Hello guys. Purpleplump here, name changed. (Obviously!) I still can't believe my little one is here, was a bit teary at first etc, but am slowly getting used to the sleepless nights and having a baby in the house!
Birth was a little strange, I wouldn't quite call it traumatic but I have contacted the hospital I gave birth at to ask for a copy of my labour notes so I know exactly what went on etc, as I was so out of it on G&A that I really cannot remember most of it.
I had my DD at 10:40pm on Sunday night, during her birth, her hands were on either side of her face which I believe caused the third degree tear that I suffered, following her birth I was examined and informed that I had tore quite badly, and was given the injection required to help delivery of the placenta, they gave that some time to work and then tried to get it out...no joy, so okay they say, we will give that a bit longer to seperate then we will try again..a little while later they give it another go, no luck. A whole 2 hours I'm told go by before the placenta comes out, had a massive urge to push once more and out it popped, but they were literally giving it one more go before sending me downstairs to be put on a drip to get it out. All the while I am still huffing on G&A as I was still in pain, so placenta is out and I am taken to another room to have my tear examined by a doc, let me tell you she was NOT subtle and stuck her hand right in which caused me to yell 'get off!' so I was told to have 5 breaths of gas and air and she examined me again, I heard words to the effect of third degree tear and that it meant I'd tore down to the anus and that meant I might leak feacal (spelling?) matter or something like that (again, i was off my face on the gas and air so its really fuzzy) so I would have to be taken down to theatre to be stitched up under a spinal block.
Okay, I agree to this, the form is brought for me to sign, risks explained etc, so I was expecting to be took down almost immediately as obviously I am bleeding all over the bed. Some time later (half an hour?) they came by to tell me that they were sorry and there was a backlog in the theatre and they were going to get me down as soon as possible, both my partner and sis in law were still here at this point (both of them were my birth partners- greedy eh?) was lying there awake most of the night until they left at about 6am to get some well deserved sleep, I was helped by a nurse during the night to go to the toilet, leaking blood everywhere as I went, I remember repeatedly apologising for making a mess, I could barely move hence why I needed help, I had to get my SIL to change little ones first nappy as I couldn't stand unaided to do it myself, something i feel terrible for, fancy not being able to change my own baby's bottom!! So poor SIL was subjected to lots of nice sticky meconium!
Taken down to main delivery suite approx 9am the following day in preparation for being took to theatre to be stitched up, I was spoken to by surgeon about 10am, who apologised further for the delay and said I would be taken down to theatre at about 11:15, I am not sure what time I was finally taken down to theatre but I remember looking at the clock when they were finishing up and it was 12:30pm. so all in all I was left 'open' for at least 12 hours? Taken to postnatal ward and I was kept in for 4 days, when first visitors arrived I was just regaining feeling to my legs and had a catheter in which was lovely, but was not so lovely when the aforementioned catheter pipe came undone and I wet the bed, how embarrassing!! Had a moan to the midwife who came (after me repeatedly pressing the call button about 5 or 6 times) that as I felt I could be mobile I wanted it out and she said something to the effect of Ive only just came on shift Ill have to see what I can do, I apologised and just said it was embarrassing to have wet the bed like I had.
All in all, not fun, thats the gist of it as far as memory serves (I am worried about how much I cannot remember!)
Like I say I don't know whether you would call that traumatic but it certainly wasn't the best birth and certainly wasn't what I expected.
Sorry for the huge post!