Bit long - sorry!
Waters broke on the 1st April ? the day after my due date. I was in bed watching the England football match when I heard a loud banging noise coming from pelvis. I got out of bed and went to the loo and my waters were coming out quite fast. I was shocked at how much fluid there was. Kept having to put new pad in as it was soaking through so quick.
Called DH and told him to come upstairs and telephoned the hospital who told us we needed to come straight in.
We got stuff ready, panicking a little, and got into the car. My ctx started in the car on the way to the hospital. They were mild at first but by the time we got to the hospital they were rather painful and I was having to stop in the hospital corridor to breathe through them.
We were shown to a labour suite and got settled. The first of the five midwives we would have during my ten hour labour examined me and told me I was only 1 cm dilated.
MW said labour suites are only for people 4 cm or more ? we might be sent home (a 40 min drive) or to the ward.
She left us alone for quite a while and I stayed active for the ctx ? trying to find positions that were comfortable but just about every position was uncomfortable. I kept gripping on to DH trying to breathe through them as best I could.
It was horrible going for a wee as a ctx seemed to always hit when I was on the toilet and it was hard to cope with. So much water and gunk seemed to still be coming out.
MW told me I had ketones in urine and would I like to go on a drip. I said no so was forced to eat a piece of toast and jam. It tasted awful and I could barely swallow it.
MW kept saying she didn?t think my ctx were long enough or close enough together to be progressing me but to me it felt like they were coming back to back and I barely had a break in between.
Was repeatedly asked if I would like gas and air, pethidine etc?but kept refusing. I didn?t want anything that would make me feel sick or out of it. MW said I would get too tired and would end up needing an epidural. I just ignored and carried on being active through the ctx.
The next time they checked me four hours later I was 7 cms ? this soon shut the mw up and they left me to it? (dreaded being checked and monitored as always seemed to get ctx when they were doing it and it was so difficult).
We had a change of mw and this one said she was concerned about the baby?s heartrate so they wanted to do a 30 minute trace. I was strapped down to the bed during this time when I was having the most painful ctx ? all in my back because of the way the baby was facing. It felt like the longest 30 mins and finally I was let off the bed as all was fine.
I asked if the pool was free as thought the water might take the edge off the pain and had been thinking the week before about water birth being better as everything is softened and less chance of tearing etc..
They said yes the pool was free and would take half an hour to fill. Got into the pool and before long I started getting the strangest urges to bear down. Was quite scary. The mw said ?you?re not ready?. I said ?can you check me?? She did, and found I was 10 cm and ready to push but gave me no advice on how to do so.
I was pushing ineffectively for about an hour. The MW was not even in the room. She even left the cold water running into the pool which I discovered when I moved the showerhead and sprayed myself with freezing water.
Thankfully we had a change of mw again and got two lovely ones who stayed with us to the end and coached me on how to push properly. With each ctx I managed three pushes. Felt normal in between pushing. After two hours pushing at 8.51 am 2nd April, April Victoria was born. Felt amazing to have her out and cuddle her. Had nausea and sickness for 9 months and the minute she was out I felt totally better again.
Had injection for third stage. Got out of pool and delivered placenta. Shocked at volume of blood that came out. Had a catheter to empty bladder as had not passes urine for about 4 hours. Did not need any stitched ? just had a slight tear and some bruising.
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Cosmogirl finally gets to meet Cosmobaby and sickness gone!
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Cosmogirl · 13/04/2009 12:38
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myjobismum ·
14/04/2009 13:42
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15/04/2009 18:09
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