Mumsnet Talk

William Thomas was born on Saturday 1st July at 10.29pm weighing 9lb 2.5oz.

His birth story started the previous Sunday night when my waters broke, but labour didn't start. I tried everything during the week to no avail. On Thursday I found out that a swab they had done on the Monday had tested positive for Strep B, so my homebirth went out of the window.

They started the induction on Friday morning, but by Friday 11pm I had only got to 2.5cm. As I had a c/s with DS1, they wanted to do a c/s at this point, but I didn't want one. They agreed to switch off the syntocinon and start again the next day. I got to 4.5cm by 1.30pm, but by 4.30pm there was no change, and my cervix had swollen up with all the contractions. They again offered me a c/s, or to have an epidural and a c/s in a couple of hours. I chose the delay, in the hope of a miracle! I got one as in those couple of hours I dilated to 7.5cm. The epidural didn't work properly, so I was able to kneel up during this time. By 9.30pm I was finally fully dilated! I was completely elated after several shift changes of consultants told me that there was no hope of my ever dilating properly.

I started pushing, and was threatened with a ventouse delivery as DS2's heartbeat started to rise a bit. However, with the help of an episiotomy, he was delivered at 10.29pm! Unfortunately he inhaled meconium during the birth, and his breathing went a bit downhill so he had to be rescusitated. Because of this, and the strep B, he had to go to Neonatal Intensive Care a few minutes after he was born.

He was in an incubator for about 24 hours, and released from Special Care on Monday night. He had to have IV antibiotics until all the swabs and tests came back clear, and we finally got out of hospital on Tuesday afternoon. Breast-feeding is going really well, despite the delayed start (I didn't get to feed him or have skin to skin until the Sunday night), and he's a really contented baby.

I was initially really scared of going into hospital after my experience with DS1, but considering I had to be induced as well, it all went fine in the end. And if anybody is looking for an unused birthing pool......

I've posted a picture of him here

Glad all was well in the end, but must have been scary for you.

Gorgeous pic by the way. Congrats to you all

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Congratulations! He's a real cutie!

You are one very gutsy girl, and have my heartfelt admiration - well done for hanging in there so long, and a huge official mumsnet welcome to the scrumptious baby Will

Laura, you are amazing - well done not being phased by the 'experts'! William is just gorgeous, big congratulations. x

Well done Laura - you knew what your body could do. Did you have antibioics in labour BTW?
So gald you got the delivery you wanted. He is gorgeous

Congratulations, Laura! He is a gorgeous baby.

Aww Congratulations he is gorgeous i want another Blue one

Well done and Congratulations Laura, William is to cute. Glad you got your VBAC, even if it was in hospital.

How cute is he? Well done and congrats to you all

Congratulations and hello to William Thomas. Adorable boy

mears - yes, I had IV antibiotics every 6 hours in labour. They hurt more than the contractions at times!

What a rollercoaster! Congrats on your VBAC and for sticking up for yourself against the hosp at times. I'm sorry that you didn't get your homebirth but given the circumstances I think you did a great job in the end. I am now without email/internet for a couple of weeks (maternity leave starting) but hope I will be posting my birth story in around 4/5 weeks' time. Hope I am as brave and strong as you. And I saw the photo, he's a beautiful child.

Can't believe that this story is six years old today! For anyone worried about establishing bfing after a shaky start like ours was, keep going. We did for another 34 months!! At the time having a VBAC meant the world to me. 6 years down the line it's a distant memory, but that might have been different had this story not ended the way it did. [happy sigh]