Thanks for that SA2!! Well here is the 'birth' in as short a form as I can write!
I was booked in for elective c-section on Wed 14th Feb (Valentines Day!) at 38+ weeks as I had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy.
I spent the night before on the ante-natal ward so they could start my drips etc early in the morning as I was first on the list - yipee!! Interesting night - got some sleep, but learnt the ins and outs of another patients private life via her phone calls to her partner!!
Carted off to labour ward to my own room near theatre at 8am - no breakfast no water!! Husband arrived just as they were starting to get me sorted - a drip through each hand - the doc struggled to get the first one in my vein - causing great pain and distress to me - felt like I was going to pass out - she then had to do the other hand - I was ready to give up then - I have changed my mind!!! Then came the lovely white stockings! The anethesist (sp) came to discuss what he was going to do - and the possible problems that may occur and how they would be dealt with - the worst case being totally knocked out for delivery - beginning to think that would have been a good option!! Husband given fetching blue outfit to wear, while I walked over to the theatre - feeling rather calm and serene at this point!
Met the surgeon who had a quick chat - then the other anethetist took over putting all the monitoring stuff on me - while I sat on the edge of the very narrow table watching the midwifes inpack all the stuff - quite sureal experience - chattering away about mundane things! More staff arrived - the ones to look after buba, and then they started the spinal block - which took him three attempts as he kept hitting my bone - not too unpleasant an experience, but my patience was wearing thin by then!
Finally laid out and up went the screen, in came hubby and we were off! Baby was breech - awkward and came out bum first with a bit of a struggle - saw him briefly - what a whopper - but when they got to the scales he was only 8lb 8oz - we were expecting at least 9lbs!! Then he was handed over to dad for a cuddle while I was stapled together - struggling with my breathing at this point - so put on oxygen. Soon felt better and was put on a bed - funniest moment was when I saw my feet up in the air (when they put the painkiller suppository in my bum) - had attack of giggles as it looked like they were someone elses legs as I could 'feel' mine on the table!
Taken back to room and finally saw Thomas - dad was giving him a feed, which he was not too interested in, so midwife tried - temp took and he as quite cold. They then got the hot cot -a type of warm water bed for him - checked his blood sugar level - quite low, so tried to feed in in another half hour - took a little and his temp had raised slightly, but not enough - so decision was made to take him to neonatal unit to go on a drip and in an incubator - we had been warned about this, and I thought I was prepared for that, but broke down in tears - he was less than two hours old, I had not even held him and off he was going, so a quick 5 min cuddle was allowed with me, and off he went. I was then sat up and allowed water to sip, then an hour later some toast - but it was all a bit odd being in there with no baby.
DH went to get dd from nursery and I was transferred to post-natal ward on bed into a room, where I was allowed some tea - yipee - but kept asking about my baby - found it very hard that no information was forthcoming - very tearful - fortunately I was pain free so that was one less thing to worry about. Finally at 11pm when I had asked for some toast as I was starving, the lovely midwife said that if I could get up into a chair I could go round and see him - would bave suffered any pain to do that, but it was realtively easy given I was only operated on 12 hours earlier!
Went to see him - bless - looked huge in an incubator in just a nappy - was allowed another hold - quite emotional as he obviously knew who I was - staring at me with dark eyes - then back in and off to bed with me and him. Asked when I may get him back - was told probably be thre for 48 hours - felt sad but ok after seeing the other little mites in there - mine was one of the biggest and had a relatively minor problem in comparison!
Next morning had weepy session with midwife who got me to the shower and loo, and I then went round to see him, after moving to a room closer to the neonatal unit. They were just about to call for me as he was due to try his first bottle - so I was allowed to do that. Took some milk, then I went back to have lunch, and was coming back at 1pm to feed again - doc there when went back and Thomas took a larger feed than last time - doc said we could take him back with us to the ward - yipee - I was delighted to say the least!!
After that we went from strength to strength and we came home on saturday. Trying to get into a routine as much as we can, but suffering with the lack of sleep!