In labour and alone - hand hold please

[GoTraine]

I was induced earlier today. I just had a CTG and my contractions are between 50-80, every two minutes. Midwife said they'll break my waters as soon as I'm on delivery suite, But, there's no space on the delivery suite so I can't have any pain relief except paracetamol and, even worse, DH has been sent home because he's not allowed to stay unless I'm on delivery suite...and yet, they've made an exception for the only other woman on the ward so her DH is with her.

In my last labour, I was induced and went from them saying the induction had failed and they'd try again the next day to 8cm dilated and contracting like a bitch in less than 3 hours - my pushing phase was only 17 minutes. I'm terrified DH will miss it. I wanted a damn epidural and I'm scared it'll be too late by the time there's space in delivery.

I'm so alone.

I hope all is well and that your dh is with you now.

Best wishes, OP, you're doing brilliantly!

Thinking of you OP. I’m sorry you’re in this position.
i love what the previous poster said about you and Kezia being a team. Soon she’ll be with you x

Hi lovely. I would also have your DH at the hospital so he can quickly come when the contractions are getting closer. I don't understand why he's not being allowed in. I would complain or threaten to go.

Kezia is such a lovely name 😊
Your little girl will be with you very soon 😍

Thinking of you and hoping all is going well.
I had a similar experience last year with my first baby - was admitted to be induced. They did that in the morning, 1am waters broke and started with contractions every 5 mins which continued until I was given a bed on labour ward at 5pm. My DP was only allowed in between 1pm and 7pm so I did 12 hours alone and as I was also on antenatal unit I was only able to have paracetamol.
I wish I had been strong enough to insist on something else, so if you can please try and speak to the midwives about pain management. It is ok to want more than bloody paracetamol!

Rooting for you and Kezia x

@GoTraine

Hi OP. Midwife here. Ask the staff for Oromorph for pain relief, we give this regularly to our induction ladies. Try using the bath as well.

In my unit ladies who are being induced have their partners stay over as well so if labour is rapid they are there supporting you.

When you were induced did they tell you how far dilated your cervix was? Have you had Propess? this is like a small tampon inserted behind cervix and usually stays in for 24 hours. As this is your second labour they are often quicker and given your history on quick first birth I'd ask for your partner to come back to the unit.

I can't see why this is not possible he is there to support you so is actually helping out the midwives. If I was caring for you I'd be phoning him to come in.

Goodluck and if contractions get stronger ask if they can examine you to assess cervix for any progress re dilatation.

Hope all goes well. Kezia is a lovely name.

Kezia is such a lovely name it was the name of my Great Grandmother. I hope this is all over for you now and you and your husband are cooing over your beautiful daughter.

Totally agree with pjani

"Can you forcefully reiterate that your husband needs to come and that your last labour was very fast? Message him now and get him to wait in the cafe if need be so he race up to you as quickly as possible."

Kezia is an amazing name.

Hope you and Kezia (gorgeous name!!) are doing well OP. I'm so cross for you about them not letting your husband in - especially when you had to watch someone else get to have theirs with them!

I hope all is going smoothly for you and Hubby is there to hold your hand!

Another one here to agree Kezia is a beautiful name. I'm glad the heat's broken a wee bit. I had my first during heatwave, it was like the bed had been laminated! I hope DH is with you, or will be soon.

Sending love and supportive vibes (I'm an old hippy so I send vibes -- they're very soothing). I hope you and Kezia and DH will soon be enjoying a cuddle xx

Oh I've been there, my partner was the only 1 to be sent home 🤔.

I phoned him at 6:15 while being rushed through the hospital with a porter and a student nurse begging me not to push and my daughter was born at 6:26! I was the most qualified person in the room, the porter cried and thanked me for allowing her to witness her 1st birth and the nurse was nearly hypoventilating from been left alone and being way over her head so I tried to calm her down.

You're never sure what you're capable of until there's no other choice, you've got this!

I’m still here. Thank you so much everyone. No change really, just couldn’t catch my breath to type for a while. I feel so much calmer with all your support.

I'm here too. I was in similar situation and I cried to my midwife I need my husband so she made an exception. Are you in contact with him? I hope all is well. You can do this.

I can’t help you. I can offer solidarity though. I’m currently awake because my daughter who’s only 20 has been induced and is currently having the worst time in hospital . They started her off and then removed the labour stimulants because the delivery ward was busy , she’s been left with horrible painful contractions and no progress and is currently , after lots of drama on an epidural. I can’t be with her because her little brother is autistic and it breaks my heart . My birth with her at 17 was the closest thing to a perfect and easy delivery you can get very fast and on her due date she almost just fell out as I entered the hospital no damage done . Her brother nearly killed us both at 42 weeks. He was breech, huge and cord wrapped around him. I knew something was up and begged for a section, they forced me to labour on induction and I did , for two days but when I finally was fully dilated - In knew , they didn’t believe me ,the midwife was persuaded to look, even though she said I couldn’t possibly be fully dilated on the contractions I had on the machine and I was ready to push but she was presented with a pair of bollocks descending into my birth canal and at that point our luck changed, he was delivered 8 minutes later wide awake and looking well by a fabulous consultant who’d responded to the red button. An hour or so later I was put back together and we were okay. I always tell ladies , including my daughter to keep communicating, keep telling them what’s going on, because I’m a firm believer that babies that hang on do so for a reason , and 5 people had had their hands up my bits during the few days approaching my sons delivery and even ruptured the membranes and still hadn’t clocked he was arse down. He could never have survived a vaginal birth , with all the difficulty in labour I had. I knew , he knew , the midwives took no notice.

Offering another handhold from the US side of the Atlantic, @GoTraine. My husband only narrowly avoided missing DS2's birth so I completely understand how alone/worried you must be feeling. Just wanted to say that you can do this, and to say that it's okay to be firm with the hospital staff in asking/insisting your husband needs to be with you. Wishing you all the luck in the world for the next bit - it'll be okay

Wow Kezia, what an elegant and classy name! 😍

You need to keep on pressing your buzzer, the ones who make the most noise get what they want, ring your husband to come & wait in the car park & ask for more pain relief or to be moved to the Labour ward, don't suffer in silence, don't ask if your husband can come in, tell them he is coming.