mini munchkin
15-07-2006, 13:50
On 4th July at 12:23pm we welcomed little Lucia Francene into the world! Her Daddy even shed a few tears!!
I went to bed on Saturday night with BH. When I woke on Sunday I still had them so I decided to time them just for fun! They were about 30 secs long and about 7 mins apart. We decide this was 'pre-labour' and would continue our day as normal. We went out for dinner with family as planned, the 'BH' slowly intensifying. I had an appointment with my Ob in Penrith booked for Monday at 9:45am, at 5:30am I woke with slightly more intense pains and called Katoomba Hospital to see what they thought. They didn't have any ob on duty or on call until Tuesday at 7am so told me I should go to my appointment in Penrith.
We headed down, making sure we had my labour bag!
My Ob saw me and said I was having BH but that he was concered bub was small so organised for me to have an ultrasound to check... I felt like hitting him. I mean I knew I was in labour so even if bub was small all he was going to do was induce me!! He also had me hooked up to a CTG (is that what it's called can't remember now!) to monitor the contractions and bubs heart rate and movement. When someone finally reappeared to unhook me it was a midwife that I knew through family and she said 'Looking good, contractions are pretty strong eh?' She showed the Ob the results and he said I was fine to go! So to kill time we went to Babies Galore, with me stopping for every contraction. Then to have the u/s. The contractions seemed to 'soften' a bit but were still definitly there. The lady doing the u/s kept saying to me that I was just having BH and that she couldn't do the u/s properly because the baby's head was down so far, but I wasn't in labour!! (Go figure!!) Any way, we went back to my Ob at 3:30pm. Bub's size was fine. By this time my 'BH' had got even stronger, longer and closer together and when we told him that there was no Ob in Katoomba he decided to do an internal. I was 2cm:eek:
The delivery suite was over flowing... so after 2hrs or so they got me a bed on the ward. We had to just hang around the in birthing suite lounge/waiting room. The contractions seemed to slow a little once again. I kept willing my body to continue having them and to continue increasing them. I remember reading super trashy mags and trying to watch the simpsons!! I think we finally got a bed on the ward around 6:30pm. I was in a 4 bed room with 2 other girls. They seemed quiet and it made it hard for me to deal with the contractions at first. They brought dinner up and DH went to the car to get my lunch left overs and labour bag. After dinner and me being me decided to organise my self so I knew where my things were. I changed into my 'labour clothes' and tried to read a book!!! (I won't ever bother taking a book to the hosp again!!) Still having good strong contractions with DH needing to be close by for each of them. I used some essential oils to help with the pain and to help keep the labour happening. Some time during this time I started shivering. I wasn't cold, but my body, especially my lower half, was constantly shaking. I wanted to lie down and sleep, but there was no way I could. DH thought I was cold and kept giving my a blanket, bless his soul. At 10:00pm my labour became established (contractions about 60 secs long and about 2 mins apart) and they sent us back to the delivery suite... My midwife was nice, but very busy and I wasn't at the stage of really needing her attention she came in every now and then and checked bubs heart rate. I remember pacing the room and leaning over a table during a contraction when I saw a ready made ankle thing that said 'Baby M. DOB 4/7/06' and then I realised I was going to have a baby....(Holy Cow!!) Things slowed down for me and they got even busier, I tried to sleep and tried to let DH sleep. The heat packs were great, but I was so tired I wanted to lie down and then with each contraction I needed to sit/stand so they were hard to keep on me... Eventually we were sent back up to the ward. DH was told he wasn't allowed to be on the ward... so we spent the majority of the night in the lounge room where he was allowed! It was actually better for me anyway as I delt with the contractions better sitting or standing. At about 5 in the morning I said to DH that I wanted this baby out and that I wanted a c-sec. He said if that's what I wanted, fine he'd go and organise it. I remember crying and saying no, I want to try naturally first. It was such a long night. We had no idea of where I was at, what we should do next etc. We were hardly spoken to or checked on by the nurses on the ward. One was really lovely and told me to go and have a shower. This helped and I remember having my first bit of show in the shower. I remember the other two girls went into full labour during the night, one nearly had the bub in the ward and that just made me realise again what I was about to do!
At 6:15am I asked for something for the pain... they gave me panedine forte! and wanted to send me back to delivery suite. Delivery suite said they were too full... so the middie on the ward did an internal. I was 4 or 5 cm... so we did get sent back to the delivery suite.
We laboured for a while ,I munched on a bit of breaky. I wanted to have a bath so DH ran one and then the middy reappeared and suggested a shower as a bath would have slowed me up. The shower was great. I have no idea how long I was in there for. I had to get out because my legs wouldn't stop shaking and I couldn't stay in one place...
At 10:20am my lovely middie asked us what we'd like to do as my contractions didn't appear to be changing much. After discussing the options she did an internal. I was only about 6cm and tiring I was losing my focusing and not feeling on top of my contractions, not able to ride with them. We decided to have my waters broken and the next 1.5 hrs flew by. She had warned me that breaking my waters may help things along, but it may do nothing we'd just have to wait and see. She didn't tell me how much breaking the waters could help!!!!
According to my DH transition was just like the birthing classes said it would be. I remember napping after she broke my waters and breathing the gas and then suddenly thinking, 'I can't do this' Not because I didn't want to, but I couldn't phsycologically understand how a baby, a human for heaven sake, was going to fit out between my legs!!! I was so scared and felt like I should have admitted to my DH before now that I didn't think my body could do this (oh little did I know!)
I remember looking around for the middy thinking shouldn't she be doing something??!! I remember her asking DH if he wanted a drink and me saying no (because I didn't want him leaving the room) and then her saying now will be your last chance and then SHE left to get it for him! I freaked.... it was bad if DH left, but worse if the only person that knew what was happening left!! I asked DH where she was after about 2 secs and he said she'll be back in 2 secs and I said (screamed) it's already been 2 secs!!!!!
Then came feeling the need to push and being told I couldn't yet.... impossible for me to not do something my body was doing for me.
Somewhere during the this time DH tried to be loving and supportive and said 'You're doing great babe, you've had no peth and no epi' My response was to hit him apparently! (I don't fully remember that part)
After telling them I was going to die, that I couldn't push anymore and to get this thing out of me!! Our little baby girl was born naturally and healthy!
They placed this 'thing' on my tummy and it took me a few secs to realise the 'thing' was my baby, MY baby!! I was so surprised... I had expected her to cry, but we didn't hear a peep from her until her vitamin K needle! She was so beautiful, I was just in complete awe of her.
Gas was the only pain medication... gee it's good stuff!!!
Mummy was so proud of herself, DH and little Luci. Daddy was a little sore from Mummy digging her nails in to his arm! And Luci was just, well.. perfect!
Our middie was the greatest ever, such a fantastic lovely girl and Nepean Hospital were just fantastic. They transferred us to Katoomba that afternoon and we came home 5 days later. So far so good:D..........Upon reflection I would say I had an awesome labour, long but fantastic. My middie was an huge support and helped me through the most amazing expereince of my life.
Sorry for the long story and thanks for reading!!
Lucia Francene
4/7/06 @ 12:23pm
W; 6 pounds 10 ounces
H; 50 cm
HC; 32.5cm
I went to bed on Saturday night with BH. When I woke on Sunday I still had them so I decided to time them just for fun! They were about 30 secs long and about 7 mins apart. We decide this was 'pre-labour' and would continue our day as normal. We went out for dinner with family as planned, the 'BH' slowly intensifying. I had an appointment with my Ob in Penrith booked for Monday at 9:45am, at 5:30am I woke with slightly more intense pains and called Katoomba Hospital to see what they thought. They didn't have any ob on duty or on call until Tuesday at 7am so told me I should go to my appointment in Penrith.
We headed down, making sure we had my labour bag!
My Ob saw me and said I was having BH but that he was concered bub was small so organised for me to have an ultrasound to check... I felt like hitting him. I mean I knew I was in labour so even if bub was small all he was going to do was induce me!! He also had me hooked up to a CTG (is that what it's called can't remember now!) to monitor the contractions and bubs heart rate and movement. When someone finally reappeared to unhook me it was a midwife that I knew through family and she said 'Looking good, contractions are pretty strong eh?' She showed the Ob the results and he said I was fine to go! So to kill time we went to Babies Galore, with me stopping for every contraction. Then to have the u/s. The contractions seemed to 'soften' a bit but were still definitly there. The lady doing the u/s kept saying to me that I was just having BH and that she couldn't do the u/s properly because the baby's head was down so far, but I wasn't in labour!! (Go figure!!) Any way, we went back to my Ob at 3:30pm. Bub's size was fine. By this time my 'BH' had got even stronger, longer and closer together and when we told him that there was no Ob in Katoomba he decided to do an internal. I was 2cm:eek:
The delivery suite was over flowing... so after 2hrs or so they got me a bed on the ward. We had to just hang around the in birthing suite lounge/waiting room. The contractions seemed to slow a little once again. I kept willing my body to continue having them and to continue increasing them. I remember reading super trashy mags and trying to watch the simpsons!! I think we finally got a bed on the ward around 6:30pm. I was in a 4 bed room with 2 other girls. They seemed quiet and it made it hard for me to deal with the contractions at first. They brought dinner up and DH went to the car to get my lunch left overs and labour bag. After dinner and me being me decided to organise my self so I knew where my things were. I changed into my 'labour clothes' and tried to read a book!!! (I won't ever bother taking a book to the hosp again!!) Still having good strong contractions with DH needing to be close by for each of them. I used some essential oils to help with the pain and to help keep the labour happening. Some time during this time I started shivering. I wasn't cold, but my body, especially my lower half, was constantly shaking. I wanted to lie down and sleep, but there was no way I could. DH thought I was cold and kept giving my a blanket, bless his soul. At 10:00pm my labour became established (contractions about 60 secs long and about 2 mins apart) and they sent us back to the delivery suite... My midwife was nice, but very busy and I wasn't at the stage of really needing her attention she came in every now and then and checked bubs heart rate. I remember pacing the room and leaning over a table during a contraction when I saw a ready made ankle thing that said 'Baby M. DOB 4/7/06' and then I realised I was going to have a baby....(Holy Cow!!) Things slowed down for me and they got even busier, I tried to sleep and tried to let DH sleep. The heat packs were great, but I was so tired I wanted to lie down and then with each contraction I needed to sit/stand so they were hard to keep on me... Eventually we were sent back up to the ward. DH was told he wasn't allowed to be on the ward... so we spent the majority of the night in the lounge room where he was allowed! It was actually better for me anyway as I delt with the contractions better sitting or standing. At about 5 in the morning I said to DH that I wanted this baby out and that I wanted a c-sec. He said if that's what I wanted, fine he'd go and organise it. I remember crying and saying no, I want to try naturally first. It was such a long night. We had no idea of where I was at, what we should do next etc. We were hardly spoken to or checked on by the nurses on the ward. One was really lovely and told me to go and have a shower. This helped and I remember having my first bit of show in the shower. I remember the other two girls went into full labour during the night, one nearly had the bub in the ward and that just made me realise again what I was about to do!
At 6:15am I asked for something for the pain... they gave me panedine forte! and wanted to send me back to delivery suite. Delivery suite said they were too full... so the middie on the ward did an internal. I was 4 or 5 cm... so we did get sent back to the delivery suite.
We laboured for a while ,I munched on a bit of breaky. I wanted to have a bath so DH ran one and then the middy reappeared and suggested a shower as a bath would have slowed me up. The shower was great. I have no idea how long I was in there for. I had to get out because my legs wouldn't stop shaking and I couldn't stay in one place...
At 10:20am my lovely middie asked us what we'd like to do as my contractions didn't appear to be changing much. After discussing the options she did an internal. I was only about 6cm and tiring I was losing my focusing and not feeling on top of my contractions, not able to ride with them. We decided to have my waters broken and the next 1.5 hrs flew by. She had warned me that breaking my waters may help things along, but it may do nothing we'd just have to wait and see. She didn't tell me how much breaking the waters could help!!!!
According to my DH transition was just like the birthing classes said it would be. I remember napping after she broke my waters and breathing the gas and then suddenly thinking, 'I can't do this' Not because I didn't want to, but I couldn't phsycologically understand how a baby, a human for heaven sake, was going to fit out between my legs!!! I was so scared and felt like I should have admitted to my DH before now that I didn't think my body could do this (oh little did I know!)
I remember looking around for the middy thinking shouldn't she be doing something??!! I remember her asking DH if he wanted a drink and me saying no (because I didn't want him leaving the room) and then her saying now will be your last chance and then SHE left to get it for him! I freaked.... it was bad if DH left, but worse if the only person that knew what was happening left!! I asked DH where she was after about 2 secs and he said she'll be back in 2 secs and I said (screamed) it's already been 2 secs!!!!!
Then came feeling the need to push and being told I couldn't yet.... impossible for me to not do something my body was doing for me.
Somewhere during the this time DH tried to be loving and supportive and said 'You're doing great babe, you've had no peth and no epi' My response was to hit him apparently! (I don't fully remember that part)
After telling them I was going to die, that I couldn't push anymore and to get this thing out of me!! Our little baby girl was born naturally and healthy!
They placed this 'thing' on my tummy and it took me a few secs to realise the 'thing' was my baby, MY baby!! I was so surprised... I had expected her to cry, but we didn't hear a peep from her until her vitamin K needle! She was so beautiful, I was just in complete awe of her.
Gas was the only pain medication... gee it's good stuff!!!
Mummy was so proud of herself, DH and little Luci. Daddy was a little sore from Mummy digging her nails in to his arm! And Luci was just, well.. perfect!
Our middie was the greatest ever, such a fantastic lovely girl and Nepean Hospital were just fantastic. They transferred us to Katoomba that afternoon and we came home 5 days later. So far so good:D..........Upon reflection I would say I had an awesome labour, long but fantastic. My middie was an huge support and helped me through the most amazing expereince of my life.
Sorry for the long story and thanks for reading!!
Lucia Francene
4/7/06 @ 12:23pm
W; 6 pounds 10 ounces
H; 50 cm
HC; 32.5cm