Eliza arrived 2 weeks late on 21st June after being induced.
She's gorgeous and its lucky I did go in to be induced. There weren't any beds as I predicted but soon were when they checked my blood pressure and found it to be through the roof and Eliza's heart rate to be dipping.
Labour was really manageable for the most part even though I had to spend the whole 12 hours on my left hand side being monitored- it was the only position that kept her heart rate stable. Not easy when your body is taking over and wanting to be anywhere but on a bed!Hypnobirthing CD really worked here. Didn't have full faith in it but honestly it just kicked in and I got through most of the labour using techniques from it.That and G&A until it made me puke my guts up.
Then it all went a bit mental for the last hour and a half when I suddenly dilated from 2-10cm and she went into full on distress. Just avoided an emergency caesearan by the skin of my teeth (no anethetist availiable -don't want to think about what might have happened to her if I suddenly hadn't have got to 10cms) and I pushed her out without any pain relief.Not because I'm brave -I had no choice!My screams for an epidural or even to "Just fecking give me a cesearean -I don't need an anesthetic -GET HER OUT NOW!!!"could possibly be heard across London and DH has some remarkable bite marks on his arm.
Had to have forceps and episiotomy as her heart rate was so low and she needed a little work doing on her when she arrived which was scary.Midwives and medics brilliant as was the postnatal care -because of them and becasue I was able to feel as I pushed her out it was actually a really, really positive experience even though she was poorly and I was surrounded by a medical team in an operating theatre.DH however has less positive memories...
Anyway all fine now and eventually got home. She has taken to breastfeeding like a dream and has the fluffiest little head. Sigh.....I can't stop sniffing her.
Thanks for all the people on MN who kept me sane through my pregnancy -the pram dilemmas and worries about the discomfort of a sweep seems slightly insignificant now but at the time your advice was brilliant!I suppose I have to go and look at the parenting threads now....