Thank you for all your well-wishing. Thought I'd better post my birth experience before I get on with the time honoured tradition of blocking every second out of my memory
What a marathon!
Can't claim to have a horribly positive induction experience, to be honest, but overall, the birth was a good one and has erased a lot of demons from my ds1's birth (gawd, writing "ds1" feels wierd!).
The staff at the hospital were fantastic from start to finish - really lovely lovely people. A MAJOR difference to the first time around.
Things did go a bit pearshaped though at the beginning as there were no beds anywhere, so we were put in a side room when we got there (9am) and I didn't actually get the pessary until 5pm. At 5pm I was told the induction process had started and I wasn't allowed to eat anything beyond that point (a bit gutting, as my last food had been at 12.30) but this was contradicted when the next midwife shift came on and I did get fed later - I'm sure I'd have run out of energy if I hadn't.
6 hours later I was having contractions (not too painful though) so they agreed to wait a bit to see what happened rather than give me a second pessary. It wasn't too long though that they got very painful, and I made good use of the tens, clary sage and birth ball for several hours.
After that though I was getting tired, it was late at night and I was in a lot of pain. I was examined and told I couldn't have an epidural because I hadn't dilated at all yet. Very demoralising. Even though I was really anti-pethadine, I eventually agreed to a half dose simply because I couldn't cope any more. Best thing I did because I managed to get a couple of hours sleep. I ended up with another half dose when that wore off.
Tuesday. I'd dilated a little bit, but not much. Consultant was called and he agreed to let me have an epidural as long as I had my waters broken first. Contractions extremely painful after they were broken, finally got taken into a proper delivery room. Got high on gas & air while waiting for the anaesthetist.
Anaesthetist - Tim. If I hadn't already sworn I am NEVER doing this again, I'd marry him and have his babies... Arrived very promptly and I had the most perfect epidural ever. It was a "mobile" epidural, and while I wasn't mobile, it meant that I could still feel my legs (my last epidural I was numb for ages after the birth) and could still feel to push. I rested for a bit, but after only a short spell with my eyes shut (when dh popped out for some food for himself) I felt I needed a poo. Midwife inspected me and told me I was fully dilated already. Pushing still hurt with the epidural but it was fairly manageable pain, I did it all myself - no ventouse this time, and only a superficial tear - I'm very happy with that. Baby Ben born at 12.41. Was put to the breast straight away and got on with it by himself practically - such a difference from his brother! I went for the six hour discharge as you can probably tell - desperate for my own bed!
Anyway, going to go and post on another thread now to get some newborn advice!!