I am currently trapped under a sleeping 7 week old and decided what better time to attempt to start blogging!? I'll introduce myself, and my son, with a classic post - my labour story! Whilst pregnant I loved reading these, and marathon watching One Born Every Minute, so that I felt fully prepared for anything that could happen. The main thing I took from reading other people's stories was that your birth plan may aswell be non-existent. However, I didn't realise quite how true that was! My labour itself wasn't too bad (complication wise that is) however afterwards it all went downhill, as you will read. My labour was nothing like I wanted however because of all the reading and TV watching I knew that I would be okay! This is going to be a long one, so settle in with a cuppa to read...
I had reduced movement on Sunday the 24th September, I was 40+3, so decided to head into hospital. I took my hospital bags with me, which had been packed from 36 weeks - I'll do a post later about what they contained - but wasn't very hopeful about anything happening as apart from the usual uncomfortableness of late pregnancy I hadn't had any pains. Almost immediately after being put on the monitor, baby started moving a lot! I then remember saying to my mum that we'd be sent home straight away. HA, little did I know. The midwife told me that I had protein in my urine and that my blood pressure was quite high, meaning she thought I had pre-eclampsia, which I hadn't had any symptoms of up until this point! She decided that I was going to be checked, and if my cervix was open and had thinned then I would be kept on the labour ward and induced, or if things looked like they'd take a bit longer I would be moved to the observation ward and induced. Things were getting exciting! However, it was then shift change and the new midwife decided that they were too busy to induce me, and I would be induced the next morning instead. Things were no longer exciting! I was moved to the observation ward, where I was in a room with two ladies who were friends and proceeded to talk all night about their "shooting fanny pains" and trying to work out how often they could go out for a "fag." Excellent.
Monday morning, I was induced at 10:20 with a pessary. When they placed it they told me I was 1cm dilated and had a thin cervix, which I was very surprised about! I spent the day walking around the hospital and bouncing on a birthing ball. I didn't think anything was happening and I was frustrated because somebody who had been induced an hour before me was groaning in agony. I was watching The Chase, at 5pm for those of you who aren't avid daytime TV watchers, when I started to get some back pains, but again didn't think they were anything major as I had been told that normally, especially with a first baby, nothing would happen for 24 hours. I went for a bath on the ward, and whilst in the bath started getting some pretty bad pains. I then started to believe, and hope, that something was happening. They were about 3 minutes apart lasting for 30 seconds or so. I was in the bath for about an hour with these pains happening regularly, so I decided to get out of the bath before it got any worse.
When I got out, my pessary fell out along with the mucus plug - glamorous! I'd read that the pessary falls out when you're about 4cm, so that made me happy.. However my bubble was burst when I told the midwife and she said that they'd put another one in as it probably shouldn't have fallen out. This midwife, with lovely small hands, then finished her shift and another midwife, with huge hands started... By this point I was in a fair amount of pain, and asked for some pain relief. I was given paracetamol and was sick almost straight away. They gave me an anti-sickness injection, which didn't work, so I ended up having to cope with no pain relief.. I then got examined, by now it's about 8:30, and I was about 3/4cm. Whilst being examined my waters broke, which was mega embarrassing. I started being unable to cope with the pain, and was begging for gas and air.
I walked over to the labour ward about 9 which took a while as I was having to stop every time I got a contraction! Once at the labour ward, I wasted no time and started using the gas and air straight away. This was the only pain relief I planned on using, however I didn't like it at all. I could still feel all of the contractions, and in between I just felt absolutely out of it. I was begging for a caesarean after a while, and was almost considering an epidural. Not long afterwards, I got the urge to push so there was no time for an epidural (which I am actually very pleased about!)
Noah was born at 11:08 weighing 8lbs 3oz. He came out with his arm up, which caused a second degree tear. My placenta took a while coming out so I had a doctor pressing on my stomach for a while. After it came out I lost over 1.2L of blood - the floor looked like there had been a murder - which meant that my iron levels dropped quite dramatically. I was stitched up and then moved to the observation ward for the remainder of the night. I had a room to myself so I ended up getting more sleep than I anticipated!
The next day I had a blood transfusion, which helped but not enough. So I was recommended for another blood transfusion. This all took a lot longer than it should have as the hospital was too busy for the midwives to cope with and I was by no means a priority (which I was told, many many times.) About 10 minutes after this blood transfusion finished, I passed a big clot which turned out to be part of my placenta. This meant I couldn't be discharged, and by now I was very frustrated. My iron levels being low meant that I was feeling light headed and breathless, so couldn't do much anyway but watching other parents come in, have their baby and leave before me made me extremely aggravated!
The next day (by now I think we're on Friday, but honestly it all blends into one!) I was just about to be discharged, my medication had been ordered and the papers filled out so the midwife asked to do one last set of observations. Typically, my blood pressure was finally a bit more normal but my pulse was through the roof as well as a high temperature. This indicated infection, so goodbye discharge. I was put on IV antibiotics, and then oral medication.
Finally by Monday morning; my pulse was normal ish, my blood pressure was normal ish, and my temperature was normal. Finally, with a one week old baby - we could leave!
Noah was perfectly healthy, and we've had no problems with breastfeeding at all (he now weighs over 14lbs), which I am so grateful for. But my experience was pretty nasty! I had doctors asking how my caesarean scar was healing, and how my forceps delivery went, which obviously I didn't have. I was given the wrong medication, forgotten about, and just constantly told they were too busy to deal with me. Apparently this is typical of September - the result of Christmas!
If you're pregnant I hope this hasn't freaked you out too much! It just goes to show that first babies can be born quickly too, and they really are so worth the palaver that is labour.
Thank you for reading..
I had reduced movement on Sunday the 24th September, I was 40+3, so decided to head into hospital. I took my hospital bags with me, which had been packed from 36 weeks - I'll do a post later about what they contained - but wasn't very hopeful about anything happening as apart from the usual uncomfortableness of late pregnancy I hadn't had any pains. Almost immediately after being put on the monitor, baby started moving a lot! I then remember saying to my mum that we'd be sent home straight away. HA, little did I know. The midwife told me that I had protein in my urine and that my blood pressure was quite high, meaning she thought I had pre-eclampsia, which I hadn't had any symptoms of up until this point! She decided that I was going to be checked, and if my cervix was open and had thinned then I would be kept on the labour ward and induced, or if things looked like they'd take a bit longer I would be moved to the observation ward and induced. Things were getting exciting! However, it was then shift change and the new midwife decided that they were too busy to induce me, and I would be induced the next morning instead. Things were no longer exciting! I was moved to the observation ward, where I was in a room with two ladies who were friends and proceeded to talk all night about their "shooting fanny pains" and trying to work out how often they could go out for a "fag." Excellent.
Monday morning, I was induced at 10:20 with a pessary. When they placed it they told me I was 1cm dilated and had a thin cervix, which I was very surprised about! I spent the day walking around the hospital and bouncing on a birthing ball. I didn't think anything was happening and I was frustrated because somebody who had been induced an hour before me was groaning in agony. I was watching The Chase, at 5pm for those of you who aren't avid daytime TV watchers, when I started to get some back pains, but again didn't think they were anything major as I had been told that normally, especially with a first baby, nothing would happen for 24 hours. I went for a bath on the ward, and whilst in the bath started getting some pretty bad pains. I then started to believe, and hope, that something was happening. They were about 3 minutes apart lasting for 30 seconds or so. I was in the bath for about an hour with these pains happening regularly, so I decided to get out of the bath before it got any worse.
When I got out, my pessary fell out along with the mucus plug - glamorous! I'd read that the pessary falls out when you're about 4cm, so that made me happy.. However my bubble was burst when I told the midwife and she said that they'd put another one in as it probably shouldn't have fallen out. This midwife, with lovely small hands, then finished her shift and another midwife, with huge hands started... By this point I was in a fair amount of pain, and asked for some pain relief. I was given paracetamol and was sick almost straight away. They gave me an anti-sickness injection, which didn't work, so I ended up having to cope with no pain relief.. I then got examined, by now it's about 8:30, and I was about 3/4cm. Whilst being examined my waters broke, which was mega embarrassing. I started being unable to cope with the pain, and was begging for gas and air.
I walked over to the labour ward about 9 which took a while as I was having to stop every time I got a contraction! Once at the labour ward, I wasted no time and started using the gas and air straight away. This was the only pain relief I planned on using, however I didn't like it at all. I could still feel all of the contractions, and in between I just felt absolutely out of it. I was begging for a caesarean after a while, and was almost considering an epidural. Not long afterwards, I got the urge to push so there was no time for an epidural (which I am actually very pleased about!)
 |
| I can't believe how different he looks now, but this is still his favourite position to sleep in! |
Noah was born at 11:08 weighing 8lbs 3oz. He came out with his arm up, which caused a second degree tear. My placenta took a while coming out so I had a doctor pressing on my stomach for a while. After it came out I lost over 1.2L of blood - the floor looked like there had been a murder - which meant that my iron levels dropped quite dramatically. I was stitched up and then moved to the observation ward for the remainder of the night. I had a room to myself so I ended up getting more sleep than I anticipated!
The next day I had a blood transfusion, which helped but not enough. So I was recommended for another blood transfusion. This all took a lot longer than it should have as the hospital was too busy for the midwives to cope with and I was by no means a priority (which I was told, many many times.) About 10 minutes after this blood transfusion finished, I passed a big clot which turned out to be part of my placenta. This meant I couldn't be discharged, and by now I was very frustrated. My iron levels being low meant that I was feeling light headed and breathless, so couldn't do much anyway but watching other parents come in, have their baby and leave before me made me extremely aggravated!
The next day (by now I think we're on Friday, but honestly it all blends into one!) I was just about to be discharged, my medication had been ordered and the papers filled out so the midwife asked to do one last set of observations. Typically, my blood pressure was finally a bit more normal but my pulse was through the roof as well as a high temperature. This indicated infection, so goodbye discharge. I was put on IV antibiotics, and then oral medication.
Finally by Monday morning; my pulse was normal ish, my blood pressure was normal ish, and my temperature was normal. Finally, with a one week old baby - we could leave!
 |
| Ah - natural delivery! |
Noah was perfectly healthy, and we've had no problems with breastfeeding at all (he now weighs over 14lbs), which I am so grateful for. But my experience was pretty nasty! I had doctors asking how my caesarean scar was healing, and how my forceps delivery went, which obviously I didn't have. I was given the wrong medication, forgotten about, and just constantly told they were too busy to deal with me. Apparently this is typical of September - the result of Christmas!
If you're pregnant I hope this hasn't freaked you out too much! It just goes to show that first babies can be born quickly too, and they really are so worth the palaver that is labour.
Thank you for reading..
Sophie x
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