Welcome eloide bob and joseph, lovely names! Our little caleb has arrived safe and sound now! Born at 3.29 on 23rd Dec weighing exactly 7lbs (3 days early).
After days of on/off contractions my waters started leaking slightly at about midnight on the 21st, by 3am (22nd) I was having contractions every 5 mins. Went in at 8am contractions 3-4mins apart but quite strong, examined but only 1cm dilated, although fully effaced. Contractions kept on all day, examined again at 4pm and still the same, after lots of debate about whether my waters were leaking - I knew they were, what other pink fluid would I be leaking, esp. during contractions!, they decided to break my fore waters to speed things up.
That was v painful as it was hard for him to reach them, contractions then got much stronger and was heaving on the gas and air contractions every 2 mins, 4 hrs later still only 2cm dilated, at which point I burst in to tears! They decided to induce me by drip to speed things up, and I asked for an epidural first as this was similar to what happened with dd. That worked and 4 hrs later I was ready to push, pushed him out in 1 1/2 hrs (although dinky he has a larger than average head-sml episiotomy). The epidural ran out during pushing so I could feel when to push which helped things along! Although I didn't get the birth I hoped for it was a good experience and the mw was great, we had 2hrs skin to skin before he was weighed etc - bliss!
We have already given up bf though, I kept being sick whilst feeding him. Not entirely sure why, but I think it may have been linked to the fact I was so sick during labour, and so tired after many days of stop/start contractions. While bf I could feel the uterine contractions v painfully, then my stomach would start to gurgle and churn, then I'd get nauseous, sometimes manage to finish feeding him, other times actually being sick into a jug while feeding him. I tried to eat between feeds, and take painkillers etc as advised by mw, but just kept bringing it up, and feeling worse, tried a break for formula, the bf again a few hours later and sick again, so unfortunately I gave up. I couldn't carry on despite mw telling me to push on with it (and this may be TMI but i was also wetting my self while vomiting).
But I managed first 2 days BF and Caleb and I are both ok now and doing well. I'll join our anti-natal thyread soon too! But got to go and cuddle my little boy now, and my dd who adores him! 