Lil Mamma
08-02-2007, 23:41
Im writing the birth story of my first son for my own records, because I have another one on the way and I've realised I have never actually sat down and written his birth story (Hes 11 months old!)! Better do it while its still fresh in my mind...
I was just over 37 weeks pregnant and I noticed my underwear became a little wet! A bit later on after changing them I noticed they got a little wet again. I didnt for a second think that my water's had broken because I was expecting a huge gush. I called the hospital and they advised me to place a pad in and come in for an examination. DH took the morning off work to take me, and after waiting for 1 1/2 in the birthing suite a doctor finally came in to give me an internal examination (eek). What made it all the more uncomfortable is that she had a STUDENT midwife with her and was talking her through everything. So there I was laying there with my legs spread open, two women standing there shining torches up there and I can hear "thats the cervix :ecomcity: ". Anyway, she told me my water's were not broken and there's nothing to worry about.
I was a little disappointed, I was thinking I would have the baby soon! That night I was asleep with a pillow in between my legs, I woke at midnight to find the pillow and my underwear completely soaked. I had this overwhelming feeling of excitement, but thought I shouldnt get my hopes up in case it was another false alarm. I stood up and little drips of water were coming out. I could actually push bits of water out if I tried. I woke poor DH and told him, I called the hospital and they said it definetly sounds like your waters are broken, come on in! So I packed my hospital bag and hubby and I drove there, it was quite late so the hospital was quiet. They gave me an examination and said yep your waters are definetly broken. So what now? I wasn't allowed to go back home due to ruptured membranes, they said I'd have to stay there until I went into labour in case of infection to bub now that the water was gone. Hubby was sent home and I promised to call him as soon as I was having contractions. I could hardly sleep that night, just waiting for the contractions to start! I got about 3 hours of sleep in total, some slight contractions but nothing painful. I was put on a drip the next morning to protect the baby from infection. All day and nothing... the next day and still nothing. They were the longest 2 days of my life! That night they said I would be induced with the synotocin drip the next morning at 10am. I could hardly sleep knowing that I was having my baby the next day!! So they took me into the birthing suite at 10am and started the drip. Firstly on a low dosage, then they doubled the dosage every 1/2 hr. They assured me it wouldn't be too long as "the youngens tend to go through it pretty quickly!" - boy were they wrong :crying:
It was ok at first, because of the nature of the contractions being hormonally induced, they were VERY intense. The first 2 hours were manageable, the contractions were painful but as soon as they were over I'd be fine and smiling. They also let me know that my mum had arrived! I hadn't told her to come in yet but she said she just couldn't wait and she's here if I need her. Boy was I glad to have her there, she was an awesome help. After 5 hours the midwife did an examination and was extremely happy that I was already 5-6cm dialated! I was over the moon, they said he'll defnietly be out by the afternoon! The doc came in and did an examination. I saw her have a word to the midwife, they said to me, sorry about that but you're actually about 2cm dialated which is quite bad for this stage. I was sucking on gas by this stage. The first time had a funny affect on me, after that it was used for nothing more than a screaming device. They tried me in some different positions and DH took me in for hot shower and back massages. By this stage the contractions were absolutely agonising, I would scream and cry everytime I would have one, the pain was unbearable. We found out the reason for this was because, on top of the intensity of the induced contractions, the bub was actually posterior. That means although he was head down, his body was facing the wrong way so his back was against my spine. The back pain alone was equal, if not greater than the contraction pain.
I told my DH I don't want to have a baby anymore, I just want this to be over. I seriously have never felt so out of control of my body. My mum was an excellent help, she was really good moral support even though I could tell it was hard for her to watch me go through it. Her and my DH took it in turns to sleep and look after me. The doc came in and was quite rude, she told me YOU NEED TO RELAX! She was very uncompassionate, I responded WELL WHAT DO YOU EXPECT, IT HURTS!! She said I need to have a shot of pethedene if there is any chance of moving this labour along. She was quite rude and scared me, said the labour was progressing very badly and if I didn't dialate more very soon Id most likely be going in for a c/s. She offered me to go down for one at that point but I said no, anything but a c/s! I had my heart set on a natural birth. The pethedene did hardly anything. I was in labour for 12 hours and I was about 5-6cm dialated at this point and more than ready to give up. The baby against my back was agonising and all the attempts we made to get him into the right position failed. The docs came in and said right, its a c/s or an epidural we need to do something now. I said neither, the thought of the thick needle going into my spine made me want to throw up, and having my stomach cut open didn't particularly appeal to me!! They said sorry but at this stage its one or the other, as the bub was getting a bit distressed.
I was lying in bed with a drip, a contracion monitor, a baby heart rate monitor and a gas mask all strapped to me. I chose the epidural as much as it scared the hell out of me. The anaesthetist was quite quick in getting there, I didn't feel the needle go in as much as I thought it would, well it was nothing compared to the pain I was already in anyway! It was the best decision I had ever made..... I didnt feel a thing. I was thanking God over and over, the pain was finally gone. I was lying in the hospital bed with all of those things strapped to me plus now an epidural in my back and I clonked out to sleep immediately. I slept for about an hour and I was so grateful not to be feeling anything. DH and mum were asleep on the chairs. I was watching my contraction monitor go through the roof and I couldn't feel it.
4 hours later I was ten centimetres dialated!!! I was so excited I was finally going to see my baby! They turned the epidural off so that I could feel when to push. I pushed for 1 1/2 hours. It wasnt too bad in the start but the last half hour of pushing was a nightmare as his body was turning the correct position on the way out. DH watched him come out as mum held my hand. Toward the end she stood at the back of the room as she couldnt watch anymore! They kept saying "hes got black hair! he's nearly here!". I felt his head pop out and then a few more pushes and his little body came out. The midwife popped him straight onto me and the feeling was something I could never describe. For a split second I forgot everything, I just stared at him, totally emotional with a big smile on my face and in tears. They put air under his nose and he let out his first breaths and a little newborn cry. I held him and I couldn't believe he was finally here in my arms. We were covered in blood and he was all mucusy but he was beautiful. He was so quiet and within his first minutes of life did a little poo and wee on me! Dh cut the cord and I proudly showed him to my mum. He had a full head of dark hair and dark blue eyes. I had a long tear so needed a few stitches for that. They stitched me up while bub was having all his little tests and needles and they lay him in the infant bed. I had a shower and got cleaned up and couldnt believe I was now a mum. I couldnt sit down for a few days after the birth due to the stitches, which made breastfeeding quite hard. The arrival of my little man was the most beautiful, amazing and undescribable moment of my life, to look into his eyes for the first time and feel him moving in my arms was something I will never forget!
I was just over 37 weeks pregnant and I noticed my underwear became a little wet! A bit later on after changing them I noticed they got a little wet again. I didnt for a second think that my water's had broken because I was expecting a huge gush. I called the hospital and they advised me to place a pad in and come in for an examination. DH took the morning off work to take me, and after waiting for 1 1/2 in the birthing suite a doctor finally came in to give me an internal examination (eek). What made it all the more uncomfortable is that she had a STUDENT midwife with her and was talking her through everything. So there I was laying there with my legs spread open, two women standing there shining torches up there and I can hear "thats the cervix :ecomcity: ". Anyway, she told me my water's were not broken and there's nothing to worry about.
I was a little disappointed, I was thinking I would have the baby soon! That night I was asleep with a pillow in between my legs, I woke at midnight to find the pillow and my underwear completely soaked. I had this overwhelming feeling of excitement, but thought I shouldnt get my hopes up in case it was another false alarm. I stood up and little drips of water were coming out. I could actually push bits of water out if I tried. I woke poor DH and told him, I called the hospital and they said it definetly sounds like your waters are broken, come on in! So I packed my hospital bag and hubby and I drove there, it was quite late so the hospital was quiet. They gave me an examination and said yep your waters are definetly broken. So what now? I wasn't allowed to go back home due to ruptured membranes, they said I'd have to stay there until I went into labour in case of infection to bub now that the water was gone. Hubby was sent home and I promised to call him as soon as I was having contractions. I could hardly sleep that night, just waiting for the contractions to start! I got about 3 hours of sleep in total, some slight contractions but nothing painful. I was put on a drip the next morning to protect the baby from infection. All day and nothing... the next day and still nothing. They were the longest 2 days of my life! That night they said I would be induced with the synotocin drip the next morning at 10am. I could hardly sleep knowing that I was having my baby the next day!! So they took me into the birthing suite at 10am and started the drip. Firstly on a low dosage, then they doubled the dosage every 1/2 hr. They assured me it wouldn't be too long as "the youngens tend to go through it pretty quickly!" - boy were they wrong :crying:
It was ok at first, because of the nature of the contractions being hormonally induced, they were VERY intense. The first 2 hours were manageable, the contractions were painful but as soon as they were over I'd be fine and smiling. They also let me know that my mum had arrived! I hadn't told her to come in yet but she said she just couldn't wait and she's here if I need her. Boy was I glad to have her there, she was an awesome help. After 5 hours the midwife did an examination and was extremely happy that I was already 5-6cm dialated! I was over the moon, they said he'll defnietly be out by the afternoon! The doc came in and did an examination. I saw her have a word to the midwife, they said to me, sorry about that but you're actually about 2cm dialated which is quite bad for this stage. I was sucking on gas by this stage. The first time had a funny affect on me, after that it was used for nothing more than a screaming device. They tried me in some different positions and DH took me in for hot shower and back massages. By this stage the contractions were absolutely agonising, I would scream and cry everytime I would have one, the pain was unbearable. We found out the reason for this was because, on top of the intensity of the induced contractions, the bub was actually posterior. That means although he was head down, his body was facing the wrong way so his back was against my spine. The back pain alone was equal, if not greater than the contraction pain.
I told my DH I don't want to have a baby anymore, I just want this to be over. I seriously have never felt so out of control of my body. My mum was an excellent help, she was really good moral support even though I could tell it was hard for her to watch me go through it. Her and my DH took it in turns to sleep and look after me. The doc came in and was quite rude, she told me YOU NEED TO RELAX! She was very uncompassionate, I responded WELL WHAT DO YOU EXPECT, IT HURTS!! She said I need to have a shot of pethedene if there is any chance of moving this labour along. She was quite rude and scared me, said the labour was progressing very badly and if I didn't dialate more very soon Id most likely be going in for a c/s. She offered me to go down for one at that point but I said no, anything but a c/s! I had my heart set on a natural birth. The pethedene did hardly anything. I was in labour for 12 hours and I was about 5-6cm dialated at this point and more than ready to give up. The baby against my back was agonising and all the attempts we made to get him into the right position failed. The docs came in and said right, its a c/s or an epidural we need to do something now. I said neither, the thought of the thick needle going into my spine made me want to throw up, and having my stomach cut open didn't particularly appeal to me!! They said sorry but at this stage its one or the other, as the bub was getting a bit distressed.
I was lying in bed with a drip, a contracion monitor, a baby heart rate monitor and a gas mask all strapped to me. I chose the epidural as much as it scared the hell out of me. The anaesthetist was quite quick in getting there, I didn't feel the needle go in as much as I thought it would, well it was nothing compared to the pain I was already in anyway! It was the best decision I had ever made..... I didnt feel a thing. I was thanking God over and over, the pain was finally gone. I was lying in the hospital bed with all of those things strapped to me plus now an epidural in my back and I clonked out to sleep immediately. I slept for about an hour and I was so grateful not to be feeling anything. DH and mum were asleep on the chairs. I was watching my contraction monitor go through the roof and I couldn't feel it.
4 hours later I was ten centimetres dialated!!! I was so excited I was finally going to see my baby! They turned the epidural off so that I could feel when to push. I pushed for 1 1/2 hours. It wasnt too bad in the start but the last half hour of pushing was a nightmare as his body was turning the correct position on the way out. DH watched him come out as mum held my hand. Toward the end she stood at the back of the room as she couldnt watch anymore! They kept saying "hes got black hair! he's nearly here!". I felt his head pop out and then a few more pushes and his little body came out. The midwife popped him straight onto me and the feeling was something I could never describe. For a split second I forgot everything, I just stared at him, totally emotional with a big smile on my face and in tears. They put air under his nose and he let out his first breaths and a little newborn cry. I held him and I couldn't believe he was finally here in my arms. We were covered in blood and he was all mucusy but he was beautiful. He was so quiet and within his first minutes of life did a little poo and wee on me! Dh cut the cord and I proudly showed him to my mum. He had a full head of dark hair and dark blue eyes. I had a long tear so needed a few stitches for that. They stitched me up while bub was having all his little tests and needles and they lay him in the infant bed. I had a shower and got cleaned up and couldnt believe I was now a mum. I couldnt sit down for a few days after the birth due to the stitches, which made breastfeeding quite hard. The arrival of my little man was the most beautiful, amazing and undescribable moment of my life, to look into his eyes for the first time and feel him moving in my arms was something I will never forget!