Ok, the birth story...
Well, I had a problem free prenancy and never even thought about a caesarean. My mother and two sisters seemed to have babies with no complications so I just thought genetics would prevail and I would do the same. So, the due date came... and went... all the while the midwives are saying, oh that;s okay, perfectly normal, blah blah blah... So at two weeks overdue (one week on their erroneous date changem but that's another story), they referred me to the consultant. To say I was anxious at this point doesn't even begin to describe it. I had been reading on the internet how the placenta can start to deteriorate at 41 or 42 weeks and result in a reduced oxygen supply to the baby. Sounded like a bad thing to me. Anyway, so midwife picks up the phone to call the consultant for an appointment the following week. This was on a Friday, and she sat there asking them for the latest possible appointment in the next week. She then explained to me that I should tell them that I want to go as long as possible and really don't want to be induced. And, keep in mind, I've already voiced my concern about deteriorating placenta. So, anyway, you can guess what I did when I left the surgery. I went straight home, phoned the consultant and asked for an earlier appointment. But, no luck. They were all booked up. So, the next Friday FINALLY rolls around when I am 2 weeeks overdue, rather than the one that the midwives insisted on going by. I explained everything to the consultant, why I believed I was two weeks overdue, I told them what the midwife had said to me about going as long as possible (although refused to reveal her name because my aim was not to get her in trouble, but to get some medical attention for me and DD). The consultant agreed that I could be induced that night. She also did a sweep(by the way if anyone offers any of you a sweep and tells you it will be a bit uncomfortable: RUBBISH it will be painful). I went home. We went out for our seventh curry in nine days, which obviously doesn't work! Off to the hospital after dinner. Around 9:00 the nurse cam in to do an exam and give me the induction pessary... gross, ouch, I'll skip those details. By the next morning, things were sort of picking up but not much. That afternoon I started to feel mild contractions. And then there was this really painful one. Finally at 9:00 after hours of prodding from me, they arrange for me to go down to delivery (because that's where the good drugs are... . I insisted on having an epidural before I would let them break the waters (which is basically a long stick with a hook that they stick up you to break the bag) yuk. Anyway, the first midwife couldn't figur out the trick. Then, a new midwife came in to relieve her (shift change). New midwife was much more experienced. So, anyway, epidural in, waters broken, contractions on the screen. But, oops, the epidural is only numbing one side (this is common and if it happens to you tell them and the anesthatist wil come adjust it so it is properly centeres in your spine and hence numbs both sides). Oh, forgot to mention that baby never engaged down into the pelvis, and that's a clue for the things to come in the rest of this story. So, I get the epidural topped up with the stronger medicine because the weak stuff isn't quite doing it. Oh and I took a breath or two of gas and air here and there, and refused pethidine because I didn't want it to go into the baby's blood system. So, then the monitor is showing dd's heart rate dropping, and she calls the consultant in. They watch the monitor for a bit, heart rate goes back up, and consultant leaves. A while later heart rate drops again. Uwila starting to freak out at this point. Consultant comes back in and says to me that I am only 4 cm dialated and "we need to get this baby out" I said, you mean caesarean, she nodded and said "yes." I said, "ok". Form stuck in front of me to sign. I staart to read it, then think what the F am I dong. Sign it, and give it back. All wires from the monitor are ripped out, epidural upgraded to a block, I am wheeled into theatre, michael is whisked out to get his scrubs on. The block isn't taking effect fast enough. So, the consultant (who as I've previously noted on this site looks like she is just about old enough to drive to work) says one more minute, that's all I'm waiting. She pinched my belly. I said, "I felt that, three pinches" She said we are going to have to put you out. At which point, I was thinking to myself "oh, yes! I've had quite enough of this sh1t anyway. I'd really rather not be here" So, DH returns in proper attire, and I said, "they are knocking me out, you have to leave" He was delighted. He was only there because he knew I wasn't going to give him a choice. The last thing I remember was the medicine was going into my arm and it gave my forearm a painful ache. I said "ouch, tht hurts." But, she didn't really care that it hurt. Next thing I knew, I woke up in recovery with hubby holding baby. I asked him if it really was a girl and how much she weighed. 7 lbs 13 oz. Her apgar score was very good (6 out of 7), and they tested the umbilical cord to see if she was getting enough oxygen and she was.
So, what caused all of this? The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice, around her body and around her foot. So she was literally being suspended by the cord. This is probably why she never descended/engaged. And when the contraction were induced it tightened the cord so much that it caused her heart rate to drop.
They tell me (but I'm a skeptic and don't really believe them) that you could not possibly see where the cord is on a scan before delivery and that that series of events could not have been avoided. hmmmmm.... really? With todays technology you can't see the cord? Don't really believe it.
and further to this, they generally tell you not to show up at the hospital until the contractions are lasting for at least a minute and no more than five minutes apart. What would have happened if I had gone into labour, and waited that long? Would dd have been in distress when I got there? Or would she already have been strangled to death? ANd, to think that the midwives were just telling me to sit home and wait it out? Bloody Hell!
It's almost ironic that the thought of caesarean never even occured to me before they shoving to form in my face to sign. And now I believe them to be the calmes and safest way to deliver a healthy child. A bit of an inconvenience for my recovery perhaps. But, the baby won't be strangled on the way out. Ahhhh....
Actually typing all of this has just been very therapeutic for me and confirmed my decision for a planned caesarean.