OK, have written it, but it's sooooo boring. I realise now I had a pretty bog standard birth, but only exciting bit was ambulance transfer. Anyway, feel free to scroll to the end....
Birth Story
Wednesday morning - 10 days overdue. Went for second sweep. Then walked around town. In the bank, changing my address, realised I was having strange pains. Went to Mum's and went to bed for a couple of hours with a hot water bottle. Tried to convince Mum I was fine to drive home (20 mins) but she drove me back. OH was there burning the dinner. Turkey schnitzel ? could only eat a few mouthfuls. Having pains every ten minutes or so, but not too badly. Went to bed and slept on and off. At around 4am we started timing the contractions. 10-8 minutes apart. 8am the midwife came again, 3cm dilated. 9am Mum had to drive over with another hot water bottle as first one was leaking. Later in the morning midwife came back with a TENs machine. We had to google instructions but eventually worked it out. Long day of contractions, never really seeming to get closer together. Forget ?active labour? - all I could do was lie on the floor between contractions.
By 9pm they were varying between 8 and 5 mins apart, lasting for 2-3 minutes. I hadn?t been able to eat all day, and finally around 10pm I was in the hall at the bottom of the stairs (which was where I had decided I was most comfortable temperature-wise) when I suddenly realised I was going to throw up. Yelled at OH for the bin and was sick. It was then that he somewhat shakily suggested calling my Mum?
Mum and midwife arrived about the same time, around 11pm. 5cm dilated so we decided to go to the birthing centre. Car journey through the bumpy lanes not much fun. At birthing centre, my blood pressure and ketones were way up and I was only a couple of points from having to go to the hospital, but once I was in the pool with lavender oil, it all dropped back to normal. Felt instantly better. Was lovely having my Mum there, OH was being brilliant, and knowing the same midwives would be with me until the end.
Contractions went on and on? decided I wanted to push and did some pushing, but nothing was happening. They examined me to find I wasn?t quite fully dilated yet, and the early pushing meant a bit of a cervical lip had developed. So pointed bum in the air as per active birth centre lesson and stopped pushing, which helped. Finally fully dilated and started to push. OH got trunks out of the car ready to get into the pool! Midwives put aprons on etc, and it was all looking good. But still nothing? they broke my waters and around about now I started on the gas and air which helped. After 90 minutes of pushing we decided I needed a little help, which unfortunately meant I had to get in an ambulance and be driven 30 minutes down country roads to Abergavenny hospital. The whole journey I felt like he was literally coming out between my legs, and the midwife had to keep checking.
Got there at 5.30am, they wired me up, performed the episiotomy, stuck the ventouse on and second time out he came, covered in blood, screaming, bright red. It?s a boy! They delivered him onto my tummy. I can?t remember what I said! OH went very pale and had to sit down. Within minutes he was feeding from me, and I felt very happy and calm, while OH was in tears. A nurse stitched me up while I continued with the gas and air, then we had tea and toast (best meal ever), and my Mum left us to it? up to the ward, OH held N while I had a bath. Finally alone in the bathroom I broke down in tears, tears of utter joy and total exhaustion? They wanted us to stay in for a night as it had been an instrumental delivery, but I just wanted to get home so we checked ourselves out. By 4pm we were home, in bed and all three of us were fast asleep?.
In summary, it wasn?t so bad, but the whole thing just went on and on and on? in retrospect, I wish I hadn?t had the sweep, as I am sure that is what brought on irregular contractions, and so I was exhausted by the time we finally entered the second stage. I just don?t think he was ready to come out. OH videoed bits of the birth (because he likes to video everything and I didn't feel I could deny him this), but we have yet to watch it. I think on Sunday when we are back home, after the party, when N is in bed, we are going to open a bottle of champagne and watch it. Not exactly looking forwards to it !