Too long of a labour

[abbeysmum]

When i found out that i was pregnant i hoped that i would have a easy birth. Wrong i was. Four days before my due date i started to get weird feeling pains in my stomach. I thought nothing of it and continued with life. The next day off i went to the gold coast to see my grandparents and all the way down the coast my "pains" got worse. When i got to my nan's place i kept skirmining on the chair, nan asked if i was in labour and i said i think s. We timed them at 10 mins apart and the next day while out shopping they intensfied. I got home that nite and found that i couldn't sleep and stayed up most the nite. The next day hubby went off to work and when he came home i was crying and in so much pain. He took me straight to the hospital and they told me that i was six cm dilated. The very next moring after so much pain, I gave birth to a 8lb 1oz baby girl. We named her Abbey and took her the following day. She is now 5 months old and i wouldn't take back that labour at all

[Nikki_B]

My labour went for 32 hours. I managed to hide I was in labour so my partner didn't panic (even though this was his second child. I didn't tell my mum until I knew something was going to happen so I sat at the hospital for most of the night watching my partner panic everytime I tried to roll over.

I was pushing for nearly 3 hours. After my daughter Jacelyn was born I was being stitched up for over 1.5 hours. I missed her first bath. For the longest time I held her and I didn't want to let her go. My daughter is now 5 months old and I agree with you I wouldn't change anything for the world.

[Brontesmum]

Well for me - labour was good (so nice to hear these stories). My waters broke at 4:30pm, rang the hospital - didn't go in until 6:00pm. Contractions soon started - had an epidural at 9:00pm. All was bliss after this - managed to watch a bit of telly, chat with my partner and even doze. The mid-wife woke me at about 3:30 with the words "its time to start pushing". Started 3:45am and gave birth to my beautiful daugher at 4:05am. First child and so glad to have the wonderful experience as I was anxious with all the birthing stories I had heard. :) Be it short or long - it is worth it.

[connors-mummy]

Yes like you to i went into labour on monday at 8.30 am i was about a week and a half early and i was so happy i kept saying very soon we will have a baby cause i thought it was going to be quick bboy was i wrong.

We went to the hospital about 10pm because i was getting bad pains and couldent handel them. When we got thier they did a few tests and stuff and said that i had to come back when i was 3 cm apart. Well on tuseday i was still in alot of pain and i went back to the hospital at lunch they told me that ishould go for a walk and see if that helps me? well it didnt and we wnt back to the hospital where they gave me some pain relife and a sleeping tadlets and sent me home told me to get some sleep befor the big day.

Any way went back erly on thursday morning about 3am and they said that nothing was wrong the babie was ok to wait until i was 3 cm but i kept telling them i been close and then they would go and we have timed them and they seem to go. In the end my mum kept yelling at them well why has she had a contraction that has lasted an hour.

The my fiance said we wasnt going to leave the hospital agen that i wanted a doctor to come and look at me. Well it wasd luck they sent one down cause they put a contraction machine on me and couldent find anythink at all thoguth i was jsut playing with them. The the doc said that they would be back with an ultra sound machine when they came back and did it they couldent see the babies head.

They then put me into hospital and went to brack my waters but to their suprize it must have bracked alrady and i just didnt know about it at all. about 2 hours later all the doctors come running in your babies heart beet has gone we got to do an emergancy c-section one of them said. I was so scared of what was happingin and that if my babie was still alive. He came out blue and we thoguth he had gone. But one doctor yelled hes fine breathing and stuff a big smile from me.

Later on the doc told me that it was lucky they got to me when they did. The hospital has now sacked the midwife who didnt admit me and said i was fooling around. I am happy as about 5 days later it happend to another lady nothink much was said about it.

I was luck this time??????????

[Lucybelle]

To Connorsmummy,
What a traumatic experience for you, and I'm certainly glad all worked out well. My labour was fairly short I supppose and I knew it would be as I went 4 or so hours with my first. Trouble is, the midwife didn't take me very seriously. I also had unimaginable back pain. The contractions I could deal with - but not this! I turned out I had damaged my back during my nesting flurry. # Take heed ladies - DONT OVERDO IT# Anyway, I had a bath and 15 mins later way gotta push! Midwife still unsure I'm actually in labour, he was out in 2 pushes. After his head was born midwife yells out WAIT , ITS VERY SMALL, and she was a little panicked. It took me so long to get over hearing that voice, it scared the crap put of me then and still gives me shivers now.
AND he was 6 pound 9 (not small), I kept asking all the nurses are you sure he isn't too small?? Anyway I had a bloody textbook labour, even if it wasn't very long! 4 hours. I can't comprehend some ladies when they say they watched a bit of telly, ate a snack etc!!
I think I would still prefer a short labour, the downside is that everything goes so FAST. I rely very heavily on my DH to speak for me, as the whole thing thunders along like a freight train and a lot of the time I can't sort of hear or get any sense of reality/time, and I just didn't get a break at all.
Connorsmum, please take care of yourself and heal your head as well as your body. This kind of heart-stopping experience can stay with you a long time. I really felt weakened and very fragile for quite a while, and I didn't have half the complications you survived. This was not even my first baby. Your experience is right up there so be kind to yourself if you feel down. :)

[Ivy-Rose]

I believe everyones birth stories are fantastic and very interesting to read as they are all very differnet and opens your eyes to what can happen.
I have had 3 children and all were differnet. My first who was induced after arguing with my OB for weeks as he believed my baby was going to be over 10lb so he wanted to do a C/section. I was dead against it. My instincts were right. I was 5cm dilated when they decided as I was scheduled for a induction they would still do it. I was excited about having my first baby so still agreed to the drip rather than waiting. They turned the drip on at 9am and he was born at 12.10pm I had no drugs and the midwife laughed as she weighed him in to be 8lb 2 oz then said I could (qoute) spit 10lbs out easy. Not sure if that is a complimant or not. My second baby a girl who is now 3yrs was almost born on my balcony at home as when I went up to the hospital they told me I wasn't in labour. I tried to explain that this was the same uncomfortable feeling before the on slaught of my son. As the only pain I got was for the pushing phase. The midwife wouldn't listen and sent me home. We lived about 12 minutes from the hospital and as I walked in the door of the house I nearly fall to the floor with my first push. So back in the car. To the emergancy department. The midwife was called thank goodness it was a differnet one I would have killed the one who sent me home. I wasn't even examained by her I had track pants on and she put hand between my legs and said she is having the baby here. The emergancy department went into a spin as they don't have the facilties to cope if something went wrong. My little girl by the time they had put me on the bed was head out and all I had to do was push once or twice and she was there. I had been trying my hardest not to push so naturally my body was pushing her out without my added help. It was really scary as all the things the staff were saying like if this baby is flat we haven't got the right gear and they didn't have a hook to break my waters they used scissors. My baby had to have her stomach pumped as she swollowed alot of fluid as she went into distress from me trying to hold her off. But she is a healthy little girl and thats what counts.
The one thing I did like though was that the midwife and the doctor that sent me home came and aploigised for not listening to me. Oh yeah she was only 7lb 2oz.
And my 3rd child another girl. She was 7lb 13oz. I was very sick through out the pregancny and asked to be induced as I was not prepared to go on another lot of antibotics whilst I was pregant. I was sick again and needed them again and there was also some question as to her health. It was becoming decreasingly hard to find her heart beat and she wasn't moving alot at all. I wasn't taken seriously either when my comcerns were spoken and as a result my baby was in distress and heart rate problems. I had gel put on the night before and in the morning I was 2cm they broke my waters and said walk around. I did within a few hours I asked them to ring my partner and they said you will have hours. I made it to the phone myself and called him as I knew she was on her way. I asked the midwife several times to check me but she said you will be right you don't seem to be in enough pain. Hello you don't have to be colapsing on the floor screaming.
Anyway as my partner arrive she checked me and asked me a few questions like had I felt her move as she couldn't again find the heart beat. They put a monitor on her head which was the best thing they could have done. I was 7cm and this was only a couple of hours from the time they broke my waters. I wanted to push and the doctor said no she wanted me dilte more so it would be less stress on the baby as her heart rate was eratic. then in the same breath she has gone hell push her out now as hard and fast as you can. Her heart rate had dropped at an alraming rate and wasn't coming back up. So she was born and there was a little fuss but she was fine until day 3 and she was admitted to spiecal care. That was heart wrenchinh being able to see her but not hold her when she was crying. But she is healthy little baby now thats what counts. :)
Emma

[mystique]

i have had 2 c'sections and i have mixed feelings.

with my first i was a week over due and felt my first extrem pain at about 6pm, my partner timed them because it felt like they were comeing very fast i started with 5 mins apart. everyone said this should be a fast labor and birth, but ha not! i was in labor for a short 10 hours and i was only 3 cms after 5 hours fo full blown pain. then they said that i had to go for a C because he was getting stressed. i didnt see him for about 2 hours. we were both very happy to have our little boy but dev because we didnt get to see him born.

with my second, they didnt even give me the chance to go nat'. i was 2 days late and they booked me in for the second C. but this time i went the hole hog. i had a spinal block to stay awake and my partner came in and they even held her up for me to see her. i was told that the wouldnt. peter got to cut the cord and everything.

i came to grips with that not everything gos right just befor i got booked in with my second. and i have to thank my stars i did so that i can look back and fell just like you, that i would do it all againe. :)

[shae-matilda'smum]

I was 2 days over due and had gone to bed early. When my partner came to bed just after midnight he woke me up and i realised i was having contractions. There were 7 mins apart, so called hospital they said to wait a few hours so i had shower and went back to bed (didnt sleep though) At 6 went to hospital contraction 5 mins apart and was 5 cm dialated. Sat in a bath for hour and half. Only dialated to 6cm so broke my waters about 8am. Conractions were very mild up until now. I pushed for an hour befor midwife would get doctor to help and ended up having suction. So after a fairly easy drug free labour, my beautiful big 9 pound 2 daughter was born

I had a small tear from her big shoulders ( my family are swimmers) and i thought the stitches hurt more than giving birth.

Matilda is now 4.5 months and i cant wait to have more :)

Shae

[redbaby]

Hmmm,.... my contractions with Scarlett (baby number 1), started 5 minutes apart, and then after an hour were 3 minutes apart. She was born 3 hours after the first contraction! Drug free! Hopefully bubba number 2 will be as easy!

[jaycobntyler]

Hi there
My first labor with Jaycob was 45 mns from start to finish. My water started to leak early in the afternoon and we decided to go to the hospital which was 30 mins away.. when we got there there were still no contractions and nothing much was happening so I was told to bunk down for the night and they would be inducing me in the morning. At about 3:30am I started to feel really painful contractions and they walked me straight to the labor ward, I had said when I was pregnant that I wanted the birthing centre but we couldnt book it but it was weird because labor was so sudden and strong they made me walk to the nearest ward which was the birthing room although I could have been in a gutter fora ll I cared, I didnt even realise that it was the birthing centre until after Jaycob was born. Once I got there it was time for him to come and 2 pushes later he was here on his actual due date and weighing a healthy 7' 13oz no drugs no cuts, tears or stitches...
Tyler on the other hand!!!!! well he was 8 days overdue and I was due to go into the midwives clinic on the Monday (he was on a Saturday) when at around 12pm my water started leaking, everyone was so freaked out my entire pregnancy and had told me to be at the hospital on my due date and seriously ready to go if I felt anything... so needless to say we organised my mother to come and get Jaycob and we flew up to the hospital, my mother was freaking that by the time she dropped Jaycob off she wouldnt make it in time to be in the labor ward (she was in there with jaycob quite by accident), I had phoned my best friend who was 200 kms away when my water started to leak as she was coming down to see him as well.
Anyway we flew to the hospital and booked in and my mother made it there as well. the contractions were coming every 5 m ins or so but I kept telling everyone that they werent strong enough or lasting long enoug... sure enough I was right after 5 hours I was still 3 cm dilated and so sissapointed I remember looking at the clock in the ward and thinking "oh well in another 30 mins it will all be over" and that was hours ago... by this stage I already had the gas and then a shot of morphine (which did nothing) With Jaycob I moved around a little but with Tyler I was stuck on the bed and could not even roll over.. It turned out that he was lying prosterior.
After another couple of hours the midwive attatched the feotal monitor to his head and declared to all in the room that I was exausted and that it would be a good idea to consider an epidural... at this point DH in his wisdom said "no way she said when she was pregnant that she doesnt want one and under no circumstances allow one to be given" all I could do is grunt and yell "I changed my ^%$%#@@ mind" anyway they called for the anethitist and also told mum and DH that if they gave me an epidural now that they could do a c-sec if they had to without being invasive again (like I cared)..
Then the midwife declared that he was in distress and that his heart rate was dropping again (his heart rate had been dropping after each contraction from the time we got to the hospital) they decided then to get the anethitist to hurry and that they wqould do a c-sec... she had no sooner said the words when I had the "burning" urge to push... Just as his head appeared the anethitist walked in the door..
I started to push and as he got closer to coming out he kept "popping" back, then the next ting I remember is the midwive saying that we had to get him out as he was extremely distressed and had pooed.. I rememeber freaking out completly... then withing the next 3 pushes I heard her swear and say "dont push on the next contraction as the cord is wrapped around his neck" that was the hardest thing not pushing on that contraction... it turned otu that the cord was wrapped around his neck twice and that was why he kept popping back and that was also why his heart rate kept droppping after each contraction.
Anyway after the cord was removed he slid out, I was a mess by this stage I had heard the 2 things that I sooo didnt want to hear whilst in labor then after he came out there was silence... no crying just this awful quiet.. I completely freaked and kept saying "is it ok".. The midwife gave him a heap of oxygen and then I saw hima nd fell in love just as he let out this godalmighty roar and the hugest frown I have ever seen (i didnt know newborns could frown)... He was sooo purple and stayed that way for days.. but that was ok he was my perfect little blueberry... although not so little he was 8' 15oz and I still cant believe there was no cuts, tears or stitches with him either....
As for DH I think it scared the crapppers out of him
As for mum her recent words were "if you ever fall pregnant again please dont ask me to come in"
As for my bestest friend she spent a train trip spewing and cursing that by the time she got there he would be born and after 9 hours from my first phone call to her she made it in time to grab some lunch.... and hear me scream from the waiting room.. although she still says that she wasnt sure what was going on when she walked into the room after he was born and that the only indication that all was well was the smiles on our faces.

[StormAngel]

hi
My first three labours were long, hard and painful, ending in forceps for two and vacunm extraction for one, and being a country hospital no epidural(that was then) the reason was that they were laying in the posteriour position(facing front) and were fair sized babies even though they were early.
My fourth was completely different. I was induced 1 week early, starting with the gel, then my waters were broken a few hours later, went into heavy labour fairly easily and tottered off to the labour ward where DR did internal and found me to be 5cm, so i had a shot of pethadine to rest for a while, 10 minutes later i wanted to push :eek: (not the effect the midwives wanted) three pushes later bub was born with the cord around her neck, very blue and not breathing.
Soon everything was alright with bub they said it was a combination of her coming down the birth canal so fast and the pethadine so close to her coming out.
All up this labour took 2 hours after the waters were broken.
so different to the others.

[Xandersmum]

When I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified. I've never been able to handle pain very well. It didn't help that I was sick for 2 months with a cold, which led to a chest infection, which led to pneumonia. And I wasn't even admitted into hospital...I also had gestational diabetes.

The day of my labour, I woke up at 6:30am with pains...my partner went off to work..10 minutes later I called him up and he came back..lol. I was up at the hospital by 7. I ended up having an epidural (surprise, surprise), and the pain started to go away...but so did the contractions. They slowly came back, but my temperature was going higher and higher. At it's peak, it was just over 40 degress. Towards the end, I barely had the energy to push...everyone thought I was going to have to have a C-section. Luckily I didn't....Xander was born by a ventouse extractio 10 hours after my contractions started. He wasn't breathing when he was born..and after a minute, I finally heard my son cry. I held him for a minute, and then he was taken away in a humidicrib, but he was only in it for a few hours. But he had to stay in the Special Care Unit for 48 hours. They never did find out what was wrong with us. But now I'm reluctant to have an epidural if I have another baby...which we've been talking about, as Xander will be 3 in September. Could I have had a reaction to the epidural do you think?

But I'm glad to say that Xander is a very healthy, beautiful boy.

[Baby Girl]

From the first day I started to tell people I was pregnant I was inundated with stories of horror labours. Needless to say I was terrified to go through labour myself.
I was 5 days overdue when I woke up at quarter past five that Tuesday morning with what I was sure were contractions. I was right!! I woke my partner to tell him and then told him to get some rest because we might be going to the hospital later (MIGHT - what was I thinking??). I got up, had a shower, made myself a cup of tea, sat down and readied myself for the pains to get worse over the next few hours. By half past seven my pains were no worse and about 10 mins apart. I called my best friend, my grandmother and my mother who had to travel 2 hours to be at the birth of her first grandchild. I told my mother to go to work and then drive up to Sydney after dinner as I was positive that nothing would happen that day.
By 10pm that night I had my partner, my nan and my mum with me at home. They took it in turns to stay up with me to keep me company through the night. I spent most of the time in a warm bath trying to relax.
On Wednesday morning my contractions were still the same intensity as when they started and were 7 minutes apart. After 24 hours this was looking to be a VERY long labour.
At about 2pm, when my contractions were steadily 4 minutes apart my nan insisted we go to the hospital although when I had called them they told me it was up to me as my waters had not broken yet. We went to the hospital and after a quick check which found me to be only 2cm dilated, I was given a couple of painkillers and sleeping tablets and sent back home (which I was very happy about).
Once we got home, I was straight back in the bath (not such a good idea after taking sleeping pills). I got out and dozed on our loungeroom floor. As everyone else sat down to have some dinner, my waters broke (which made for a very quick dinner indeed). I was back in the hospital by 9pm. I was still only 4cm dilated.
The midwife sent my mum and nan home to get some sleep as it was looking like Thursday afternoon would be the exciting time. I was given a shot of pethadine at about 11pm to help me get some sleep. I spent 2 or 3 hours in fairy land, sometimes sleeping between contractions (which had stayed at 4 minutes apart nearly all day and were still no more intense) and sometimes staring blankly at my partner or the midwife trying to figure out what all the fuss was about.
At about 4am Thursday morning, I was threatened with an epidural and being induced, both of which I had flat out said I would not have before I went into labour. This seemed to be enough to kick start my subconcious into getting things moving, because just as the anaesthesiologist arrived I told the midwife I was pushing no matter what they did to try and stop me. I had gone from 4cm dilated to 9cm in less than 45 mins and my contractions had become almost constant, still the same intensity as the beginning (what I later found out was that my contractions had been unusually strong from the word go).
At 4:42am Thursday morning my daughter, Nyssa, was born after 47.5 hours in labour. My mum and my nan missed out by about 10 mins but thankfully we have video of the whole birth and parts of the whole 2 days. Both my partner and I were exhausted. He gave her the first bath and after a feed and lots of cuddles, all 3 of us got some much needed sleep.
It was the longest 2 days of my life but I wouldn't change a second of it.
I am due with bub no. 2 in May and I am hoping that I have another relaxed labour although I wouldn't mind if it only took 1 day this time!! :cool:

[Christine]

Hi everyone,

My little boy arrived two weeks early on my own birthday :D

My waters broke at about 4.00 on the Tuesday afternoon, when I was relaxing at home. I rang the hospital and they said to come in whenever I was ready! My husband was at uni in a lecture, so I sent him a sms saying "I think it's time". Unfortunately, he was also due to have an exam that night. So he went to his lecturer to tell him what was happening and the lecturer said "well what are you doing here? We'll work it out".
So I got in the car and drove to QUT in Brisbane to pick him up. On the way, it was the first day of the Goodwill Games in Brisbane and the first day of events at ANZ stadium. I got caught in a traffic jam thinking, oh my god I'm might go into labour here. I got out the traffic jam and met my husband. Along the way, I phoned my Mum who was having a week off at Caloundra with her friend. I had no pain at this stage and told her not to come down until I rang her again.

I was given a bed in the ward, and just waited for ages to see a doctor. I also had a blocked ear and couldn't hear what the dr was saying. I already have a hearing loss, so to have a blocked ear was worse. The resident didn't even want to look at it and my husband got very angry with him. Eventually they took care of that. Then my mum walks in. She had driven from the coast because we hadn't phoned her yet. After a few hours it was about 11 at night, Mum and hubby went home (and back to the coast) and I got some sleep.

Somehow (and I still don't know how) I was getting into a wheelchair at about 1 or 2 in the morning and being wheeled to the labour ward. Mum drove back down again, and my man came in again. I spent the next few hours using the gas (loved that gas) and also had two shots of pethidine.

Apart from the pain I wasn't dilating at all, I had a shower, walked around, used the big blow up ball (I forget what it's called), vomited, and nothing else much happened. Eventually mid morning the pains really started bad. I don't remember a lot after that cause I was so tired and drifting in and out of la la land. I do remember my mum telling everyone who came into the ward "it's her birthday today". By the end of the day I reckon the whole hospital knew!!! It's not what you want to hear when you are in labour. I also remember the midwife asking mum 'have you ever seen a baby being born'. Mum said no. So here's Mum and midwife standing at the end of the bed just waiting and watching. I also yelled at them to take it out! I had a drip put in at some time but I can't remember what for.

In the end I had an episiotomy, our little boy arrived with a very loud cry, and a student dr stitched my up. We have all the messy photos and the best birthday present a mum could ask for. He's 3 now, and we have many more birthdays to celebrate together. My dad and brother both warned he would be born on this day but I just scoffed at them. Maybe they knew something I didn't.

All up it was about 23 hours from my waters breaking but about 14 hours of real labour. I hope the next is not as long, and I hope to be more active and less out of it, so I know what is going on.

BTW, mum finished her holiday and my husband had his exam at the end of the year and passed!

[yummmmy_mummy]

i enjoy reading about other peoples labour as they r all different in some way

on my due date my husband luke went out with a mate who had juat got back from deployment in the army and his mum called him and said ems gone in to labour im taking her to the hospital and he just kept saying no she hasnt no she hasnt so its a good thing she was just getting him back for leaving me at home alone and that i wasnt actually in labour.. anyway 6 days later i was still pregnant and ready to stick my hand up there and pull here out myself i was in alot of pain as i had a bad back through out the whole prenancy.. we had tried everythign to induce labour exceot having sex coz it was painful but i was so desprite we tried it then at 3am i woke up cause i was having a few pains but i thought nothing of it as i had had braxton hicks 24 7 for the 10 weeks then at about 8 am i woke up again and they were a bit more painfulso i woke luke up and said im having some pains im gonna go have a shower then see how i feel but he didnt really click to what i had said.. i sat in the shower for about an hour timing the pains and they were about 5 mins apart and but as i had sat down in the shower and i now was in alot more pain i couldnt get up so i started banging on the wall knowing my husband wouldnt hear me as hes a heavy sleeper but hopeing my other birthing partner who was meant to be staying upstairs would hear me but after about 15 mins and no help i decided i should get out and wake luke up so slowly i got out and dryed myself and went into our bedroom and woke him up the first time i woke him he just said yeah and rolled over then the second time he jumped and tried to put me back in the shower i explained everything to him and he ran to his mum and dads as they lived on the same block of land as us. so while luke got dressed his dad called the hospital and they told me to come in so into the car we get and off we go when we got there they had a look and said i was only 2 cm and that i could either go home or be put on the maternity ward i decided that i felt better staying in hospital . the midwifes told me to take a walk and get some lunch as the hospital lunch that day didnt look to good . so off we went across the road to subway with me stopping every couple of mins coz i was in so much pain.when we got back they addmitted me and got me settled and cheaked everything was alright then told me to take a walk so i walked around for the rest of the day until dinner then went back to my room and had dinner. then at 8pm they told luke he had to go home as visiting hours were over but if anything happened theyd call him which ****ed me off coz i wanted him there with me. then the midwife came back and cheaked everything again then gave me some painkillers and some really good sleeping pills which knocked me out until about 2am and when i woke up the pain was worse again so the sent me up to the birthing ward for some pain releafe when i got there they cheaked me and said i could stay up there as i was 4 cm and theyd call luke for me then they gave me pethadene and left me alone until luke got there and they put me in the bath and i stayed there for 2 and a half hours haveing gas then the pain got to intense and i asked for an epidural the midwife got me back into bed and cheak me and all she could see was my babys head and i didnt even know so i started pushing but the babys head kept going back in and then her heart rate dropped and they told me she was in distress and she had done her first poo and she had to come out now i started to freak and so did luke i eventually pushed her out and she didnt cry straight away so i freaked again but then she did and i just cryed she was fine or atleast we thought she was. i went back to the ward and had visitors all day long then sometime in the afternoon someone came to cheak her and said she wasnt breathing properly and they had to take her to special care i just broke down it was the hardest thing to see her there with a drip and all these moitors and oxygen i jsut cryed but she is fine now and i wouldnt change a thing about her or the way she came into the world.

the most memerable thing was seeing the look on lukes face when she litterally slipped out after her shoulders and being able to touch her head as she was coming out

[cwsmum]

I just love reading birth stories.....so heres mine :)
I woke up at 1am on a saturday with pains in my back, although the pain wasn't that strong, i couldn't sleep so I had a shower then went back to bed to try and sleep. I woke up about every hour, but had to sit in the bath coz my back was too sore to stand for long.
My partner woke and went to work at 7am. When he came home at 12 my back was still sore, but a hot water bottle helped and I ate some lunch, and had my sister and her 3yr old over for a couple of hours.
I was still not timing my contractions at 4pm when my partner decided that it might be a good idea. As soon as he said that I had a really strong pain, followed by smaller ones at 4mins apart. My in-laws called around this time and said if I didn't go to the hospital, 30mins away, they would send an ambulance around to take me.
I didn't think i needed to go as my waters still hadn't broken and I wasn't in much pain, but I called my parents to come and drive me to hospital. It was about 5:30pm when they picked us up and neither of them thought i'd be having a baby any time soon. They dropped us at the hospital and I was admitted at 6:15pm. My parents went to get some dinner.
The midwife put the monitor on me and about five mins later I had the biggest pain and my waters finally broke. My pains finally started getting stronger, but were still bearable and still in my back.
My son was born at 7:11pm, without drugs of any kind, I didn't even use gas, and they spent 1hr 30mins stiching me back up.
My son was born on March 22 2003, one day after his due date.
I can only hope baby number 2 will be as easy :)

[Ryensmum]

:D My due date came and went and it felt like I was never going to have this baby!. Two days later at a check up the doctor swept my membranes and told me I was approx 1cm dialated and that I would go into labour in the next 2 or 3 days. So off I went home, a bit sore and achey from my checkup but thinking "won't be long now". Throughout the day it felt like I had mild period pains and it wasn't until around 5pm that I realised that they were coming at regular intervals. I started timing them and to my surprise found that they were coming every 7 minutes almost to the second !!. Being my first pregnancy and not knowing what to expect I just thought these can't be labour pains (cos there was no actual pain). Later that night the "cramps" were getting stronger but still not painful though they were coming at 4 minute intervals - I rang the hospital and they told me to come in when ready. Rang Mum and told her this would be a breeze as the contractions weren't painful !! (little did I know). As soon as i stepped through the doors of the hospital the pain kicked in though it was still quite bearable. After an examination and being told I was 7cm dialated it was off to the delivery room. 2-3 hours of intense contractions and the pushing began. I was given gas which helped but once I started pushing I didn't notice the pain that much. I used the shower, the swiss ball, squatting, walking and after all of that ended up in stirrups (much to mums amusement with all the modern technology these days!). After an episiotomy hubby and I finally met our beautiful 9 pound 8 oz baby girl. Isn't it amazing how the instant you hold your baby in your arms you forget the pain and almost feel as though you could do it all again ....... I did say almost !!!!. ;)

[alicesmum]

Oh Ryensmum
You must be good with pain!! After my DD was born, i held her for a few minutes but then all I could think was, "Please, someone take this baby"....not at all the reaction I expected to have (thought I'd be flooded with love for this baby I wanted so much). I just wanted a shower and sth to eat!! I was crying because my nether-regions were hurting SOOOO much. I definitely didn't forget straight away. After 24 hours or so though, I was apparently saying to ppl "Oh, yeh, it's no big deal!!!" :-)

[our little treasures]

hi there

I'm amazed at all these very different stories, my waters broke at 6 in the morning I swear it was like a bucket of water flowing in the bed, I freaked out and yelled at my hubby to get up. At this stage I had no pains and the fluid was clear. I went and stood in the shower while hubby called the hosy to see when to come in by this time the waters were dripping but had turned green well of we go to the hosy, I to wanted no drugs had read evrything I could bout births and hoped I would have a prepared one, hah!!! When we got to hosy they put the monitor on and told me that i was having light contractions but they would induce me, so i was put in a birthing suite and left while they waited, after a while I started having bad pains but i just grimaced and went with them after a few hrs they done an internal and i was only 3cm so they upped the iv a bit to try to get me going, mean while although painful I kept goin after around 8 hrs i was still only 4 cm and next minute i heard the nurses doctors saying that the were going to give me an epidural well i went off as i think that I should be entitled to ask if i want it, then a midwife actually tried to talk me into it by saying that she had never seen someone induced and in labour for that period and try to keep going. But i refused, at around 7pm three imdwifes and registras came in and told me that I need to have a cs as my bubs was in distress, well i asked them how they could say this when all day they said mum and bub are fine then night staff come in and want me out, anyway an argument between them and my mum took place with them trying to force the issue with statements like why do you want to kill your baby after that they told nme i was going to have a dead baby etc. but i kept refusing the cs so then i asked for a second opinion from an obs and they went &rang one??? and said they said i had to. the head doc came in and said cs or we take everything of you until tomorrow when the doc gets in, so i told them to take everything off.
That night in between contractions i rested although wwhen hubby went to make a call in morning the midwife came in and asked me why am i being such a baby and kept patronizing me with her reasons for why i decided not to have a cs, at 8 am the obs came in and went off at the day staff after seeing the monitor report and said how come i was misinformed this lady is fine to keep going until tonight when he would come back apparently mum and baby were fine and i also informed him that they didn't brake the back waters until late arvo which wasn't even reported, after that i kept progressing slowly in bed and by 5pm i was 10cm dilated although i did have to have two peth shots didnt work and the gas i found helped a lot(internals especially) due to a bleed disorder i found out that if i had an epidural it would have paralysed me so thank god for my refusal, at 9pm the obs came back and everyone came in and next minute i had stirrups andventrouse to aid in delivery i was exhausted and out came my beautiful daughter perfect as a rose although i needed two transfussions i was so relieved that i stood up for my rights and had two very good support partners who were scared of my way but backed me up. My daughter is very healthy and very intelligent so every women needs to do what is right by them, I just hope my #2 doesnt take 33hrs to meet his her mummy and daddy.
Whats really sad is my sis inlaw ands bro where an hr aaway having my nephew it took her 6hrs, and everyone wanted to tell me in between screams..

Sorry if i scared anyone :eek:

[Madeleinesmum]

Maddys birth for me was quite dramatic unfortunately. Labour started on saturday 3.00pm. I was in hospital that day at 6.30 pm. Laboured for about another 20 hours and only dilated 3 cms. Ob then broke my waters around 1.00pm sunday which were meconium stained. My little one was in distress. I was placed on oxytocin to increase contractions and nothing worked. My labour was stalling. After 20 hours of contractions I finally agreed for some pain relief and had pethedine by IV. This was unfortunately a bad choice as it almost completely stalled my labour and I was so drugged out I had no idea what was happening. By this stage I was becoming feverish with an infection. My ob made the decision to undertake an emergency c/section. Within 1 hour our beautiful Maddy was born. 6.30pm. So a total of 27 hours of labour. She was healthy thank god. However I was hospitalised for another 10 days with extensive bleeding and uterine infection. Four blood transfusions and countless IV antibiotic drips later I was home with my gorgeous girl. It was an amazing experience all in all and all worth it.

Im going to try for a normal delievery next one! All that happened hasnt put me off more babys at all.......

[ELA23]

wow, u all do so well without pain relief for so long, i dont know how u did it.

i started having contractions at 3am on sunday morning after just getting home from and outing. my other half had had one to many beers and was quite happliy asleep, after attempting to wake him for 15 mins, he finally awake with extreme excitement and anxiousness. we decided to call the hospital as they the contractions started at 10 mins apart then 8 then 5 in a matter of 1 1/2 hrs. we left for the hospital which is half hour away at around 4.30am at this point they were 4 mins apart. i drove myself with my partner next to me( as he was over the limit) rubbing my back, i just set the car on cruise control so all i had to do was steer, lucky it was a quite time on the roads. At 8am they gave me my 1st epidural, it didnt work my legs went dead but could still feel the contractions, they removed it and put it abit higher at around 9.30-10. this one help deaded my right side but not my left, they called in another doctor and anethiest and asked if i want to go for a 3rd epi, i was really worried at this stage, just about the whole nerve/paralised thing, i thought i mite not be accepting these epi for a reason, but i couldnt stand the pain. they did the epi for the 3rd time, thank god this one worked, and at 1.03pm my daughter was born, very healthy. Over all i had a great labour its just the 9 mths before it that i was sick in which would put me off having another one.

ps. to add to it i got matitis on day three with the baby blues which wasnt fun but all is good now :)

[alicesmum]

i have just put bubs to bed and am starting my second glass of chardonnay for the evening and thought I should elaborate on my earlier "story" which wasn't really one (just a big boast if the truth be known!).

So where was I....36 hours all up...yes....

My husband was away in Nth Qld when I went I started having mild contractions at 6 in the morning (1 day overdue). I thought I should just wait and see if they were regular - therefore real and not false - so timed them for 2 hours. Shortly after 8am he called and I told him 'I think I'm in labour". He was up there for work, running a big trial (environmental lawyer) and it was really really really bad timing. But he chose (of course) to be at the birth of his first child over being at work, and so I booked him on the 11am flight. At 1pm I drove (yes, in early labour) to the Brissie airport to pick him up. When we got home, the contractions were still mild and about 9-10 mins apart, so I knew, from what I read, that I still had a long time to go. No progress by dinner time and I was starting to get a bit sick and tired of nothing really happening. And of course, I couldn't relax! So DH spoke to various people on the phone re the trial and did some work on the computer etc, while I paced the floor. We went to bed and still nothing had changed (tolerable contractions 9-10 mins apart). I had spent ages on the net doing some research trying to get an idea of how long this might go on for and when things would start hotting up. Anyways, long-story-short, I think a bit of late night sex might have helped things along, as by 6am (24 hours after my first contraction) they got worse (altho I didn't really know what "worse" meant at that stage). I had had only ~ 2 hours sleep.

Called the hospital at 9am and they said to come whenever we were ready. We took it fairly easy getting ready to go, packed, had brekky, and made it there by 11am. Had to wait in the waiting room watching the Athens Olympics on TV (later gave me inspiration to push!! :p ) until we were taken to a birthing suite.

The midwife told me I was 4cm....not bad she said....and wanted to break my waters. But I was so anti-interventionist that I was quite reluctant. But when she said that I could go on like this for another day or 2 without making progress, I was very agreeable!!! ;) So she did. Wow!!! What a flood! It was 12 noon by now; i had been in labour for 30 hours. Straight into the shower for me then, and onto the gas. I just LOVED the stuff. Said to DH, "Baby you should have some of this - it's just like you've had 5 glases of wine!". He didn't of course. Laboured happily for an hour in there when my mum arrived, just in time as I needed some more support then. The pain was really ramping up a few notches and contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. She rubbed my head and DH rubbed my back and she talked me through each contraction and counted and it was all really helpful! ALthough she affectionately complained a little about getting wet from being near the shower, but I wasn't getting out for anyone!

After about 4 hours in the shower (jeez....i must have been a prune...can't remember!) i wanted to get out and move around some more. Actually, what I really wanted was to get out of my body, but I knew that wasn't about to happen. Had thrown he gas away by this point (stopped working after about an hour, and the chewing down on the mouth-piece had stopped helping in any way after about 3), so I just wailed and moaned and groaned and my husband told me I sounded like Dori from "Finding Nemo" when she was trying to talk to the whales (yeh, thanks darling!) and the midwife had me try various silly manouvres (one called the Sumo Wrestler) to help the last bit of cervical lip to dilate. At several of her suggestions, I remember screaming "I can't! I can't" :eek:

Then, like all the text books say, I kept saying repeatedly that I needed to poo! Now...I knew this was the sensation to expect, but I really thought that that's what I had to do and they kept saying "No you don't" and I retorted "Yes I do! etc etc....anyway....we locked horns in the classic "I HAVE TO PUSH" "JUST HOLD OFF FOR A BIT LONGER" "NOOOOOO..... I HAVE TO PUSH" saga!!!

Finally, after rolling around on the ball, sitting on the loo, doing the sumo wrestler and all the rest, they got me into a supported squat position on the floor with DH behind me in the beanbag and had me pushing. Pushing wasn't so bad, until crowning. Now give me contractions anyday....that crowning is the worst! I've heard it called the ring of fire, and now I know why.

Anyway, at this point I had to mentally dissociate and thought of those Olympic athletes, birds flying over the ocean, and anything other than where I was. The most ******** part was being told not to breathe during each push, (does anyone know...is that right? I've heard other women say that didn't hold their breath during pushing....hmmm"). ANyway, just when I was thinking it would never end, BLUP, out came the head and the ring of fire subsided to a smoldering fire. Midwife said "it'll just be one more push during the next contraction and it'll be all over". At this, I shouted "ARE YOU SURE?" about ten times. I really didn't believe her even though i had read it all. Mum laughed and said "I think she's done this before". Hmmm....thanks mum!

So out slips DD and that was the most awesome feeling in the world. When they handed her to me though, I got a bit of a shock. I had no expectations of what she would look like, yet she didn't look anything like I expected if that makes sense!!! My mum kept commenting how she looked like my DH and father-in-law and I felt like saying 'shut up' - which I would never say to my mum, but seriously, it's not really what you want to hear after all that effort! I held her for about 30 mins until the placenta was born. Again, wanting to be all very 'anti-interventionist', i had originally said no a syntocinin shot, but when offered and told it would make the placenta come out in 2 mins vs. a likely 30-60 minutes, I easily accepted!!! The funniest thing was she said "this may hurt a bit" before jabbing my leg with the needle. How ironic!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

So, the overpowering feelings of maternal love just weren't really there in that 30 mins of holding her for the first time. I felt like I had taken large doses of some amazing illicit drug (not that I would know what that felt like, but I am guessing) But all I really wanted was a hot shower and some FOOD. Still, the relief and the exhaustion, and the sense of achievement was undescribably amazing. I was so so so so glad I had done it and been present for all of it. They brought me some half-stale old sandwiches (it was 7pm at night) and though my mum and DH said they tasted awful, they were the best tasting thing i ever ate in my whole life. What those natural endorphins can do!!! Was on an exhausted high for about 24 hours (with the inevitable day 2 crash of course). Still, I would rate it as the most excellent labour I could have had and wouldn't change a thing (unless I get some feedback from someone on the 'holding your breath during pushing' thing....???).

All up, just over 36 hours of a totally amazing experience.

[Fostermum]

My first was a pretty straightforward 13 and a half hour labour producing a 19lb baby girl.
My second well, on the Saturday at about 9.30 i found that gunky little bit of blood rang the hospital they said sounds like you lost the mucus plug come on in. Went in and they put the monitor on to measure any contractions and heartbeat etc. three hours later sent me home, sigh. I was 6 days late by this time.
On the Monday I went to the hospital just for a weekly heart check because I never felt my son move so this weekly thing the whole way through my pregnancy. They said it would be a good idea to induce me. So of I go to phone DH and up to the labour ward. Well as alot of you would know before the gel is inserted they do an internal. Low and behold the midwife says "Well love your 8cm dilated your having this baby now." I'm like UM ok. After another phone call to Dh thinking theres no way he was going to make it. I was in the labour room. Mind you all this time I have had no pain whatsoever. Lying there with the monitors attached. DH finally arrived and about three hours later they decide to help me along and break my waters Well OH MY GOD did i know i was in labour then sheesh it was like one continual contraction. but still no baby. after screaming and trying to push him out for 13 and a hlaf hours they opted for an emergency c-section because he was distressed and his heart rate was on 46bpm.
Well less than 15 mins later there he was my 9lb 6 baby boy.
Nine days after having him I got a blood clot in my thigh so evded up back in hospital for two weeks without my baby. Dh took care of him and my DD who was almost 4.
So I guess all in all my labour was approx 54 hours.

[onabreak]

I did not realise that I was having contractions. It was 10 am at the shops getting my nails done for my wedding in 2 weeks time. I went home and found blood in my pants and panicked as I was only 30 weeks. My fiance rushed home from work and took me to the hospital. The doctors had a good look and said I was 4 cm dilated. At this time the admitted me into a room to monitor me as my baby was way to early. It was about 6pm then.

I was still having mild contractions and the nurse decided to give a pethadine shot so I could get some sleep. My fiance was asleep beside me on the lounge and my parents had gone home to get some sleep. At about 2.30am the pain releif had worn off and I was in great pain. I had the urge to go to the toilet and splat my waters broke right into the toilet. The nurse asked me if that was my waters and I said yes it was.

I had to wobble back to the bed as I could feel the head coming. I told the nurse I had to push and she said hang on the Dr wants to have a look and I said I can not hang on I have to push, the nurse said then to the doctor the head is there and the baby is on it's way out. This was about 2.45am. My fiance had my parents at 2.30am when my waters broke, cause my mum didn't want to miss out. But with 3 simple but bloody painful pushes my daughter shot out like a cannon ball, the doctor had to catch her.

My parents then arrived, my poor mum was 5 minutes too late. So I was in labour for about 30 minutes, then it was all over. They rushed my baby away and I didn't get to see her until 5 hours later.

[jonelle_p]

Well my little girl is 6 weeks old now. I experience so many false contractions for about 2 weeks before my due date, but nothing happened. Then 8 days after my due date which was a monday I went to the hospital for an appointment, and the doctor booked me in for an induction on the tuesday at 7:00pm. Well got to the hospital at 7:00pm and went straight up to the birthing suite. The midwife put the moniter on me and said ''have u been having an contractions'' and well I thought I hadn't. But she told me I was, so I guess they just weren't that bad. Anyway she did an internal and told me I was already 4 cms dilited. So she said just sit back and try and relaxe, go for a walk etc etc. Did all that and I wasn't in any sort of pain, so by 11:00pm she had organised a private room for myself and hubby to go into for the night, beacause she thought there was no way I would be having my baby until the morning.
So we went to the room, and hubby bunked down the the pull out bed. I sort just watched telly and then around 2:00am I started feeling really bad contractions every so often. Well hubby still hadn't woken up either, and I was starting to get a bit peeved off too. Went for a walk downstairs at around 2:35am, well the contractions finally came on full on and painful. So it took me 20mins to get back up stairs in so much pain. Woke hubby, called a nurse, and she took me back to the birthing suite at 3:05am. Well the midwife was taking her sweet time thinking I still had a while to go, without even doing an internal, but 2 contractions later, I gave birth to my daughter standing up with no pain relief. It was amazing really because It was the most wonderful experience, because with my first son, I was induced and nearly delerious with pain, I can hardly remember what happened - induced 3 times from 6am in the morning, finally when into labour at 6 pm and had him at 9pm.