Hey girlies,
I'm gonna try and write down my birth story, let's see how far I get.
On Sunday afternoon I started having contractions, the first one during M's lunch time nap. When M got up she was boiling hot and had a very high fever, the highest fever ever and was so poorly, just clinging on to one of us.
Me and DP both decided then that he should stay with her cos we couldn't leave her with my parents if she was this ill. She just wanted one of us.
My midwife, who is also my friend came and checked on me, I was 5 cm by then and doing really well, just counting and walking through the contractions. We then left around 5 for the birthing centre. There I went into the pool and managed the contractions really well. Rested in the pool in between and stomped around it counting 1,2,3,4 during the contractions. Within 2 hours I was fully dilated and I was so pleased. However, then it all somehow stopped. Midwife got me out of pool and her and the other midwife started to wonder whether the baby was posterior. We tried different positions to get him to turn but nothing worked.
Around 10 o'clock his heart rate started to drop and they decided to transfer me to hospital. Very uncomfortable, bumpy ride in the ambulance, but later in life Freddie will be able to say he went in the ambulance with the siren on :)
In hospital they tried further to get him to turn or to come out this way but sadly to no avail. At some point the doctor took blood from his head and decided that he was too stressed already and he needed to come now, no further trying anything else, c section straight away. I got an epidural which seemed to work as in the contractions were more manageable but when they started to cut me open I could totally feel the pain and it was so scary and horrible. Bright, bright lights, so many people standing around, asking should we stop, but the paediatrician shouted to continue cos baby needed to be out. Then they put me under general anaesthetic. Next thing I knew I was waking up, Freddie was with me breastfeeding and I had a very sore throat.
He's been feeding like a little demon since. The first two days and nights he wouldn't come off the breast. He made sure there was enough for him there, bless him.
Sadly, M's fever didn't go down, so she was not aloud to come and visit and DP only managed two short visits cos he had to look after her. Finally on Wednesday her fever went down and we were allowed out on Thursday.
The whole experience was a million miles away from my visions of a calm birthing centre birth but it had to be done to get him out safely, so it's all good. The only thing I still struggle with is the thought of him coming out into these bright lights and me not being awake and him being all alone. Can't think of that without sobbing my heart out. My midwife assures me that she was with him the whole time, held him and told him about his new family. I really hope that he didn't feel all alone coming into this world. Bloody hell, I can't stop crying.
Anyway, moving on. It was so nice coming home to M. She hugged me for ages and we both cried. I've never been away from her over night, never mind 4 nights and when she was poorly. But it's all over now. We're home, we're together as a family and it's just wonderful. Looking at my two babies makes me so happy. It's the best feeling in the world! M just straight away accepted F and keeps pointing at him when he makes his snuffely noises. So, so cute. She also strokes him and touches him gently.
F is doing really well. He has already regained his birth weight and is feeding like a pro. My knockers are ginormous and rock hard but I think it's not gonna be long before they have adjusted to his appetite. I'm still really sore from the operation but I'm sure it will go soon. Any tips from fellow c-sectioners how to get it to heal faster?
Right, I managed to write all that in several stages, so will end here now and try and keep up with normal happenings on the thread.
BTW, I have posted two photos on FB of the cuty. Hope you'll like'em.