deb1234
14-08-2007, 16:26
Isaac Geoffrey
Born 9th August 2007
8 days overcooked
9 pound 6 (4.24 kgs)
Head circumference 35.5 cm
Length 58.5 cm
___________________
I’m not sure what happened to the first part of my labour – the bit where you are supposed to be able to sleep and contractions are 15 mins apart, but we only had about 3 contractions 6-7 mins apart (about 10pm) and straight into 2-3 mins, each for about a minute!
I hopped in the bath but for most contractions had to stand up so it wasn’t very relaxing. I was yelling out to Chris (DH) when i had a contraction and he wrote them down...this is what they were after only about 30 minutes of labour - 10:30, 10:33, 10:35, 10:40, 10:44, 10:46, 10:48, 10:51, 10:54, 10:56...
We rang the hospital at about 11pm and told them what was happening and they pretty much dismissed it because it was my first baby and said we could still be in labour in 24 hours. The midwife suggested I "get some rest"...not sure how you are supposed to fall asleep in a minute!
By the time we went in to hospital (3.30am) the contractions were constant, Chris reckons I had about 4 driving out of our subdivision (about 3 blocks). From emergency to the birthing suite, I had to stop constantly walking down the hallway. When we got to the birthing suite, a midwife hooked me up to a machine and said, wow they really are coming one on top of the other aren’t they...yes that’s what we told you on the phone!!
Chris and I hopped in the shower and I would sit down on the seat for about 5 seconds, then have to get up again for the next contraction and lean against the wall.
So after a few more hours of that I requested an epidural. Luckily the anaesthetist was able to come really quickly and arrived as I had got out of the shower. I had an epidural at about 6.30am. It was such a relief to be able to hop into bed! I am so glad that I had the epidural, Chris and I could really enjoy the time together. We wish we had have packed a picnic! :)
I was 6cm dilated at 7am so they broke my waters and said they would wait 4 hours (1cm an hour) until 11am when I would be about 10cm, then wait another hour until midday for my body to naturally push him down a bit. Then from 12-1pm the doctor was supposed to arrive to check me but he didn’t, so I didn’t start pushing until about 1.15pm. I couldn't feel the contractions by this stage, so the midwife would tell me when to push.
They gave me two hours to push and he still hadn’t arrived, so they had to vacuum assist him out. They didn’t let me push longer than 2 hours, even though he seemed to be doing fine, because he had already passed meconium. They said he probably didn’t do it because he was stressed though, just because he was overdue and it should have been out anyway!
So up go the legs in the stirrups and the doctors file in because it was a vacuum assisted birth. We also had to have a pediatrician there because of the meconium.
But all went well and the big boy was out in no time. I had to have some stitches but apparently they aren’t too bad...I’m too scared to look!
I definitely don't regret getting the epidural - even though my birth plan was to have natural pain relief. It made labour a pleasant experience rather than one I would have hated looking back on. The 9 hours of contractions were enough for me, particularly since they started off so strong and close together! I also was glad that i could feel him coming out, which I loved, but didn't feel any pain.
That's about it i think. Thanks for reading :D
Born 9th August 2007
8 days overcooked
9 pound 6 (4.24 kgs)
Head circumference 35.5 cm
Length 58.5 cm
___________________
I’m not sure what happened to the first part of my labour – the bit where you are supposed to be able to sleep and contractions are 15 mins apart, but we only had about 3 contractions 6-7 mins apart (about 10pm) and straight into 2-3 mins, each for about a minute!
I hopped in the bath but for most contractions had to stand up so it wasn’t very relaxing. I was yelling out to Chris (DH) when i had a contraction and he wrote them down...this is what they were after only about 30 minutes of labour - 10:30, 10:33, 10:35, 10:40, 10:44, 10:46, 10:48, 10:51, 10:54, 10:56...
We rang the hospital at about 11pm and told them what was happening and they pretty much dismissed it because it was my first baby and said we could still be in labour in 24 hours. The midwife suggested I "get some rest"...not sure how you are supposed to fall asleep in a minute!
By the time we went in to hospital (3.30am) the contractions were constant, Chris reckons I had about 4 driving out of our subdivision (about 3 blocks). From emergency to the birthing suite, I had to stop constantly walking down the hallway. When we got to the birthing suite, a midwife hooked me up to a machine and said, wow they really are coming one on top of the other aren’t they...yes that’s what we told you on the phone!!
Chris and I hopped in the shower and I would sit down on the seat for about 5 seconds, then have to get up again for the next contraction and lean against the wall.
So after a few more hours of that I requested an epidural. Luckily the anaesthetist was able to come really quickly and arrived as I had got out of the shower. I had an epidural at about 6.30am. It was such a relief to be able to hop into bed! I am so glad that I had the epidural, Chris and I could really enjoy the time together. We wish we had have packed a picnic! :)
I was 6cm dilated at 7am so they broke my waters and said they would wait 4 hours (1cm an hour) until 11am when I would be about 10cm, then wait another hour until midday for my body to naturally push him down a bit. Then from 12-1pm the doctor was supposed to arrive to check me but he didn’t, so I didn’t start pushing until about 1.15pm. I couldn't feel the contractions by this stage, so the midwife would tell me when to push.
They gave me two hours to push and he still hadn’t arrived, so they had to vacuum assist him out. They didn’t let me push longer than 2 hours, even though he seemed to be doing fine, because he had already passed meconium. They said he probably didn’t do it because he was stressed though, just because he was overdue and it should have been out anyway!
So up go the legs in the stirrups and the doctors file in because it was a vacuum assisted birth. We also had to have a pediatrician there because of the meconium.
But all went well and the big boy was out in no time. I had to have some stitches but apparently they aren’t too bad...I’m too scared to look!
I definitely don't regret getting the epidural - even though my birth plan was to have natural pain relief. It made labour a pleasant experience rather than one I would have hated looking back on. The 9 hours of contractions were enough for me, particularly since they started off so strong and close together! I also was glad that i could feel him coming out, which I loved, but didn't feel any pain.
That's about it i think. Thanks for reading :D