cjb/jbvd
23-06-2006, 12:36
my story wasn't great but i can't remember most of it because i passed out. that make me much luckier than most of the mums that have posted on this section. i have such a huge respect for all of you and what you have been through.
it started with me getting the gel stuff on monday afternoon. i got put into my room and told i'd be induced the next day. that night i started getting very regular sharp pains, assumed i was in labour and told the ward sister. she told me to go back to bed as i couldn't be in labour and that i should be trying to get some sleep. i got up and wandered around to stave off the pains. meditated alot, and massaged my own back. my partner had gone home as he couldn't stay with me and we were told there wasn't any reason for him to stay.
the next morning i got put into the birthing sweet, and had an internal done only to be told that i was three cm dilated. i got left in there to do whatever i wanted, and called my partner to come in. at around 5cm i asked for pethadine, then threw it all up because it turns out i'm allergic. then i had gas, which i am also allergic to. but because there was no one in the room, and i couldn't move, i was covered in puke for about half an hour. not so bad really. could have been worse. i got the epidural at seven cm, and the pain went away, what bliss. my partner went home. they decided to turn down the drip at about 3pm so that i could get through the last stage, they broke my waters, and then i started labouring. about 20 mins later after another internal i got told that he's posterior (they didn't know this before because i didn't have an ultrasound or anything to check his position before inducing me) and they would have to use the ventouse to help get him out. my partner arrived right about then. and from here it all gets a bit fuzzy. i remember DS coming out and them giving him to me to feed him. but i don't remember them cutting me to get him out. i remember the doctor saying that he had to get the placenta out and then i remember a ripping pain when he shoved his arm up there to pull it out. i remember asking the doctor to please wait a little before trying again as it hurt, but i don't remember anything after that except seeing my little tiny DS all alone under the bright lamp. that all took about an hour before i blacked out. i remember waking up later and not seeing him there and panicking. there was no-one in the room and i couldn't move my legs. i was covered in blood. when they finally wheeled me out, i saw that the floor underneath the bed and all the sheets were drenched with blood. aparently i had haemorrhiged because the placenta was almost as big as the baby and wouldn't come out. they had given me another epidural because i was screaming so much. my partner told me later when i asked him about it that he'd never seen a doctor panic before, and that i was told when i asked him to stop that he wouldn't wait because if he didn't do this then i would die. but i don't remember most of that pain or trauma or anything really other than my little son all alone under the lights. i got really lucky in that respect.
i spent the rest of that night not being allowed to sleep, with blood transfusions and saline and antibiotics going all night. DS was left with me in the room and i remember getting upset because i couldn't lift him properly to feed him or wrap him after changing and he kept kicking my canula out of my hand. i remember wetting the bed because i couldn't walk to the toilet. i guess for me it was after the labour that was the traumatic part. not being able to move properly, no-one to help me bath or change DS around the drips and my veins collapsing from having canulas in for three days. not having my parter or any of my family either made it hard as the ward staff were far from supportive, but at least i formed a very strong bond with my DS.
DS was a healthy 9lb 8oz and perfect in every way except for the big purple mark on his head from the vaccuum. and although i wouldn't choose to do it again, i don't regret any of it.
it started with me getting the gel stuff on monday afternoon. i got put into my room and told i'd be induced the next day. that night i started getting very regular sharp pains, assumed i was in labour and told the ward sister. she told me to go back to bed as i couldn't be in labour and that i should be trying to get some sleep. i got up and wandered around to stave off the pains. meditated alot, and massaged my own back. my partner had gone home as he couldn't stay with me and we were told there wasn't any reason for him to stay.
the next morning i got put into the birthing sweet, and had an internal done only to be told that i was three cm dilated. i got left in there to do whatever i wanted, and called my partner to come in. at around 5cm i asked for pethadine, then threw it all up because it turns out i'm allergic. then i had gas, which i am also allergic to. but because there was no one in the room, and i couldn't move, i was covered in puke for about half an hour. not so bad really. could have been worse. i got the epidural at seven cm, and the pain went away, what bliss. my partner went home. they decided to turn down the drip at about 3pm so that i could get through the last stage, they broke my waters, and then i started labouring. about 20 mins later after another internal i got told that he's posterior (they didn't know this before because i didn't have an ultrasound or anything to check his position before inducing me) and they would have to use the ventouse to help get him out. my partner arrived right about then. and from here it all gets a bit fuzzy. i remember DS coming out and them giving him to me to feed him. but i don't remember them cutting me to get him out. i remember the doctor saying that he had to get the placenta out and then i remember a ripping pain when he shoved his arm up there to pull it out. i remember asking the doctor to please wait a little before trying again as it hurt, but i don't remember anything after that except seeing my little tiny DS all alone under the bright lamp. that all took about an hour before i blacked out. i remember waking up later and not seeing him there and panicking. there was no-one in the room and i couldn't move my legs. i was covered in blood. when they finally wheeled me out, i saw that the floor underneath the bed and all the sheets were drenched with blood. aparently i had haemorrhiged because the placenta was almost as big as the baby and wouldn't come out. they had given me another epidural because i was screaming so much. my partner told me later when i asked him about it that he'd never seen a doctor panic before, and that i was told when i asked him to stop that he wouldn't wait because if he didn't do this then i would die. but i don't remember most of that pain or trauma or anything really other than my little son all alone under the lights. i got really lucky in that respect.
i spent the rest of that night not being allowed to sleep, with blood transfusions and saline and antibiotics going all night. DS was left with me in the room and i remember getting upset because i couldn't lift him properly to feed him or wrap him after changing and he kept kicking my canula out of my hand. i remember wetting the bed because i couldn't walk to the toilet. i guess for me it was after the labour that was the traumatic part. not being able to move properly, no-one to help me bath or change DS around the drips and my veins collapsing from having canulas in for three days. not having my parter or any of my family either made it hard as the ward staff were far from supportive, but at least i formed a very strong bond with my DS.
DS was a healthy 9lb 8oz and perfect in every way except for the big purple mark on his head from the vaccuum. and although i wouldn't choose to do it again, i don't regret any of it.