Lisa&Davey
11-08-2006, 15:21
I gave birth a few months ago and have only just got around to posting this. I guess it’s a testament of how I love to spend every second with my beautiful boy.:hugs: Sorry it's very long.:p
We went into the hospital at 8am on the 29th of March 2006 for induction at 38 weeks, 5 days gestation. I had less than 2 hours total sleep the night before. Who could sleep at a time like this? The obstetrician had been worried about Davey’s size and being in a rural area we didn’t want to risk needing an emergency c-sect when there weren’t the necessary staff around. I was also already 3cm for the past week according to him.
The ob arrived and examined me, breaking my waters at about 8.30am. He said I was still 3cm dilated. They put the needle in my hand ready for the drip. I had a lot of amniotic fluid! It explains why he was so active. Although they hadn't picked it up at the ultrasound and instead blamed my huge belly size exclusively on Davey being big..
I asked if they could stop the drip once labour was established so that I could have an active labour but the ob said no. The reason being that they didn’t want to have wasted a lot of time if labour then stopped.
They told me to go for a walk with DP until the midwife got there when they would start the hormones on the drip. We had left the room for about 10 minutes. I sat down on a bench while DP called to update family. I was on the phone to my sister when I felt the first proper contraction. It was pretty much what I’d been feeling during the practice runs I’d been having for a week or so just a bit stronger. I practically hung up on my sister. Told DP ‘Time to go’. He was on the phone to his sister and started to tell her what was happening. I had another, stronger contraction, prompting me to yell at DP, 'GET OFF THE PHONE!' I then stood up and had a flood of water run down my legs. Who would believe there could be MORE fluid?
I hobbled back to the delivery suite, dripping the whole way. The maternity pad they’d told me to put on didn't stand a chance. It was now 9.05am. I sat on the toilet (the most comfortable place to be) and continued to get contractions 2-3 minutes apart.
My midwife arrived at 9.15am. She was surprised to see me getting very strong contractions. She decided to call the ob to see if I could forego the hormone drip as things were happening on their own. I was eternally grateful.
The night before when I had been stressing about everything I had dreamed something like this would happen but hadn‘t thought it possible. I had been feeling quite guilty for agreeing to be induced and make Davey come before he was ready. For labour to start without needing the drip made me feel like it was imminent anyway and I hadn‘t interfered too much. It also meant I could have the active labour that I wanted.
The ob was not happy but midwife convinced him to give me an hour of trial anyway. He was away at his offices so couldn’t argue too much.
I started finding it hard to cope so tried some different positions (leaning on the fit ball, all fours). It didn't really help so the midwife suggested a bath. She went and filled it and I got in at about 10am. It felt a lot more relaxing. Now I just had to try to resist the urge to drown myself from the pain with each contraction.
I thought I was being very loud but have since been told that I 'went into my own world' and they were worried labour was slowing down from me being so quiet. The midwife just reminded me occasionally to breath through the pain. I kept reminding myself to concentrate on the present contraction and not worry about how much worse it would get. A really bad contraction would usually be followed by an easier one which made it easier to cope.
I was trying to enjoy the breaks in between contractions but it was hard when I knew if they didn't continue I would have to have the hormone and be confined to the bed (couldn't bear the thought of that). If that happened I would be getting an epidural and then everything would go downhill form there. So while I dreaded the start of each new contraction I was waiting and hoping for it at the same time. Weird huh?
Time flew.... I started thinking about an epidural anyway. BTW, Davey was still moving around in between contractions. I decided I would ask the midwife to examine me and if I was 6cm or more I would continue but if not I would have an epidural. First I asked them to add hot water to the bath. That felt good for about two contractions but then I felt overheated. I told the midwife I had enough so we headed back to the room (longest walk of my life). She seemed disappointed, I think she hoped I would continue in there and have him in the bath. She informed me that two babies had been born in the bath I was in, one of them being hers!
The time was now 1pm. I hopped on the bed, midwife examined me and I was 7-8cm! Yay! The midwife was very surprised. I think because I was being quiet she didn't think I was as far along. She warned me that transition was coming soon and I would be begging them for drugs but that I'd come so far that I should continue without. I agreed and proceeded to sit on toilet, birth stool, regular chair, all fours. Truly an active labour!
In the end I seemed to skip transistion altogether. I mean I did start doubting my ability to cope and really struggle with the pain for a while but I never verbalised that so I guess it seemed less of an issue. The only time I came close to g3etting grouchy with someone was as they kept trying to track Davey’s heart beat with the portable Doppler. It was SO annoying during contractions and seemed to be excruciatingly loud to me. I just craved quiet. It also prompted me to abandon my hospital robe as they were constantly needing me to open it to put the device on my belly. It’s amazing ho you don’t care about being nude. Modesty is the furthermost thing from your mind.
I'm not sure what time I started the urge to push but I knew I needed to do #2's. They tried to tell me it was the babies head but I insisted, sat on the loo and did poos! With DP and two midwives in the room mind you. Never thought I would do that! In between contractions I said to the back up midwife, ‘You can turn on the fan!’ How embarrasment. I then started dozing off between contractions, still on the loo. I was quite exhausted. Some contractions I pushed with some I didn’t. It was more like trying to do poos though.
Pushing felt like such relief compared to the contractions. It was like it didn't hurt anymore, it just felt like intense pressure. They kept trying to get me to go back to the birthing stool (it was the position I could go in that was most like the toilet) but I wouldn't. Suddenly with the next push I felt Davey’s head drop down a little and quickly decided maybe the birth stool was a good idea after all.
I sat on the stool, leaning back between DP's legs. I continued to push only when I felt the urge. Through the whole labour it felt like I just knew what to do. I was really glad for all the research I had done as I could understand what was going on. The midwife was really pleased with our progress. She said I was pushing very effectively and I attribute a lot of that to my research which had made me concentrate on not having the old two steps forward, one step back. Each centimetre that we progressed, I concentrated on not letting his head slip back.
The midwife felt for his head and it was on it's way down. I reached down and touched him with the next contraction. A couple of pushes and he began to crown. He then did a really big movement and stunned the midwife. He was active right until the last minute. It stung as he crowned but I had asked the midwives to apply pressure to my perineum with hot towels and that really helped. The place it hurt was on the sides. I told the midwife but I don't think they could do anything. The midwife guided my pushing and when she asked me to stop pushing so everything had time to stretch my body stopped contracting all on it‘s own.
Soon his head was out. I stopped once again as they moved the cord away from around his neck. One more push when I had the all clear and he was out. It was 3.52pm. The room flooded with more amniotic fluid. They threw towels everywhere.
Davey was placed straight onto my belly. He made the cutest little meow noises. The ob walked in almost at the same time and ordered them to clamp the cord before it stopped pulsing, against my wishes. I still don’t know why. It must just be his common practice but it was quite disappointing, especially when the orders were made while I wasn’t really in a state to argue.
Once clamped, DP cut the cord. The ob took Davey away to check him over as they helped me to the bed I told DP 'stay with him'. I was worried about him being on his own. I was shaking a lot, I think just from the general shock of giving birth but mostly just wanted them to give my baby back. The midwife told the ob to give him back. Thank you midwife.
We went into the hospital at 8am on the 29th of March 2006 for induction at 38 weeks, 5 days gestation. I had less than 2 hours total sleep the night before. Who could sleep at a time like this? The obstetrician had been worried about Davey’s size and being in a rural area we didn’t want to risk needing an emergency c-sect when there weren’t the necessary staff around. I was also already 3cm for the past week according to him.
The ob arrived and examined me, breaking my waters at about 8.30am. He said I was still 3cm dilated. They put the needle in my hand ready for the drip. I had a lot of amniotic fluid! It explains why he was so active. Although they hadn't picked it up at the ultrasound and instead blamed my huge belly size exclusively on Davey being big..
I asked if they could stop the drip once labour was established so that I could have an active labour but the ob said no. The reason being that they didn’t want to have wasted a lot of time if labour then stopped.
They told me to go for a walk with DP until the midwife got there when they would start the hormones on the drip. We had left the room for about 10 minutes. I sat down on a bench while DP called to update family. I was on the phone to my sister when I felt the first proper contraction. It was pretty much what I’d been feeling during the practice runs I’d been having for a week or so just a bit stronger. I practically hung up on my sister. Told DP ‘Time to go’. He was on the phone to his sister and started to tell her what was happening. I had another, stronger contraction, prompting me to yell at DP, 'GET OFF THE PHONE!' I then stood up and had a flood of water run down my legs. Who would believe there could be MORE fluid?
I hobbled back to the delivery suite, dripping the whole way. The maternity pad they’d told me to put on didn't stand a chance. It was now 9.05am. I sat on the toilet (the most comfortable place to be) and continued to get contractions 2-3 minutes apart.
My midwife arrived at 9.15am. She was surprised to see me getting very strong contractions. She decided to call the ob to see if I could forego the hormone drip as things were happening on their own. I was eternally grateful.
The night before when I had been stressing about everything I had dreamed something like this would happen but hadn‘t thought it possible. I had been feeling quite guilty for agreeing to be induced and make Davey come before he was ready. For labour to start without needing the drip made me feel like it was imminent anyway and I hadn‘t interfered too much. It also meant I could have the active labour that I wanted.
The ob was not happy but midwife convinced him to give me an hour of trial anyway. He was away at his offices so couldn’t argue too much.
I started finding it hard to cope so tried some different positions (leaning on the fit ball, all fours). It didn't really help so the midwife suggested a bath. She went and filled it and I got in at about 10am. It felt a lot more relaxing. Now I just had to try to resist the urge to drown myself from the pain with each contraction.
I thought I was being very loud but have since been told that I 'went into my own world' and they were worried labour was slowing down from me being so quiet. The midwife just reminded me occasionally to breath through the pain. I kept reminding myself to concentrate on the present contraction and not worry about how much worse it would get. A really bad contraction would usually be followed by an easier one which made it easier to cope.
I was trying to enjoy the breaks in between contractions but it was hard when I knew if they didn't continue I would have to have the hormone and be confined to the bed (couldn't bear the thought of that). If that happened I would be getting an epidural and then everything would go downhill form there. So while I dreaded the start of each new contraction I was waiting and hoping for it at the same time. Weird huh?
Time flew.... I started thinking about an epidural anyway. BTW, Davey was still moving around in between contractions. I decided I would ask the midwife to examine me and if I was 6cm or more I would continue but if not I would have an epidural. First I asked them to add hot water to the bath. That felt good for about two contractions but then I felt overheated. I told the midwife I had enough so we headed back to the room (longest walk of my life). She seemed disappointed, I think she hoped I would continue in there and have him in the bath. She informed me that two babies had been born in the bath I was in, one of them being hers!
The time was now 1pm. I hopped on the bed, midwife examined me and I was 7-8cm! Yay! The midwife was very surprised. I think because I was being quiet she didn't think I was as far along. She warned me that transition was coming soon and I would be begging them for drugs but that I'd come so far that I should continue without. I agreed and proceeded to sit on toilet, birth stool, regular chair, all fours. Truly an active labour!
In the end I seemed to skip transistion altogether. I mean I did start doubting my ability to cope and really struggle with the pain for a while but I never verbalised that so I guess it seemed less of an issue. The only time I came close to g3etting grouchy with someone was as they kept trying to track Davey’s heart beat with the portable Doppler. It was SO annoying during contractions and seemed to be excruciatingly loud to me. I just craved quiet. It also prompted me to abandon my hospital robe as they were constantly needing me to open it to put the device on my belly. It’s amazing ho you don’t care about being nude. Modesty is the furthermost thing from your mind.
I'm not sure what time I started the urge to push but I knew I needed to do #2's. They tried to tell me it was the babies head but I insisted, sat on the loo and did poos! With DP and two midwives in the room mind you. Never thought I would do that! In between contractions I said to the back up midwife, ‘You can turn on the fan!’ How embarrasment. I then started dozing off between contractions, still on the loo. I was quite exhausted. Some contractions I pushed with some I didn’t. It was more like trying to do poos though.
Pushing felt like such relief compared to the contractions. It was like it didn't hurt anymore, it just felt like intense pressure. They kept trying to get me to go back to the birthing stool (it was the position I could go in that was most like the toilet) but I wouldn't. Suddenly with the next push I felt Davey’s head drop down a little and quickly decided maybe the birth stool was a good idea after all.
I sat on the stool, leaning back between DP's legs. I continued to push only when I felt the urge. Through the whole labour it felt like I just knew what to do. I was really glad for all the research I had done as I could understand what was going on. The midwife was really pleased with our progress. She said I was pushing very effectively and I attribute a lot of that to my research which had made me concentrate on not having the old two steps forward, one step back. Each centimetre that we progressed, I concentrated on not letting his head slip back.
The midwife felt for his head and it was on it's way down. I reached down and touched him with the next contraction. A couple of pushes and he began to crown. He then did a really big movement and stunned the midwife. He was active right until the last minute. It stung as he crowned but I had asked the midwives to apply pressure to my perineum with hot towels and that really helped. The place it hurt was on the sides. I told the midwife but I don't think they could do anything. The midwife guided my pushing and when she asked me to stop pushing so everything had time to stretch my body stopped contracting all on it‘s own.
Soon his head was out. I stopped once again as they moved the cord away from around his neck. One more push when I had the all clear and he was out. It was 3.52pm. The room flooded with more amniotic fluid. They threw towels everywhere.
Davey was placed straight onto my belly. He made the cutest little meow noises. The ob walked in almost at the same time and ordered them to clamp the cord before it stopped pulsing, against my wishes. I still don’t know why. It must just be his common practice but it was quite disappointing, especially when the orders were made while I wasn’t really in a state to argue.
Once clamped, DP cut the cord. The ob took Davey away to check him over as they helped me to the bed I told DP 'stay with him'. I was worried about him being on his own. I was shaking a lot, I think just from the general shock of giving birth but mostly just wanted them to give my baby back. The midwife told the ob to give him back. Thank you midwife.