Well what a long wait it has been!
This birth announcement is going to be mega.
Right, I went into hospital on Tuesday last week, for induction as i was 12 days overdue.
They gave me a prostin pessary at tea time and eft me to see if anything happened. I was due to have another 6 hours later, but they decided as they had limited staff that they would wait until the morning to try the next one, if needed.
I got a few pains, back ache etc about 5 hours after the 1st pessary. they got more intense, but not major strong pains. contractions started at 10.30pm coming every 5 minutes, then a couple of hours later were coming every 3 mins and then 2 mins, but the pain was bearable.
I got them to attach my tens machine, in preperation for it getting worse.
I tried to keep active as i knew sitting or lying on the bed would more than likely slow it all down, and although i'd need my energy i didn't want to stop the progress. I paced the corridors until the early hours, then a midwife told me i should go and sit on the bed and save my energy.
I did that and tried to doze between by 2 minute contractions, with not much luck.
By day break they had eased off and started going away again, unfortunately.
So after waiting until after lunch to be assessed again we found i was still only 1cm and the cervix was posterior still. I wasn't impressed, i though i was on my way.
So i had the 2nd dose of prostin then, that evening i had stronger pains and contractions but they weren't particularly regular. Painful enough to make me need painkillers and bring tears to my eyes.
So i was awake again all night with major pains for the 2nd night running. I had a dose of pethidine to take the egde off and to make me sleep a bit, it did the trick and i had a few hours rest.
When morning came (Thursday) they had died away again.
We then waited all day to be examined again, it was tea time before anyone was free to see us. They checked again and I was still 1cm dilated and posterior. You can't imagine how annoyed and upset i was. Baby was now 14 days overdue!!! and id waited long enough.
They told me that they could try and break my waters, which may not be possible because i wasn't very dilated and it would be painful and hard to reach, but they were willing to try, if they did that then i would be left for another 4 hours minimum to see if labour started naturally, and if it didn't then i would go onto a drip to start contractions.
My other option was to try a 3rd pessary.
and the ultimate option at the end of all that was for a c-section.
I had no faith in another pessary working, and just wanted to see my baby. My biggest fear was having no energy left for labour and after 2 nights of no sleep I was already exhausted.
I made the decision that rather than having another possible night of no sleep and energy wasting contractions, caused by either the pessary or the waters breaking, and going into labour, not copeing and having an emergency c-section. I requested to have an elective section.
After much deliberation with the midwives and doctor, they agreed the procedure but also told us that we wouldn't be able to have it until the next day.
So Little Joshua was born on Friday 23rd June 2006 weighing a very healthy 8lb 15 1/2.
He is absolutely perfect, we can't stop looking at him, he's our little miracle.
Came home sunday and we're taking it easy, feeding well.