Feeding again....
VAG's birth story, Part Three:
Epidural administered, and I was given a boost button to press every 15 mins to take dose up to full level. It started working very quickly, and was sheer bliss!
The rest of my labour was a bit surreal. I lay on the bed, pressing the boost button, laughing and joking (i do remember periodically exclaiming "drugs are good!" to the room. Mum leaded through Marie Clare, TSF popped out to take a break and chat to Dad, who was still in the waiting room, doing sudoku and trying to doze, the mws were in and out (another mw had joined Nelly, an older, wiry, no nonsense, Irish lady), Nelly used the time to write up her notes, and I dozed on and off. Eventually we persuaded Mum to take Dad home to ours for some proper sleep as nothing was happening, and they left at 2am. At some point Nelly checked the epidural with a cold spray, and it transpired that I had been merrily pressing the button until I was utterly numb from the ribs down......oops! A bit later again, it made me throw up a bit. No more button until I started getting some pain back later.
As dawn crept round, I was told I was fully dilated. Nelly said she would leave it an hour then we'd start. It was a really chilled, calm, unhurried atmosphere.
Pushing was surreal. I was so numb, and as am not a small girl, the mws couldn't lift my legs! Eventually they got them in stirrups and I had to hold them up myself! Nelly told me when to push. It was as if I was pretending to push, making the face and noise, a bit like acting. But they kept saying well done to me. There was a poo moment,but I wasn't aware at the time. I was given an epesiotomy. All of a sudden Nelly said "the head is out". Then on the next couple of pushes I felt the body slither out, my stomach deflate, and the backache stop. Then a red, wet, huge, heavy baby was dumped on my chest. I burst into hysterical, terrified tears, remembered to grab it and took a look at my baby. We said hello, baby was towelled off while with me, and I took a sneaky look between the baby's legs and found out I had a son. Did a little bit of breastfeed, and we were left together while the mws tidied up and left us.
I tore in two places so had to have stitches. The mw suggested TSF had skin to skin with the baby while they sorted me, which was lovely. I had lost a lot of blood - 2.5l - and much later I had a transfusion.
I know this level of intervention is not ideal, but my experience of the epidural was a positive one. It was an active choice on my part, and meant I had plenty of energy to push. It was also relaxing as it felt controlled and safe. I probably would have torn anyway due to the size of Clint so don't feel I suffered more side effects. And I came out of the experience on a psychological high. So much that it took a few days to realise the effect of such blood loss (which may well have happened anyway).
Apols for the length! Cream cakes for everyone who got through it all!