to get my OH to rub my back (vigourosly) throughout every contraction but I was chilled out in between them. The midwife was happy for me to get into the pool. To be totally honest, I didn't find it that much of a relief, I think my hopes were a little high for it. I did spend about 1 1/2-2hrs in it so I reckon it helped things stretch further and possibly did help me relax. I got sick a few times from the pain (or the contractions pushing my stomach, one or the other) and also had to leg it upstairs for more diahrrea. I was mortified to get my OH to rub my back while I was sitting on the loo but I couldn't cope without it. He wasn't fazed in the slightest, I was being silly.
Then I got back downstairs to the sitting room and just sat on the couch and asked for gas & air as I was really finding it difficult to cope with the contractions. Again, I didn't find any actual pain relief from the gas and air, it just made me drowsy. But for some reason I felt the need to suck on it for all my contractions after that, it was more of a distraction. I found the mouth piece great for biting down on (my jaw was very sore the next day).
I hadn't been examined again and the midwife said she would check me around 3.30am or if I felt that something had changed, I was fine with that. She regularly checked baby's heartbeat and my temperature and blood pressure. Somewhere around 2.30/3am (now Tuesday) I think I started to feel the pushing urge and told her. It's all a bit of a blur after that but apparently I was in the pushing stage maybe 1/2hr to an hour. Started off on all fours for a good while. I was panicing a bit at this stage and OH and midwife were trying to keep my calm. The pushing urge was a bit scary, I had no control over it. I did think to myself oh my god I can't do this, but I knew I just had to get on with it as there was no option for an epidural now even if I transferred. I just went with it. At some point the midwife had to push the last bit of cervix back, that hurt a huge amount but it helped move things along. She got me to go on my side and then for the final few pushes onto my back, just to get him around the corner. It was so hard trying to hold pushes and also dealing with the pain of the contractions. I had to really get the hang of holding them so that the head didn't keep going back. But then when I was on my back the head was out in maybe 3 pushes and the rest of him came out straight away He was born at 3.57am. Apparently the cord was tangled around him a bit. He cried straight away and was a lovely colour, no marks and I managed to get away with no tears or cuts, just bruised & grazed. He was 8lbs 6oz and just absolutely perfect (I know everyone says that about their baby, but he really was!)
I was so relieved thinking it was all over but literally within 5 mins I started getting the same contractions for the placenta (she gave me the injection to deliver it, at my request). It probably took the guts of 1/2hour to deliver the placenta but it felt like forever, I had to give the baby to my OH as I just couldn't hold him and cope at the same time. It was absolutely massive when it came out, like another baby!
I was shaking and really really uncomfortable, the midwife and OH got to cleaning me up, clearing up the equipment, getting baby wrapped up and over to me to breastfeed. He had a strong suck from the get go. I think we got into bed around 7am maybe, I was so out of breath getting up the stairs to bed.
It was a very good birth experience and went like clockwork. I had a hard time after the birth, I felt awful and overwhelmed and a bit in shock at the whole thing. I was disappointed that I wasn't high as a kite in love with my baby like most others say they are or say you will be. I was disappointed that I didn't cry with emotion when he was born, I was more thinking of the pain and discomfort I was in trying to get the placenta out.
I felt increasingly bad over the next few days though all my obs (blood pressure etc) were fine and I didn't really recover until near the end of the first week. This was because (we figured out later) I was very sensitive to the hormones dropping. They drop significantly after the birth and then again around day 3/4. I was unable to sleep at all, completely anxious, got the shakes, getting hot flushes (very like menopause), very nauseous, couldn't eat anything, couldn't enjoy my baby. I did go into the Rotunda 24hrs after the birth but they wouldn't admit me as couldn't find anything physically wrong with me. They just said the same thing as everyone else "get rest, relax etc". Well if I could do that I would have! We also got an on call doctor out on day 4/5 as I hadn't slept at all and was completely and utterly desperate and out of my mind. My poor OH was probably terrified but he was very strong for me and trying to help me in anyway he could. His parents came to stay the night to take the baby so my OH could try calm me to sleep. I really felt I would never feel normal again, that I was a horrible mother and it was like being awake in a nightmare. The midwife also did everything she could for me and visited regularly and had organised for me to go to Rotunda etc.
Around day 5 after the GP had been out, I just decided to force feed myself and I made myself eat. It was awful as I wasn't producing any saliva so I had to drink water with each mouthful to be able to swallow. The force feeding actually helped the nausea, my stomach had been in knots eating itself. I started to turn a corner and managed to drop off for 20min stints here and there. Then my mother-in-law got me a herbal tincture from the pharmacy called Valarian Hops, for sleep disorders. I took that and it settled my stomach further and I was able to sleep for a couple of hours.
Each day I felt better and better and I'm completely back to myself for days now and I can sleep at the drop of a hat (which you need to be with a newborn). I'm loving my little baby and finally able to bond with him and enjoy him.
As an aside, when I went into the Rotunda with baby 24hrs after the birth (in an ambulance, how dramatic!) poor baby ended up getting admitted as they heard a grunt in his breathing and were concerned there was an infection. So he was in there 2/3 days in the neonatal unit and we visited everyday. But again ridiculously I couldn't sleep while I had this opportunity to recover! The bloods came back showing no sign of infection but his oxygen levels and respitory rate improved while in there and he got loads of sleep and recovered himself! I felt so bad that he was in there and I was a mess. I still don't think it was necessary that he was admitted as the grunt would have cleared up itself, nearly all newborns are grunty at the start because the mucous has to clear. But they were just being cautious. All the nurses caring for him were lovely.
Sorry for the long post-birth story but I thought it important to say as there must be other women out there who are sensitive to the hormone fluctuations and experienced something similar and I want to let them know that there is an end in sight and you will get back to yourself. It's very important to talk to someone if you are feeling bad. If you are having feelings that you feel bad about, find someone that you feel safe talking to, even a counsellor. I was not suffering from depression, I don't believe it was post natal depression at all, it was a severe reaction to shock & hormones and went away within that first week. I say this as this would not be treated by anti-depressants, so don't just take any prescription going!
The birth was great but I definitely had some shock from it and found the first week hard, which I was unprepared for!
Loving my little man and adjusting to my new life now. No amount of books, internet content or maternity shows really prepare you for birth and the aftermath in my opinion.
I would definitely have a homebirth again, I know I can do it and because I know what to expect now I feel much more confident in myself to do it again.

Hey Mink, just wanted to send a quick reply to say congrats on your little boy and well done for getting through that tough first week.

I remember when my DD was born, she was taken aside to be checked and DH was crying and saying "look at her, isn't she beautiful" and I remember just still feeling painful contractions and saying distractedly "is she ok" and as soon as he said she was fine, I was asking the midwives why am I still in pain and all I could think about was that. I had forgotten about the placenta. Then once that was delivered, I had to get stitched for my episiotomy so that was another thing to concentrate on.

When I got to hold DD I was happy but felt a bit detached and shell-shocked by the whole experience. The way I described it to a friend the next day, was something akin to being in a car crash. What I meant by this was that it was the most traumatic, earth shattering, life changing experience I'd ever had - but it was all in a good way. But I was absolutely shaken up after it and so so emotional.

I remember looking at DD for hours as she slept and then realising that I'd wasted all this time staring at her when I could've been catching up on the two days sleep I'd missed out on whilst being in labour!! I started to panic then thinking that she'd be due a feed soon and I was responsible for her and I'd never be able to relax or sleep soundly again. I started to feel over whelmed and so panicky. I took some deep breaths and told myself not to think about that. Just take it one hour at a time and that's what I did.

So I can totally see how and why you felt the way you did. I was a big reader of books before I had DD and found that I couldn't read a book for months after she was born - I couldn't relax focus on them cos my brain was in overdrive thinking about DD all the time - is that how you felt when you couldn't sleep? Like your brain wouldn't switch off?

Anyway, glad to hear all is well. Well done Mink xxx

Thumby · 18-08-2012 8:56pm

Congrats mink. Delighted the birth went so well for you and its great that you are back to yourself now and enjoyin your not so little man :-)

Mink · 18-08-2012 11:55pm

Funnyonion79 wrote: »

So I can totally see how and why you felt the way you did. I was a big reader of books before I had DD and found that I couldn't read a book for months after she was born - I couldn't relax focus on them cos my brain was in overdrive thinking about DD all the time - is that how you felt when you couldn't sleep? Like your brain wouldn't switch off?

Anyway, glad to hear all is well. Well done Mink xxx

Thanks, yeah it is a bit like you've been in an accident and are in shock, not like that for everyone obviously but I felt like that.

When I was going through all that hormonal crap in the days after the birth, I would lay down to try to sleep and I just couldn't turn my head off no matter what I did. I was just spinning and so anxious. I've never suffered from anxiety/depression so it was quite scary as I didn't know what was happening to me. When I would drop off my whole body would jolt me awake so I was only dropping off for 30 secs at a time.

Ah, glad it's all over. I can sleep at the drop of a hat now, when little one lets me

I'd still do it all again, at least I know now if I suffer from the hormones again that it will be over in a few days

Tigeress · 26-08-2012 2:37pm

My son is 8 months now so it's about time I posted my birth story

be warned it's a little rough! I'm due #2 in Jan next year. Very close together so I'm crapping having another delivery the same as prev but in saying that I got through it & I'm fine now & he's worth all of it!

I was due Xmas Day 2011 & after a check up on 21st Dec they decided o was to be induced on the 27th as he was a big baby! I was happy to know the end was in sight ad I had a rough pregnancy & the SPD was so sore & I was huge at this stage, I just wanted my baby!
So I had my Xmas dinner in my Dad's & was in terrible form all day so we went home early so I could just relax, I woke at 6am on Stephens Day & the bed was soaking! I had a quick sniff just to be sure lol which my OH thought was hilarious but it had to be done! So I called the hospital & they said to come on in, I didn't have any pains what so ever! I was checked by 2 Doctors & they said that it was the back waters (try reckoned) but there was still loads of fluid around the baby! So they decided to keep me in as I was to be induced at 8am the next day. So at 9am I was walked down to the labour ward for the gel & the Doctor checked me and said he was still to high and could feel his was and said he was just too big to go natural, she said I could try but it could end up in an emergency ceserian & put baby at risk so I went for the elective section.. I was convinced all along I was gonna have a ceserian as all my family had big babies so I had my head around it (at least I thought so) I had had breakfast so I couldn't get the section until 3:30pm, I felt ok until the anesative arrived and because I had a tattoo on my spine I was refused the epidural & had to go under so my OH had to wait in the corridor outside

he was told it'd be 40 mins in total, baby would be born after 10 then 30 mins for me to come around. I was shaking uncontrollable in the theatre I was so scared & begged for my OH but they just said no. I was put out fairly quickly. My OH said 10 mins later he heard our boy whale & he was given to him & he brought back to the ward to wait for me with our boy. 4 hours later not one person had come to check on him & he didn't know what to do as it was our 1st baby, after another half an hour thinking the worst had happened to me he went looking for a midwife who told him then that there was a few complications but I was on my way up, baby was now crying for food & I wanted to feed myself.
I had woken up from the section in the worst pain I could ever imagine, I couldn't even bring myself to ask how my son was it was so bad, I just kept screaming for relief.. The doctor had given me morphine but for some reason morphine had no affect what so ever on me

after 3 doses (the most they could give me) & a morphine pump that gave me little bits every 5 mins I was allowed back up to the ward still in agony. The only relief I got was because I got so dopey I was drifting in and out but it never dulled the pain, the doctors were so surprised it didn't work for me but there was nothing more they could give me! The trip to the ward was horrific as I felt everything & had to be lifted to my bed as I couldn't move myself.. I was then shown my son but nearly remember it, I couldn't feed him as I was in too much pain so my OH gave him a bottle. At about 1am I started to come around and insisted that I wanted to try feed him myself which he took to instantly

I was given paracetemol suppositories which helped the pain and with help from a midwife I was able to sit up. It was the 1st time I really got to see my son and hold him.. He was born at 4:17pm and this was after 1am. I lost alot of blood but thankfully didn't need a transfusion. I bonded with him straight away

he was so amazing I just couldn't stop looking at him.. I was besotted! Over the next 5 days I got more of a handle on the pain as all I took was paracetemol and everyday I was a little better. It took a good 5 weeks before I was ok enough to get into the car for a trip outside the house!
The midwives were amazing & I'm so Greatful for them & my OH was just amazing! It was only afterward he had told ne thought he'd lost me & had broken down when he saw me in so much pain but couldn't do anything.
My little boy was born 27th Dec @ 4:17pm weighing 9lb 11oz.
Thankfully the hospital have agreed to give me the epidural this time as I went through hell. There is no reason why morphine doesnt work on me, it just doesn't..
My little boy was worth it all though & I feel so lucky to have him & to have another on the way even though I'm terrified about the delivery

I'm sure this time will be grand & sure even if it's the same I know I'll get through it

dublinlady · 26-08-2012 3:11pm

Tigeress..., gulp! U poor thing

i promise you when the pain relief works it's really not a bad experience. You need to insist on serious pain relief in what ever other methods they can think of. Your prepared this time - dont be frightened - you'll hopefully get the birth experience u deserve after that ordeal!

Tigeress · 26-08-2012 5:29pm

Thanks DL

I hope this time works out better too! They told me the only other pain relief they could do is the epidural, nothing else! I have to sign consent saying I've a chance of spinal meningitis but sure that's a possibility if you don't have a tattoo! Fingers crossed it all goes well

Rachineire · 26-08-2012 6:45pm

Tigress, good on ya- you are some woman,I don't know if I would be brave enough to have another after that! good lord that story gave me a small fright....but you still said it was all worth it in the end so that gives me some hope haha!! The thing about the tattoo and the epidural scares me! I have a tattoo on my back on the spine, right where the epi would go in...I was told though that as long as the tattoo was more than a year old that it would be no issue...can i ask was hospital were you in as i know some hospitals/anasteologists can differ on policy!

Tigeress · 26-08-2012 9:33pm

Rachineire wrote: »

Tigress, good on ya- you are some woman,I don't know if I would be brave enough to have another after that! good lord that story gave me a small fright....but you still said it was all worth it in the end so that gives me some hope haha!! The thing about the tattoo and the epidural scares me! I have a tattoo on my back on the spine, right where the epi would go in...I was told though that as long as the tattoo was more than a year old that it would be no issue...can i ask was hospital were you in as i know some hospitals/anasteologists can differ on policy!

I think it's a case by case suituation! My tattoo is 9 years old but they reused me 1st time.. I'm with Portlaoise Hospital.. I didn't mean to scare

but it is very worth it Rachineire

couple of weeks of pain for a lifetime of happiness!

January · 28-08-2012 3:26pm

Tigeress, I have a tattoo on my back and I was able to get the epidural on all three if I wanted (I didn't on number three but that was only because I ran out of time, they were just about to put it in when I got to 10cms!). I'd be asking this time if it's possible before the birth just in case.

Hannibal Smith · 28-08-2012 7:13pm

Tigress! Oh my god! I am speechless...and that doesn't happen often....you poor thing.

I know my sis in law the epidural didnt take with her so they brought her in at about 8 months the second time to test a few main reliefs on her in preparation for the birth...could you ask for that maybe? I inure its not the same thing, but might be worth asking for?

Still in shock!

Hannibal Smith · 28-08-2012 7:14pm

Ps moonbeams...nearly missed your post, Congrats on pregnancy number 3

Betsie_xr3i · 27-09-2012 5:02pm

So I though I would write my birth story before I forget it haha

So my lovely little bundle decided to keep me waiting, was due on the 14th of August and after 2 sweeps head was still so high, there was still no sign of baby making her appearance so I was booked in for induction on the 23rd of August.

I arrived at the hospital at 7.30am i was brought into the labour ward and put on a monitor for an hour after which the doc came in to examine me, babys head was still so high, he went ahead with the induction, applied the gel and warned me to be prepared for a long long day and was sent back down to the ward to wait J myself and OH went for a walk and got some magazines and the paper and went back up to the ward again for a while, once an hour the midwife came into check the babys heart beat and to see if I was ok, and nothing not even a niggle, I was beginning to convince myself that it would be the following day before anything at all would happen. I went for a walk again at about 1.30 up and down the stairs to try and get things moving along some bit. Went to the hospital shop to get a cup of tea. Headed back up to the ward again and went into the bathroom to go to the toilet 1st and low and behold at 2pm while I was in there my waters broke J woohoo at long last something was happening, I went back down to the labour ward again and they examined me and there was a big gush all my waters were now gone and they were lovely and clear, I was put on the monitor again and after about 10 mins my contractions started and were coming every 2 mins J at 3pm I was sent back down to the ward again with a tens machine to progress myself, come 5pm my contractions were coming thick and fast and I was in a lot of pain, I was brought back down to the labour ward again to be examined and I was 2-3cm delighted, I was given pethadine at this stage which I found to be useless it made me drowsy, and light headed and kinda out of it really but I could still feel all the pain L so I took the gas and air as well. I was kept in the labour ward at this stage to progress away. Around 8 I was in a lot of pain and the midwife examined me again, I was now 3-4cm but my contractions were now slowing down a lot, so I was given a drip to strengthen them again. They came back quickly and more painful so I gave in and I asked for an epidural J 9pm I got the epidural after 3 attempts, the first 2 attempts were done by a young doctor and im convinced it was his 1st time on his own and he couldn’t get it in place so a consultant was called and within 5 mins he had the epidural in place and I was in love with the epidural man J at this stage with the epidural in place I had a bit of a rest, they brought my oh in some tea and toast to keep his strength up which I thought was a nice touch J 11pm I was examined again and I was now 6-7cm and I was delighted I was now getting somewhere J examined again at about 12 and I was still 6-7cm which kinda upset me a bit, the doc came in again just to see how things were going and she said she would be back to check on me again between 1 and 1.30 and told me to try get some more rest, 12.45 I was feeling a lot of pressure and said it to the midwife who said there was no way could I be feeling any pressure coz I still had a bit to go but I asked her to check anyway and guess what I was 8-9cm, so she called the doc again as my little lady decided to turn and was facing my left side so the shoulders were at my front and back so they were thinking it would be a difficult birth. 1am I started to push and I was getting places quickly but I found it all overwhelming and the doc said I wasn’t going to be able to deliver her myself so she started setting up the vacuum, the midwife continued on with me though and kept getting me to push and telling me I didn’t want the vacuum, so I pushed and was then told to start panting and the head was out and then my lovely lady was born at 1.16am on the 24th August weighing 6lb 14oz. The doc was in shock J delighted I proved her wrong though haha J I had bad rips front and back from the way she was positioned during the birth but she was so worth it J I was in total shock when she came out that it was a few mins before I realised that she had been born, I had a lot of stitches and was watching my oh try and dress her, fair play to him though he didn’t do to bad of a job J and I looked over at them and he was just sitting in the chair holding her and that’s when it hit me, it was wonderful, eventually all the stitches were done and I got to hold my lovely little bundle of joy Rachel. We were over the moon J

The midwife that had booked me in the morning before who had said to me to expect a long few days because of how high the head was, was in shock when I delivered J I never did get to drink that cup of tea I walked down to the shop for at 1.30pm the day before haha, so when I was brought back to the ward they brought me some tea and toast. OH finally got to home to be at about 3am exhausted, was so worried about him driving home as was 30min drive but he said the adrenaline of everything kept him awake. They took Rachel off me and left me have a rest for a while and I fell straight asleep only to wake again at 5.30 I just couldn’t sleep. She was brought back into me to be fed at 6.30 am and has been with me since, I never thought I would feel such a instant love with someone but as soon as I held her I was totally and utterly in love with her.

5 weeks on its all like a distant memory and Rachel is flying it, doesn’t like to sleep much during the day but she is good at night only waking once for a feed so I really cant complain.

elly123 · 28-09-2012 10:03am

I love reading the birth stories and although i get a bit nervous when i read them, they are all so different that im actually really looking forward to it. I've a long way to go yet another 25 weeks

Congrats to all new mammy's you are amazing women

Gee_G · 04-10-2012 12:44pm

Ok I've been meaning to this for a while now so here goes(while he's asleep

)
I was due my baby on the 19th of August 2012. On the 13th, I had an appointment with my consultant, my blood pressure was through the roof and there was also traces of protein in my sample so I was told I was being kept in indefinitely! Up to the maternity Ward I went and was put on a trace and baby was hopping mad

they started me on bp tablets that evening and I was told I'd be just kept in until it came back down.
My consultant around that night and told me I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia and either way my baby had to be delivered the next day :-O
That night I was given the gel to bring on labour. I thought that whole night I was having labour pains(they were like really annoying period pains) but I was told they are false pains brought on by the gel. If any of you find yourselves in this situation ask them to fill you a bath, it was the only rest I got that night,I slept for an hour in it.
The next morning I was brought down to the delivery Ward to get checked. They broke my waters there as I was only 1cm dilated. I called my OH to come in at this stage. Two hours later I was brought down to delivery Ward again and they said they were going to put me on the drip(can't remember the name of it) to move things along. At this stage I opted for an epidural as they said it would come on hard and fast. Can I just say too that I found getting the epidural absolutely fine!its just a little nip And you can't see a thing. They also let me use the gas And air during the procedure when I needed it as I was still getting pains. That was about 11am I think. Once I got that I Was on cloud nine

a few touch and go times when baby's heartbeat dropped and a bit of commotion and I had to be put on oxygen but all came good thank god. So about 2pm, I was told to start pushing, which was a bit strange as I couldn't feel where or what to push, I actually felt like i was pushing in vain but seen as everyone kept saying how well I was doing I kept at it ha ha. The doctor was called as I needed assistance as baby was quite comfortable. they used the ventouse,if that's how you spell it. I also had to get an episiotomy. But at 2.50pm on the 14th of August my beautiful baby boy was born weighing 7lb 5oz aNd absolutely perfect

Everybody had told me the usual things, you forget about any pain as soon as you hold your baby etc. And for any first time expectant mammies reading this , I can tell you that every bit of it is true. It is the most amazing thing you will ever go through and I wouLd have done it again in the morning. And it's all talk about pain relief but what people forget to tell you,is how bloody exciting it is!

so I'm writing this now with my 7week old boy lying beside me snoring

Best of luck to all the expectant Mum's on here and enjoy every minute of it

PS:sorry its so long!!

DoubleB · 30-10-2012 6:22pm

Why did I read these stories....I'm so scared now! Is anyone else like this?

Gee_G · 30-10-2012 6:27pm

Aw don't be scared. I used to love reading these when I was pregnant! Everyone is different, but I liked reading all about the different labours etc. But that could be just me, I was also a big fan of one born every minute

Betsie_xr3i · 30-10-2012 6:50pm

DoubleB wrote: »

Why did I read these stories....I'm so scared now! Is anyone else like this?

dont be scared double b everyone is different, but everyones experience is different, x

Rachineire · 30-10-2012 8:03pm

Gee_G wrote: »

Aw don't be scared. I used to love reading these when I was pregnant! Everyone is different, but I liked reading all about the different labours etc. But that could be just me, I was also a big fan of one born every minute

I'm the same, I love hearing the birth stories, even the gory ones! I also watch one born every minute (and make my OH watch it with me!). It kind of scares me, but at the same time I want to know what might happen! It makes me feel like I might have some control over the situation...even though its all down to baby at the end of the day!

Gee_G · 30-10-2012 8:24pm

Rachineire wrote: »

I'm the same, I love hearing the birth stories, even the gory ones! I also watch one born every minute (and make my OH watch it with me!). It kind of scares me, but at the same time I want to know what might happen! It makes me feel like I might have some control over the situation...even though its all down to baby at the end of the day!

I used to make my oh watch it too! I was the same with the whole control thing! I don't like not knowing! So all those programmes and books and these threads had me well prepared

dublinlady · 30-10-2012 10:31pm

Oops - I thought i had posted mine but clearly didnt! Will do in the next few days cos its a fairly positive c section / breech baby story! Apart from the excessive blood loss that had me almost unconcious it really was a weirdly pleasant experience! Quite amazing what they can do really!

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