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Melissa M has successful homebirth!

20 replies

MelissaM · 08/07/2007 22:40

Evelyn Grace born at 5:12pm weighing 7lb3.5oz after a successful homebirth.

Hind waters went at 4.30am Saturday, then forewaters(?) at 8 pm (I think) last night. Midwife checked me last night and I was about 2 cm dilated. Contractions on and off (mostly off) until 12pm today when they kicked in fast and strong at about 3-4 mins apart and lasting 1min30secs. Midwife came out to check on me about 2pm and left again as we were doing fine with TENS and diff positions. 30 mins later the contractions were on top of each other and dh had to call midwife back. When she was able to assess me I was 9cm dilated! Too late for my pethidine! So managed to deliver with just a bit of gas and air in my bpiab. Placenta also delivered naturally at 6pm. I didn't even get any paracetamol until afterwards!!!

DH only just about managed to get pool up and filled for last hour of pushing (1 1/2 in total). We're all doing well although we're shattered. Can't believe I didn't even tear (just a minor scratch) although does feel like my insides are falling out when I stand up! . So officially my labour was 6 hours I think! Not bad for a firstimer.

It was so nice to be in our own home for the whole thing, and I would recommend it to anyone (although I probably wouldn't have said that at 4pm!). I think I only swore at dh once and that was deserved (he made some smart comment that neither us or the midwives can remember! when I was in later stages of pushing (total of 1 1/2hrs pushing I think).

Tired now so off to bed! Feeling very proud of myself though .

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MarsLady · 08/07/2007 22:41

Congratulations!

Now spend the next 2 weeks babymooning (like a honeymoon... being nekkid in bed with the one you love)

Spider · 08/07/2007 22:43

Well done Melissa. Good story.
Congratulations and enjoy.

adorabelle · 08/07/2007 22:45

Many Congratulations MelissaM. What a beautiful birth story

lulumama · 08/07/2007 22:48

absolutely fantastic !! well done! what an inspiring story .... a home birth, no drugs, first baby...marvellous! you should be very very proud !

welcome to evelyn grace, what beautiful names.

lulumama · 08/07/2007 22:48

absolutely fantastic !! well done! what an inspiring story .... a home birth, no drugs, first baby...marvellous! you should be very very proud !

welcome to evelyn grace, what beautiful names.

twoplusone · 09/07/2007 09:47

Will send you my congratulations on here too melissa..

Well done, great birth story

Annie75 · 09/07/2007 10:03

Ooh, I love hearing birthing stories like this Hope I have a similarly excellent experience (and blimey, you've posted on the same day!!). Well done you - and what a lovely name

Klaw · 09/07/2007 10:45

Ah so yes there is a BA, just come over from your show thread....

Congratulations once again!!!!! You star!!!

foxybrown · 09/07/2007 15:43

Wonderful birth! Well done to you, and welcome to your new baby.

sweetkitty · 09/07/2007 15:46

Great birth story and well done and congratulations

firststar · 10/07/2007 23:31

Message withdrawn

maisym · 10/07/2007 23:32

many congrats xxx

morocco · 10/07/2007 23:35

congrats, lovely hb story

daisyandbabybootoo · 11/07/2007 16:34

what a lovely home birth story....congratations to you and your DH and welcome to evelyn grace

Biglips · 13/07/2007 09:00

many congrats and well done on having a successful home birth x

MelissaM · 23/07/2007 11:10

Thanks everyone.

unfortunately within 24 hrs of our perfect hb we found ourselves in the special care baby unit as Evelyn Grace had picked up an infection and was very ill. (group b strep). whilst there she also became very jaundiced and had to undergo treatment for that too and was receiving most of her feed through a tube through her nose into her stomach. It was a truly awful few days!

Thankfully after a week we were allowed home and Evelyn seems to be doing ok now. She is feeding well although when she was last weighed she hadn't put much weight on. mw coming back today so hopefully she will have gained.

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Klaw · 23/07/2007 18:10

Sorry to hear about the GBS Melissa! Thankfully Evelyn was treated promptly and efficiently by the sounds of it and you can enjoy her now! And go back to basking in the glory of your HB!

I'm afraid to say it but this will just be the first heart stopping moment you will endure over the next 2 decades.... oh the joys of parenthood!

Miaou · 23/07/2007 18:30

Lovely birth story melissa - so sorry to hear about the GBS though . Here's hoping Evelyn continues to recover well

electra · 23/07/2007 18:31

Congratulations!

MelissaM · 26/07/2007 13:18

Thanks.

Klaw - it was a very good pick up from Community MW when she came round. She didn't like the sound of Evelyn's cry (too high pitched apparently - and we thought it was cute ) so checked her breathing rate, which was too fast.

I can't fault the care we have had from the community midwifery team, or the hospital - both postnatal ward and SCBU (and the nice lady who brought my food). I would do a HB again without question as I am really happy with how it went and feel very proud. Accourding to MW notes, apparently the pushing stage was only 27 mins! I was sure it was longer (hence 1 1/2 hrs stated below).

When mw came on Monday Evelyn weighed 7lb8oz, so had a good gain. HV has been today and she has put on even more weight - she's now 7lb11oz! Total of 7 1/2 lbs up on birth weight.

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