Hello!
I've just got back home...with my gorgeous baby boy Solomon
Phoned Edinburgh Royal just after posting on here and was told that they were full and we had to go to another hosp (St John's at Livingstone) . Contrax were about 6 mins apart, so we decided to leave then rather then leave it any later.
At the hosp my contrax were coming fairly regularly (every 5 mins) and were really quite painful, but I was still only 2 cm dilated. The MW was sooooo nice, and said it was entirely up to me whether I went home or stayed. She gave me some paracetamol and showed me to a sitting room with beanbags, balls etc etc and I tried to watch a bit of TV. I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the pain though and really tired. She brought me some portable gas and air, which helped quite a bit - I felt more normal and less anxious between contrax.
About an hour later I told her that I was worried about how tired I was feeling, and that I didn't think I was coping with the pain v well. She offered to break my waters, which was something I'd originally been quite anti, but she really inspired trust - she was really experienced and kind.
So at about 10.30 my waters were broken. I was only 2-3 cm dilated at that point. There was quite a bit of meconium in the water, so I had to be monitored. The contrax started coming much more frequently an intensely and after 45 mins or so I was 7cm dilated. The next 15 mins were a bit of a blur. V hardcore contrax...a lot of desperate gasping on gas and air. I started feeling a pushy urge, so she got me up to kneel over the back of the bed.
The pushing took about 25 mins...It was SOOOO hard and intense. Much more so then with DD or DS. I can't convey how much work it was to get his head out! Then his shoulder got a bit stuck, and a whole gang of MWs rushed in to help him out. His heartrate had dropped quite considerably. I was manoeuvered onto my back and generally stretched and pummeled until he came out. He was rushed off out of the room to be suctioned (because of the meconium), bit was absolutely fine and back in my arms within a few minutes.
He is 11 lb 8 oz and has rolls of downy chub. He smells heavenly, and I'm going to have to put the laptop down so I can go and snuzzle him some more.
Thanks for thinking about me!