Hey all!! Finally home to tell you all my story! A bit detailed and very long!!
On Monday 30/6 I went for my normal antenatal check with my consultant feeling stressed and very uncomfortable. My BP was sky high so they admitted me that night with a view to an induction in the morning – as Neonatal intensive care had a free slot that day for his surgery. I had a sweep as well which I must say was totally unpainful – and I was already 1cm dilated.
On Monday night, I felt a million times better and my blood pressure dropped to normal – I think as I now knew I was being induced in the morning. Unfortunately my roomie on the ward snored horrendously and kept me up all night!
In the morning, first thing after some toast, I went to the induction suite and was examined – I was still 1 cm dilated – so she inserted a pesery and left me to progress on my own. Unfortunately, by 15:00 I had not made any progress at all, so another pesery was inserted and I was told to go back to my ward for the night. During the night I started getting contractions and my waters leaked a little with each one. The pain kept me up again – so I had about three hours sleep.
The next morning I went back down the induction suite to find I was now 1-2cm dilated!! However, she was able to pop my waters which got things going. I immediately started getting very very strong contractions and put on my TENs – which I must say was fantastic all the way up to advanced stage labour. I definitely recommend them!
By 15:00 I was put on the drip and warned that most woman at this point had an epidural – but I was determined to hold out and started on the gas and air – which was horrendous! It made me feel so out of control and sick, but after a while I got used to it and it did seem to help – by making me feel like I was a million miles away from the pain.
At 19:00, I had another internal to find I was only 4cm dilated. I was advised that we would probably be there until the early hours of the morning – at which point I cracked and asked for advice on an epidural – there was no way I could go on that long. Whilst not really with it due to the gas, the next thing I know, the epidural is being inserted (which was pretty horrible itself) and after 10 minutes I was pain free – but still able to feel everything, including my contractions, but they were now manageable. I tried my hardest to sleep at this point. I had no energy after not sleeping for two nights. I drifted in and out as people came in and out the room. I had never been so tired in my life.
Baby’s heart rate started dropping to 50 with my contractions, and doctors started coming in. They thought that he was reacting to the drip, so they kept switching it off and on – which seemed to help. However, I wasn’t making any progress on my own – the doctors decided to do a blood test on the baby to see if he was distressed, and told me I would have an emergency c-section if he was. They then discovered I was 10cm dilated so told me to wait half an hour and then start pushing. I slept again until I was woken up and told to push. I pushed with all my might for about 10 minutes – which was very hard as I couldn’t feel my contractions any more. Again, baby’s heart rate almost disappeared entirely – so the doctors did another blood test and decided discovered the cord wrapped around his neck twice. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by 15 people, some for the baby and some for me in case things went wrong. Baby was removed by forceps in three pushes with a rather nasty episiotomy and whisked to a corner of the room with the intensive care team. He cried and I knew he was fine. I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open to try and see him. Mike was amazing the whole time. After what seemed like a few minutes, baby was wrapped in clean film and a blanket and I was able to give him a kiss before he went to intensive care.
Tom was born at 04:14 am on 4 July weighing 3.3kg (7lbs 4oz). He is so beautiful and very long!
I will write the rest of the story in my journal hopefully tomorrow! But he is now home with mummy and daddy after a week’s stay in intensive care and things are looking good at the moment! He has to go back for close monitoring several times a week as an outpatient – and pending that, might require further surgery in the near future.
I am so proud and so in love – I have never been happier – although I have never been more scared in my life either. However, I would totally do it all again!
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