URGENT HELP PLEASE!! am I in labour? I am SERIOUSLY snowed in and need advice

[stellamel]

Am 40Wks +9, had sweep yesterday, been having period like cramps since about 4am, across the lower part of my belly. Waters haven't gone. Cramps last about 15-30 secs, every 5-15mins.

Is this the onset of labour? I haven't rang midwife yet, as snow is so bad they won't be able to send someone to assess me, if anyone is coming out it will be a one trip job where midwife will have to come to me via our local mountain rescue team and stay till the job is done.

Any advice on what to do now or when to ring midwife etc would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

[Poppity]

Yay! Fabulous.

Great name. Hope you're all recovering from the drama!



(helium balloons are much better in virtual form I feel)

[Kayzr]

Congratulations Stella!!!

[HinnyPet]

Congratulations StellaMel and family and hope all went well

[Wigglesworth]

Congrats to you and your family Stellamel, well done.

[Eve4Walle]

Just found this thread and wanted to say congrats to you all....well done!

[Fibilou]

Congratulations StellaMel, I hope someone has a copy of the Guardian for you

[MayorNaze]

Wow! amazing! congratulations

[callmeovercautious]

stellamel - have you surfaced yet?

Hope everything is going well

[LauraIngallsWilder]

Bump again - we NEED an update Stellamel!
I hope everything went well

[RedTartanLass]

bump

[nicm]

Congratulations!! xx

[stellamel]

Hi everyone, thought I'd updated a bit via mobile, but seems not!

It started as a saga and ended up being a drama. Mountain rescue picked up midwife on 5th at her house, complete with g&a. They got to us about 6pm, when I was going through 5 min apart contractions, was relieved she was there to be honest. To cut a very long story short, we had a power cut about 7pm, for over 2 hrs, so every candle in the place was lit, fortunately the midwife wasn't phased one little bit, which was good cos I was! Once the major contractions kicked in I was attached to the G&A everytime one came along, ended up in the bath at one point as they were so intense, but this slowed things down too much, so I had to get out and get back on ball and lean forward every contraction which was horrible. In the end the midwife said she'd have to ARM if nothing moved as I should have been in the pushing stage, this must have spurred me on as 5 mins later waters went with a gush, 15 mins later I was pushing and after 20 mins of indescribable agony our lovely son was born at 1.36am 6th Jan, with the cord round his neck but he was fine. He weighed an unbelievable 9lbs 3.3oz, with a large head! so hardly surprising I thought I couldn't push him out!

I lost a lot of blood and had to have the injection to get the placenta out as was so knackered, then it was G&A again while midwife stitched up my 2nd degree tear.

It was such a different experience to my first labour and even tho it was long and painful it was ten times better than being in hospital.

Unfortunately we both ended up in hospital on the 7th, DS was jaundiced and had breathing issue that the midwife wasn't happy with. Ended up in an ambulance with lights and siren going, whilst they gave DS oxygen, stayed in for 2 days whilst they monitored him, he was dehydrated too due to lack of anything from breast feeding, he dropped to 8lbs in 1 day, It was awful, horrible and stressful. I'm on iron tablets as my iron levels are rock bottom due to blood loss, so have no energy and feel weak. We came home Sat afternoon, and things are better. My milk came in finally, so it's the none stop feeding whirl at the moment. DS's jaundice is a lot better and his breathing has sorted itself out. He gets weighed this afternoon so hopefully he will have put a few oz on.

Sorry this is badly written, but have a really short space of time to type it before DS wakes again for food.

Someone sent me the Guardian in the post - funny to see we made the news!

Still snowed in, no one can get here to visit, we had to leave the car and walk home from the village when we came back from the hospital.

DS is gorgeous, and so precious I can't believe he's here and okay, it's such a relief.

Thanks for all your help and posts, I will read the thread completely when things settle down a bit xx

[PestoSkiMonster]

So relieved to hear you are both home well and safe & sound. Thank you for updating us, what an exciting birth story

Congratulations, once again!!

[Phoenix]

Wow what a drama. Glad everything went well and you are both ok. Congratulations

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Goodness, what a drama! Glad all went well in the end. Congratulations.

[Mumof]

congrats

[JustineMumsnet]

Stellamel do you fancy talking to Guardian Family? They (Joanna Moorhead who's v v nice) would love to tell your story but (of course) no worries if you'd rather not.

Drop us a line if you want to talk it through with them.
([email protected])

[JustineMumsnet]

Oh and Congratulations from MNHQ!

[slightlycrumpled]

Stellamel, many congratulations. What a story to tell him when he's older! Sorry to hear he was poorly but glad you are both on the mend.

[VinegarTits]

Wow congratulations on your big boy Stella

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Whew!

Great news - hope everyone's recovery continues to go well.

Best wishes to all x

[StayingDavidTennantsGirl]

Congratulations, stellamel - fingers crossed that you get over the anaemia quickly and heal fast, and that ds starts putting on weight for you.

[ArizonaBarker]

You barve old thing!

Well done and congratulations.

Please give him a little snuffle on the top of his head from me.