Gave birth to my baby boy (DC2) a few weeks ago. He’s gorgeous and I’m over the moon. However my birth was absolutely not what I expected, and I was wondering if anybody could help me figure out what happened.
Due to pre existing conditions I was induced with DC1 at 37 weeks. Relatively quick labour, epidural, no urge to push, forceps. Not nice but not awful.
Got pregnant again when DC1 was 3. Was told by all and sundry (including my consultant) that a CS would not be necessary, that it was very very very likely I would have a straightforward labour, even though I was again being induced at 37 weeks.
Pessary was inserted at 11am. Contractions started at 4pm. Laboured for a few hours, examined at 8pm to be told I was ‘3-4cm, but can stretch to 5’. At this point I was having a contraction every 3 minutes. I was given a TENS machine and left on the induction ward. Carried on labouring, I think I napped a little but things are fuzzy now. By 6am I was in agony and pushed the buzzer. I was rushed to labour ward, vomiting twice on the way as I was in so much pain. At around 8am the midwife announced I was fully dilated but as I had no urge to push, I would be left for an hour. An hour passed, the pain was indescribable - I begged for an epidural or pethidine, which they said they would ‘ask for’ but nothing arrived. I was told to start pushing but I was in agony - so much pain it felt like if I pushed I would explode. The urge did arrive but it’s like I was fighting it because I was in so much pain, if that makes sense. I think they realised this and an epidural finally turned up, which didn’t numb me completely but took the edge off. I started pushing which I was told was effective but it was very very slow and I was exhausted - by this point I hadn’t slept properly for 27 hours. The midwife said his head was visible and tried to urge me to change position to help him move, but I just couldn’t - I was like a shell. She got me to stroke his hair which was a nice moment but I just couldn’t find any more energy and asked for ventouse or something to help him out. I had been fully dilated for 3 hours at that point and knew I wasn’t going to be able to push him out.
I was told he had a swelling on his head and therefore ventouse wouldn’t work, the doctor came in and did a forceps delivery right there and then which was agony but over quickly.
He was 8lb, 2lb bigger than my last. I was just pleased he was okay and I was out of pain.
Now the dust has settled I’m wondering what the hell happened, why can’t I push out my babies? It really felt when he was born like I would never have been able to get him out myself. But why not? Is it because of the induction/epidural? Is there something wrong with my body, or essentially do I just bottle the final stretch? It feels like the latter to be honest, that the pain and panic just overwhelms me and my body just can’t do the necessary.
I’m not traumatised, a little disappointed maybe but mainly just curious as I’ve never heard of anyone else having forceps twice. I don’t have any problems labouring I just can’t seem to push my babies out.
Hoping for any similar stories or ideas from a midwife or similar.
thanks ladies (sorry just realised how long that was!)