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I am happy to say we are now the proud parents of Kade born at 15:16 Friday 01 Aug, 7lb 14.
We were lucky as we were able largely to stick to our birth plan. Just still in shock as it was a 5 hour fast first labour.
Labour story below for those with time on their hands!
On Wed/Thu last week I had reflexology and accupunture and was trying every natural labour induction remedy under the sun. Up all night Thursday unable to sleep as I developed a very annoying rash in the last few weeks of pregnancy called Puppp that drove me to distraction. Friday at 08:30 (41 weeks + 2) I had mild contractions, like period pain on the tube. We were heading for a private scan as I wanted to see if the placenta blood flow and water was enough. We were due for induction next week and wanted to delay it if we could.
By the time we came out at 09:30 I was having strong painful contractions every 5 minutes. The Hospital recommended we headed home but my instict said otherwise and I insisted we got a cab straight there. In the assessment centre I was sick and in a lot of pain and they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat for 15 minutes. They assembled the consultant team but luckily they found the heartbeat as he was low in the pelvis. When they examined me at 10:30 to their surprise my waters were intact and I was 5.5 cm dilated. So from no painful contractions to that in 1h it was fairly scary. We put the TENS machine on which was some help but we'd left it too late for it to build up the pain relief I needed.
As I tested Group B strep positive in a private test we did at 35 weeks I needed antibiotics at least 4 hours prior to delivery (http://www.gbss.org.uk/). It took time to get that sorted as I accidentally pulled the cannula out. We were transferred to the midwife led birthing centre and I started on gas and air. Then at 12:00 I was able to go in the birthing pool. All the while my waters hadn't broken and were bulging out with intense contractions. This was lucky because with the Group B strep I wouldn't have been allowed to go long with broken waters had I they gone without contractions.
I found the pool really helped, I couldn't bear to be touched or open my eyes. The midwives struggled to get the observations they needed from me because I never seemed to be in the right position for them. At the same time the midwife examination broke my waters when I was fully dilated at 14:15. Whenever my contractions slowed they got me to inhale Jasmine and Frankinsence aromatherapy oil which worked surpisingly well. Back in the pool and with gas and air that at times made me hallucinate but really helped at 15:16 he was born.
They were great at allowing us skin to skin contact and amazingly Kade was very good on the breast and has been hungry ever since. When they came to check for tearing I was very upset to be told I had a third degree tear that needed a spinal block and trip to theatre and I was immediately transferred to the hospital section. They also said that as Kade was born 3 hours 45 minutes (inside the 4 hour window) after the antibiotics he would need 24 hour observation.
Fortunately after much discussion it was identified as a 2nd degree internal tear and they agreed to suture it with a local anaesthetic and gas and air. It was frustrating my dh wasn't allowed to stay as I tore. They wanted the room or the evening birthing rush. So after much debate we ended up paying for a private room where we got good support for feeding and bathing.
We came home last night and the biggest challenges so far are getting his arms out of the way for breastfeeding and getting him to sleep in the cot, he won't settle to sleep on his own if he's not in our arms cuddling and is permanently hungry. Trying swaddling has helped but is difficult to master. I am off to try and find the answers to my many new mum questions and really thank all my Mumsnet friends for their support throughout the ttc & pg journey.
Congratulations! Have you tried a 'made for purpose' swaddling blanket? We got one from mothercare and as long as we pulled it tight, dd could not escape and she LOVED it (as did we.....hours of unbroken sleep at night with a newborn is something that people would pay big bucks for!)
cityangel. We swaddled up to the 16 week point, which is probably much later than some...but it worked! That said, we let her arms out at about the 3 month point and after a few nights with arms out, popped her into a sleeping bag and she didn't seem to notice the difference (phew!)
dd was born in July 06, which was REALLY hot (v nice for the final few weeks of pregnancy....) and we swaddled her in just a nappy. The swaddling blanket we used:
Congratulations City!! Great great news. Welcome to the world little Kade . DS2 was a right arm waving too city and swaddling was the answer for us in the early days although we stopped at about 4 weeks I think
thanks for all the wonderful kind messages. Sorry I haven't been on. He took a turn for the worse and went all floppy and lethargic on us. we're just back home after being admitted to hospital on Tues. He is better now and I shall look into the useful swaddling tips. Hopefully easier than trying to manage swaddling when he had a canular & drip in his arm.
Ah City, I am so glad it all went so well and that Kade is now safely home after the scary time you've had since the birth. My DS hated having his arms swaddled so I just left them out and did the rest of him. Enjoy your bubba
