This is my birth story for anyone who would like to know. What a wild 10 days I’ve had.
36+6 Antenatal Consultant Appt - Agreed IOL at 37+3 due to baby estimating to be 9lb 6oz. However, appeared with asymptomatic symptoms of pre eclampsia, spent 7hrs in triage and discharged with a plan to attend DAU for BP checks.
37 weeks exactly- DAU attendance again asymptomatic high BP medicated with Labetalol and admitted for monitoring. Overnight offered to bring IOL forward at 2AM however declined as I wanted DH support.
37+1 - Discharged from ward as BP was being managed with medication and IOL was only 48hrs away.
37+2 - Attended DAU for bloods and BP check. High BP and also protein in urine. Self discharged from Triage as they wanted to admit me again to monitor BP and start IOL however they were later paused due to busyness of the delivery suite so I did the right thing.
37+3 - IOL @ 11AM. Pessary inserted at 1300hrs and was already 1cm dilated and also had a stretch and sweep. Cervix was favourable. Did lots of laps of the hospital and kept busy. Overnight I had intense pressure and period like cramping. Codeine and Paracetamol were taken.
37+4 - Cramps had stopped by midday. Pessary removed and was 2cm dilated and had another stretch and sweep with gas and air. Lost mucus plug. Lots of walking and got told my waters could be broke so I would be making my way to delivery suite.
37+5 - Still waiting for bed on delivery suite. Lost more of my mucus plug. Another stretch and sweep and was now 3cm dilated. Moved into side room and was told I was 1st in line for a bed when it was available. Throughout my stay my BP remained high and was medicated.
37+6 - Finally moved to delivery suite in the early hours of the morning. Requested an epidural before waters being broke which was actioned straightaway. UTI was also discovered.
Progressed nicely and by 12AM at 38 weeks exactly I was fully dilated however my epidural had failed. I could feel everything and was in significant pain. I was ready to push and had some direction from the midwife however I was exhausted and could not handle the pain.
Delirious and extremely in pain it was agreed that I would need a forceps delivery. I agreed to a medical trial of being given a spinal block 3x more powerful than an epidural in theatre and a forceps delivery which needed to happen there and then. I had 3 pushes to get baby out.
Baby Jennings came out after one push and placed immediately on my chest. I had an Episiotomy however given the nature of however traumatic my birth was I had no real idea what was going on. Baby was extremely healthy and born at 04:30AM weighing 8lb 10oz.
I have since been diagnosed with acute kidney injury due to the effects of the hypertension in my pregnancy and also lost 800ml of blood and now have a low blood count. I’m currently drugged up to the eyeballs and slowing taking each day as it comes. We finally got discharged on 23rd December.
I don’t think I’ll be rushing back to have DC2 however I can’t believe my little girl is here and is perfectly healthy.