Hi everybody!
I've been really trying to find the best time to make my birth announcement. I feel settled enough to do it now. Our little Boy, Charlie was born on the 29th of October.
I'm not sure if anyone remembered but I was really struggling with irregular contractions from the 24th October. I was also certain my waters had been leaking from 2am. so on 40 +2 I went to the adu, the woman was lovely- smelt the pad (not my finest moment) told me she thought it was discharge, told me to put another pad in and walk for an hour, and return for a speculum test. I did, she sniffed it again and said it wasn't and didn't perform the speculum.
The next evening my contractions cranked up and the fluid was still trickling went back to the birth centre for a second opinion, arrived at 8pm. The midwife was very confused why a speculum hadn't been performed did one and told me that my hind waters were leaking and because they had been leaking for 24hours I would need to be induced.
I was a little disappointed but I got my head around it and was just concerned for the safety of the baby. I was set up with a cannula (drip thing in my arm) for the antibiotics and was told they were waiting for a bed to open up. Along came a doctor who said he didn't want to do unnecessary interventions and induce me too early instead he wanted to send me home and induce me tomorrow evening instead!! This baffled us considering the nice guidelines say an induction needs to occur within 48 hours. Midwife and doctor had a blazing row about it (unfortunately not in our presence). But long story short we were sent home at 1.30 am!
Contractions continued and I had no sleep all night, had an immense pressure in my back and felt like I needed a poo. So traipsed back to st Tommy's Adu in the morning, saw another lovely midwife who was desperate to do an internal but wasn't allowed anything but a speculum, told me my waters were buldging but my contractions weren't regular enough to be admitted (I was in a lot of pain) and sent home to return for the scheduled induction at 9pm. She was very apologetic for how I'd been handled.
Went home returned after lunch because I started bleeding which was very scary. At this point I was in agony after half hour wait in a corridor contracting on the floor with unsympathetic people staring at me, they saw me and quickly admitted me to the home from home (mlu) where I had the glorious gas and air.
Had a great experience, amazing view of Big Ben , I mooned the Houses of Parliament! Unfortunately, when my waters finally went I had meconium in it. So had to be strapped up, but was on all fours. Amazing new midwife came to help me, as the first one went to deliver a baby in the carpark!
After an hour of pushing Charlie came out covered in poo. A doctor was present and kept asking why she was called, the mw was being very calm telling her she would tell her in a min (trying not to concern me) when he was out she explained about my waters etc. She said 'he's fine is that all because it's hand over time'... Lovely.
Had to stay in 24 hours because of the meconium, I was fine slight superficial grazes. He was 7.7 and long.
Apologies for the epic post. Been trying to do it for a very long time.
Baby is very content and we are fortunate that bf is very successful (ATM)
clapham I was in when you was in!! I did have a stroll down the corridor hoping to bump into another mum.