MSE Pregnancy Club Birth Stories

elastigirl

My birth story for ds 2005
I was 42 weeks pg and I was booked in to be induced on the Friday, I started having contractions on the Tuesday before coped quite well until the Thursday as they were only every 15 mins. But very early hours of Thursday I was fed up and really was in pain I needed pain relief and begged the hospital to let me come in, they said no still come on the Friday as planned.
Went in on the Friday at 7am and got put on the induction ward which was just a side room in the maternity ward. I was last in the queue to be seen and all the other ladies had started being induced. The midwife came and checked me and did what can only be described as ramming her fist so hard and fast up me I actually moved up the bed the bed moved with me and hit the wall and I banged my head on the frame. I swear she thought she was bowling or calving a cow! I take it was a sweep! Never again!
She said I was 2cm dilated so didn’t need to be induced. Slowly all the other ladies went to the delivery suit and at 3 pm I was all on my own. So they decided to get rid of me too even though baby showed no signs of coming.
On the delivery suit I was told to change into my nighty and I would be checked again. They found a bit of blood and they thought that the baby may have had a poo but they weren’t sure so to be safe I was told I could leave the bed not even for a wee and they strapped my belly up with wires to monitor bubs. Many hours passed, contractions every 4 mins but getting no where, I sure I would have progressed better if I could have got off the bed. Baby was getting distressed so they put a monitor on his head. I was told I needed a drip of syntocinon to get things moving and that it will happen so fast I will need an epidural first.
The min I had the epidural I had Sharpe pains in my pelvis and left leg which was ignored. The epidural wore off after 30 mins and I was in agony with my pelvis and leg. The epidural was topped up but failed to work and they couldn’t understand why I was in so much pain. Another anaesthetist was called to do another one and he hit bone and again it failed. I was then just left which was really odd and only had gas and air. I think it was change over for the staff as it was midnight. The monitor alarm went off but no one came to help. We could see the baby’s heart rate getting lower and lower so hubby ran out and shouted for help. I was being sick every where, the crash team came in and wheels me straight out and forgot to unplug me so the wires were ripped off me as they moved the bed and a jug of water went flying everywhere it was really scary . Just before I got to theatre which was only next door the docs suddenly shouted ‘’for gods sake let them say goodbye to each other quick’’ Hubby was crying his eyes out but I didn’t really know what was happening. I was still being sick as they were trying to give me a general anaesthesia. Healthy boy was born at 1.18 am by emergency caesarean. He was taken straight to hubby still waiting in the delivery room, they had skin to skin contact which way great for them. I didn’t come around from the op until 6 hours later and poor bubs hadn’t had a feed as the midwifes wanted me to feed him but the poor thing was really hungry and then didn’t want me. He had to be given formula on a spoon. So bad start but happy ending.

pg with number 2 and def will ask for another caesarean this time around.

galvanizersbaby

Thought I'd post my birth stories (though low trauma compared to some I've read here )

DS1 (Oct 2002)
At 39 weeks of pregnancy had stinking cold and we were having a heatwave (end of Sept) so was tempted not to attend last antenatal appointment - turns out glad I did as my son turned out to be lying breech which was discovered on this 39 week appointment - therefore sent to hospital for a scan to confirm this - they used the scan to guesstimate baby's weight (around 8lb mark) so decided not to attempt to turn him due to lack of room and late in the pregnancy and offered Caesarian section following day which I accepted.
Turned up next day and was wheeled in to have spinal adminstered which failed to take effect (this was the only scary bit as the anaethist kept squirting my legs which cold water and asking me if I could wiggle my toes which judging by his reaction I could)
Ended up having to have the spinal adminstered again (by which time I could see them all waiting for me in theatre!)
This time it worked and after 10 mins of rummaging my son was born weighing 8lb 3oz and perfect in every way - phew!

DD - 2 (Mar 2004)
Booked in by same consultant for planned C section having fallen pregnant 9 months after giving birth due to concerns re rupture.
This time all went smoothly and the spinal worked - my daughter was delivered weighing 7lb 13oz - again perfect in every way but a little more cross at being disturbed than my son had been

I'm not sure I would have done anything differently (anything within my control that is)
Good luck to all those expecting x

workinmummy

Dec 10th 2003 - 40weeks + 4
Woke at 3am in pain, backache, woke OH. He rang hospital, got the usual take 2 paracetamol, have a bath. Had a shower instead, this helped whilst in there. Started to bleed – had no idea that you bled before birth, just thought it was after. At 4.30am couldn’t take it anymore, OH rang the hospital and told them I was coming in. Thankfully at that time we lived less than 2 mins away by car from the dedicated maternity hospital. I was taken to a room, where I rocked back and forth in pain, then started to be sick. Was examined and told I was 7cm dialated. I promptly asked for an epidural. I do not do pain. OH had his head bitten off, more times than I can mention. Was moved to a labour room and think I got the epidural around 7.30am. Remember no pain from the insertion, just the relief when it started working. I wasn’t mobile, and I remember one midwife asking if I needed a wee, I said I had no idea, she said I think you do, your bladders full, she promptly stuck something up my foof that relieved my bladder and I did it in the bed pan – lovely. They also broke my waters for me, with some kind of crochet needle. But again felt nothing. After arriving at hospital so far along, the contractions slowed and so did the dialation, my own fault for chickening out and going for the epidural. At some point (3ish in the afternoon) the epidural stopped working on the left side, they topped me up. The consultant came to check me, and I was fully dialated but cervix hadn’t moved out of the way. Top up didn’t work. Babies hearbeat then stated to plumet. Midwife banged on the bid red button on the wall. Many people rushed in, nothing much was explained, but I was dragged into theatre for emergency C-section. They used the existing epidural to do the spinal block. When I was prepped they let OH into the theatre. My lovely DS Joseph was born at 3.45pm, they dangled him over the screen to show us, but I wasn’t wearing my glasses I couldn’t see his bits, just the shock of ginger hair. OH had his head in his hands crying. They asked me for a name and I had to ask if it was a boy. I promptly said Joseph (OH wanted Harry, I didn’t), he agreed through the tears. May have to get my own way like that next time. DS was whisked away, with OH while I was stitched. OH fed him a bottle and dressed him, then he was placed at the side of me so I could get a good look at him. He spent the night in the nursery, while I got some sleep.
The next morning I was dragged out of bed, to be cleaned down, I nearly passed out when they tried to stand me up. I was cleaned up down there, and plonked on to a b-day. Then back to a clean bed. I nearly cried when my cathater was taken away, that meant I had to get up to go to the loo. Have to say 24 hours after the birth I was up and about, just felt slightly out of it. The midwife who had been in delivery with me, came to see me, she said I looked pale and suggested blood tests. Next thing she was back, with a leaftlet on blood transfusions. Said I needed one. They gave me the transfusion over night, while DS was in the nursery again. And I woke up feeling like a new women. So much so they let us go home. Three nights in all. Not bad going really.
Giving birth. No dignity. No shame. New baby - Priceless. Baby No 2 due September 09. Seeing the consultant at end of June, to discuss possible Elective Section.

searching_me

thought id add my story while mister is fed and sleeping ...

right on the saturday and sunday i was having really strong braxton hicks but nothing was regular so thought nothing of it so on sunday went to sleep thinking if it was the real thing it would wake me up...

well it did :rotfl: 4:30am ish on monday morning i woke with strong concractions although i didnt wake up OH til i was sure which was half an hour later .. so poked him awake and had to get him to sort out zoe for my friend to pick up when she woke up in the mean time i rung the midwife as i was having a homebirth although it took ringing them twice before anyone picked up :rolleyes: ...
so in the midde of contraction i tidied my bedroom (cant have the midwife thinking i live in a pig sty ) got the waterproof sheets out and put gmtv to distract me inbetween contractions ...
by 7-8am contractions were getting really strong but the gas and air helped .. alot zoe got picked up by a friend and OH was sat downstairs as wasnt sure he was ok to come up :rolleyes: although zoe told our friend "i think mummys having my brother coz some lady have come to help her" awww ...
by 9am he was really gearing up to go inbetween me going toilet my waters still hadnt broken but midwife said it was time to push to first laid down but he wouldnt go so kneeled instead pushed once and POP!! :rotfl:with that i laid back down ... i was thinking its still was gonna be a while as it took ages with zoe but midwife promised me he'd be out by the time jemery kyle had finished (tv was still on) this was at 10am ish and 4 big pushes and alittle will power he was born at exactly 10:30 :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: weighing 7lb 7oz my little Jayden Zachary ...

midwife was very happy she said textbook birth 6hours in total no tears or grases ... she left wishing all homebirth were like that although did have a funny moment that my dog was in my daughters room and everytime i called out in pain he howled :rotfl: awwwww ... thats it pretty simple really hopefully any future births will be the same x

Kaz2904

OK, DD born November 21st 2001. Her due date was 19th (Monday). I woke up and went to the loo and had blood when I wiped myself so I phoned the unit (midwife led unit with no Dr backup at my local hospital). The y asked if I had had any pain or anything and I said no, no worries apart from the books said to phone. They said I wasn't ready yet but it was the show and the baby would be there soon.
Nothing happened so I was just trying to sleep as much as possible. I was getting fed up of people dragging me out of bed every morning with the questions! Tuesday night I went to bed with DH. I was woken at about 1.00 with contractions. Wasn't sure about them because I'd read that 1st babies have braxton hix. + she wasn't engaged when I'd had my last MW appt. Anyway I got up about 1.30 and sat on a bean bag. I noted down the length of each contraction and distance between.
At 6.00 I phoned the unit (It was still a free phone call at that hour!) and said that I'd been having contractions 3 mins apart for hours but wasn't happy that the contractions weren't long long enough to get a baby out (actually said as much to them!) - do I have to come in yet? They said I think you might have a baby today. Ring us when you are in pain and think you need to come in.
DH was not overjoyed when I woke him up and said I wanted to walk to the shop! He said he thought he'd heard something about labour and I said yeas that was me! Anyway I sent him to work. My friend phoned me as she had a day off and we were going to meet up. I told her I was in labour but was ok. (She worked out that we lived 237 steps apart!) So I went to hers, I hadn't realised that her DP had a day off and felt a bit bad as he said Oh Hi, sit down have bacon sarnie now I'm hiding upstairs!!!!!!!! She said he'd gone to the cupboard and got out every towel they owned when she got off the phone!
At about 9.30 it all stopped. I stayed and had a cuppa and then excused myself because I was pooped. I walked home and marvelled at what a beautiful sunny day it was. Went home and got into bed. I slept soundly for a bit and my sis phoned at about 11. Just after my Mother had phoned. I'd just had a huge contraction that woke me and put my mother off but when sis poned I had another. I got her off the phone and went and threw up. I phoned my mate and said I was coming back. By the time I'd got to hers she said my sis had phoned and was coming down (we'd both tried to put her off saying it could be another 24 hours). I stayed at hers for some time until I decided to ring DH. I phoned him at 12.50 and said to get to hers asap but have a cooked dinner first (like yesterday). His boss drove him over and I made him ring the hospital. I went in and they examined me. The mw said it would possibly be here before she went off 7 hours later (21.30). Faffed around and then took me straight through to delivery. I kept walking around as it hurt and I couldn't lie down. They kept asking me to be quiet. Then my waters broke and they said "baby's distressed, call an ambulance (for transfer to Bristol) then MW looked at me and said "you want to push don't you?" "Yes" "Cancel the ambulance!"
At this stage I panicked and then got taken over by pushing. I had DD 20vmins later. Some so and so had whipped my sandwiches in that time! DD was born in time (4.23) for DH to ring everyone and them be there for visiting time (6.30-8.30).
Anyhoo, she was safe and sound when she arrived!

Krystaltips

I've been meaning to do this for weeks and just having difficulty finding the time! Anyway... This is my first birth story, DD1 born in March 2004... DD2 will follow as soon as I can free up both hands again

Aimee:
My due date arrived and not a single twinge or any sign that anything was going to happen so I popped down town and visited some friends of mine that had a cafe... Spent the day there drinking free tea and joking about boiling water and hot towels... Went to bed on the night wondering how long I would have to wait... About 1am I woke up dashing across the bedroom convinced I was wetting myself, sat on the loo for a while, and when I went to get up, more leaked out so I sat back down again... This happened about 3 times before it clicked that it was my waters going... At this point I had a mini panic, went and got a bath towel and curled back up in bed in denial... This was the point I’d been waiting for for weeks and now it was here, I wasn’t quite ready! Around 4am I decided I should probably do something... So I got my maternity notes and called the hospital, I was starting to get really mild cramps at this point so the midwife I spoke to said to stay at home and see what happened and then come in at about 9am to be checked over if nothing changed... Then I called my sister who was my birth partner, she then rang my Aunt who was going to be coming to fetch my niece... They both arrived at my house around 5:30 with their children, I was now getting contractions and although they were bearable still at this point, I was a bit overwhelmed at having a 4 and 5 year old running around and my Aunt was showing no signs of taking them anywhere so at about 7am I suggested to my sister we should go to the hospital...

At the hospital we got put into a tiny little room to wait, and after about an hour a midwife came to check me over and declared me a whole centimetre dilated... At this point I wish they’d of sent me home but they decided to admit me and put me on a ward... A midwife suggested we go for a walk and at this point I remembered I didn’t have any batteries for the CD player we’d taken in so we went off in search of a shop and ended up walking to an shopping centre about 2 miles away from the hospital because I knew there was a power house there... Once we got back to the hospital the contractions were getting pretty painful so I asked for some pain relief and got a wonderful offer of 2 paracetamol... I didn’t know whether to take them or insert them! And was declared 3cm dilated... I was then left alone on the ward with a birthing ball and a warm bath for quite a few hours... Every time I told them I needed something for the pain I was put off being told ‘If you have it now it will be less effective later and you’ll need it more later...’ until eventually at 5pm I was at the magic 5cm!

They transferred me to delivery suite, gave me gas and air, and my sister put the CD player on... It was a regular party... I struggled on through another 2hours contractions, and was also starting to get strong urges to push but my sister told me I’d get told off for pushing too soon, so I didn’t say anything to the midwife... At about 7pm, they got the birth pool ready for me, I can recommend that to any pregnant lady, the feeling as the warm water rises up over your bump is like no other feeling on earth!! I was in there for 20mins when the midwife caught me trying not to push so she told me with the next contraction I should just push... Of course with the next contraction, no pushing urge came so I didn’t... The midwife then told me ‘This baby isn’t just going to fall out Joanna, you need to push!’ With the next contraction came an almighty urge and my body just pushed on it’s own... Then the head crowned... I turned to my sister and shrieked ‘it’s ripping me’... I felt everything tear as she came out... and my sister just kind of smiled at me in what she probably thought was a supportive way... Then the midwife told me with the next contraction I was to reach down and lift the baby up... I’m assuming I did (although I can’t remember) as with the next contraction I pushed and then the baby was on my chest... My sister was in tears which I found amusing... and told me I had a girl...

Then I had to climb out of the pool with the baby still attached and lay on a hospital bed which had been pulled right up to the pool, the baby was put onto my chest and we were both covered with a blanket... They gave me the synto injection (I actually said ouch as they stabbed me in the leg with it!)I let my sister cut the cord (I originally wanted to do it myself but when it came to it, I just couldn’t be bothered) and the midwife pulled the placenta out... A little while later the midwife popped my legs into stirrups and sat down to sew me up... After a couple of stitches she told me that the tear was a little bit worse than she’d originally thought so someone else would have to do it... Cue a registrar sitting down at the end of the bed... Then someone stuck their head round the door and told her she was needed elsewhere... So I was left for 3hours with my legs in stirrups waiting for stitches while my sister dressed and cuddled the baby... At one point an anaesthetist introduced himself to me and told me I might need to go to theatre and have a spinal block... Finally a different registrar came with someone else who I always assumed was a student, but I was never actually told... He held me open while she sat and sewed... Unfortunately, the tear went so deep the local anaesthetic they’d injected in didn’t reach and despite sucking huge lungfulls of gas and air, I felt every one of those first stitches... And I sobbed the whole time it was so painful (after I’d been mostly quiet through labour)... But at least I didn’t have to go to theatre and have the spinal block which I was a bit worried about to be honest... Right after they’d finished the midwife got me up off the bed and directed me to the shower... I started to get dizzy at this point and ended up having to sit down... I always put this down to the huge amount of blood that had previously been in my body but was now soaked into lots of green surgical cloths and paper towels all around the bottom of the bed... But nothing was mentioned about it until they were discharging me two days later when they suddenly found I was anaemic and had to get me some iron tablets, when I’d had perfect HB levels all through pregnancy...

A couple of things I’m not so happy about with my first birth, I felt very uninformed... They never told me what was happening or who anybody was... They didn’t ask what I wanted to happen and my sister told them I wanted to go in the pool quite a few times but they still waited 2hours before they filled it for me... I breastfed the baby and she was very mucusy... At one point someone told me the noise she was making was because I was suffocating her and I should put my finger between her nose and my breast, which is absolutely abysmal advice, I could have blocked ducts by doing that... And I don’t know who the lady was that told me that, she could have been the cleaner... Again, she didn’t introduce herself... At the time I didn’t really know any better and after having my second baby, it’s just highlighted the poor points of the first time around... But I can’t change any of it, and it wasn’t as awful as some women’s labours... So I’m grateful for that!

Lu_T

Awww - was looking for Sami's birth story. She mustn't have had time yet. Hoping to post mine soon!

redmel1621

What a fantastic thread:D I hope no-one minds me adding mine.

DS1 Nov 2000
4 days overdue, I woke at about 3am feeling very wet, on further investigation it appeared my waters had broken, but was very brown/gunky. I phoned the labour ward who informed me baby had pooped and was likely in some distress so to go straight in. We grabbed my bag and rushed in straight away. Once I arrived I was escorted straight into a room which was ready prepared for me, they hooked me straight up to two drips, one to induce labour and one for fluids. I was also strapped up the the baby monitoring system. All of this meant I was going to be unable to move off the bed so they 'highly' recommended I opt for an epidural, which I agreed to. Unfortunately I didn't have the best of luck with this as it didn't work fully and also fell out resulting in my back being covered in blood!! I was also given a full canister of gas and air. Things progressed fairly slowly, although thanks to the epidural and gas & air the pain wasn't too bad. It took over 17hrs to reach 10cms dilation and a further hour of pushing to finally give birth to my son weighing 9lb 6oz. The most painful part was his head coming out and nothing seemed to ease the pain at all, at this point I was screaming/pleading with the midwife to grab him by his nose and pull him out?? Thankfully, despite his size I didn't need any stitches. I did lose a lot of blood and was borderline for a blood transfusion, however, they decided to leave me overnight as I seemed chirpy enough!! I didn't end up having one but was on lots of iron when I went home 3 days later.

DS2 Oct 2002
It was 3wks before my due date and I was at home one Friday morning I just felt a gushing. When I looked it was blood!! and plenty of it. I phoned the hospital and they told me to come in immediately, so we dropped DS1 off at my mums and went right in. The bleeding didn't get any worse and baby appeared fine so they just kept me on bed rest and observation over the weekend. I was fine but had been in a fair amount of discomfort since the sunday, they told me the blood was drying out and causing irritable uterus, which is what the pain was. By monday the bleeding had stopped so after sending me for one last ultrasound scan to ensure everything looked ok, they signed the discharge notes for me. I had been on co-codamol for the irritation, but after they discharged me I was packing and mentioned to a midwife that the pains were very strong and could it be possible that I am actually in labour? She did agree (in the end) to check me......she looked shocked and as soon as she checked me said 'I think we'll send you to labour ward, you are 8cm dilated' I was gobsmacked....imagine if I had gone home!! Anyway I toodled off to labour ward, and was offered G&A but didn't feel the need for it, in less than an hour I was fully dilated but my waters hadn't broken yet. The midwife was lovely and offered to leave me in which case it could be a couple of hours, or she could break my waters and it would all be over a lot quicker. I decided to have them broken, oh my god I had never felt pain like it, but within 20 mins my lovely 2nd son was born weighing 8lb 4oz, and all the pain went away immediatley. Again, I needed no stitches, this time I had minimal blood loss and was allowed home the next morning. Before I left, the doctor informed me it was a placental abruption, they didn't know what caused it but it was lucky DS" arrived when he did as the placenta was so pale apparantly, it could not have been functioning properly and DS2 would likely not have lived if he hadn't come out when he did!!! He does has some mild learning difficulties, I have never looked into it but have a suspicion the placenta problems are the cause.

DS3 Mar 2009
This was a planned home birth. I was 3 days overdue and went to bed feeling 'strange'. When I woke up I was getting mild period pains they were very irregular and not very painful, more just uncomfortable really. As the morning progressed they seemed to come a bit stronger and more regular. I phoned labour ward who said an on call midwife would be out to see me shortly to assess where I am up to. About 15mins later 11am(ish) she turned up and I explained how I felt and the fact that they were varying from 10mins to 30mins, dhe checked me and I was just 2cm stretching to 3cm! So away she went leaving me instructions to phone if I felt things were progressing. I took co-codamol and bounced on my gym ball. My boys were mainly playing outside and leaving me to it. She phoned back at 2pm to see how I was doing....at this point they were becoming a bit stronger again but still very bearable, so again I was told to phone if I felt they were unbearable and she would come and sort out my G&A. I carried on bouncing and breathing, I thought I was coping quite well really. At 6pm she phoned back and I could barely speak as the pain was very intense now, and very regular, she came out and checked me, at this point I was now 6cm,so she set up my gas and air, threw my sheets over my sofa as this was my planned birthing area and asked if it was ok for a trainee midwife to come out as it would be her first home-birth experience. I agreed and am glad I did as the trainee was really lovely. By this time it was about 7.30 and I was 8cm and I asked if they would break my waters......After this it all happened very quickly I used only G&A from 6cm and stopped using it at the pushing stage so I could focus on pushing with the contraction, they basically left me to it and just observed while giving me words of encouragement, it was all very relaxed. My 3rd son was born only 30 mins after breaking my waers at 8cm, weighing 9lb 1oz....and again, yep, no stitched. In fact it all happened so quickly he nearly landed on his head as they nearly missed catching him and it took the two of them to get him and chuck him up on my back (I was bent over) so he didn't slither off anywhere. This was definately the best birth and I would love to have another baby, which I would have another home-birth.

Wow that is a long post, but hey that is all of them:D

Lu_T

This is the story of the birth of my first baby, Imogen in December 2006. I'm 36 weeks pregnant, so hoping to be back soon with another story to tell.

Bear with me. The short version is that I was in labour on and off for 5 days, established for 17 hours, had some time in the pool, got shipped off to hospital on blues and twos and ended up with a c-section!

One nights before my due date (22 December) I woke in the early hours feeling period pains. They were painful but I could breathe through them. After about 30 mins of regular pains I woke DH to tell him I was in labour. I spent a bit of time in the bath and the pains and their frequency picked up. I was booked at the local birth centre which is staffed by community midwives overnight, so called them after a few hours. We went in, but I wasn't very dilated (can't remember how much, 2cm maybe) so was sent home to get comfy and for contractions to pick up.

I spent the next day bouncing on my ball and walking round the village to try to get the contractions going. They were mild and intermittent. On one walk I get feeling leaking every time I took a step so we called the birth centre for advice. I was told to lie down for 30 mins then stand up. If there was a gush my waters were going, if there wasn't, they weren't. I duly laid about for 30 mins but no gush, so we just watched crappy Xmas tv and I bounced on my ball through a few more irregular contractions.

Things picked up overnight again and we went in to the birth centre. Still a query over whether my waters had gone and, as there was only one midwife, DH had to help with the inspection by holding a torch so the MW could see. She thought she could see the head and some hair. At one point she had to ask him to change the angle of the light as she couldn't see. "Sorry," he said, "I was trying to get a look," :eek: MW couldn't be sure so off to the hospital labour ward for more monitoring, more torches. They thought my waters were still intact.

Christmas Eve and things pick up in the evening again. I managed to hold on until 7am Christmas Day when the birth centre opens and went in. "Baby will be here today," we were told. "The teddy's waiting," Sent home to get comfy and told I'd be back in the afternoon.

Spent Christmas Day bouncing on my ball and watching more rubbish TV. Contractions painful but still quite a long way apart. At 10pm I insisted on
going for a walk. THings were really picking up and, as I leant over a garden wall to breathe through a contraction, people going past were giving OH dirty looks for letting me get into such a state. They presumed I'd been in the pub all day and couldn't see I was pregnant from the back - thank goodness. I made DH promise not to tell anyone I was in labour in case they called an ambulance and I ended up at hospital rather than the birth centre (my worst fear).

Managed to hold on until 7am again and arrived at the birth centre about 7.02am. Had a lovely few hours with gas and air and a birthing ball while we watched yet more rubbish tv (kid's morning tv this time!). The pool was ready for me and I spent about 1.5 hours in there, but was struggling to keep up with the pain in my back. Contractions no problem but nothing could stop my back pain and I kept throwing up the paracetamol. Added to this was baby's fast heartbeat which could have been a sign of infection (back to the query over my waters again) and MW decided I needed to be in hospital. So I hauled myself out of the pool, got dressed, threw up one more time and was whisked off by lovely ambulance men to the hospital 10-ish miles away. DH drove himself but was warned not to follow the ambulance as we were going on 'red' = blues & twos.

I was more concerned that the route took us straight past MIL's house with the sirens wailing and wasn't getting the impression it was any major emergency. Managed to utter, "epidural now" as I arrived on the delivery suite and soon my back pain was (mostly) better. Apart from some pain in my right hip which remained the whole way through.

My lovely friend's mum is a MW on the ward and was just about to start her only shift that Christmas, so we asked if she could care for me. She started her shift at 12.30pm and when she left at 8.30pm said she would stay if she thought baby would appear any time soon. I'd been established 13 hours by then :eek:

I got to 9ish cm dilated at around 10.30pm but the registrar had spoken with the consultant and decided that I was probably too tired to manage the necessary pushing to get baby out. By now they'd figured out she was back-to-back (hence the pain) and she hadn't fully turned. So off to theatre for a c-section. It never felt like a major emergency and Imogen was born to the sound of "When a child is born," :rotfl:at 11.15pm.

It took 45 mins to stitch me up so she and daddy had some lovely time in the recovering room just the two of them. I wish I'd known I could ask for them both to stay with me in theatre and I'll def do that this time if we end up in that situation.

Sorry it's so long. At the time it felt like a life-time and I just wanted my baby to be here. Fingers crossed this one decides to turn the 'right' way so I don't have to do it all again!

Sami_Bee

My 2nd Baby
Edgar Born 6:13am 6th June 2009
Friday afternoon and evening I kept thinking my jeans/the car seatbelt were tight across the bottom of my bump, which I realised after a while wasn't my jeans/the belt but pains.
At about 11:30pm I decided that I should get to bed and sleep in case things were about to kick off.
I just needed to tidy up a bit and sort somethings out when at 11:50 I felt a trickle so went to the loo to check it out, it was my show but it was very watery so I assumed it was my waters and popped a pad on.
The pains started straight away about 15 mins apart to start, my 'birthing room' wasn't ready so I was dashing around tidying things up, after about 30 mins I went to wake OH up. I gave him a shake and told him the baby was coming to which he said “ok then” and patted me on the shoulder :rotfl: I carried on sorting and tidying.
About 15 mins passed and I thought maybe I should go and wake OH again when he suddenly appeared looking shocked and said “did you say the baby is coming?!”
He said he wanted me to call the hospital, I called them and told them what was happening and that I thought my waters had gone, they said they would call the MW on call and she would call me back, which she did a few mins later and she said she would come out to check me over.
The MW arrived at around 1:30am Saturday morning at this point the pains were much closer together, she took my BP, temp etc and said she was happy that this was labour and didn't need to check if I was dilated unless I wanted her to (so I said it was fine for now ).
MW started to set everything up as she knew she would be needing it and called the 2nd MW, OH called my Mum who randomly answered the phone straight away (she said she had a feeling tonight was the night and had been sat waiting for a call).
The next couple of hours were pretty boring, we were having a nice chat and I just stopped for the pains and OH was massaging my back during them, I was knelt on the floor for these as it was most comfortable (although my knees were sore so I was getting up in between pains) after a while I decided I wanted the gas n air so was sucking on that for a bit. Another hour or so passed and the pressure was building down there so I needed to lay down and said I thought I'd want the Meptid soon, I tried changing position to ease the pain but nothing was comfy so at about 4 am I had a shot of Meptid and anti-emetic once the Meptid kicked in the pains felt more like they had at the start of labour so I could cope with them much better. The MW did an internal exam before I had the Mepitid and said that my waters hadn't gone as she could see them bulging and I was dilating well.
At around 5am Christopher woke up so came to say hello which really help give me some energy as I'd been nodding off between pains, I gave him a kiss and Mum called my dad to come and get him as it was obvious he wouldn't get back to sleep and I was getting a bit vocal with the pains so didn't want to scare him.
At this point I had every pillow in the house on he bed to prop me up and after a bit I started to get the urge to push – This was much harder than I remembered it being with my 1st child but the MW said it was because my waters were intact and I'd have to pop them with my pushes, the relief when after a few pushes I heard that pop and the pressure eased was amazing! The relief was short lived though, pushing Edgar out was HARD but I did it The MW said I had to be quick as the cord was around his neck and he had pooped :rolleyes: Thankfully he was fine and didn't need to be transfered to hospital :T He was delivered straight onto my chest and stayed there until I delivered the placenta naturally so he had plenty of skin 2 skin and a little feed He was then taken to be weighed and have his vitamin K etc while I was stitched *ouch *

So timings; 1st stage 5hrs 45mins, Waters to birth (2nd stage) 18mins, 3rd stage 30mins.
2nd degree tear that needed 2 stitches
Apgar at 1min 8, at 5mins 10
Edgar weighed 8lb 4oz (a whole pound more than I had expected!!)