Hi ladies ... here we are at last. Basics first: I have a beautiful baby daughter called Carys Elise who arrived at 1:05am on Friday 15 October by emergency c-section, weighing in at 6lb 14oz (so much for my "big" baby). Thanks to all the October meece for their concern - I've just had time to skim read the end of thread 4 and start of thread 5 as only got home from hospital at 3pm today.
Anyway, before I nod off to sleep, here's my rather long labour story...
Waters broke at 2:30am on Wednesday morning after wrecking bathroom previous day. Went to be checked over at hospital who decided to keep my in for obs as baby's heart rate was dipping with my contractions, at this point I was 1 cm dilated. I was monitored again on Wednesday afternoon and sent home, told to come back in morning to be induced as I wasn't progressing and contractions had died off.
Had painful contractions all night 10-6 minutes apart, but managed to get by with just dh, tens machine and a lot of moaning into my pillow. Tbh tens wasn't all that great, sometimes uncomfortable, but I liked the psychological side of being able to control at least one thing happening to my body and it gave me something else to focus on through the contractions.
went to hospital the next morning, was examined at 11 and told I was 5cm and transferred to labour ward. By late afternoon I was still at 5cm and was coming up on the 48 hour srm deadline so was put on syntocinon drip and given epidural which worked better on my left than right side, and the gas and air became my new best friend. Managed with that until I was in total agony at 9pm ish and begging for more pain relief. Was still not progressing despite syntocinon so that was upped until I was delirious with pain. Baby's heart rate was dropping drasically with every contraction as they had me on my right side to try and help the epi to work there too and by the time I'd got to 8cm, the heart rate went down and didn't come back up - Dr called at about 10 to 1 Friday morning and Carys and me were in theatre - she was born at 5 past.
Not the birth I'd planned as I was terrified of the prospect of a c-section, but it was a blessed relief in the end. I was just glad she was coming out in one piece.
Right, am off to try adn get some kip as am exhaisted - keeping fingers crossed for other October meece!